Sunday's Blessing - 08/09/2026 - Selah

Sunday's Blessing - 08/09/2026 - Selah

There is a Hebrew word used in scripture that is very intriguing to me. It appears 74 times in the Old Testament, mostly in Psalms, and three times in Habakkuk. It’s a musical term that means “suspension of music, pause.” It is placed in music to allow for time to consider what preceded it. The listener can contemplate the meaning of the passage and allow the message to settle in them before the music resumes.

Ironically, as I “paused” to consider the meaning of this word a couple of interesting things came to mind. The first application of this idea is “margin.” My pastor at the time, Bobby Gourley, introduced this term to me early in his tenure at Christ Chapel. It means to leave space in your life for the Lord to work. Do not fill your every waking moment with activity. Do not spend all the money you make. Always leave room for the Lord to direct you in ways to be a blessing to others.

This is why God implemented the Sabbath. It was designed to force Israel to rest. They were to spend the day in worship and contemplation on their Creator. When Jesus came and fulfilled every part of the Law of Moses, including the Sabbath, we received complete liberty; spirit, soul, and body. Jesus had become our Sabbath. We are now to find our rest in Him.

Most have heard this before. Even so, it is good to be reminded of these things from time to time.

The second thing that came to mind when I was considering the word Selah is not as familiar. There is a not-so-common marking in music known as a Grand Pause. It appears as G.P. in a musical score. This is different than the fermata (), which also means “pause.” The fermata is only held for a short time, the length of which is implied by the composer of the piece. The G.P. however leaves the amount of time totally to the discretion of the conductor.

As a follower of Jesus, we are to live our life in a Grand Pause; a time under the direct control of the Conductor, the Holy Spirit. The entire orchestra and singers, if any, would wait on the signal of the Conductor before acting. So, too, we as followers of Him.

The G.P. might come at any place in the musical score. Regardless of the passage previously played, or the music yet to be played, everything comes to a complete halt until the conductor allows things to continue.

The next time you hear Selah or see it in print I hope it serves as a reminder to keep margin in your life. Leave room, always, for the Holy Spirit to direct your actions. Whether it is a fermata or a G.P., be prepared to wait on the Conductor’s cue to move forward. Doing so will assure the music He is attempting to make in your life will be exactly as composed. Selah!

Sunday's Blessing - 08/02/2026 - The Names of God - El Gibbor - Mighty God

Sunday's Blessing - 08/02/2026 - The Names of God - El Gibbor – Mighty God

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God (El Gibbor), Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The majority of the time, when you see Jesus portrayed in film, books, and art, you see the “gentle” Jesus, one who is compassionate, long-suffering, tender-hearted, and quiet in nature. However, there is another side to this Man who came as the Messiah to save mankind. You see this in the cleansing of the temple when He chased out the money changers with a whip, or when cornered on the brow of a bluff where the crowd was about to throw Him off, He “walked through the midst of them.” In this prophetic scripture from Isaiah, he speaks of one coming who would be all of these things: Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father. But one of these names stands out as being a little more than gentle – Mighty God.

The Hebrew words used to express this name is El Gibbor, which means, “champion, chief, excel, giant, man, mighty man, one, strong man”, according to Strong’s Concordance. Yes, it could mean strength of character, implying Jesus was still the passive man portrayed in media. However, the word “gibbor” also means, “warrior or tyrant.” I picture a character more like Maximus, portrayed by Russell Crowe in the movie “Gladiator,” who only fought when he had to; but he would fight.

Perhaps when Isaiah’s words were first spoken, people scratched their heads trying to imagine one person embodying all of these characteristics: Wonderful Counselor – one who can listen intently to understand what you’re going through, then give sage advice which truly changes your life; Everlasting Father – a trusted mentor to teach how life is to be lived by showing his children daily by the way he lives; Prince of Peace – one who always seeks mediation to quell the tension and provide a win-win in every brokered agreement. But Isaiah adds a curveball in what was otherwise an at-bat with easy underhanded tosses toward the plate. This gentle giant would also wield a sword which would eventually topple the demonic kingdom that held the world captive. He would be El Gibbor, the Mighty God, who would save man from spiritual death by conquering the Serpent from Eden by crushing his head on Calvary.

