From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 5 12:31:17 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:31:17 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-07-08 A test for Jacob -- Genesis 42:38 Message-ID: <47F7A955.3040905@dwightclough.com> *Do your friends know about "Discoveries -- Inspiration in Your Inbox" Devotionals? * *Feel free to pass these messages on to them. They can learn more at http://www.dwightclough.com/discoveries.php* /*But Jacob said, "My son [Benjamin] will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow." -- Genesis 42:38*/ Jacob lost his favorite wife. He lost his favorite son. Now it looked like he might lose Benjamin as well. Abraham offered Isaac on the altar to God. As you know, Abraham received his son back unharmed. But he had no way of knowing how that sacrifice would play out when he and his son hiked to the top of Mount Moriah. As circumstances he could not control descended upon him, Jacob was being asked to give away the last precious connection he had with his beloved Rachel, his remaining son from that marriage. He refused to do it. He delayed. He stalled. But, in the end, he had no choice. He stood at the entrance to his tent and watched Benjamin slowly walk away until he was nothing but a speck on the horizon under the midmorning sun. No doubt years of sorrow welled up in his heart, and anxious thoughts flooded his mind. But this is the miracle of the Christian life. Only when we give away what we cannot keep, does God give us the blessing that we thought we would never have. Jacob had no way of knowing that he would get back not only Benjamin, but his long lost Joseph. And now, he would have what he never had before, twelve sons who respected and honored one another. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 5 12:31:51 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:31:51 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-08-08 It will make sense-- Genesis 46:1-4 Message-ID: <47F7A977.1030608@dwightclough.com> /*So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, "Jacob! Jacob!"*/ /*"Here I am," he replied.*/ /*"I am God, the God of your father," He said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes." -- Genesis 46:1-4*/ Every time I return to this passage, I am struck with the silence of God. For at least twenty-two years, God knew that Joseph was alive and well in Egypt. He could have revealed that to Jacob at any time, but, instead, silence. God said nothing to one of His most trusted servants, to the patriarch that became the father of His chosen people, Israel. God could have rescued Jacob from his grief and from his anxiety at any time. But He waited 22 years until this night in Beersheba. God's word to Jacob brought Jacob's life's story to a close. He would be reunited with his lost son. He would die in peace with his family restored. God's word also began to show Jacob how his life fit into God's bigger plans for His chosen nation. Some of us are in the period of silence. Our lives don't make much sense, and God isn't offering any explanation. I want to encourage you. A Beersheba word is coming. God does not create lives that make no sense. Your life will be complete and it will make sense. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 5 12:32:19 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:32:19 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-09-08 The family name -- Genesis 48:16 Message-ID: <47F7A993.2000709@dwightclough.com> /*May they be called by my name, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac ... -- Genesis 48:16*/ Jacob blesses the sons of Joseph and gives them the highest gift, his own name and the name of his fathers. I was a school bus driver when my wife was pregnant with our first son. We knew it was a boy, but we were having trouble deciding on a name. But one day as I was driving around in my school bus, with nobody on board, it came to me that our son should be named after his great-greatgrandfather Hans Burt who came to the United States from Norway in the middle 1800s. As an immigrant child in a single-parent family in the 1800s, our ancestor overcame much to become a man of God. Our second son received my name. By giving these boys their names, I am doing two things. I am looking into their future and calling into their lives everything that is good and wholesome and true about their family. And I am looking to God for the grace to pass on a name of honor. I am also taking a risk. I hope and believe that my boys will grow into honorable men, but I can't guarantee that they will. What will they do with the family name? Ultimately, I don't know. One of the last things Jesus did before He departed was to give us His name. Carrying His name we are Jesus to this world. God risks the name of His Son on us so that He can call everything good about Jesus into our lives. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 5 12:32:55 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:32:55 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-10-08 A bigger plan -- Genesis 50:4 Message-ID: <47F7A9B7.9060309@dwightclough.com> /*"... speak to Pharaoh for me ..." -- Genesis 50:4*/ Twenty-six years have passed since Joseph was "put in charge of the entire land of Egypt." The famine was now a memory, and it appears that Joseph's influence was beginning to recede. Joseph was 56, about halfway through his 110 years. By the end of the chapter -- and the end of his life, he isn't sending messages to Pharaoh at all. Instead, he is promising his brothers that God would come to their aid and bring them up out of Egypt. I've lived long enough now to see that new stars rise. Old leaders are sometimes put out to pasture to make room for the young. Sometimes the stars of yesterday are forgotten in the fireworks of today. All of this would be terribly unfair, if God didn't have much bigger plans for all of us. Joseph's rule in Egypt came about to preserve a nation and a family. That was the plan of God. But what is the lesson of the last half of Joseph's life? Here's the lesson. God doesn't need bright lights and cameras to make your life significant. You may die in utter obscurity. You may say goodbye to the living by telling them to hope for better days. But God hasn't used up your usefulness. God's plan for you is too big to fit inside 70 years or 110 years or 1,000 years. It's too big for a little kingdom like Egypt to contain. Soon after Joseph was made ruler of the land, a runner ran before his chariot to say, "Make way! The ruler is coming. Step aside." But now there weren't enough chariots in Egypt to carry, nor enough voices along the Nile to announce the plan of God. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 5 12:33:21 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:33:21 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-11-08 Treasure -- Mark 10:21, John 10:10, Exodus 20:3 Message-ID: <47F7A9D1.70004@dwightclough.com> /*"Go, sell everything you have ... " -- Mark 10:21*/ /*"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy ... " -- John 10:10*/ /*"You shall have no other gods before Me." -- Exodus 20:3*/ Our treasures will destroy us until we give them to God. In fact, as I look around, I see the enemy unleashed in the lives of people to take what they love and to ruin their lives with it. In The Lord of the Rings, "the precious" consumed Smeagol until he became Gollum, a ruined caricature of his former self. Likewise, the enemy has access only to the part of our lives that is not hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). People love bad things and people love good things, but all things get in the way when they aren't given to God. The blessing was unleashed after Isaac was placed on the altar. How do we discover the love of God? By releasing our other loves. Kim became my wife when she chose to forsake all others. God cannot give us greater and more secure treasure, until we trust Him with the treasure we now possess. So this is our invitation. God wants to give us what the enemy cannot touch and what can never be taken away. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 5 12:37:52 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:37:52 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-12-08 God will make it right -- Psalm 103:6 Message-ID: <47F7AAE0.9020806@dwightclough.com> /*The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. -- Psalm 103:6*/ We must understand that what is true in the short run can be, and often is, false in the long run. For example, many people are eager to teach their children that life isn't fair. This is a short term truth. Many times life isn't fair. Horrible things are done to people for no good reason. This is not fair. It is not good. It is not right. But I would like to suggest to you that life is fair because God will make it fair. There is no injustice that He will not make right. How does He do this? I don't know. When will He do this? I don't know. All I know is no one will be able to look God in the eye and say that the life He gave was unfair, because God will make it right. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 5 12:38:23 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:38:23 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-13-08 Friend of sinners -- Mark 2:16 Message-ID: <47F7AAFF.7020400@dwightclough.com> /*When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw [Jesus] eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked His disciples: "Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?" -- Mark 2:16*/ Let's start with this question: Why didn't the teachers of the law eat with sinners? Why did they object? I think they were afraid. Afraid of being contaminated, no doubt. But also, perhaps, afraid of being exposed. Once you remove the religious facade, was there any substance to their lives? Was there any real power to their message, apart from the ecclesiastical power that they found in the title "teacher"? And why were they afraid of being contaminated? Was it because they were afraid they might discover that these sinners had something better, more enticing, more delicious than what the teachers possessed? It's a strange paradox. The more Jesus accomplishes in us, the more comfortable we are with sinners. On one hand their behavior doesn't shock us any more. On the other, it doesn't tempt us either. We become comfortable with ourselves, secure in who we are in Christ. We find that we can listen to them without scrambling to shore up our own defenses. I think it's all part of God's plan. Salt is useless while still in the shaker. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 12 14:38:50 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:38:50 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-14-08 They can't bite -- James 1:2 Message-ID: <480101BA.2080103@dwightclough.com> *Do any of you know anybody on Antarctica? My wife wants to know. Our devotional currently reaches readers on six continents and she wants to reach the 7^th . New readers sign up at http://www.dwightclough.com/discoveries.php* /*... the testing of your faith develops perseverance. -- James 1:2*/ I like to walk out in nature. That's my way of connecting with God. For walkers, here in Wisconsin we have three seasons: one month of yellow jackets followed by seven months of cold followed by four months of mosquitoes. Sometimes in the summer months, the marsh where I like to walk is filled with angry, biting, hungry, swarming insects. Years ago I would take a quick walk, swatting madly at the bugs feeding on my flesh, and race back to the car, miserable and defeated. Sometimes I went the chemical route, but I'm not sure DEET is much better than the mosquitoes. Then one day I met a fellow who was wearing a mosquito net outfit. While I was trying to kill deer flies and mosquitoes before they bit me, he was calmly enjoying his walk. So I made a decision. I didn't care whether it looked cool or not, I decided to buy a bug net. After I bought the net, I went for a walk. It didn't take long for the mosquitoes to find me. At first there were two or three, but it wasn't long before there must have been fifty or more. And, yes, I did get a couple bites -- one or two on my hand, and one or two when a mosquito found her way (only the females bite) under my bug net. But, for the most part, I walked along slightly distracted but fully protected. It strikes me that God's grace is like the bug net. And my troubles are like mosquitoes. Before God brought truth to the inner parts (Psalm 51:6), every little annoyance and irritation "drew blood" so to speak. But as God's grace covers more and more of my life, even when troubles swarm around me, they can't bite any more. Yes, they are there. But God doesn't allow them to land. So what is perseverance? Perseverance is the miraculous, God-given grace to walk through troubles, look around and realize that they no longer bite. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 12 14:39:23 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:39:23 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-15-08 Is God unfair? -- Exodus 20:5 Message-ID: <480101DB.50102@dwightclough.com> /*... punishing the children for the sin of the fathers ... -- Exodus 20:5*/ For a God who says He loves justice, this seemed awfully unfair to me. So I asked Him about it. Remember, when God doesn't make sense, pursue Him. Don't run away from Him, run after Him. Tug on His sleeve, and don't let go, just like my kids do with me. Anyway, I asked God. And He pointed out to me that the verse doesn't say that God punishes children because their fathers sin. Instead, God punishes the next generation because, although they decry the faults of their elders, they don't learn from their mistakes. They don't go to God, renounce the sins of the previous generation, and obtain from their Heavenly Father a new family identity. This is why the teen who rebels against his parents grows up to look just like His parents. The good news is this: We followers of Jesus Christ have a new Father and He doesn't sin. When we bring Him into the dark places of our lives, the sins of our earthly fathers lose their grip on us. We are set free from their downward pull. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sun Apr 13 07:37:01 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2008 06:37:01 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-16-08 A woman's beauty -- 1 Peter 3:4 Message-ID: <4801F05D.4060301@dwightclough.com> *My 14 year old son, Hans, is looking for a way to raise some money to go on a missions trip this summer. He is good at creating something beautiful from photos and text. If you would like one of these devotionals (or any other text) combined with a photo (a person, a sunset, flowers, whatever) and made into a poster or plaque or card, Hans would be happy to do so in exchange for a contribution toward his trip. Contact me http://www.dwightclough.com/contact.php and we'll work out the details.* /*Instead, [a woman's beauty] should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. -- 1 Peter 3:4*/ What does God value? There is something inside you that God values. And this beauty inside you is not pocket change to God. It is treasure. My daughters sometimes ask me, "Daddy, do you think I'm pretty?" Every time they do, I am touched by their vulnerability and by the trust they put in me. I feel overwhelmed. And, yes, I look them in the eyes and I tell them, "You are beautiful." God is calling His daughters to Himself. He has a word for you, woman of God. He wants you to know about the great worth inside you, about the beauty He sees in you. This is not a message I can deliver for Him, but I can and do invite you to go to Him to receive His life-changing word for you. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 12 14:40:54 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:40:54 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-17-08 God's wisdom -- 2 Timothy 2:24 Message-ID: <48010236.2080505@dwightclough.com> /*And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. -- 2 Timothy 2:24*/ I am overwhelmed by the wisdom of God. One day someone wrote me with a criticism that initially came across to me as sarcastic and rude. The email stung, and my first desire was to lash back with some clever reply of my own. But the Lord impressed me with the need to bring my hurt and anger to Him, to let Him minister to me in the place where this criticism "got to me." So I just lingered there before the Lord until I felt the freedom to reply with measured words. On one hand, I don't think the Lord wanted me to be a doormat, but, on the other, I believe He wanted me to write words of encouragement and wisdom. So I wrote a reply, and got a reply in return. It turns out that the sender was a ministry leader many years my senior. (I didn't know this before.) I am so glad that I didn't respond harshly. This was a brother, precious to the Lord, deserving of honor, regardless of whether I agreed with him on this specific issue. The church can family or it can be a battleground. God, in His wisdom, keeps us family. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 12 14:41:27 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:41:27 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-18-08 What God wants to give -- Psalm 103:5 Message-ID: <48010257.3080500@dwightclough.com> /*[The LORD] satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. -- Psalm 103:5*/ This is one of my favorite passages in all scripture. All of us have dreams, hopes, desires. Some of them are lofty and noble. Some of them may be secret and shameful. But we all have desires, and it seems to each of us that if we only got what we desired (a certain marriage partner, a certain job, a dream home, a certain sum of money, whatever), then we would be truly happy. But this passage teaches us that those things are illusions. God is the one who satisfies our deepest desire. Do we wish to be in ministry? God, not ministry, will fully satisfy that desire. Do we wish to engage in an illicit affair? God, not the affair, will fully satisfy that desire. No matter what you want, bring the desire to God. He will give you something far, far better. He will give you Himself. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 12 14:41:55 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:41:55 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-19-08 Freedom -- 2 Corinthians 3:17 Message-ID: <48010273.5030006@dwightclough.com> ./*.. where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. -- 2 Corinthians 3:17*/ Freedom is the heritage of the sons and daughters of God. When God leaves, freedom leaves. The ungodly cannot be free, because freedom becomes for them a license to do evil, and then layer upon layer of laws must be passed to keep a nation of evildoers from destroying itself. But God is free and freedom is His gift to us who believe. We think of God as giving restraint. But in reality, God removes the need for restraint. God's work in us purifies our desires, so that our desires may be set free. When I no longer covet my neighbor's wife, his car, his house, his job, and instead desire only things that are wholesome and honorable, I am free. God will satisfy those desires with good things. I am deeply grateful for the freedoms we have in my country. And I know that there is much cruelty, bondage and oppression in this world. But when God shows up, His people are free. That is His gift, and no one can take it away. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 12 14:42:28 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:42:28 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-20-08 What Jesus knows -- Revelation 2:2 Message-ID: <48010294.2090404@dwightclough.com> /*"I know your deeds..." -- Revelation 2:2*/ Here is where we start. Jesus knows our deeds. This is a great comfort. Because Jesus knows our deeds, we don't need to hide. The One who knows our deeds knows how helpless we are to do anything good apart from Him. So we always rush to Him, whether our deeds are good or bad. On one level, it makes little difference. Have we sinned? We cling to Jesus. Have we done well? We cling to Jesus. That becomes our instinct, our reflex, our automatic response to everything. "Jesus, here I am, helpless without You. Give me, please, what I need for this moment." There is no secret formula for the Christian life. There is only living our lives in the plain sight of our Savior, and rushing to Him because we know He sees us. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 19 14:53:53 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:53:53 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-21-08 The measure of a life -- Revelation 2:2 Message-ID: <480A3FC1.2050401@dwightclough.com> *Today's survey question* Over the next several days, I would like to do a survey. I want to know what you think about God-given dreams. NOT: go to sleep and dream INSTEAD: hope for something better in the future dream. With that in mind, here's the first question: How would you define "God-given dream"? Can you give examples? You may reply to answer, or visit http://www.empowergood.com/survey/1.html /*"I know your deeds..." -- Revelation 2:2*/ Jesus knows our deeds. They are measured and they have value. In the book of Revelation, we learn that the prayers of the saints are stored in jars in heaven. At the right moment, they will be poured out over the earth. If you look at the great heroes of the Bible, they all had seasons in their lives where they lived in obscurity and were occupied with the tedious, the mundane, the monotonous. Joseph supervised prisoners, Moses and David watched sheep, Paul lived in the desert. Even Jesus worked a trade far from the public eye. Why these seasons? Is it possible that the measure of a life is more than wealth and fame? The measure of a life is found in the smile of God. Jesus knows your deeds. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 19 14:54:36 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:54:36 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-22-08 The door to eternity -- Revelation 1:17 Message-ID: <480A3FEC.7080501@dwightclough.com> *Today's survey question* How important are God-given dreams? What difference do they make? You may reply to answer, or visit http://www.empowergood.com/survey/2.html /*"Do not be afraid... " -- Revelation 1:17*/ I don't know about you, but I can think of plenty of reasons to be afraid when I read the book of Revelation. If ever there was a book that takes you out of your comfort zone, this is it. On one hand, when God shows up in all His glory, we forget all our theology and join John face down on the earth, pale and trembling. On the other hand, we live in a world gone mad, a world populated with those who hate God, and, since they can't take a swing at God personally, they do the next best thing (in their minds) and take it out on us. In between all of this, we have plagues falling left and right. I will probably get some emails informing me that the rapture will leave me high and dry, and maybe it will. I don't know. I'm not as smart about those things as I used to be. But even if I'm whisked away, I fear for those left behind. I pray for them or us. Yet Jesus says, "Do not be afraid." As we stand here on the threshold of eternity, those are His words to us. The Bible says that God is shaking everything that can be shaken, so what cannot be shaken will remain (Hebrews 12:27). It seems that everything in us that can be shaken will be shaken also, and only what cannot be shaken will remain. I was terrified of going to Junior High School. There's a long story behind that, but I'll shorten it up: The moment came; I boarded the bus; and I survived. I'm not sure what the door to eternity will look like for you and for me. But I know this: Jesus put His hand on John. And His hand will be on you and me. He will bring us through. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 19 14:55:14 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:55:14 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-23-08 The gift of seeing -- Luke 1:51 Message-ID: <480A4012.3090109@dwightclough.com> *Today's survey question* Does everyone have a God-given dream? Why or why not? Do you have a God-given dream(s)? You may reply to answer, or visit http://www.empowergood.com/survey/3.html /*He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. -- Luke 1:51*/ An unbeliever would scoff at Mary's song. The boot of the Roman empire was on the neck of the Jewish nation. Mighty deeds were measured in columns of marching Roman soldiers. The great miracles of deliverance for Israel were history -- ancient history it seemed. The people of Israel lived and died under the watchful eye of the Roman state. But God gives a great gift to His children. He enables us to see what others cannot see. The unbeliever may look at our lives and see financial calamity, terminal illness, pain of every kind, addiction, hypocrisy and failure. But we look up and see the Shepherd bringing us to quiet waters. We see the Father opening His arms to us. We see our Defender demolishing the schemes of the enemy. We see our Savior holding our hands in His own, looking us in the eye and telling us that we belong to Him. We look up and see the truth. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 19 14:56:02 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:56:02 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-24-08 What God shows us -- Revelation 1:1 Message-ID: <480A4042.1000502@dwightclough.com> *Today's survey question* When you think about your dream(s), how do you feel? Inspired? Discouraged? Energized? Guilty? Something else? Explain. You may reply to answer, or visit http://www.empowergood.com/survey/4.html /*The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place. -- Revelation 1:1*/ It's a big world out there. And things get bigger, much bigger, when God steps in to bring history to a screeching halt. Like a great wave, humanity's hatred of God rushes in, but, like any other wave, it breaks on the shore of eternity and it is no more. The day of evil is coming to an end. How do we wrap our minds around the enormity of God's plan? How do we find room in our hearts to contain the majesty, the wrath, the holiness of God? I'm not sure that we can. Yet God chooses to share His plans with us. I remember sitting in my brother-in-law's hot tub on a cold December night looking up into a clear starry sky trying to comprehend the magnitude of what I saw. The book of Revelation is a gift to God's servants. It is a gift to know that God has seen everything, and now He responds. It is a gift to know that that the full power of evil has no more ability to stop God's plans than a blade of grass has the power to stop my Suburban. It is a gift to know that our prayers matter, that our suffering counts, that our deeds are measured. And it is a gift to know that we are -- all of us -- children before the One who towers over the earth like the stars on a clear December night. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 19 14:56:34 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:56:34 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-25-08 No words to describe -- Revelation 4:2 Message-ID: <480A4062.8050703@dwightclough.com> *Today's survey question* How important are your God-given dream(s) to you? You may reply to answer, or visit http://www.empowergood.com/survey/5.html /*... there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it ... -- Revelation 4:2*/ Why does the apostle John not fill in the blanks? Why does he not name the Person on heaven's throne? In 1 John 3:2, we discover that we shall become like Jesus when we see Him as He is. Encountering the Living God is so life changing, that we don't even have words to describe it. It needs to be that way. We have, all of us, been deeply touched by the pain and corruption of the fall. But now God is pulling us out of this world and doing a deeper work in us than the work of sin and destruction. Right now we encounter God selectively, a little bit at a time. Here in our world, God gives us the right to say "yes" to Him in increments. We invite Him into the secret places of our hearts one door at a time. But on that great day, all the doors fly open. All the secrets are laid bare. This is more than any of us can contain as we are. The result is transformation for eternity. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 19 14:57:08 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:57:08 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-26-08 Overwhelmed -- Revelation 4:8 Message-ID: <480A4084.3030000@dwightclough.com> *Today's survey question* Do you spend any time working on your God-given dream(s)? Why or why not? You may reply to answer, or visit http://www.empowergood.com/survey/6.html /*Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." -- Revelation 4:8*/ This is the center of the book of Revelation. An unchanging God, fully in charge of the church, the pagans, the spirits, the devils, the angels, the dead and the living -- takes His place as King of the universe, under the constant inspection of these super intelligent and powerful creatures. And they are in awe. "Why all the eyes?" I ask our Father. "Is it so they can see You, or so You can look them in the eye, and see inside their spirits?" And then I realize they see it all. They see six thousand years of rebellion -- or more. Billions of evil men and women, legions of demons, inflicting horror on those God loves. They see the church with all its beauty and all its flaws. And they see God. Though they've seen the depths of evil, they are overwhelmed, not with what's wrong with us or with unbelievers or with demons, but rather with what's right with God. Triumphant, holy, unchanging, sovereign God. It's a ray of light in our dark world. If we could see enough, we too would be overwhelmed. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 19 14:57:45 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:57:45 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-27-08 No more judgment -- Revelation 5:5 Message-ID: <480A40A9.1030707@dwightclough.com> *Today's survey question* What kind of investment are you willing to make in your dream? (time, money, effort, sacrifice) What would change the kind of investment you are willing to make? You may reply to answer, or visit http://www.empowergood.com/survey/7.html /*Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." -- Revelation 5:5*/ What happens when you open the scroll? Judgment comes. History ends. Eternity begins. Why can't anybody open the scroll? Because too much is at stake. Every precious person that God loves has no defense against judgment until he or she is hidden in Christ. What is the message? God is protecting His children from judgment. We may have troubles, but the judgment of God does not fall on us. There is a very important difference. In judgment, God is letting the wicked man know what He thinks of sin. In our troubles, God removes impurities so He can reveal what is beautiful inside us and inside God. Do you have troubles? If you are a believer, your troubles are not a report card on your performance. Your troubles are an opportunity for God. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 26 14:47:21 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:47:21 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-28-08 Our one power -- Revelation 3:20 Message-ID: <481378B9.9070007@dwightclough.com> *Today's survey question* I want to thank all of you for the excellent input you have given me on the topic of God-given dreams. I may come back to more survey questions later, but for now, this will be the last one. I have had many dreams over the course of my life -- some God-given and some coming from who knows where. Among them: I want to buy an airplane for my missionary friends the Stendals. I want to help churches better unleash the potential of the people of God. I want to start a political movement I call "give the power back to the people." I want to take my family on a real vacation to build memories and give my children enriching experiences. And the list goes on. My dreams have changed over the years, and my biggest regret is that I didn't take steps to get the mentoring that would have helped me go further with these dreams. Anyway, here's my question: Can you tell me the story of your dreams -- what they are, where you're at with them, what excites you most about them? You may reply to answer, or visit http://www.empowergood.com/survey/8.html /*If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in ... -- Revelation 3:20*/ We human beings really have only one power: to say "yes" or "no" to God. If we are righteous, why are we righteous? Not because we did righteous things, but because we said "yes" to God. If we are unrighteous, look around inside. Somewhere we closed the door in God's face. Somewhere we said "no." We like to use Revelation 3:20 as a salvation verse. Open the door of your heart and let Jesus in. But it is also a Christian life verse. Once Jesus comes in the front door, He starts knocking at the other doors inside our hearts. There are many closets in our hearts that Jesus wants to clean out. Either we say "yes" or we say "no." It's very important to understand that we don't clean out the closet first and then open the door. Many sad and discouraged people are trying to do this. We can't do this. We don't have the power to do this. All we have the power to do is to say "yes" or "no" to God. This is bad news for the self righteous, but it is wonderful news for the desperate among us who realize that we have no hope unless God comes in and cleans us up. And that is exactly what He will do, one "yes" at a time. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 26 14:48:01 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:48:01 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-29-08 Trouble and the will of God -- Judges 20:18 Message-ID: <481378E1.1040606@dwightclough.com> /*The Israelites went up to Bethel and inquired of God. -- Judges 20:18*/ Today I want to take on the myth that if you do God's will, everything will go smoothly. Sorry, folks, it just doesn't always happen that way. Judges 19-21 tells the sad story of a violent crime and a quest for justice. Evil men were shielded by the tribe of Benjamin, and the rest of the Israelites went to war with them. Is this a good time to seek the Lord? You bet. Why do you inquire of God before a battle? Because you want to make sure you're doing the right thing. Because you don't want to get killed or wounded. Because you want to win. Those seeking justice inquired of God. God said go for it. They went for it and lost. So they inquired of God again. Again God said, "Go up against them." (Pretty clear answer if you ask me.) Again they lost. Now 40,000 men are dead. And the men still alive and gloating over their victory are the very men who committed the crime. I bring this up because some of you may have inquired of the Lord, got His direction, ran with it, and now everything is going wrong. Those around you are saying, "See, there's something wrong with you. You didn't get it right." And inside there are voices that say, "I must be a fool. I must have thought I heard from God, but I didn't." Not necessarily. David followed God and went from the frying pan into the fire. Moses did what God told him to do and things only got worse for the people of God. We all want the will of God to make us healthy, wealthy and wise. But sometimes it doesn't, at least not at first. Sometimes the will of God takes us on difficult paths that we would not choose for ourselves. It's easy to jump to conclusions when we see people in trouble and assume that they've missed God. But that isn't always the case. Sometimes they are in the exact center of God's will. God does straighten it all out in the end. The Israelites triumphed on the third try. David became king. Moses brought his people out of Egypt. Jesus rose from the dead. And so will you. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 26 14:48:37 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:48:37 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 04-30-08 The secret of contentment -- Philippians 4:12-13 Message-ID: <48137905.1040708@dwightclough.com> /*I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. -- Philippians 4:12-13*/ The deeper you get into situations you don't like, the more you discover that Jesus is already there. Where did I find joy? When I was grieving the death of someone I loved. Where did I find peace? At the center of my anxieties. Where do I find contentment? As things I want are taken away from me. Richard Wurmbrand who wrote /Tortured for Christ/ speaks of his solitary prison cell walls turning into a million glittering diamonds. He speaks of leaping for joy in prison. How did he get to that point? He found Jesus in the place where he didn't want to go. I have no advice for those of you who are going through trouble. What good is my advice? But I know that Jesus really is our Savior. That means He shows up when we need Him. I don't know how He turns grief into joy, suffering into triumph, poverty into wealth. I just know that our life is defined not by our circumstances, but by our Savior. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 26 14:49:06 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:49:06 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 05-01-08 Treasure -- Revelation 5:8 Message-ID: <48137922.1060905@dwightclough.com> /*[The elders] were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. -- Revelation 5:8*/ How are our prayers treated? With special honor in heaven. I often feel like my prayers are little more than babble, yet here they are in heaven, treated as treasure. If you study the prayers of the saints in Revelation, you discover two things: (1) they are always sweet to God, and (2) they usually are bad news for the evildoers left on earth. God remembers the slander and persecution His children endure. He has heard their cry, and He treats that cry as a fragile, precious gem. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 26 14:49:32 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:49:32 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 05-02-08 Life -- Revelation 11:11 Message-ID: <4813793C.2080106@dwightclough.com> /*But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. -- Revelation 11:11*/ The #1 evil man on earth kills God's two witnesses and refuses them burial. The whole world celebrates, but nobody counted on the power of God. God makes it abundantly clear that life and death belong to God, not to the beast. God could have let them lie and resurrected them along with everyone else later on. But He doesn't. He sends a clear message: Even though the world has gone mad, God is still in control. Sometimes nothing in our world makes sense, and it seems that evil has really triumphed. But God still knows how to bring life where it is needed, hope where it is lacking, and power to those who have no strength. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 26 14:50:04 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:50:04 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 05-03-08 Worth -- Luke 17:10, John 15:15 Message-ID: <4813795C.7030600@dwightclough.com> /*"So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' " -- Luke 17:10*/ /*"I no longer call you servants..." -- John 15:15*/ Unworthy does not mean worthless. Jesus did not die for junk. He died to redeem the diamonds that were covered in the mud of sin. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. What was that joy? It wasn't the Father -- He already had communion with the Father. It wasn't the angels, He had communion with the elect angels. I don't think it was even mainly triumph over wickedness, though He did accomplish that through His death. The joy was us, His children -- enjoying us for all eternity. Are we unworthy? Yes. Do we deserve redemption? No. But Jesus found us in our unworthiness and saw beyond what we can see. He looked into the far reaches of eternity and said, "I will give My Life for you." He looked ahead and saw joy, value and worth. Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Apr 26 14:50:31 2008 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:50:31 -0500 Subject: [Discoveries] 05-04-08 No more sorrow -- Revelation 7:17 Message-ID: <48137977.8050503@dwightclough.com> /*And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. -- Revelation 7:17*/ How does God take away our sorrows? Here's a partial list. He meets the needs someone else should have met but didn't. He walks with us through life's painful events and enables us to see them from His perspective. He allows us to trade in short term pain for eternal pleasure. Romans 8:18, Psalm 16:11 He satisfies our desires with good things. Everything intended for evil in our lives gets placed in His hands. There even the most disgusting injustice becomes an opportunity for God to bring good to us. Romans 8:28 Be encouraged! Dwight You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc. 1223 West Main Street #228 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations. Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ for more information. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: