Sunday’s Blessing – 07/20/2025 – A Week in Paradise

Sunday’s Blessing – 07/20/2025 – A Week in Paradise

Until now, the only island I’ve ever visited was Puerto Rico. I don’t really count Ireland since it is so large. Today I will step foot on the “big” island of Hawaii, called Hawai-i. I’m excited. I never thought I would get to visit this tropical paradise. The trip has been somewhat arduous, but sometimes you have to go through a little hardship to get what you want. What I’ve heard about Hawaii is worth the effort.

It has not disappointed. The ocean views are spectacular. The climate is moderate with a constant breeze which makes even the hottest temps tolerable. The resort is very nice, with every amenity you would expect. The 5-hour time difference has taken some time to get used to, but I’m acclimating. There are many things I hope to see, like Volcano Park and the Black Beach. Being accustomed to the sugar-sands of Gulf Shores, the “beaches” are not even comparable. They are filled with rough, jagged lava rocks and coral. Still beautiful, just in a very different way.

I’ve also never travelled this far west from Alabama. Being in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is a bit surreal when you realize there is no way to get off the island on your own; unless, of course, you own a boat or plane.

For those who live here, the mindset may be very different. Even the most wonderful environments can become commonplace. Without a view beyond your existence anywhere you live can become mundane. Any relationship you have can get dull and frustrating. Any amount of provision you possess can become inadequate. This is where the importance of thanksgiving becomes vital. This is the reason we need a Savior. This is when our trust in a Creator keeps us moving forward in the life and purpose we have. Contentment is not an excuse or surrender. Paul said in his writings to “be content in every state you find yourself”, but he also instructed us to “press forward toward the prize of the high calling of God.”

These are not contradictory. They are complementary. Together – contentment and drive – they work to keep us at peace while seeking fulfillment. This is the “zoe” life God makes available to each one. This "God-kind of life" is characterized by spiritual vitality, abundance, and a relationship with God. Let us purse the Giver of Life, and in that pursuit we will experience all He is.

Now for today’s blessing:

May the Giver of Life keep you content and blessed in Him

So you will never experience lack or frustration

So you can have an overflowing cup to bless others

And in doing so remain at peace and abundant

May you find all you have need of in pursuit of your “why”

So you can live fulfilled yet motivated

So you can be joyful and content

As you press toward all which lies ahead for you

Sunday’s Blessing – 07/13/2025 – Ordinary Time

Sunday’s Blessing – 07/13/2025 – Ordinary Time

I learned something interesting this week about the liturgical calendar. There is a season called Ordinary Time. There are four main seasons: Lent, Easter, Advent, and Christmas. The remainder of the calendar is called Ordinary Time. It is the longest season of the year and is divided into two sections.

I found this very interesting. During the time I spent in the charismatic church I encountered many people who taught that, for the “spirit-filled” Christian, every day should be a “Book of Acts” kind of day, experiencing miracles, signs, and wonders constantly. Not only is it not scriptural, it is also not feasible. The events found in the Book of Acts covers years of time. The “miracles, signs, and wonders” we read about were not daily occurrences. Sometimes life is just Ordinary. I read a book once called, “God of the Mundane.” It described this topic very well.

I’m glad the church leaders who developed the liturgical calendar to help Christians maintain their walk with God included “Ordinary Time.” It’s ok to have a “normal” day. It does not mean God loves you less, or that you love God less. Ordinary is not a sin. It’s not failure. It’s not defining you. God is still on the throne and, as a Christian, you are still seated with Jesus at the right hand of the Father. Learn to embrace the ordinary days. They can be just as fulfilling and “miraculous” as any other. Use these days to sharpen the cutting edge of your spiritual life. Use them to rest. But always remember, even though they are ordinary, they are still not to be wasted.

Now for today’s blessing:

May the God of Ordinary Time reveal more of who He is to you

So that you can lead ordinary people into a relationship with an extraordinary God

May God use your mundane to reveal His miraculous 

So your average can still lead to advancement in the Kingdom of God

Sunday’s Blessing - 07/06/2025 - Independence Day in the US

Sunday’s Blessing - 07/06/2025 - Independence Day in the US

One of the first doctrinal changes that came from early American church leaders was to bring the idea of "independence" into the Christian faith. The concept of a "personal Savior" began to be propagated which rang true to those newly separated from the Church of England and other European denominations. The only problem with that was it is not the message Jesus came to share with us. The early church was known as the ekklasia, or "called out ones." There was a strong sense of community among Believers known for their love and care for others. The command Jesus gave to those who saw Him ascend to the heavens was to "go make disciples of every nation." This later became known as "The Great Commission", even though the Bible never refers to it as such.

The new independent American evangelicalism took this up as their mantra, using it as a battle cry to overtake the world for Jesus, just as the Minute Men had conquered the Brits. It was not laced with love and concern for others, but instead a tool to build their churches. The focus was not on the welfare of those being converted, but instead on the "stars in their crown."

July 4th is not a Christian holiday. It is an American holiday where we celebrate our declaring ourselves to be free of the tyranny of the British Monarchy. We refused to pay tribute money and tariffs on the goods coming into our ports. The unfortunate part of the early American church doctrine is it confused nationalism with Christianity. The two are not synonymous. Being American does not make you Christian. Being "free" based on our Constitution does not make us free from the law of sin and death. Only Jesus can do that.

On this Independence Day, if you are an American citizen, or just love this country, celebrate our independence. But regardless of your nationality, find a way to celebrate the freedom we have in Christ, who redeemed us back for the sake of the Father, Who loves us. God, Himself, provided everything needed to restore us into right relationship with Him. Through our identification with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the right hand of the Father, we are made to sit together with Christ in the Kingdom He established and now rules. We are not lone rangers for Jesus. We are part of one Body working together to bring a world who does not know God into a new relationship with Him.

Light that flare this 4th!

Now for today's blessing.

May the Lord of the Sabbath, and the Lord of Independence Day, give you rest

May you see the spectacular display of His love and mercy in Jesus

So that you can celebrate being reunited with your Creator

And find the peace and rest that only He can bring

May the liberation you find not consist of release from earthly ties

But instead be the shedding of the walls we have built around our heart

Designed to protect us from being hurt, but cause us more harm than good

And keep us from experiencing the warmth of the Father's Love through Christ

May the distance we find between us and God be removed by drawing near to Him

Accepting the grace and mercy which was made available to us in Christ

And now is our daily bread as we learn to rest in Him

Fully independent from the sin that once held us as slaves

Sunday’s Blessing – 06/29/2025 – Knowing God

Sunday’s Blessing – 06/29/2025

The worship pastor at the church I attend shared a new song (to me anyway) last Sunday called, “That’s My King.” Prior to sharing the song, he spoke of finding more ways to express our love and adoration in our worship, which exactly what the author of “That’s My King” did. This is one of the main reasons I started writing.

While on a prayer retreat with a group of ministers, one of who was Will McFarlane, I was challenged to find new ways to express how I feel about the Lord. Will gave an example of how a husband communicates with his wife. Let’s say her name was Jane. If the only word he ever used in speaking to her was “Jane”, the level of intimacy would never progress. Can you imagine Jane being thrilled to hear her husband say, “Hi Jane. What’s for dinner, Jane. What would you like to watch on tv, Jane. Jane, you look nice. Jane, would you bring me a drink. I really love you, Jane.”

Most couples develop a whole vocabulary for speaking to their spouse. “Sweetie, honey, sugar, precious, darling, love, etc.” It lets them know they are more than just “Jane”, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but communicates at an emotional level instead of topical.

I left the retreat with a determination to learn new language to use in worship. Read the Psalms, Song of Solomon, Job, Proverbs, etc., and observe how the authors say more than “God, Jesus, Lord, etc.” I then challenged my praise team at the time to look for other “names” for God found in scripture. Together we came up with over 300. I then spent almost a year writing about each of these names. So far I’ve only covered about 247, but have also added about 200 more names to the original list. I published a book with the first 201 names called, The Names of God, available on Amazon. I hope to publish a sequel at some point with 164 more, making the list 365 names; one for each day of the year.

