From discoveries at dwightclough.com Thu Jan 1 12:48:34 2009 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Thu, 01 Jan 2009 11:48:34 -0600 Subject: [Discoveries] 01-01-09 Something new -- Isaiah 43:19 Message-ID: <495D01F2.4040206@dwightclough.com> /*See, I am doing a new thing! -- Isaiah 43:19*/ Happy New Year! Since October 31, 2002 Discoveries Devotional / Inspiration in Your Inbox has been provided daily to readers like yourself throughout the world. For the past several months, I believe the Lord has been telling me that the time has come to make changes. That doesn't necessarily mean that these daily devotionals are going away; it just means that we will soon be making changes. God told Abram to leave his father's house and his own country and go to a land God would show him. That would be something like God saying to you: Get in your car and start driving (or get on your bicycle and start pedaling); I'll tell you where you're going once you start moving. That's where I'm at right now. Change requires foundation. If our foundation in life isn't strong, then we aren't in a position to weather storms, to grow, or to adapt to new situations. And where is our foundation? Our foundation rests on the rock solid reality of who God is. This is where we must start. This is the bedrock of life. And that is why so much of our daily devotional has been pointed at the question: What kind of God do we serve? The next layer -- the footings of our lives if you will -- is understanding who we really are. We need to get this figured out at a deep, deep level to be the people of God in this generation. I plan to revisit these questions over the next few days as we prepare for whatever changes God leads us to take here. Be encouraged! Dwight What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace, wholeness, the power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries. Those ensnared by addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being restored. Families are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in restricted lands who face persecution are finding strength and encouragement. Young believers are learning how to walk with the Lord, and people are coming into the faith for the first time. None of this happens as a result of one person's efforts, but rather this is God's work as He blesses the sacrifice of many people including yourself. We partner with you, with other ministries, and, most significantly, with the Lord. That's how the supernatural happens. 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. You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Thu Jan 1 20:14:10 2009 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:14:10 -0600 Subject: [Discoveries] =?windows-1252?q?01-02-09_A_place_to_start_=96_John?= =?windows-1252?q?_11=3A35?= Message-ID: <495D6A62.2090204@dwightclough.com> /*Jesus wept. -- John 11:35*/ I don't know about you, but I have to start here. If I don't start with God's willingness to feel pain, to risk getting hurt by those He loves, then nothing in this universe makes sense, and I think I would lose my faith. Jesus wept. The Resurrection and the Life pauses here at the tomb of a friend and weeps, feeling with us the loss that only He could make right. Much is not as it should be. The Holocaust. Hell. Hurt. The race of men gone mad in their flight from God's presence. God does not take some kind of narcotic to keep Himself from feeling the horrible pain of the universe as it really is. His eyes are wide open. His heart is wide open. If Jesus did not weep, then none of our tears would matter. But, in fact, He did. And that gives us a foothold for hope. Be encouraged! Dwight What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace, wholeness, the power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries. Those ensnared by addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being restored. Families are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in restricted lands who face persecution are finding strength and encouragement. Young believers are learning how to walk with the Lord, and people are coming into the faith for the first time. None of this happens as a result of one person's efforts, but rather this is God's work as He blesses the sacrifice of many people including yourself. We partner with you, with other ministries, and, most significantly, with the Lord. That's how the supernatural happens. 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. You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Thu Jan 1 20:14:44 2009 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:14:44 -0600 Subject: [Discoveries] 01-03-09 Restoration -- John 11:43 Message-ID: <495D6A84.6020502@dwightclough.com> "/*Lazarus, come forth." -- John 11:43*/ This is a story that starts with the apparent indifference of God. Jesus receives the news that Lazarus is ill. Rather than drop everything and rush to his side, Jesus dawdles. He delays while we His friends grow frantic, dealing with problems and pain far greater than our ability to manage. Many of us find ourselves right there, bewildered because the God who loves us delays. Then Jesus appears. He pauses. He weeps with us. Now we know that He cares. Now we know that God is our friend. But if the story ended there, then we would lose all hope, because it would mean that God is trapped with us in a world gone mad. But He is not. What is at the very center of all our pain? What is the one thing that we dare not even hope for? (This is, by the way, the challenge for us in prayer: Coming up with something audacious enough to befit a triumphant God.) Jesus calls forth the restoration that was beyond our ability to imagine. And now we find the place where the tears of God stop, and a smile begins. Be encouraged! Dwight What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace, wholeness, the power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries. Those ensnared by addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being restored. Families are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in restricted lands who face persecution are finding strength and encouragement. Young believers are learning how to walk with the Lord, and people are coming into the faith for the first time. None of this happens as a result of one person's efforts, but rather this is God's work as He blesses the sacrifice of many people including yourself. We partner with you, with other ministries, and, most significantly, with the Lord. That's how the supernatural happens. 