This mix of temperament found in one Man became evident when Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” The responses could not be more varied. Consider these which had apparently been spoken to the disciples by those who had watched Jesus do what He did. “Some say you are John the Baptist returned from the dead.” This man, John, wore animal skin, ate locust and wild honey, and challenged the current religious and political establishments of his day. There was nothing passive about, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness; make His paths straight.”

“Others say you are Elijah.” This man, Elijah, challenged the followers of Baal to a showdown on the mountain to end the debate about whose God is more powerful. (see 1 Kings 18) After an open display of God’s power, Elijah then killed 450 prophets of Baal. That is far from soft-spoken. That is blatant domination of the evil which spoke against the Kingdom of God.

“There are also those who say you are Jeremiah.” This man, Jeremiah, was referred to as The Weeping Prophet, because of the heavy heart he carried for God’s people, Israel. Clearly there were some examples of this behavior shown by Jesus. Perhaps when He said, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I long to gather your children, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.” Matthew 23:37

You see now how this Messiah spoken of by the prophets would come to earth to represent God in human form. He would epitomize the phrase God used with Moses when asked, “Who should I tell them sent me?” God responded with, “I AM!” This phrase in Hebrew means, “I will be what I will be.” The interpretation of this tells us that God will be whatever is needed in the moment. So, when Jesus presented such varied behavior to evoke the responses shared by the disciples, He was simply being “I AM”. 

It's good to know that wherever you find yourself at any moment in your life, you have a God Who is well able to meet you where you are and take you to where you need to be. Allow Him to be El Gibbor, Mighty God, to bring you back into fellowship with the Father and live life as the king or queen you were created to be.

Sunday’s Blessing – 07/26/20 – Created to Create; Freedom to Choose

Sunday’s Blessing – 07/26/20 – Created to Create; Freedom to Choose

My pastor is going through a series called “The God Who Is There.” It is a great study so far, looking first at creation, then moving through scripture to see all God is and all He has done. It’s in my wheelhouse! I love learning about the character and nature of God. There are so many misconceptions spoken from pulpits around the world. It frustrates me to hear some talk of “knowing God,” but then prove they have no idea who He is. He gave us so much information about Himself through the writers of both the Old and New Covenants.

One of my favorite statements in scripture is: “God created man in His image.” The very first thing we learn about God comes from Genesis 1:1; the first verse in the Bible: “In the beginning, God created …” He creates! It’s who He is. It’s what He does! And it’s how He created us to be – Creative!

I know we are prone to quickly concede that we are not creative. I’m one of those people. Usually, they are referring to things like art (painting, sculpting, etc.), music (singing, playing an instrument, composing, etc.), writing (poetry, prose, novels, etc.), and the like. Just because you are not labeled an “artist” doesn’t mean you are not creative. Believe it or not, you have created a lifestyle. Admittedly, some of it may have been forced on you by others (parents, siblings, close friends, spouse, teachers, ministers, government, etc.), but even then, you have chosen to continue doing them. Rebellion can be a factor in your lifestyle. It could be pride or a vice. Regardless of how you got to here, there were creative forces at work.

A second attribute God place inside us as part of “His image” was the ability to choose: He gave us a will. That is what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. We decide what we want to do as an occupation, where to live, who to marry, etc. But one of the most important aspects of the ability to choose is this: we can decide we do not like where we are in life right now and make a change. That is powerful! Is it easy? No. Many will resist your desire to change because it makes them uncomfortable. Most like life to be a placid lake where there are no waves; nothing to rock the boat.

Back to the first attribute: Creative. The first step in accessing your creativity is to accept the fact that God made you creative. The second is take a truthful look at your life and see the creative things you are already doing. Maybe it’s growing plants, or building things, or even working puzzles and games which draw on your ability to reason or see things outside the box. All of this is creativity. The third step is to look for ways to use this creativity in your work. If you cannot use it in your present job or occupation, perhaps you could look for one that does. Take some classes (they don’t have to be expensive college courses). Check with the library, church, community center, or even the bulletin board at the local grocery store. You would be amazed at how many opportunities there are to learn new things. Read a book, watch a YouTube video, or find other creatives who have like passions and interests as you and follow them.