Daniel wrote these words in his Old Testament book called by his name: “… but the people who do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” Daniel 11:32

Let’s get to know God more intimately and see what He can do through us.

Now for today’s blessing:

May you be like Moses with whom God shared His deepest secrets

By showing himself faithful to steward all he had been given

To the point of being used to deliver God’s chosen people to a Promised Land

Just so He could show them how to rest

May you be like Abraham who took God at His word

Because he believed God to be trustworthy

And through Abraham, God brought about a people of His own

Through whom the Messiah came to make a way for all to be redeemed

May you be like Paul, who admittedly was not perfect

But determined to accomplish God’s purpose in his life at any cost

Who wrote the majority of the New Testament

And brought the message of Christ to an entire race of people estranged from God

Sunday’s Blessing – 06/22/2025 – Summer Begins

Sunday’s Blessing – 06/22/2025 – Summer Begins

Seasons are a great reminder that life will bring changes, and with those changes we may have to adapt to the place we find ourselves. For six months, days have been gradually getting longer until the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year. We hardly notice the change because it happens so slowly. Beginning today, days begin getting shorter until the Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of the year.

This phenomenon occurs in many areas of life. Children grow up, seemingly overnight, because we cannot see their progress each day. It’s only when something gets our attention that we suddenly realize they have grown.

These things illustrate the meaning of “process”. The mechanism is put in motion and continues until something affects its progress. Life in general is much like this.

The fraternal twin of process is “event”. Events can happen suddenly, or may be planned, but their duration is short-lived. A party, for instance, could be a surprise or a well-thought-out affair. Either way, events have a planned start and stop time. Once it’s over, it’s over.

Some events can impact us so deeply that it initiates a process which could last for the rest of our lives. The birth of a child is a great example. The event of giving birth begins with labor and ends with delivery. But that is only the beginning of a much longer process of raising the child. The other end of that spectrum is death. Death can sometimes be preceded by a process (such as a long illness), but many times comes suddenly.

The end result of any event is determined by how we react. In the case of giving birth, a parent could neglect the child, or worse yet, abuse the child, causing great harm physically or emotionally, or both. In the case of an unexpected death, the ones left behind have choices to make about how the sudden loss of a loved one will affect them. Obviously, the person will no longer be there. But beyond that, those left behind must find a way to keep living.

These changes in life can be likened to the seasons. Although there are no “events” which mark the change of seasons, we can use this mindset to help us adapt to a new way of living. Just as we change our outer surroundings to accommodate the change in seasons, like clothing, exterior preparations (sealing up for winter, planting for spring, etc.), décor and colors, and the list goes on, we can also make changes in our personal life to accommodate the unplanned changes. We can expand our horizons by moving to a new place, getting a new job, pursue education, take up a hobby, etc. We must fight the urge to sit down and do nothing.

The spiritual application is to find a way to seek help outside of our own strength and understanding. Embrace the truth given to us in scripture. Allow the wisdom of God to guide us. Allow the Spirit of God to empower us. Allow the love of God to keep us in peace.

Now for today’s blessing. It’s a simple one straight from scripture:

The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Sunday’s Blessing – 06/15/2025 – Father’s Day

Sunday’s Blessing – 06/15/2025 – Father’s Day

The past month or so I spent time writing about the sabbath/selah/rest of God. I’ve learned a lot as I spent time reading and meditating on what God thinks about the sabbath from both the Old and New Testament perspectives. I came to realize they are exactly the same. There are two different things here. There is The Sabbath, which is the seventh day of the week, and considered to be a weekly festival which God gave His chosen people, the Jews, for them to remember all God had done for them.