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. You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Thu Jan 1 20:15:11 2009 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:15:11 -0600 Subject: [Discoveries] 01-04-09 The ocean of joy -- Zephaniah 3:17 Message-ID: <495D6A9F.9020605@dwightclough.com> /*... He will rejoice over you with singing. -- Zephaniah 3:17*/ While we may start with the sorrow of God, and move on from there to the power of God, we must settle down right here: in the ocean of God's joy. There's a lot I don't understand, but I do know this: Deep down inside, God is happy. Mission earth, with all its casualties, is still a success. Jesus is standing at the altar watching His bride walk toward Him, and she is beautiful to Him. His heart is full of joy. This is where we will camp for eternity. Not at some glorified church service; not at all. But in the place of God's joy. What makes heaven heaven? It isn't mansions and streets of gold; I can tell you that. It isn't crowns and it isn't good music. Heaven is heaven because a happy God is there who delights in loving the people He purchased for Himself. Be encouraged! Dwight What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace, wholeness, the power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries. Those ensnared by addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being restored. Families are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in restricted lands who face persecution are finding strength and encouragement. Young believers are learning how to walk with the Lord, and people are coming into the faith for the first time. None of this happens as a result of one person's efforts, but rather this is God's work as He blesses the sacrifice of many people including yourself. We partner with you, with other ministries, and, most significantly, with the Lord. That's how the supernatural happens. 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. You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Thu Jan 1 20:15:38 2009 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:15:38 -0600 Subject: [Discoveries] 01-05-09 Fast forward -- 1 John 5:12 Message-ID: <495D6ABA.1050806@dwightclough.com> /*He who has the Son has life -- 1 John 5:12*/ Today I have a challenge for you. Fast forward 500 years and look at yourself. What do you see? Be encouraged! Dwight What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace, wholeness, the power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries. Those ensnared by addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being restored. Families are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in restricted lands who face persecution are finding strength and encouragement. Young believers are learning how to walk with the Lord, and people are coming into the faith for the first time. None of this happens as a result of one person's efforts, but rather this is God's work as He blesses the sacrifice of many people including yourself. We partner with you, with other ministries, and, most significantly, with the Lord. That's how the supernatural happens. 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. You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Tue Jan 6 17:04:58 2009 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:04:58 -0600 Subject: [Discoveries] 01-06-09 Fearless -- 1 John 4:18 Message-ID: <4963D58A.7080605@dwightclough.com> /*There is no fear in love. -- 1 John 4:18*/ What kind of person will you be, child of God, 500 years from now? To begin with, you will be fearless. If someone held a gun to your head and said, "Deny Christ or I'll shoot," what would you do? You would laugh in his face. "The indestructible life of God is inside me," you would say. "You cannot design a weapon that can harm me." The devil himself could walk up to you and threaten you with eternal hell and you would reply, "Get off my path, Satan. You have no hold on me." You would have no fear. Disgust perhaps, but not an ounce of fear. He would frighten you no more than a caged animal at zoo would frighten you. The Bible speaks of "the glory that shall be revealed within you." What does that mean? Think it over! Be encouraged! Dwight What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace, wholeness, the power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries. Those ensnared by addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being restored. Families are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in restricted lands who face persecution are finding strength and encouragement. Young believers are learning how to walk with the Lord, and people are coming into the faith for the first time. None of this happens as a result of one person's efforts, but rather this is God's work as He blesses the sacrifice of many people including yourself. We partner with you, with other ministries, and, most significantly, with the Lord. That's how the supernatural happens. 