The primary reason people do not express their creativity is the fear of failure or rejection by others. “What if no one likes it?” God does! “What if I don’t do it right?” You just learned something. Instead ask these questions. “What if it fills a need?” “What if it can provide some income?” “What if it gives me pleasure, making me feel fulfilled?” That’s exactly what God did! After creating things, He stepped back and said, “This is good.” You are your own worst critic. Give yourself some room to gain experience. You cannot grow without exercise. Try something. Anything. As Nike says, “Just do it.”

One of my favorite Bible teachers from the ‘80s was Marilyn Hickey. She had a phrase she used often: “Do it afraid!” Without taking time to tell the whole story (read it in Judges 6-8), Gideon is a prime example for us to follow. Just before his major victory over the Midianites, God directed him to go down to the enemy’s camp. God added, “If you are afraid, take your servant Phurah with you.” The next verse says, “Gideon and Phurah went …” It’s ok to have reservations about new things, but do not let that keep you from taking the next step. Do it afraid!

Today’s blessing:

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8 (ESV)

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV)

Choose this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15 (ESV)

Sunday’s Blessing – 07/19/2026 – Coincidence or Confluence?

Sunday’s Blessing – 07/19/2026 – Coincidence or Confluence?

Years ago, I worked with a guy who loved words as much as I do. We used to challenge each other to find words we had never heard before. One of the words he introduced me to was confluence. It is used to describe the place where two rivers join together, for example. It can be applied to any two or more things becoming one as they move toward their appointed place.

Life is like this. It a constant coming together of things as we navigate our paths. Confluence describes a graceful coming together, which builds momentum to create a more powerful force capable of doing so much more than either could do alone. Synergy is often used to describe this by using the phrase “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” However, when things come together, it’s not always a wonderful result. One other word my coworker introduced to me was cacophony. This word defines the sound you hear before an orchestra begins playing the symphony. Each member is getting their instruments warmed up, or tuned, or reviewing a particular phrase of the music. It’s an unpleasant sound filled with dissonance and confusion until the conductor calls them to attention. Under his direction, what was once a cacophony becomes a beautiful confluence of sound which moves the listeners to emotional bliss.

I saw a movie recently which illustrated this confluence of life in a very creative way. The title was “The Map of Tiny Perfect Things.” In similar fashion to Groundhog Day, a teen finds himself living the same day over and over, trying to understand the cause, and eventually, the solution to get out of the loop of time. Unlike Groundhog Day, this young man discovers someone else living in this repetitive cycle. Together, they work at cracking the code to get them back to their usual lives.

By taking a thought the young man shared with her, the young lady embarks on her own to discover the mystery which holds them in this repetitive experience. Several significant events had been logged by the young man who knew they held some significance. The young lady found the dependence the seemingly independent acts came together to form a map. There wasn’t one big reason for the endless cycle, but instead it was many “tiny perfect things” which came together to show them what would eventually bring “tomorrow”.

This is a remarkable way to picture how life is to be lived. In a single moment it is sometimes impossible to see how this will ever shape the future or become a mile post which would one day lead others to a better future. The young lady eventually completed the “map” and the two sojourners finally reached “tomorrow”.

So often I hear people speak of coincidences which seem to just “happen” in life, not realizing these could actually be part of God’s confluence in our life. Never treat an experience as meaningless or insignificant, because what may seem like the onset of cacophony, you could be on the brink of a time of confluence which could propel you forward to your destiny. In essence, life is simply a “Map of Tiny Perfect Things.”

Sunday’s Blessing – 07/12/2026 – Father or Benefactor?

Sunday’s Blessing – 07/12/2026 – Father or Benefactor?

I’m reading a book by C. S. Lewis, one of my favorite authors, on the Psalms. It’s not, by his own admission, an academic treatment of the book in the Bible. Instead, it is a look through various lenses of the book as a whole, drawing certain conclusions about the motivation and meaning of the different writers. One topic discussed is on the view of Old Testament religious thought regarding life and the hereafter.

