For Those Asking "Why?"

"......in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth." Exodus 9:16

I have chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. I have chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. I have chosen the base things of the world, and things which are despised to bring to nought things that are--so that no flesh should glory in My presence.

This is why I have chosen you that I might do supernatural things in your life--things which will bring glory to Me.

This is why I have chosen you-- that I might work miracles in your life, bringing glory to My name.

This is why I have raised you up--that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be declared throughout all the earth.

In all this, I, and I alone, shall be glorified.

You shall not glory in your pedigree,

in your education,

in your resources,

in your position,

in your achievements,

in your accomplishments.

I, the Lord, will be exalted in My day, and that which man has done will be as nothing. That which I have done will fill the earth.

Know this:

I have raised you up. I am using you. And I will continue to use you. I will do many more things in your life than I am doing now.

I am pleased with your desires--your consecration--your willingness. I rejoice in using you because you are not heaping the glory to yourself, but glorifying My name.

Never forget:

I alone shall receive the praise.

No flesh shall glory in My presence.

But Know this also:

I will reward you,

because you were the channel of blessing.

"......and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day."

Isaiah 2:11

Taken from, He Spoke, and I was strengthened by Dick Mills

A Living Historical Churchman

I would like to introduce to you a very dear friend of mine. His name is Dick Mills. I first met Dick in 1980 in Southern California where I was serving on staff at a very large church. Because of it's mega size and influence, this church had become an "international landing strip" for well-known ministers from all over the world. However there was one man that was different from all the rest. His down-to-earth genuineness and humility set him apart. If that wasn't enough, his profound gifting certainly was.

Dick Mills has been a father/friend in my life for almost 30 years. My wife and I actually received a portion of our premarital counseling from his teaching entitled, Hearts and Flowers from the book Song of Solomon. Through the years of our relationship, I have observed first hand the fruit of Dick's ministry. Seven years ago, Melinda and I flew out to celebrate his 80th birthday and had the privilege of spending time in his home with his beautiful family. One of the most amazing things I experienced, and will always treasure, was to take a tour through his expansive study and library filled to capacity with his writings, as well as his Greek and Hebrew research which, I was told, is valued at approximately $150,000. Dick ministered in my church many times and always left us encouraged and edified.

As a young man, Dick recognized the great power of God's Word to encourage people and lift them up, so he committed to memorizing over 1,500 verses for the purpose of encouraging God's people. Combine God's word with a true compassion for people and a unique prophetic gifting and you have Dick Mills.

The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel ordained Dick in 1949, and he and Betty have traveled as an evangelist all over the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. In 1966, Dick and Betty became a part of the then-emerging Charismatic Renewal. Passing through all denominational barriers, Dick has had the opportunity to speak in thousands of churches of varied backgrounds all over the world. He has ministered with: the Full Gospel Business Men, Women's Aglow, Inter-church Renewal Catholic Pentecostals, mainline Charismatic groups as well as CBN, TBN television networks and many independent Christian TV Stations. He has also appeared on numerous radio talk-shows, written magazine articles and has spoken at many Bible conferences and universities. He has also served as an adjunct professor at six Schools of the Bible and Seminaries. Dick has authored and co-authored numerous books and tapes. For a list of currently available books and tapes please visit his web site: http://www.dmm.org/About_Dick.html. Dicks' ministry is characterized by the unique gifts God has blessed him with. His services inform, enlighten, and motivate people to a higher level of commitment to God.

One of Dick's books that I have kept close by my desk for years is He Spoke And I Was Strengthened. This small book is filled with powerful words of encouragement to help people in their daily walk. I will be posting excerpts from this book from time to time. Please take the time to leave a comment if they are a blessing to you.

Thanks for stopping by Locus Life. I pray that you are encouraged and edified.

Putting Two and Two Together

There is a story about the boy Jesus at 12 yrs old, sitting with the scholars and teachers of the day in the Temple, listening, and asking questions. Luke records it like this, "...and all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers."

This word, "understanding" is very interesting in that it means "a putting together, a quickness of apprehension, the critical faculty for clear apprehension, intelligently assessing a situation". This word, understanding, is derived from two Greek words, phronesis and sunesis. "phronesis", acts while, "sunesis", judges. Phronesis is the practical side of the mind, while sunesis is the analyzing and discerning side.

My prayer is that God grant me understanding and the ability to put two and two together as I walk with Him daily through life.

Turning

"Turning from something takes courage, turning to something takes
faith."

		Turning from something takes courage, turning to something take faith.

Turning from something takes courage, turning to something take
faith.

Turning from something takes courage, turning to something take
faith.

Turning from something takes courage, turning to something take
faith.

Looking for God

"We habitually and instinctively look to other things besides God and His grace as our justification, hope, significance, and security. We believe the gospel at one level, but at deeper levels we do not. Human approval, professional success, power and influence, family and clan identity--all of these things serve as our heart's "functional trust" rather than what Christ has done, and as a result we continue to be driven to a great degree by fear, anger, and a lack of self-control. You cannot change such things through mere willpower, through learning Biblical principles and trying to carry them out. We can only change permanently as we take the gospel more deeply into our understanding and into our hearts.We must feed on the gospel, as it were, digesting it making it part of ourselves. That is how we grow." (excerpts from The Prodigal God by Tim Keller)

A Good Indication

"We will never find God unless He first seeks us, and He can do this in many different ways. Sometimes He jumps dramatically into our lives and shows His hand print and other times he quietly patiently argues with us even though we continue to turn away. How can you tell if He is working on you? If you begin to sense your lostness and find yourself wanting to escape, you should realize that that desire is not something you could have generated on your own. Such a process requires Help, and if it is happening it is a good indication that He is even now at your side." (excerpts from The Prodigal God by Tim Keller)

Happiness and Peace

"God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing." ~ C.S. Lewis