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Reveration Blog

9/2/2025 0 Comments

A Phony Request

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​God is a heart reader.  Imagine Jeff goes to his God-fearing sister and says, “Julie, I’ve got to make a decision. I need to either move to Montana for a new job opportunity so I can escape the toxic work environment I’m in or stay put and trust God to help me get through it.  I’m not sure what to do. Will you pray and ask God to reveal His will?” So Julie prays for Jeff, and God impresses on her that he is to stay in Vermont in his current job and trust Him. God is going to turn what is a current mess into a blessing. But if he moves, it will not go well.

​Julie reveals to Jeff God’s message, and he gets mad at her. He says he was better off when he trusted his gut. He accuses her of trying to manipulate him to stay in Vermont. “I’m moving to Montana, you are lying, and I know it will be better there than here.”


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4/1/2025 0 Comments

Deprived

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Alice worked in the nursery for her church in California. A toddler needed his diaper changed and in the presence of the other workers, Alice changed it. When the child returned home the parents asked him if anyone had touched him and the child said yes and let them know it was Alice. The parents called Child Protective Services and they filed a report against Alice.  The church by policy terminated her services despite the fact there were witnesses who stated she did nothing inappropriate. Alice was never told who made the accusation and was labeled as guilty of a sexual offense against a child with no means to clear her name. So, she lost her job.  How could someone with a good heart serving the Lord get treated so poorly?


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3/11/2025 3 Comments

Mindlock

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They were college roommates with a friendship that brought laughter and fun to almost everyone who entered their orbit. Now, 44 years later, on opposite sides of the political spectrum, they bash each other on social media with barely concealed contempt. Whoever said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” was internally dishonest. Negative words do more than upset, they create resentment, rifts, and land littered with destroyed relationships.


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9/11/2024 1 Comment

Debating

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​Meditation
Jude 9--Yet Michael the archangel, when he was disputing with the Devil in a debate about Moses’ body, did not dare bring an abusive condemnation against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

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3/20/2024 1 Comment

Pretending

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Alice* presented her plan for her organization to succeed if certain political events went differently than expected.  Sadly, her presentation failed because she neglected to vet it with her peers, and her message needed to be clearer. It caused subordinates to question how in touch their senior leaders were with them.
           
​One of the junior supervisors, Becky, wept as she shared her frustration with senior leadership’s inability to appreciate their needs. Her vulnerability encouraged many in the room to speak up with similar thoughts, and the atmosphere in the room became tense and somewhat awkward. Feeling overwhelmed, Becky left the meeting. 

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1/7/2024 0 Comments

Three Consequences of Sin and a Great Danger

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Recently, I spoke with Jackson,* a sailor who was part of my ministry over three decades ago. He called to apologize over a series of texts that frankly were spawned from frustration and anger over racial issues he was troubled by. During our conversation, he linked his bondage to pornography to his father, who beat his wife, Jackson, and his older brother.  His justification troubled me, and he permitted me to speak candidly.

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12/22/2021 3 Comments

Four Things God Hates

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​St. Augustine wrote in Augustine Confessions: 
"Thus they hate the truth for the sake of that other thing which they love because they take it for truth. They love truth when it enlightens them, they hate truth when it accuses them. Because they do not wish to be deceived and do wish to deceive, they love truth when it reveals itself, and hate it when it reveals them."
We like genuineness when it suits or helps us, but not so much when it exposes us or shows our wrong motives or conduct. Perhaps that is why there is a Jewish parable that says, “Truth is heavy, so few men carry it.”


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10/26/2020 1 Comment

Don't Be Exploited

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Alicia listened with rapt attention as Brother Berrie* encouraged his listeners to send as large a gift as possible to his ministry.  She was amazed at the number of people healed by Berrie’s touch and their stirring testimonies.  He was a magnificent speaker and she was certain he carried the blessing of heaven. Berrie told his listeners that by giving to him they would ensure themselves health—no sickness would overcome them. He said that God personally told him that the larger the gift his donors sent him guaranteed them a higher rewarded position in the afterlife because of the impact of his ministry.  Though she was barely managing to keep her home together as a single mom, Alicia eagerly went online and gave $150 hard-earned dollars.

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7/17/2019 2 Comments

These Aren't My Pants!

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I heard a story on the radio recently of a policeman who was searching a man. As he went through his pockets he discovered several bags full of illegal drugs. Before he could say anything, the man gave him an exasperated look and said, “These aren’t my pants!” ​


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2/15/2014

The Trouble with Lying

​The most pain I have suffered (in terms of damage inflicted by a person) was caused by the lying of someone I trusted. We opened up our home to be used as a rental managed by a friend.  His vision was to help get men who were homeless off the streets. But instead of following the guidelines we established he began lying about what was happening with the residents as well as telling people that we had given him the home.  Ultimately we had to go to court just to get possession of the house.  His betrayal, lies, and the financial and emotional cost to my wife and me generated much suffering.  I realize that compared to what many others throughout the world have suffered this was not so bad.  Even so, it gave me a lasting memory of the harmful impact of lies.
 

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11/3/2013

Punishment

​Meditation
Lamentations 3:39—Why should any living person complain, any man, because of the punishment for his sins?
 
One of the aspects of leadership that I find most taxing is taking disciplinary action against employees for immoral, illegal, or unethical behavior.  If people were honest and simply confessed wrongdoing it would not be so hard.  Yet rarely does that seem to be the case.  Excessive time and emotional energy is spent in separating truth from fiction.

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2/18/2012

Excited

​Have you ever made an exciting discovery?  You go and share your new found information with those who should be interested and their response is unenthusiastic.   Instead of them celebrating with you or wanting to learn more, you are met with disinterested head nodding.  The test of whether someone really cares about what you care about is their genuine willingness to get involved.

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4/4/2007

Spiritists

​Nadjya* came into our center to get food.  As Bryan had her fill out forms, she shared she was mentally struggling.  He forewarned me that she seemed kind of bizarre. I called her in and asked her questions to determine her financial and spiritual status. Essentially, a bout of pneumonia and lingering weakness caused her to miss enough work that she was in need of our help.  I was surprised at how well her job paid.  Most people who visit us make very little money or are in between jobs.  I was also impressed with her faith in God’s mercy and forgiveness.  She seemed to have a good grasp of the Bible.  

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12/11/2001

Lying

​While browsing through a magazine at an X-ray clinic, an advertisement caught my eyes.  The bold headlines proclaimed something to the effect of, “It is WRONG! . . . It is Nationally Televised”.  The ad promoted some upcoming cable channel roast of Playboy magazine’s founder and owner, Hugh Hefner.  

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9/11/2000 0 Comments

Follow--He Left His Wife

​Aber and I sat at the table and dipped the addicting chips in delicious hot sauce. Aber asked if we could meet.  He was spiritually hungry, eager to learn more about God.  After our usual chitchat he shared about a vivacious gal at work on his team.  She had recently moved to Oregon from Massachusetts.  He noted her athleticism and that the two of them were working out three times a week during lunch.  He was losing weight and felt great.  Not surprisingly, the chips I’d been munching lost their flavor.

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Photo from Rachel Maxey Miles