Lewis makes a statement that really caught my attention. He said it is only after discovering a relationship with the Father that Heaven and Hell make any sense at all. Heaven, by definition, is being present with God. Hell is the absence of God. Prior to a relationship (getting saved in evangelical-speak) with the Creator, the idea of Heaven is something to be obtained only through a rigorous adherence to a set of laws and behavior worthy of acceptance by the Almighty. Hell is the place of eternal torment where those who do not meet the mark are banished.

If “being saved” is driven by the desire to make Heaven when you die, or to miss Hell, what do you really gain in this life by the experience? Instead, the focus of “making disciples” should be introducing others to their Maker, Who made a way for fallen man to get restored into fellowship by receiving the forgiveness provided through the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, Who came to earth as the Son of Man in order to die on the cross to pay the price required for the sin of all mankind. He did all of this so that we (mankind) could finally know the Father personally, as friend to friend, in a life changing relationship which we crave but cannot find in another person. This is Heaven! To think otherwise is to discount any experience we can have while we still live on earth. To relegate true happiness to Heaven (the hereafter) is to accept God’s offer to live with Him forever after we die, but treat everything until then as toil and trouble we must endure until the end.

Thus, the title of today’s blog: Father or Benefactor? Did you become a Christian in order to experience closeness with the One Who loves you most or simply appease Him until you inherit Heaven when we die? He has promised Heaven (presence with Him forever) but His primary desire to have a relationship with you now! He wants to be so much more than a Benefactor to bless you in the end. He wants to “walk with you in the cool of the day” like He did with Adam. He wants to visit with you on the mountain like He did with Moses. He wants to inhabit you every minute of every day as He promised He would, through the Holy Spirit. The real joy in being a Christian is the presence of God in your life 24/7 – in THIS life, not just the one to come!

Being adopted by the King is the best thing you could ever do. It’s so simple a child can understand it and act on it. Maybe the problem is the relationship you had with your father wasn’t great. I get that. I lost my father when I was nine. I lost the only grandfather I ever knew when I was nine. Even though I came to faith in Christ just before my tenth birthday, it took a long time for me to understand what it meant to know God as Father; to know the joy of entering his presence (or Him mine); to know the comfort of sharing the issues I face; to hear His voice speak and all the troubles I thought I had diminish to their rightful priority; to realize He will never not be there. 

If Heaven is all there is then why do we stay on earth for so long after we become the Children of God? Get a new perspective today. Realize the present IS Heaven (the presence of God). As a Christian, you will never experience Hell (separation from God). Live your life from that reality and it will make all the difference.

Sunday's Blessing - 07/05/2026 - God of Jeshurun (Upright - a Name for Israel)

Sunday's Blessing - 07/05/2026 - God of Jeshurun (Upright - a Name for Israel)

One of the first books I wrote was The Names of God. It has quite a few names (or phrases) describing God's character and and nature. Recently I started writing on this topic again. One of the most recent is God of Jeshurun. I wanted to share it here. Let me know your thoughts.

God of Jeshurun (Upright - a Name for Israel)

Deuteronomy 33:26 (ESV) 

There is none like God, O Jeshurun,

who rides through the heavens to your help,

through the skies in his majesty.

If there was ever a human who knew the character and nature of God, with the possible exception of Adam and Eve, Moses would be at the top of the list. God revealed Himself to Moses in so many ways during his lifetime: the fiery visits on Mt. Sinai, passing before him in the cleft of the rock, the face-to-face visits in the Tabernacle, and the list goes on.

The last time Moses spoke to Israel before his death, he gave a blessing to each tribe which made up the people of God, His Chosen People. While speaking to Asher (which means “happy one”), Moses said, “May Asher be the most blessed of sons; may he be the most favored among his brothers and dip his foot in oil.” Deuteronomy 33:24 (ESV). He followed that with the comment about “the God of Jeshurun” riding through the heavens to your aid.

