Sunday’s Blessing – 04/21/2024

May you be drenched by the rain from Heaven

As God showers you daily with new mercies

As you bask in the grace of the Lord

As you are led, step by step, by the Spirit

May the living water flow freely from you

To keep you cleansed

To provide hope and healing to your world

To water others who may be parched

May the rivers of living water overwhelm you

To provide deep waters to swim in

To carry you in your purpose

To make deserts blossom

Sunday’s Blessing – 04/14/2024

Sunday’s Blessing – 04/14/2024

May you never lose sight of the excitement of Easter Sunday

Because God’s resurrection power is present every moment

Because two thousand years doesn’t diminish the forgiveness accomplished by Christ

Because you still need God’s new mercies every day

May you live with the revelation that you have been made spotless

Spotless now, not then

Spotless regardless of whatever

Spotless by His righteousness in us

May you marvel every day at the wonder of these truths

That God loves you. Period.

That Jesus forgave you. Period.

That you are free to love others from this place

Sense, Since, Scents, Cents

Sense, since, scents, cents: English is hard. Communication is harder. I wish I knew another language besides English. I took some Spanish in college, but never anything beyond the required 2 semesters. I feel that my disdain for English would probably be quelled by the complexity of other languages. They are probably all difficult. However, I feel English is complicated by "melting" all kinds of things from many languages. Regardless, I still hate English as a form of communication. Unfortunately, I have no valid alternative.

Sunday’s Blessing – 04/07/2024

Since tomorrow is the lunar eclipse across the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast of the United States

May you experience the reality of the Lord “overshadowing” you

Just as He did with Mary, the mother of Jesus

When His presence became so intense around her that a baby was formed in her womb

May you experience an encounter with the Holy Spirit so profound

That something new is birthed in you, so God can use it through you

To bring a revelation of the King and His Kingdom to those around you

May you experience the covering of the Lord

Just as the disciples experienced at the transfiguration of Jesus

So that you can have open fellowship with the Father as He communes with you

May you live in a state of “eclipse” 

Where you pass fully in the path of the light of God to the point of being overshadowed

Absorbing His mercy and grace which He is always pouring out on His beloved

May tomorrow be a sign of God’s love for you

Where you are fully encompassed by His illumination

Which will give you vision to see the direction you should go

Sunday’s Blessing – 03/31/2024

As you walk through this Easter Sunday, among all the beauty of God’s creation

May you never cease to be amazed at the wonder around you

If you cannot see the wonder, I pray you will slow down a moment

So you can find the beautiful expression of God’s creativity

In the budding trees and plants, in the joyous laughter of children

As you greet your family or your neighbor

Or simply realize you are still breathing

May the reality of The Resurrection give you renewed hope

And awareness of God’s grace and mercy

To know that no tomb, real or imagined, can contain the life God has placed in you

And to experience the stone-moving power of God to release you

From any and all feelings of captivity

To allow the God-life in you to flourish

And affect your world for the Kingdom

Knave, Nave, Know, Now

Knave, Nave, Know, Now: English is hard. Communication is harder. So much of our communication is non-verbal: pitch, volume, intonation, emphasis, inflection, facial tics, posture, gestures, eye contact, eye movement, ... We do all of these things subconsciously when we speak, yet none of this is communicated when we write. We've tried to adapt to the digital age by capitalizing, emojis, acronyms, bold, italics, underline, ... However, you cannot completely emulate human behavior, hence, communication, by words alone. If it's important, make time to have a face to face conversation. It will mean more to the hearer, whether it's good news or bad.

Sunday’s Blessing – 03/24/2024

May you fully grasp the importance of acknowledging the Kingship of Christ.

He was born a King from royal linage.

Kingship was bestowed upon Him by the Maker Himself.

He conquered all other kingdoms to become the One True King.

May you fully understand that you co-reign with Christ in His Kingdom.

You have been made a king and a priest of the Most High God.

You have access to the treasure of the Kingdom.

It is all yours through grace, and grace alone.

May you fully walk in the benefits of the Kingdom.

To know He IS our peace.

To know the Holy Spirit is always present to empower, guide, teach, and comfort.

To know this Kingdom is unshakable.

Peak, Peek, Pique

Peak, peek, pique: English is hard. Communication is harder. One of Steven Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” states: Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

This takes constant effort. We are prone to be preparing our next barb or witty comeback instead of actually listening to the content of the conversation. Especially when the topic is one which invokes passion. Actually consider the words spoken by others. It will lead to a much more cordial conversation, and you may learn something in the process.

