Author: Dwight Clough

… you will be My witnesses. — Acts 1:8What does a witness do? He tells what he saw — or, more likely, what he experienced. As we head into our world, we carry with us a powerful Kingdom building tool, the story of what we have experienced.God means to be experienced. That’s one reason why life is so full of adventure. The waves rise. The thunder rolls. We sit in the bow of our little boat and start sliding down into the trough. Then we notice the hole in the hull. From there things go from bad to worse as…

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power…

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." — Matthew 28:16-20Jesus is here.…

[Jesus] said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken…

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. — Luke 18:22-23Jesus unerringly finds the door to our heart that must be opened for Him to be our true Lord and Savior. In almost every case, that door is over our most protected pain. The rich young ruler was no exception. His problem was insecurity.I didn’t catch that for a…

You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me … — John 5:39What gives the word of God its power? Its connection to God. Remember that Satan quoted the scriptures. But in Satan’s hands the word did not bring life. It only brought temptation — a design for destruction. I say this because there are many good things in the Christian life, but none of them will take the place of Jesus. Good friends, wonderful Christian leaders, Bible studies, this devotional, Psalms and Proverbs and prophecies…

That’s right — [God] rescues you from hidden traps … — Psalm 91:3 The MessageI think most of the time we don’t even know it. We go happily through life (or unhappily, as the case may be), without comprehending the dangers all around us.I keep coming back to my children in parking lots when they were small. They strained and pulled in every direction, but I never let go. It wasn’t important that they fully understood the danger. It was just important that I never let go.That’s how God is with you and me; He never lets go.Be encouraged!Dwight What…

Honor your father … — Exodus 20:12I don’t know about you, but I had to grow into this command of honoring my father. I was terrified of him as a child. I could never understand other kids who wanted to spend more time with their dads — I wanted to avoid mine at all costs. For four and a half years spread out over three occasions during my childhood, my dad was away from home on military assignments. Those times gave me space to breathe. At least then I only needed to be afraid when I was at school. I…

These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm — shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted — twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. — Jude 12-13One of the purposes of the Judgment, I believe, is to give us some understanding of the wrath of God. Part of God’s salvation is His wrath. In the end, when God’s salvation is made complete, He…

So the soldiers turned over both the captives and the plunder to the leaders and the people. Personally designated men gathered the captives together, dressed the ones who were naked using clothing from the stores of plunder, put shoes on their feet, gave them all a square meal, provided first aid to the injured, put the weak ones on donkeys, and then escorted them to Jericho, the City of Palms, restoring them to their families. — 2 Chronicles 28:14-15 The MessageOn more than one occasion in the Bible, the conquering army was told to go easy on the captives. This…