Jeshurun is used four times in scripture to refer to Israel; three times in Deuteronomy and once in Isaiah. It means “upright one.” After all that had occurred the previous forty years in the wilderness, and the four hundred and thirty years before that in Egypt, God now refers to Israel as His “Upright One.” Shortly after this talk from Moses, Israel would finally cross the Jordan and take possession of the Promised Land. God, speaking through Moses, gave them a promise in the blessing for Asher that He would be their God and would come to their aid.

This blessing given to Asher was the last words Moses spoke. He ended the blessing with, “Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs.” Deuteronomy 33:29 (ESV)

The wonderful truth about this scripture is it applies to us, the Church, as well. We have not taken Israel’s place as the Chosen Ones, but through the blood of Jesus we have been made “Upright Ones” by redemption. The God of Jeshurun not only came to the aid of Israel, but He also comes to our aid to enforce the New Covenant which includes better promises. God no longer “rides through the skies in His majesty” to get to us because He indwells us by the Holy Spirit. He is ever-present to comfort, protect, guide, or empower – whatever is needed – in the life of His sons and daughters.

Let us live as Asher – the Happy One – as we are the most blessed because of the favor shown to us by our Lord, knowing the same God of Jeshurun is also our God. We have been “dipped” in the oil of the Holy Spirit, anointed for service of the King of kings and Lord of lords. We, too, have “the shield of your help and the sword of your triumph!” As Christians, we have the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, as described in Ephesians 6.

Seeing how God interacts with His people, Israel, and later His Church, shows so much about His character and nature. He loved Israel and would call them by different names to reflect the love He had for them then, and now us. We live from the position of knowing God considers us to be “upright” because of Jesus’ sacrifice. We have the freedom to be happy without the weight of guilt and condemnation now that we have been reconciled to the Father as His own.

Receive the blessing Moses gave to Asher as your own. The Father loves you so much!

Sunday’s Blessing – 06/28/2026 – What Do You Do with Ordinary Time?

Sunday’s Blessing – 06/28/2026 – What Do You Do with Ordinary Time?

I’ve mentioned this many times, but I’m just enamored with the idea of “Ordinary Time” in the liturgical calendar. It helps me realize that everything is not always “supernatural” or overtly “spiritual” in our life. I spent many years in charismatic churches where the Book of Acts was used often as examples of how to live the Christian life. What folks don’t realize is that even the disciples had “ordinary” days. Many were fishermen by trade, so they fished. Often. It wasn’t every day that they pulled in a cache of fish so large the boat almost sank. That happened one day, but not every day.

Peter walked by a lame man and when his shadow fell upon the man he was immediately healed. That didn’t happen every day, but it did happen one day. Jesus healed many in the three years of His “earthly ministry” as it is called. But He didn’t heal everyone. There may have been days where He did heal anyone. There may have been days where He didn’t speak to the multitudes or chastise the religious elite. There were days where He did, but sometimes He had “ordinary” days.

Now, what does an “ordinary” day in the life of Jesus look like? He spent time in prayer, conversing with His Father. He spent time resting. He may have even spent time working. He did something for thirty years prior to His encounter with John the Baptist. Even if there is no record of it (because why would you record in the books that Jesus built a shed for the Joneses) Jesus may have still worked when He wasn’t healing the sick, blessing the multitudes, training His disciples, or correcting wrong understanding about the Father’s desire for His creation to be loved and to love.

When you wake up in the morning, don’t bemoan the fact that you didn’t raise the dead yesterday. Don’t think God doesn’t like you anymore because you didn’t prophecy to ten people or pray in tongues for three hours. Just be thankful that God is still God even on the mundane days. God still loves you just as much as He did yesterday. There is still grace and mercy waiting for you at every turn. And maybe, just maybe, you will have an encounter with someone which can alter their life forever, or possibly you will be the one changed. But if not, it’s still an “ordinary” day with the Father, and that is pretty extraordinary.

Today’s blessing:

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10 (ESV)

And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them. Mark 10:1 (ESV)

And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. Luke 22:39 (ESV)

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. Mark 6:31 (ESV)