This is so needful among Christians. We have a proof text for everything. As soon as we hear the "trigger word or phrase" we run through our rolodex for the perfect way to refute or reprimand the speaker with "the truth" and never actually hear what is in their heart. Take the time. Be patient. Every person deserves the respect to be heard. 

Sunday’s Blessing – 03/17/2024

May you realize your significance in the eyes of God

To know you are a priceless treasure

To know God gave everything to redeem you

To know He loves you without cause and without limits

May you realize your significance in your world

To know you are the only one of you

To know your purpose to impact those around you

To know greatness is not the goal, but faithfulness is

May you realize your significance in your own eyes

To love yourself so you can love your neighbor

To believe you are enough because of Christ

To pursue your passion with abandon

English Is Hard - New, Knew, Gnu

New, knew, gnu: English is hard. Communication is harder. Context is often difficult to ascertain in terse phrases, like texting. That's why it's important to have actual conversations when the topic is important. Even in long email, nonverbals are lost in translation and your meaning can get sidetracked by the internal frame of reference of the reader. This is also the primary reason why AI, in my opinion, will never replace a real person.

Be human. Talk to other humans. It can make all the difference.

Sunday’s Blessing – 03/10/2024

May you fully understand grace: the desire and ability to do God’s will

Because He loved us before we even knew there was Him

Because His Holy Spirit was drawing us when we didn’t even know we were lost

Because He has plans, purposes, and pursuits for each of us

May you understand this grace is unmerited favor

Because if it was earned it wouldn’t be grace

Because if it could be earned, we are not capable

Because a gift is not a result of obligation

May you grow in your knowledge of our Gracious God

Because knowing Him will bring understanding of His grace

Because trust grows out of knowledge of His character

Because ignorance is a hindrance to receiving grace

May you experience an immersion in grace

Because He overwhelms us with His favor and blessing

Because we are baptized (to whelm) into Christ

Because He wants us to be in Him, hidden with Christ

May your thoughts become slaves to grace

Because your dreams will grow when grace is present

Because your path is part of God’s provision

Because He has promised to make you complete

A Day in the Life of My Brain

A life is constructed of fragments which accumulate over the years

Beginning with a single cell formed by two DNA strands

Each human begins to take form as attributes are set in place

Eye color, skin tone, gender, hair texture, height: every part of you

As you become aware of the world around you through the senses

Each sight, sound, smell, taste, touch shapes your understanding

The pleasure or pain you experience influences your mental state

Each success or failure hones your personality

Then each person with whom you interact

Leaves a fragment of themselves with you, and you with them

Some influences for good, others for bad, others are indifferent

Constantly evolving with the addition and removal of encounter residue

Sometimes these fragments remain dormant in you

Until one day something causes them to erupt, spring forth, shine

Bringing personal illumination, or

Inspiring effect on your world

You are the keeper of this treasure-trove of influence

Each memory neatly organized in your mind

Waiting to be matched with the key

Which unlocks the potential

Maybe today will be a touchpoint for something amazing

It’s inside you

All it takes is a look, a sound, a feeling, a fragrance, a taste

Then an avalanche of potential is released

A single moment can change your entire existence

Yes, bad things can happen

But, just like the good things, your response makes all the difference

Because the future is determined by you

Fog

I recently read this quote: “A fog covering seven city blocks is composed of one glass of water.” I Googled it and found the following citation: “According to the Bureau of Standards in Washington, a dense fog covering seven city blocks to a depth of 100 feet is composed of less than one glass of water. That amount of water is divided into about 60 billion tiny droplets. Yet when those minute particles settle over a city or the countryside, they can almost blot out everything from sight. (Source Unknown)”

This is quite amazing when you think about it. One glass of water is hardly enough to wet a single person thoroughly, yet it can cause a fog which could cripple transportation if it happens to occur in a busy thoroughfare or airport. I remember my first trip to London’s Heathrow Airport. There was an observation deck where you could watch the planes takeoff and land. Sort of. That particular day the “London fog” was very present at the airport. You could see the planes taxi down the runway, hear the roar of the jet engines, but as soon as the wheels left the ground the plane disappeared from sight into the dense fog hanging over the airport.

Can you imagine being a pilot, flying one of those huge planes full of anxious passengers? That is a lot of responsibility. You have to be thoroughly trained on the instruments in the cockpit. Beyond training, you then have to have complete confidence on the direction being given from those instruments and from the air-traffic controllers in the tower. Much of this process is now handled by computers following signals being emitted by equipment on the ground. Even so, as the one in charge, the captain has to trust the process and be prepared to intervene should something go wrong.

My friend, Jason Peebles, used flying as an illustration often in his teaching. It is so easy to see the application. Each of us are the “captain” of our life. We are ultimately responsible for our outcome. Using the instruments (scripture – The Word) to get information about our journey, relying on prayer (communication with the tower – The Father) to give us additional information which is not available on the instruments, and following the inward witness (training – the Holy Spirit), we approach each takeoff and landing with care. 

Before we taxi to the end of the runway we will use to make our exit, we thoroughly examine the plane, the maintenance verification, fuel gauges, and radio to insure everything is in proper working order. This could certainly fit nicely with the description Paul gave for the Armor of God. When we reach the launch point for our takeoff, we make sure we get our bearings by setting our gauges to coincide with the direction of the runway. We set destination coordinates to the location we expect to reach at the end of our journey. Once we receive final instructions from the tower and one final check of the instruments, we press down on the throttle to release the power of the engines which propels this multi-ton flying machine down the runway until it reaches lift speed (point where the air pressure on top of the wing is less than the pressure under the wing) and pull back on the yoke to send the plane soaring, defeating the force of gravity trying to keep it on the ground.

It took humans many centuries, even millennia, to develop the ability to do that which birds could do since the day they were created. To watch a bird take off and land with such ease has intrigued man from the beginning. After years of trial and error, manned flight was finally accomplished at Kitty Hawk. It has progressed by leaps and bounds since those early days of the "crazy young men and their flying machines." By using what we now know about flying, it gives us a beautiful picture of how the Godhead works in the life of the Believer to help us traverse this planet and accomplish that which we were created to do.

The description above of the process of getting a plane off the ground may sound complex, but only if you are not familiar with the process. God’s plan for you is so simple, a child can do it. I believe the Western Church has tried to complicate living the Christian life to the point that we forget how to fly. Just like the birds, who were created to fly without even thinking about it, we are created to be sons and daughters of the Most High. It’s not hard!

I love Paul’s description in Ephesians 1, where he uses a phrase over and over to help us understand some of the most complex topics in scripture; things like predestined, adoption, and being sealed by the Holy Spirit are all “to the praise of His glory.” At one point he gives us counsel to simply “be to the praise of His glory.” You don’t even have to think about being. You already are. Just like Jesus, we are destined to be kings and priests of the Most High. We are born a king when we become identified with Christ. We are kings by bestowal (“joint heirs” with Jesus), Who was coronated “King of kings” when He was seated at the right hand of The Father. We are “kings by conquest” when Christ defeated our enemy. All of this was accomplished in us through Jesus.

So, the next time you seem to be in a fog, remember who you are in Him, and Whose you are – a son or daughter of The Father. Look for the beam from the Lighthouse of Heaven, leading you to safe passage, and listen for the lowing of the Foghorn of God, the sound which beckons us homeward.

Generational Blessing

A hobby I’ve dabbled with for a while now is genealogy research. Knowing my roots has become more important with age. Generational transfer of information seems to be a lost art in our Western culture. I don’t think it was anything intentional or malicious, but lost, nonetheless. Life has become busy. Information is accessible in so many forms. Now, we simply post a meme or reel or emoji instead of having a conversation. Again, I don’t think it is some evil conspiracy, just the result of a culture unaware of the importance of generational connection.

I love to find old photos of my ancestors. Occasionally, I’ll come across a story discovered in old newspapers or sites like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. I also love to visit the location of an old home place or business of my ancestors and imagine what life would have been like for them. It doesn’t change history, but will hopefully make life richer for me, and possibly those who come after me.

I think all of us, at some point in our lives, wonder if we have made a difference in our world. Have we accomplished anything which will remain after we are gone? There is a lot of talk about legacy of politicians and other public figures. Recently, it seems this has become a fixation while people are still living. The problem with those still living, any attempt to determine their legacy is somewhat futile. Legacy is something determined by future generations. 

The talk of “The G.O.A.T” (greatest of all time) in various sports, again, is moot because we haven’t lived “all time” yet. Plus, sports are constantly evolving. Sports technology, medical technology, and the rules by which the game is played all affect how “good” a particular player is. Other factors, in my opinion, are things like the coaching staff, facilities, teammates, and in the case of professional teams, ownership. “No man is an island,” according to John Donne. The case is constantly being debated: Jordan vs. LeBron, Montana vs. Brady, etc. The reality is we will never know because these players, and many like them, will never face one another to determine the winner.

Instead of worrying about our legacy, we need to try and live as one in pursuit of that for which we were made. Inside of every person is a desire to pursue something. Far too many lose this desire early in life due to tragic circumstances: physical abuse, poor health, being disadvantaged (finances, culture, ethnicity, etc.), etc. When you face every day with words being directed at you like, “you were a mistake,” “you will never …,” “you’re a disappointment,” it takes a special mental and spiritual makeup to not be taken down.

This is one reason I have taken up the practice of blessing. For the past few months, I’ve been writing a Sunday Blessing for my blog. There are always those giving you reasons why you will fail. I believe it is in the heart of God, the Father, to want His people blessed. If you study scripture, you will find ways how God built blessing into the culture of His followers. We have recorded for us in the gospels where Jesus was baptized by John. Afterward, as Jesus walked up out of the water, a sound from heaven came with the words, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!” Again, at what is referred to as the Transfiguration, the same voice from heaven came, declaring, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” If Jesus ever had a doubt before His baptism, those doubts vanished when such a blatant display of love and affirmation came booming for all to hear.

My father was taken from my life when I was nine years old. I never received his words of affirmation spoken over me that I remember. I was cared for and was never abused or mistreated as a child. There was plenty of love shown in our home. But having such a vital influence removed from my life during such impressionable years affected me. It’s not an excuse for anything. It did cause me a lot of grief through the years. I struggled with being a father because I never had it modeled for me. The only grandfather I ever knew died the year before my father. My paternal grandfather died when my dad was only ten years old.

Even though I was raised in church, the practice of blessing is no longer part of the fabric of the Western version of Christian expression. This is changing, but very slowly. Several authors have dedicated their efforts to bringing the importance and meaning of blessing back into the Church. We need more.

If we can raise a generation who are aware of the blessing they were created to be and allow them to live the pursuit of that for which they were created, we will see a change in the tide of creativity and freedom which can change the world. When an army of souls have the understanding of their place in The Kingdom, and their relationship with The King, armed with the confidence that they matter, and that their God and their family are backing them every step of the way, there is no limit on what can be accomplished.

So, by speaking the truth about God, and His Son, and the Holy Spirit, coupled with unqualified love and support, we can then speak into the lives of those coming after us which will be unstoppable. We will see mountains moved, bridges built, and generational gaps eliminated. Let’s celebrate what is in these amazing children and grandchildren coming after us. Even if you have never heard of “blessing” it is never too late to start. Regardless of the hurt, disadvantage, etc., these warriors can still affect change in their world, and ours. Take some time to learn about blessing. Learn how it is the heartbeat of God, and see your world transformed.

Sunday’s Blessing – 03/03/2024

May you always wonder at the images of the splendor of Heaven

Where The King is seated on the throne

Where we are seated with Him

Surrounded by the magnificent continuous worship of the living creatures and elders

May you always live from the posture of one seated with The King

Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named

Where not even the shadow of death can touch you

Where you are closer to the Father than anything else

May you never strain to know the Father’s love

Since you are one of His

Since you sit at His right hand

Where you are covered by His mighty hand

May you pray with the confidence that the Father hears you

Because you have His ear

Because The King is with you, interceding for you and with you

While being empowered by the Holy Spirit

Joy for the Journey

The grand illusion of happiness

Like the brightly painted horses on the carrousel

The calliope blaring it’s melodies

Beckons for all to join the ride

The carnival attraction seems to offer an escape from reality

Once aboard, the amusement brings instant elation

A distraction from all which is looming outside the circle

Around you go, carefree, but not really gaining ground

There is nothing wrong with entertainment

But it is not a panacea which erases life’s pains

Once the carrousel horses end their run and the music fades

You are left with yourself, your thoughts, still needing answers

The joy you seek is not in the placebo of lights and sounds

Only by facing the issues you wrestle in the night

By going to the mat, taking the opponent down for the count

Can you rise to be acknowledged as the winner

This is not accomplished by your own effort alone

But you have to be willing to contend

Knowing that your Father is the Judge, your Lord, the Referee

And empowered by the Holy Spirit

The fight is rigged, already decided in your favor

You walk into the arena the winner

You walk out the victor

To ride the real horses into the hills of your destiny

You hear the songs of deliverance being sung by your God

The sweet, still small voice, of your Guide

And following the King

You conquer each demon-thought which dares rise up

Do not allow the night-terrors to rob you of life

When the One who gives life

Has chosen you as His own

And will not allow you to become a castaway

Embrace your journey called life

Do not back away from the pursuit

For the answers you seek are ahead

Not in the wake of all which has tried to stop you

(C) 2024 Kurios Publishing

Heavenly Visions

Heavenly Visions

Isaiah 6; Revelation 4; Ephesians 1-2; Hebrews 7-8; Colossians 3

A little background.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Peter 3:8 ESV)

Visions can be a view into any timeframe, past and future, not just present day.

I recently had a convergence of several thoughts regarding visions of heaven. In about 10-15 seconds all of this rolled around in my head. It’s been a few days since this occurred and I’m still trying to find the words to describe what I saw. There were two visions in particular which came to mind. The first was where John was shown a view into Heaven, recorded in Revelation 4. Then the vision where Isaiah saw a scene in Heaven played out before him which is recorded in Isaiah 6. Both of these amazing scenes were described by these men, using the only words which they could think of. It’s hard to verbalize some things which are so amazing it takes your breath away. It’s said that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” How would you describe azure blue to a blind person? Yet, we see the sky every day of our life but cannot effectively put into words the magnificent beauty created by clouds and light, light sometime refracted by the earth’s atmosphere, which creates hues of colors too marvelous to be recreated by even a painting, much less simple words.

This is one of the limitations of any language. Yet, theses men chose words which made sense to them to try and preserve the things encountered by their senses: sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch.

Let’s look at the vision Isaiah had:

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: 

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; 

the whole earth is full of his glory!” 

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:1-4 ESV)

In Isaiah 6, a vision is described which Isaiah saw of Heaven. “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of His robe filled the temple.” Isaiah heard, what appears to be, deafening sounds of worship and praise around the throne of Heaven. He saw the magnificent sights. Perhaps he heard thunder and saw flashes of light. He felt the powerful shake of the event which caused structural damage in Heaven. He smelled the smoke which was created by the threshold of the doorposts being dislodged. I can only imagine what the burning coal applied to his lips tasted like. Perhaps it was sweet, like the feeling of being forgiven and made right again with the Creator.

It said the living creatures “called” to each other. They were declaring the truth about the One seated on the throne. In the middle of this “calling to another” something happened. I’ve heard it explained as a manifestation of the glory of God. I don’t know how to describe it, but Isaiah tried his best. Regardless of what it was, it affected everything and everyone who was there.

Whatever he experienced that day changed him forever.

Look at the vision John saw while on Patmos:

At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. 

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, 

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” 

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:2-11 ESV)

In Revelation 4, John describes the vision of Heaven which he saw. In John’s account, “One” was seated on the throne and there were “four living creatures” around the throne. He gives more descriptive words than Isaiah, but I believe they were seeing the same thing; perhaps even the same moment in Heaven.

Isaiah served as prophet in Israel approximately from 740–701 B.C. John had the experience recorded in Revelation around 70 A.D. Roughly an 800 year span. This is barely one day in Heaven. With this in mind, Jesus has only been seated next to the Father for about 2 days!

Then I got to thinking, “What event was going on in Heaven which was so spectacular and amazing that God brought two prophets to see?” When Jesus was transfigured before some of the disciples, God brought back two prophets to see it, Moses and Elijah.

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. (Matthew 17:1–3 ESV)

If Moses and Elijah were brought back to see Jesus’ “real essence” being revealed on earth, what was happening in Heaven which prompted Isaiah and John to be called in as witnesses to their world on earth? I then had this thought: “What is the greatest even we know of from scripture which occurred since the creation?” That brought me to Ephesians 1 & 2.

Before looking at Ephesians, look at some more background from Hebrews.

This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. (Hebrews 7:22–28 ESV)

Jesus was a high priest “forever” after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 7:17, 21) Who better could be the guarantor of a New Covenant?

Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. (Hebrews 8:1–2 ESV)

All the things God described for Moses when giving the instruction on how to build the tabernacle in the wilderness were based on the “true tent” in Heaven. The one Moses constructed was a replica. Jesus is High Priest in the REAL one! He is seated at the right had of the Majesty (The Father) in Heaven. When was he seated? After Jesus ascended to Heaven. Look at Paul’s description of this he wrote to the Church in Ephesus.

“… and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, …” (Ephesians 1:19-20 ESV)

In one verse (Ephesians 1:19) Paul uses four different Greek words to try and convey all that God did when He raised Jesus from the dead and then coronated Him King forever, seating Jesus on the throne in Heaven at God’s own right hand.

• Immeasurable greatness of his power – dynameōs – (miraculous) power, might, strength dynamite

• Working – energeian – working, activity – energy

• Great – kratous - strength, might – dominion

• Might – ischyos – strength, might – force

According to scholars, this is the description of the most explosive show of God’s affect on creation – four distinct words used in one sentence fragment to describe all God did in raising Jesus from the dead and seating Jesus at His own right hand. Paul doesn’t give a description of the scene in Heaven which John and Isaiah had, but I believe Paul saw it too.

Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. (2 Corinthians 12:1–6 ESV)

Most scholars believe Paul is speaking of himself by saying, “I know a man …” Whether it was Paul himself or someone else who related the experience to Paul, they may have seen the same thing as Isaiah and John. Whatever it was, it was beyond words.

Could this have been the coronation of Jesus which both Isaiah and John, and possibly Paul, saw? This makes sense to me. It was certainly a change in direction from what had been in place in Heaven since the beginning. “The foundation of the thresholds were shaken.” Thresholds speak of transition. Prior to this moment, the Trinity consisted of God the Father, God the Word, and God the Holy Spirit. As John the Gospel writer declared, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV)

This “Word made flesh” was made the King of the Kingdom! He was seated at the right hand of The Father in Heaven FOREVER! The King then sent God the Holy Spirit to abide in those who would become identified with this new Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. He now continually intercedes for us to the Father.

Now, if all of this is not enough to get you excited, here is the best part of all. Look at what Paul said in Ephesians 2:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1–7)

If you look closely at the grammar here, everything Paul described in Ephesians 1 (including the most explosive verse in scripture) was also accomplished in YOU when God raised and seated Jesus at His own right hand! Even while we were “dead in sin.”

Here is the really good news! Jesus is still on the throne! He is still King! You are now part of The Kingdom if you are in Christ! This gives us a new perspective from which to live out our lives here on earth. We can live as New Kingdom citizens right now. It’s not in the “sweet by and by.” Right now, you have access to the throne of Heaven.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:2–4 ESV)

I heard a song recently called, “Live Like You Were Dying.” The message is a good one, in the sense of not waiting to enjoy life on earth. Go ahead and experience all life has to offer. But, here’s one better. We can live like we have already died, was raised from that death, and now we are alive forevermore!!! We can live every day knowing that death will never take us down. It will only serve as a pivotal moment when we transition from life on earth to that of a life with our Creator!

Sunday’s Blessing – 02/25/2024

May you experience the inspiration of the Creator

May you be curious to see, hear, touch, taste, and smell

His wonders, words, presence, goodness, and aroma

Of all He has in store for your life

May you be led by passion to desire His plan, purpose, and provision

May your dream lead you to your destiny

And may you find life in the longings

As you pursue with all your heart

May you realize that nothing has been lost

Nothing has been withheld

Everything has been given

So that you will be complete in Him

Sunday’s Blessing – 02/18/2024

May you know the value God placed on you,

The gifts and abilities that you provide to your world,

The happiness you bring those around you,

The unique place you have in The Kingdom,

Which is only accomplished by engaging The King.

May you find the place called Home,

Where you are celebrated,

Where you can flourish in your expression of who you are,

Where you receive nourishment to grow,

Where you can be sent out from to bless your world.

May you always know where your heart belongs,

So if you ever lose your way, you can make it back Home,

So you will never doubt you are loved,

So those in your life will always be connected,

And you may know great peace.

Sunday’s Blessing – 02/11/2024

Receive the new grace and mercy available to you this day

They are new every morning

They are given without merit

They are irrevocable

Allow yourself room to dream about possibilities

Because He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond our imagination

The immeasurable greatness of His power toward us by the working of His great might

Has already been given to us who are in Him

Embrace the love of the Father

Since He first loved us

And we will never be separated from His love

Therefore, we can give away our love freely as we draw from an unlimited supply

Allow joy to come

Again, if you once had it

For the first time if you haven’t

Let it rise to the level of unspeakable, full of glory

Sunday’s Blessing – 02/04/2024

Despite the reminders, almost daily, that life is but a moment,

Take hope in knowing the Eternal God who will never forsake.

Opportunities lost will never trump the redemptive work of Jesus;

Receive the peace which passes understanding.

Disappointments cannot displace the presence of the Holy Spirit;

Let joy be your strength to persevere.

Even when in the shadow of the valley of death,

Rest in knowing there is a Light beyond the hills casting the shadow.

This is where our Help comes from!

Sunday’s Blessing – 01/28/2024

Embrace the moments as the clock counts them off

Do not let a single one go by without being in it

Alive, aware, awake, alert, actively living the seconds

Immersed in the grace and love of God

Without shame, without regret, without doubt

Walking with the Father as He leads you

Rejoicing in the liberty brought through Christ

Empowered by the Comforter-Encourager-Teacher-Holy Spirit

This IS the day the Lord has made!

Sunday’s Blessing – 01/21/2024

May the mystery of God be revealed to you as you seek, ask, and knock.

May you experience the strength and exploits which come from knowing Him.

May the prayer of your heart be realized.

May your steps be clear and deliberate as your path is illuminated and ordered.

May you live from the peace of knowing the One who loves you most.

Perspective

Perspective has multiple meanings.

1. the art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point.

2. a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

The first gives you a view of something real. The second is something you believe, whether it’s real or not.

When it comes to perspective, it is more important to receive information than to give it. So much of the internet is filled with people giving a perspective on topics ranging from recipes to politics. Many have no knowledge upon which to base their comments. Very little effort is taken by the readers to determine if the perspective given is based on anything valid. Many are simply opinions developed by imagination or information obtained from someone else.

The problem with all of this is you can also find it among Christians. Paul exhorted the Berean Church, declaring, “These were more noble … they searched the scriptures to see if these things were true.” Jesus declared, “You will know the truth, and knowing the truth will set you free.”

I enjoy reading books by people who are smarter than me. I love to learn. I love to explore new ways of looking at the same thing. As long as you maintain a perspective where God is the point of reference, you will find yourself seeing things from a good perspective, one based on truth.

I heard a story years ago about an incident with an interstate bridge on the East coast. It was a very busy commuter route, with thousands of cars traveling over it every day. The state highway department had responsibility for performing routine inspections and maintenance to keep the interstate safe.

One day, as an auto body repairman was driving over the bridge, he noticed something that just didn’t seem right. It concerned him so much that he reached out to the state DOT. They sent divers to the bridge site to inspect the foundations which were under water in the river which flowed beneath the bridge. When the divers emerged, they were shaking their heads in disbelief at what they found. The bridge was immediately closed, and repairs were ordered.

The foundations of the bridge supports were deteriorating. The bridge, even though it was still stable enough to bear the weight of the traffic going across it, was headed for catastrophic failure if nothing had been done.

Here’s point of all of this, and the topic at hand. The auto body repair man had such a keen perspective of curves and lines from his experience repairing dented car parts that he noticed the curvature of the bridge was not right. He spotted what the inspectors had failed to see. Fortunately, the engineers took the man’s concern to heart and did their due diligence to correct the issue before anyone was injured or killed.

This should be the same way you and I conduct our life. Have in place some regular “maintenance” inspections. Take proactive steps to ensure that your life remains in line and operating on the correct curvature of your trajectory though living. But keep an open mind to additional information from others who may have a different perspective than you. They may see something that is not visible from your vantage point. It could be life saving.

We all need voices into our life. We need friends who will not only encourage us and celebrate the victories with us, but also have the liberty to voice concerns which they may see in us; areas in which we may have grown complacent or have missed something on the horizon. This type of friend is rare … which makes them extremely valuable. If you ever find one, never let them go.

The Journey - Month 6

 I haven't posted about the journey lately. It's been six months since I moved into the camper. January is a rough month to be in an RV. It's cold! Actually, the newer RVs are very well insulated. As long as you have propane, you'll be ok. Fortunately, the cold usually doesn't last very long in Alabama.

Besides the weather, everything else seems to be getting more routine. Working from home is a little different. Since the space is relatively small (basically 2 rooms) you have to be diligent to separate work from leisure. This hasn't been too much of a problem for me.

