12-11-07 Unnecessary? -- Matthew 1:20

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife ... -- Matthew 1:20

Why Joseph? Wasn't he unnecessary? He wasn't part of the conception. God was perfectly able to provide for and protect Mary and Jesus. And certainly no human could be a better father than God Himself.

I have grown up in a world that has tried to dispense with men. The feminist who said, "A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle," found the blade that cut deep into the fabric of our society. The survivors are often emasculated, androgynous or alienated.

That's why I'm glad Joseph gets a visit from an angel as well. Joseph has a role. He has an important place in the story.

Yes, God could do everything you are doing better, faster, sweeter. But He invites you in. It is no mistake that you are you. You have a role in God's plan that only you can fulfill.

Be encouraged!
Dwight

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Your support of Dwight Clough Ministries allows us to make these spiritual growth resources available worldwide. A $50 donation underwrites for a new chapter in the Discoveries Bible or a new devotional. A $75 donation underwrites a prayer ministry session. The "Donate Here" button allows you to donate any amount online. The "Mail In Here" button allows you to donate any amount through the mail.

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
One full year as a pdf document - feel free to save it on your computer - here
One full year as a text document - this is the smallest file
One full year as a Word document

Discoveries will no longer be available as an email from discoveries@dwightclough.com. However, beginning about 1/14/09, Discoveries Devotionals will be available for members of the Empower Good community. Membership is $5 per month and details are at EmpowerGood.com.

Many thanks, God bless, and be encouraged!
Dwight

Discoveries - main page

02-24-08 Shelter -- Genesis 7:16
02-23-08 Understanding -- Genesis 6:4
02-22-08 Boundaries -- Genesis 6:3
02-21-08 Comfort -- Genesis 5:28-29
02-20-08 Walking with God -- Genesis 5:22
02-19-08 God hears -- Genesis 4:10
02-18-08 The impossible gift -- Genesis 2:21
02-17-08 The first command -- Genesis 2:16
02-16-08 God planted a garden -- Genesis 2:7 from the Jubilee Bible
02-15-08 The seventh day -- Genesis 2:2-3
02-14-08 ... all their vast array -- Genesis 2:1
02-13-08 Let them rule ... -- Genesis 1:26
02-12-08 God saw -- Genesis 1:4
02-11-08 Ready -- Genesis 1:2
02-10-08 The beginning -- Genesis 1:1
02-09-08 What do you know to be true? -- Acts 4:28
02-08-08 God's will -- 1 Kings 22:20
02-07-08 God's servants -- 1 Kings 22:19
02-06-08 The triumph of God-- Proverbs 21:30
02-05-08 Creative solutions -- Matthew 17:27
02-04-08 Safety – Jude 1:24
02-03-08 Interruptions -- Luke 8:45
02-02-08 Releasing the River -- John 7:38
02-01-08 The finish line -- Hebrews 12:22-24

01-31-08 Now we marvel -- Hebrews 11:30
01-30-08 Something new -- Hebrews 11:30
01-29-08 The campaign to set a woman free -- Hebrews 11:31
01-28-08 Miracles -- Hebrews 11:29
01-27-08 Those who choose -- Hebrews 11:24-25
01-26-08 No ordinary child-- Hebrews 11:23
01-25-08 Sorrow turns to hope -- Hebrews 11:21
01-24-08 Holy logic -- Hebrews 11:19
01-23-08 When God works outside our timetable -- Hebrews 11:13
01-22-08 Time and dreams -- Hebrews 11:13
01-21-08 The city with foundations -- Hebrews 11:10
01-20-08 Return of the King -- Hebrews 11:9
01-19-08 Enjoying the trip -- Hebrews 11:8
01-18-08 Holy fear -- Hebrews 11:7
01-17-08 Meeting the Risen Lord -- Hebrews 11:6
01-16-08 Walking away from death -- Hebrews 11:5
01-15-08 Faith and power -- Hebrews 11:4
01-14-08 Believe and enjoy -- Hebrews 11:2
01-13-08 The gift of faith -- Hebrews 11:1,3
01-12-08 The rule that outlasts all others -- Psalm 103:19
01-11-08 God remembers -- Psalm 103:13-14
01-10-08 Lost and forgotten -- Psalm 103:12
01-09-08 God's love -- Psalm 103:11
01-08-08 Better things to do -- Psalm 103:9-10
01-07-08 An open invitation -- Psalm 103:8
01-06-08 Ways and deeds -- Psalm 103:7
01-05-08 Justice -- Psalm 103:6
01-04-08 What God does with our evil desires -- Psalm 103:5
01-03-08 A better life -- Psalm 103:4
01-02-08 God doesn't quit -- Psalm 103:3
01-01-08 A vision of the Almighty -- Isaiah 6:1