There is also simply sabbath. This is a time when we “suspend” our activity and just commune with our Father. This is not relegated to a day of the week. It is not church attendance. It is not the fourth commandment. It is a time when we let everything else go for a while and spend that time talking and listening to God. The word meaning of sabbath is: intermission, to cease, to rest. In today’s vernacular it might be: “time out” or “chill”.

King David understood sabbath and built into his psalms a pause, called selah, which mean: “suspension” or “pause”. This nuance in musical terms could mean an actual suspended chord or progression of sound. Our minds hear the musical suspension and naturally begin anticipating the resolution; the resolve.

When I saw this, I immediately understood why sabbath means so much to God. In essence, sabbath is faith. When we suspend our efforts, our plans, our purposes, our pursuits, we experience sabbath rest. There’s no struggle or strain. We come to realize that God is the source of everything we need. This is faith: the essence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. This suspension brings the anticipation of the resolution or resolve in our life.

The resolve leads us to act, not in faith, but in trust. We heard from the Father in the sabbath moment, then go from there trusting in what we heard from Him. This is how we live our life-song. We play and sing the words and melody given to us by the Holy Spirit. It builds up to a point of suspension where we have to pause and seek counsel from the Maker, then continue in the cadence, trusting God’s voice.

Now for today’s blessing:

May the Lord teach you to play your life-song 

To bring glory and honor to Christ and His Kingdom

So those in your world can be blessed

Including you, the minstrel and soloist of your life

May you encounter the Father on this Father’s Day

As you learn of Him through the renewed fellowship available through Christ

To hear His heart, to recognize His voice, to follow His dreams for you

As you continue to compose new movements in the song of your life

Sunday’s Blessing – 06/08/2025 – Pentecost Sunday

Sunday’s Blessing – 06/08/2025 – Pentecost Sunday

One of the most important aspects of our salvation is when Jesus fulfilled His promise to send the Holy Spirit to the earth to fill those who would become identified with Christ through His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the Father’s right hand. This is the process of salvation described by Paul in Ephesians 1 & 2. Before Jesus ascended to take His position of authority next to the Father, He promised to send “another” comforter. This word “another” means one of the same kind. Jesus explained that He had been “with” them, but the One coming later would live “in” them, to empower them to be witnesses of all they had seen and heard.

For many years, I had missed one vital part of this process. Most “plans” of salvation I had heard placed the onus of being saved on the individual. It included things like, “if you believe and confess, you would be saved,” or “be baptized for the remission of sin,” or … There are many more. While these are verses in the Bible, they do not encapsulate the salvation experience. The end result of salvation is to be “in Christ.” I have only found one way for this to occur: the Holy Spirit must baptize us into Christ. Who does He baptize? Those who have identified with Christ in all of the aspects mention by Paul: the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating of Jesus.

Pentecost is not an “experience” for the believer. It was an “event” in the history of God’s saving of humans on earth from their sin and restoring fellowship with the Father which was lost because of sin. There is no salvation without Pentecost (the sending of the Holy Spirit to the earth). The Holy Spirit, or paraclete (I’ve heard described as “one who walks along side together with”), would be sent to help us. He would lead us into salvation by showing us the love of the Father. He would then baptize us into Christ. And finally, the Holy Spirit would dwell in us to empower us to be witnesses of this “love of the Father” to our world.

It's important for us to remember these things. That’s why I am enjoying learning about liturgy; not as a way of expressing my Christianity, but to strengthen my  Christian experience by constantly being reminded of why God did all He did to provide a way back into complete fellowship with Him.

Now for today’s blessing:

May you encounter the Holy Spirit in every way

So you may know, completely, the love of the Father

Which is the only reason Jesus came – to show us the Father

So you could be restored into full fellowship with Him 

My you learn to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit – the inward witness

So you can share outwardly all that He has brought about in you

By baptizing you into Christ, guiding you into the Truth about the Father

So you could receive all He has provided for you in the New Covenant

May this Pentecost Sunday become a time of revelation

May the Holy Spirit bring you to full understanding of why He came

So you would be able to live in the perpetual Sabbath Rest

Which is found in Jesus Christ, your Lord