With the changing temps, social contact has been minimized. I haven't made any new acquaintances lately. Most of the people I met early on have left. I'm still amazed at the number of resident campers there are. I had no idea so many people lived in RVs.

I'm spending more time writing lately. That is a goal for the new year. I'd like to finish at least one of the writing projects I have started. There are several in the works. The primary one I want to finish is "The Road Back from Nowhere." I started it back in 2022 when COVID broke out.

There are a few writing projects which I started years ago and would like to get back to at some point. One is a book on Baptism. Another is one of my favorite titles: Managed Expectations. I'm also working on "The Names of God II" in hopes of getting 365 names, which could then be turned into a daily devotional.

Beyond writing, I hope to find a new outlet for music. I had the privilege of singing in a Christmas choir. It was very enjoyable. I love the dynamic of choral music. I've also considered auditioning for a musical. We shall see.

I'm recovering from foot surgery. It was a much longer recuperation than expected. It took me off my exercise routine. It's been difficult getting back in the routine, but I'm working on it. Coming off daylight saving time made it harder to get to the gym early. I will get back there soon.

I found out another grandchild is on the way. This time it's a boy! The first male grand. I'm pretty excited.

Sunday’s Blessing – 01/14/2024

Pursue dreams, but be grounded in discipline

Reach for goals, but hold fast to God

Visualize your future, but maintain your focus

Live with purpose, but never lose passion

Look for adventure, but always remain alert

Seek to be vulnerable, but only with those who value you

Laugh easily

Love deeply

Believe in faith

Reflect Jesus’ face

Simply “be” to God’s glory

Winter - a poem

The coldness of winter brings sadness and drear

Chilled by the bitter wind of the sun’s withdrawal

Makes everything somewhat of a burden

Trudging through the weather-beaten days

Only to find dark nights, sometimes alone

This annual occurrence does not come as a surprise

For it happens once with every revolution around our star

Yet somehow we feel it as an intrusion in our life

Something undesired and hopefully avoided

Until we are once again in its frigid grip

We rejoice at the first sign of springtime’s warming

Elated by the vision of budding plants and trees

The return of birdsongs in the air around us

Knowing we have made it though the death season

Returning to new life with an optimistic burning within

But what of this winter season in which we languish

Surely there must be a purpose for a full quarter of our time

Let us not waste this precious commodity of minutes and hours

Days and months must be spent with intention and purpose

Lest we waste this wonderland of death and dying

Instead of lament what if we rejoice in the waiting

Put aside the doom of lethargy expressed by so many

Find the motivation to embrace the learning opportunity

To see the vital part of life’s cycle and experience

Willfully pressing into these moments as precious

Many things in nature goes through a form of death

So that they can live more fully when made alive again

The caterpillar to butterfly, the planted seed, to name a few

So to, the human who finds a way to die to self

And allow God to become life among the waste

Without a death there is no rebirth to spur us on to growth

Without a yielding of our members to someone more able

We can never achieve the heights, depths, lengths, and breadths

To fulfill the purpose we have in this lifetime

And become the very essence of God

Creation - a poem

In the bleak midwinter

When snowfall blankets the ground

It turns even the most unsightly things 

Into beautiful art all ‘round

The snow hasn’t changed a thing

Only hidden it from view

The ugliness is still beneath

Nothing has been made new

When the white beauty melts

All beneath is now revealed

The unsightly is seen again

No longer by beauty concealed

To truly make a work of art

A fundamental change must occur

The beginning state is of no import

Its inner beauty will not deter

The beauty is in the eye

Only the artist sees it

It’s not so much a creation

More a matter of transit

Such is the case with you and I

When God’s hand is applied

He transforms us from earth dust

To something beautiful inside

The soul of man is the real person

Not the meager exterior

Beauty is still just in the eye

To see you must look more

Don’t judge the person by what appears

It’s only the human earth-suit

The real treasure is what’s inside

Which requires an honest pursuit

Take time to find out what’s inside

Before making your decision

A quick judgement will risk the loss

Of a diamond crafted with precision

Sunday’s Blessing – 01/07/2024

May today be filled with awe of the Creator

May every tick of the clock expose a new facet of God’s character

May every sound remind you of His voice crying out through His creation

May every heartbeat remind you of your purpose

May every thought be of the goodness, mercy, and grace of the Father

May you be immersed in the unfathomable love of Jesus