2007
12-31-07 A window to God -- Acts 3:16
12-30-07 Our expectations and God's imagination -- Acts 3:5
12-29-07 What has God made clean? -- Acts 11:9
12-28-07 The gospel of peace -- Luke 1:74
12-27-07 Stadiums and baby blankets 2-2 -- Psalm 8:3-4
12-26-07 Stadiums and baby blankets 1-2 -- Psalm 8:3-4
12-25-07 Good news of great joy -- Luke 2:10
12-24-07 Treasures -- Luke 2:19
12-23-07 Join the adventure -- Matthew 2:13
12-22-07 The manger -- Luke 2:7
12-21-07 Our brightest hopes -- Matthew 1:25
12-20-07 Quietness -- Luke 2:6-7
12-19-07 You never know -- Luke 2:5
12-18-07 Always on the move -- Luke 2:4
12-17-07 Disturbed by the news -- Matthew 2:3
12-16-07 The journey to Bethlehem -- Matthew 2:1-2
12-15-07 Good news -- Luke 2:10
12-14-07 God with us -- Matthew 1:23
12-13-07 Moving ahead with God's plans -- Matthew 1:22
12-12-07 New identity -- Matthew 1:21
12-11-07 Unnecessary? -- Matthew 1:20
12-10-07 Refunds and exchanges -- Matthew 1:19
12-09-07 New plans -- Matthew 1:18
12-08-07 Life in review -- Matthew 1:2
12-07-07 Our job -- John 1:31
12-06-07 What a child understands -- Luke 10:21
12-05-07 The word of comfort -- Luke 10:21
12-04-07 Our miracle -- Luke 1:37
12-03-07 The joy -- Hebrews 12:2
12-02-07 Seeing the truth -- Luke 1:51
12-01-07 When the label doesn't fit -- Luke 1:7

11-30-07 The taste we need -- Luke 1:4
11-29-07 "Don't cry." -- Luke 7:13
11-28-07 What we add -- Colossians 1:24
11-27-07 What is lacking? -- Colossians 1:24
11-26-07 What do you want? -- 2 Samuel 19:38
11-25-07 Well rounded Christians -- 2 Samuel 18:10-11
11-24-07 The tearing of the curtain -- Mark 15:38
11-23-07 Our anger toward God -- Mark 14:64
11-22-07 Thanksgiving -- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
11-21-07 Staying the same -- Mark 14:62
11-20-07 Achievement -- Mark 13:2
11-19-07 God remembers -- Mark 14:6
11-18-07 Expectation -- Mark 12:41
11-17-07 How do you explain? -- Mark 10:33-34
11-16-07 Who is the greatest? -- Mark 9:33-34
11-15-07 Faith that tries a different way -- Matthew 15:24,28
11-14-07 A new answer -- Isaiah 38:1,5
11-13-07 Letting God be God -- Mark 9:40
11-12-07 A new name – Revelation 2:17
11-11-07 Everything is possible -- Mark 9:23
11-10-07 How can leaves heal? -- Revelation 22:2
11-09-07 The Man who understands -- Mark 8:32
11-08-07 Creatively transformed -- Mark 8:35
11-07-07 God's sign to this generation -- Mark 8:12
11-06-07 Dealing with doubt -- Hebrews 11:6
11-05-07 The anatomy of trouble -- Psalm 34:19
11-04-07 Light for every man -- John 1:9
11-03-07 Plenty of time -- Psalm 23:1
11-02-07 Miracles for the mistaken -- Joshua 10:12
11-01-07 Lazy? -- Exodus 5:8

10-31-07 Our new identity -- 1 Samuel 6:20
10-30-07 Graduate level testing -- 2 Chronicles 25:20
10-29-07 A request for candy -- Mark 8:12
10-28-07 Counting - 1 Samuel 13:15
10-27-07 What do you have? - Mark 6:38
10-26-07 The song of God's love - Mark 5:19
10-25-07 Jesus went through the storm - Mark 5:5
10-24-07 Getting to joy - Galatians 5:22
10-23-07 Lessons - 2 Corinthians 12:9
10-22-07 The funnel - John 15:5
10-21-07 Repairing the wounded heart -- Mark 5:19
10-20-07 Our desires -- Psalm 103:5
10-19-07 Which ones? -- Matthew 19:18
10-18-07 God's motives -- 2 Samuel 9:1
10-17-07 Finding Jesus in the storm -- Mark 4:38
10-16-07 Where do you meet God? -- Psalm 84:6
10-15-07 Moving the line -- Mark 5:35
10-14-07 Seeing beyond reality - 1 Samuel 14:6
10-13-07 Rich inner life with God - 1 Samuel 13:14
10-12-07 Belonging - 1 Samuel 12:22
10-11-07 Hiding places -- 1 Samuel 10:22
10-10-07 Starting small -- 1 Samuel 10:4
10-09-07 Perspective -- 1 Samuel 9:7
10-08-07 God's silence -- Exodus 18:24
10-07-07 Good gifts -- Exodus 20:17
10-06-07 God's sovereignty and man's free choice -- 2 Kings 5:2
10-05-07 Reason to rejoice -- Daniel 4:37 NIV
10-04-07 Dealing with doubt -- Hebrews 11:6
10-03-07 God's heart and our pain -- John 11:35
10-02-07 Something was amiss -- 1 Kings 17:20
10-01-07 The anatomy of trouble -- Psalm 34:19

09-30-07 The way of love - John 1:14
09-29-07 Hearing Him ourselves - John 4:41-42
09-28-07 Risk - Numbers 13:1-2
09-27-07 New creation - 2 Corinthians 5:17
09-26-07 Seeing the scriptures with new eyes 3-3 - Ephesians 3:20
09-25-07 Seeing the scriptures with new eyes 2-3 - Ephesians 3:20
09-24-07 Seeing the scriptures with new eyes 1-3 - Ephesians 3:20
09-23-07 Understanding the fear of the Lord - 2 Corinthians 5:11
09-22-07 Freedom and vision - Genesis 45:3-4
09-21-07 Protection from the God of Jacob - Psalm 20:1
09-20-07 An offering of thanks - 2 Chronicles 33:16
09-19-07 A picnic lunch with God - Exodus 24:9-11
09-18-07 ... a little longer - Revelation 6:9-11
09-17-07 Divine unpredictability - Job 41:1, 8
09-16-07 God has the answer - 2 Corinthians 4:8
09-15-07 The power to believe - Exodus 4:5
09-14-07 The view from above - 2 Corinthians 4:17
09-13-07 Jars of clay - 2 Corinthians 4:7
09-12-07 Fluorescent tubes and scripture - 2 Corinthians 3:6
09-11-07 Keep it simple - 2 Corinthians 1:13
09-10-07 Our boast - 2 Corinthians 1:12
09-09-07 Honor your father - part 2 - Exodus 20:12
09-08-07 Honor your father - part 1 - Exodus 20:12
09-07-07 Contagious comfort - 2 Corinthians 1:14
09-06-07 Grace and truth - John 1:17
09-05-07 Discovering God - John 1:18
09-04-07 Lions and liars (part two) - 1 Kings 13:26
09-03-07 Lions and liars (part one) - 1 Kings 13:26
9-2-07 - Beauty secret - 1 Peter 3:3,4
9-1-07 - Finding ourselves - Ephesians 2:6

8-31-07 - The plank in our own eye - Matthew 7:3
8-30-07 - Our outward identity - Matthew 6:1
8-29-07 - A new name - Revelation 2:17
8-28-07 - Into the light - Luke 8:42-48
8-27-07 - Releasing others to God - Acts 20:32

I recommend Dwight Clough's site for anybody who is hungry for God.
- Evangelist Tom Stamman

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