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. You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Wed Jan 7 17:59:34 2009 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:59:34 -0600 Subject: [Discoveries] 01-07-09 Belonging and more -- John 1:12 Message-ID: <496533D6.8040603@dwightclough.com> /*Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God ... -- John 1:12*/ Who will you be, child of God, 500 years from now? Let me suggest some words to describe you. Fearless ... totally at peace, unruffled, courageous, victorious. Belonging ... feeling connected, never lonely, comfortable with other people and "alone" but never alone, never abandoned. Righteous ... that old haunting feeling that -- because of me -- something is wrong in the universe is no longer there; all those issues are long since resolved. Pure ... the old accusations can't stick anymore because they simply aren't true. Clear ... everything makes sense now. Delivered ... everything that wanted to get its grip on you has fallen away because it can't trap you or hold you any more. Irreplaceable ... no one can take your place in God's kingdom, His heart, His family, you are fully and competently and wonderfully you. Engaged and excited, fully able to take on any challenge. Another thought on this tomorrow. Be encouraged! Dwight What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace, wholeness, the power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries. Those ensnared by addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being restored. Families are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in restricted lands who face persecution are finding strength and encouragement. Young believers are learning how to walk with the Lord, and people are coming into the faith for the first time. None of this happens as a result of one person's efforts, but rather this is God's work as He blesses the sacrifice of many people including yourself. We partner with you, with other ministries, and, most significantly, with the Lord. That's how the supernatural happens. 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. You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Thu Jan 8 20:38:55 2009 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 19:38:55 -0600 (CST) Subject: [Discoveries] 01-08-09 What we will be -- 1 John 3:2 Message-ID: <15634970.1231465135681.JavaMail.root@web01> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From discoveries at dwightclough.com Sat Jan 10 17:09:07 2009 From: discoveries at dwightclough.com (Inspiration in Your Inbox) Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 16:09:07 -0600 Subject: [Discoveries] =?windows-1252?q?01-10-09_A_new_direction_for_Disco?= =?windows-1252?q?veries_Devotionals_=96_Isaiah_43=3A19?= Message-ID: <49691C83.10706@dwightclough.com> /*See, I am doing a new thing! -- Isaiah 43:19*/ I want to thank you, my readers in 40 nations, for making Discoveries - Inspiration in Your Inbox a success from 2002 to 2009. I believe God has led me to make some changes. Discoveries is now available as follows. * One full year as a single web page here - http://www.dwightclough.com/encouragement/ * One full year as a pdf document - feel free to save it on your computer - here - http://www.dwightclough.com/encouragement/one_year_Discoveries.pdf * One full year as a text document - this is the smallest file - http://www.dwightclough.com/encouragement/one_year_Discoveries.txt * One full year as a Word document - http://www.dwightclough.com/encouragement/one_year_Discoveries.doc Discoveries will no longer be available as an email from discoveries at dwightclough.com. However, beginning about 1/14/09, Discoveries Devotionals will be a daily feature of my new email discussion group for members of the Empower Good community. Membership is $5 per month and details are at EmpowerGood.com . For about 14 months, God has been working with me to take this new direction. Bottled up within the church are the dreams and talents of millions of Christians waiting to be released in a powerful way in this generation. I believe God has led me to build a community to help people make a difference and unleash this powerful potential. It's going to take some time to get everything together exactly the way we want it, but I believe God is directing me to start now, and improve things as we get going. As a way of introducing this community, I invite you and anyone you know to take the Empower Good $100 challenge. Stop by EmpowerGood.com and let us know what you can do with $100 to make your world a better place. It will be a chance for you to get exposure for your favorite cause and you might just win $100 for that cause. Many thanks, God bless, and be encouraged! Dwight PS. Our ministry, Dwight Clough Ministries Inc. remains intact. We will still be providing prayer ministry and other ministry to the body of Christ What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace, wholeness, the power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries. Those ensnared by addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being restored. Families are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in restricted lands who face persecution are finding strength and encouragement. Young believers are learning how to walk with the Lord, and people are coming into the faith for the first time. None of this happens as a result of one person's efforts, but rather this is God's work as He blesses the sacrifice of many people including yourself. We partner with you, with other ministries, and, most significantly, with the Lord. That's how the supernatural happens. 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. You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ is included. Change your subscription: _http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: