Author: DwightClough

I was a passenger on a long drive this past weekend, thinking back on a conversation about how culture actually changes—not through complicated programs, but through simple, repeatable practices that spread from person to person and take root before people even understand why they work.

Somewhere on that drive, it hit me: buried inside Empower Good are two questions that could not only change your life and mine, but if they spread from person to person—God could use them to change our world.

Guess what? You can ask both of these questions in less than four seconds.

Here they are:
1. What do You [God] want me to know?
2. What do You want me to do?

That’s it. If you take one thing from everything I teach and use it to change your life—and change the world—learn these two questions, apply them, and teach them to somebody else.

Here’s why these questions matter—

What fixes sin, addiction, heartache, crime, political polarization, poverty, hate, and everything else that has gone wrong with our lives and our world?

The presence and perspective of Jesus. When Jesus grants us truth, it heals, it transforms, it repairs, it opens our eyes. Those aha moments from Jesus change everything.

That’s why we ask Jesus what He wants us to know.

And here’s the added dimension:

Our world is messed up;
God is fixing things;
we get to help.

God has an amazing plan for each one of us. You were sent here by God to change this world, to make an eternal difference for good in the lives of men and women, boys and girls.

How do you tap into that plan? One small question at a time:

What do You want me to do?

If you follow the Empower Good Podcast (YouTube), you know the story of Karen Klemp. She said yes to one little prompting from God: invite some people over for a meal. As a result of that one little yes, her life completely changed, and there are people walking around today who would not otherwise even be alive. Amazing story. Check it out here…

How this works in the real world

• Ask, and keep on asking. This isn’t a one-and-done. Persistence pays off.
• Not spooky, but normal. God is your Father. He likes you. He wants to talk with you. He will figure out how to get His message across to you.
• Welcome correction. One of the most loving things God does is correct us. If I’m wrong, I want to know. Far better to be corrected today than someday standing before Him hearing, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21-23).
• Be honest. Transformation happens when the real you meets the real Jesus. Be real about what you’re feeling—even (or especially) when you don’t feel like following God. Share your hurts, your struggles, your doubts, your fears with Him… and then always follow up with: What do You want me to know?
• Test it. When God speaks, you’re left with peace, it produces good fruit, it lines up with Scripture, and it holds up under godly counsel.

Make these two questions part of the rhythm of your life. Ask them often. They don’t take long—four seconds or less—but they change everything.

Be encouraged!

Dwight

P.S. For a deep dive into this, check out this week’s podcast episode…

The answer to humanity’s problems is not found in your favorite political party.

We are here to show our world a higher path. We cannot do that as long as we are pawns of political parties, as long as we let our favorite news channel do our thinking for us, as long as we are blind to the layers and layers of deception that are on both sides of the aisle.

If you have a political perspective, are you willing to let Jesus change it? Are you asking God regularly to correct your thinking? Are you asking God for His perspective before you vote, before you post something about politics on social media?

How tuned in are you to what the enemy is trying to accomplish through your political anger and mine? (James 1:20)

And if you and I hate a politician—what happens when we get to heaven, we’re walking the streets of gold, and we bump into that politician we hate? Do we say, “Wait a second! You shouldn’t be here. I’m going to complain to the Management”?

I can assure you, that’s not how that conversation will go down.

In fact, I can assure you that we won’t even get through the gates until we find a way to leave that hatred behind. (1 John 3:15, Matthew 5:22)

My purpose in writing this is to urge all of us to slow down, take a breath, and talk all of this out with Jesus. Get His perspective. Let’s ask and keep on asking for Him to correct us, to guide us, to give us His wisdom.

Thanks!

Dwight

What happens when you say yes to God?

In short, incredible things happen.

I wanted to get at that, so I’ve started interviewing Christian leaders, and publishing those intereviews as a podcast on YouTube. (I may add other platforms later.)

The podcast kicked off with Neil Mathweg interviewing me.

Then I interviewed John Henry to learn more about how God wants to turn your life into something amazing.

More great interviews are coming up.

The podcast channel is here.

And the two minute video you see there goes to this page.

Enjoy!

Dwight

I did the math.

On Friday, June 26, 2026, I was exactly the same age my dad was when he passed away.

He died on July 15th—the hottest day of the year.

It seems appropriate. He was always too hot, just like my mom was always too cold. They had thermostat wars—my mom and dad. They never openly argued. My mom would just crank the thermostat up to 80 degrees and a half hour later, my dad would turn it down to 60. A half hour later, the cycle would repeat.

On the day he died, he took his bride for a ride in his treasured possession—a collectible Corvair. When they came home, he covered up the car with a tarp, walked inside and asked my mom for a glass of water.

When she turned around to hand him his glass of water, he was gone.

I don’t know if I will ever be able to fully understand the weight of that moment for my mom.

My dad was a veteran of two wars. Horrible things happened to him in his life—both as a child and as an adult. I could tell you stories that would make your blood boil. But I won’t. I’m pretty sure my dad suffered from some form of PTSD.

But underneath all the damage was—I believe—a bright, inquisitive, fun-loving guy who wasn’t afraid to be a little eccentric.

I think God always saw what was underneath, and on July 15, 1999, God called him home.

Now I’m the same age.

Am I ready, if I get the same call?

In one sense, yes. I’ve made peace with God.

In another, no.

I feel like so much of life is left to be lived. Our four kiddos—we had them late in the game—none are married; no grandchildren—yet. So, yeah, I would like to live to see my grandkids.

I’m starting a ministry. Would it continue on without me? I don’t know, but probably not.

I’ve published 35 books, but I feel like I still have a few more inside. I’m quietly working on a new version of the Bible. And I’m dabbling with a novel about a guy who goes to start a new life on a planet in the Andromeda galaxy. (In my mind, it’s hilarious.) And I’m inventing a language just for fun.

But then my dad had unfinished projects as well.

I talk to God of course every day, and today I asked Him to say hi to my dad. And I asked Him if I was right, if my dad in heaven is this bright, inquisitive person who’s having a great deal of fun.

I asked Him and I’m pretty sure He said yes.

🙂

Dwight

The devil’s plan for our differences
1. Organize us into tribes.
2. Withhold from us important information.
3. Warp our understanding of reality.
4. Convince us that members of the opposing tribe are evil and/or less than.
5. Persuade us to hate and devalue other human beings.

This is a pathway to hell.

“Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.” 1 John 3:15

“But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Matthew 5:22

God’s plan for our differences
1. Give us a new identity as children of God.
2. Grant us truth and peace as we’re ready to receive it.
3. Teach us to form relationships characterized by understanding, respect, trust, and love.
4. Teach us to listen to one another’s stories and perspectives.
5. Give us the humility to learn from one another without gullibility.

This is a pathway to wisdom.

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” James 3:17-18

“[Love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:5

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” James 1:19b-20

Dwight

There’s only one you.

And that’s no accident. That’s by design.

You are not a commodity. You are not replaceable. You are not interchangable. You are you. God Himself wanted you to be you. That personality that is uniquely you—long ago God said, “I want that. I want that in the world I’m creating. I want that in My family.”

No one can replace you. Anyone who tries would be a cheap imitation. Nor can you replace anyone else. (Takeaway: Don’t cheapen yourself by trying to be someone you aren’t.)

Since there’s only one you, you owe it to your world to offer us the best version of you—the very best version of you—the version God intended when He planned, designed, and created you.

How do you do that?

Here’s the best way to start: Have a long conversation with the One who designed you to be you.

Look in the mirror and smile.

There’s only one you.

Be encouraged!

Dwight

For many years, I measured my worth by how much I accomplished on a given day. I had a big stack of things to do. If I made a big dent on that pile, I felt good about myself.

But the stack was always bigger than the time I had available. Every day I was leaving things undone. Important things. Urgent things.

If only there was some way to squeeze 36 hours into a 24-hour day!

I thought of myself as busy, and I felt frazzled. Never enough time in the day.

But somewhere along the line, the Lord spoke to me, and He reminded me of a familiar verse:

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not be in want.” (Psalm 23:1)

He went on to say: Why are you saying you don’t have enough time? I haven’t shortchanged you on time. I’ve given you all the time you need…

That was a major turnaround for me. I have all the time I need.

And here’s how it works for me, anyway, in real life: I invest about an hour almost every day taking a walk with God. No real agenda—usually. I usually “pray” through my prayer list at a different time. I have a different time for Bible reading.

Just God and me, walking along a country road or through a quiet park. Sometimes I tell Him what’s happening in my life, what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, what I’m experiencing. Sometimes I ask Him questions. Sometimes I tell Him how grateful I am for life.

But mostly I just hang out with God, not saying a whole lot, just enjoying His company.

It has become the most important hour of my day—the most treasured.

I don’t do it for the purpose of getting anything out of it—other than the sheer pleasure of being with God. But here’s what has happened over and over again:

The project I was working on—spinning my wheels, getting nowhere… I get a breakthrough idea, and I end up finishing it much faster than I thought I would. Or I realize that half the things on my to do list just don’t matter that much—I can let them go and I will be okay.

I find that I have room to breathe. While, sure, I have my moments, characteristically, my life has become calm, unhurried, serene.

I pass this on to you. If you’re struggling to keep up, maybe it’s time to just take a walk with God—hang out with Him, and see what happens.

Be encouraged!

Dwight

Years ago we had a special speaker at our church. He was the pastor of a mega church, and had one of those “Christian rock star” resumes—he had done it all. But somewhere in the middle of his life of accomplishments, something he didn’t expect happened—he ended up on the operating table. Heart surgery I believe.

During that operation, his spirit left his body, and he came face to face with Jesus.

At that moment—looking into the eyes of Jesus—he realized something that forever changed his perspective—and, to be honest, forever changed mine.

None of it mattered.

He built a huge thriving church from scratch.

It didn’t matter.

He was a leader of leaders, a Christian superstar in his part of the country.

It didn’t matter.

Only one thing mattered.

Did he do what Jesus asked him to do?

At the end of our lives, Jesus isn’t going to look over our list of accomplishments. He doesn’t really care how successful we’ve been by the standards of this world. He’s just going to ask one question:

Did you do what I asked you to do?

I hope I have the courage to do that. I hope I get it right.

I hope you do too.

Dwight

PS. A couple links you might like:

Your guide to Dwight Clough’s books

Your guide to Empower Good

Sometimes the key to getting where we need to go in life is just a matter of asking the right questions.

I recently wrote a book, the Empower Good Meeting Guide. Most of the book is just questions—questions you can discuss with your friends (or ponder on your own). It’s a great book if you and a few friends want to get together and grow in your faith.

Every question in the book is numbered. Here are 25 of my favorite:

 

#405. What do you see as some significant milestones in your faith journey?

#507. What do you see as the difference between success and significance?

#509. Why did God put you here? (you individually)

#530. How do we carry the life-changing presence of Jesus into a broken world?

#703. How would you define or describe a healthy relationship?

 

#803. Who are you? What is your identity? What is God telling you about who you are?

#807. How do you experience the love of God?

#916. How do you repair a broken relationship?

#932. What is the good locked up inside you? What is the good work God is doing inside you?

#1007. How do we build a high trust community?

#1111. What’s your Christian Superpower?

#1150. How are you showing up for the people who most need your love?

 

#1163. What is your process for discerning what God is saying to you?

#1204. What is the process God uses to transform us?

#1507. When and where are you most likely to encounter God?

#1514. In what ways are healing, transformation, and discipleship connected?

 

#1543. What’s the difference between you working for God and God working in you? Why does it matter?

#1618. Who needs to be on your team? How can we help you build your team?

#1809. What is the difference between forgiving others and condoning sin?

#1902. What does it mean to hang out with God? How do you do it?

 

#1903. Are you allowing God to think big inside you?

#1916. What’s the difference between being teachable and being gullible?

#2103. Why is it important to give God the freedom to be who He wants to be and to do what He wants to do in our lives?

#2214. How can we show our world a higher path?

#2306. How is the gospel more than just a free ticket to heaven?

 

Enjoy!

Dwight

Here are 10 things I pray for every day. I invite you to join me!

#1. I pray that the blinders will be lifted so all can see You are a good God worth following. (2 Corinthians 4:4, Matthew 6:9)

#2. I pray that the church will move forward. (What I mean here is that the Kingdom of God, the purposes of God will advance all over the world.)

#3. I pray You will end the divide among Your people. (John 17:20-23)

#4. I pray You will send laborers into the harvest field. (Matthew 9:37-38)

#5. I pay You will restrain the hand of evil worldwide. (Ephesians 6:10-20)

#6. I ask You to defend, strengthen, heal our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. (Hebrews 13:3)

#7. I pray that You will grant our leaders the fear of the Lord, and the wisdom, courage, and motivation to make righteous decisions—even in face of bullies. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

#8. I pray for the healing of our nation, and the healing of our culture. (This is implied in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20.)

#9. I pray that truth will triumph over deception; justice and mercy will triumph over injustice; and understanding, respect, trust, love will triumph over polarization. (James 3:13-18, etc.)

#10. I pray for the end of poverty as we know it. (Galatians 2:10, etc.)

Be encouraged!

Dwight