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Morning watch - June 12, 2025 @3:55 amI've been thinking a lot about Ephesians 1:7 and Hebrews 9:22 lately - that verse about how there's no forgiveness without blood being shed. It's heavy stuff.You know, I used to think forgiveness would be the easiest thing for God. I mean, He's God, right? He can do anything. Just snap His fingers and forgive us all. But that's not how it worked at all.The more I think about it, the more I realize what an incredible process it was for God to get the perfect blood needed for our forgiveness. Creating the entire universe? God just spoke and it happened. But getting us forgiven? That took everything.I can't even wrap my head around how Jesus was conceived. The Holy Spirit and Mary... it's beyond my understanding. Then Jesus grew up, worked as a carpenter for years, and finally started His ministry. And what did people do? They hated Him for it. The very people He came to save turned against Him, plotted to kill Him, persecuted Him at every turn.Then came the betrayal. One of His own guys - Judas - sold Him out. They arrested Him, put Him through a sham trial, and nailed Him to a cross. Six hours He hung there. Six hours. Then they buried Him.But death couldn't keep Him down. Three days later, He rose from the dead and went back to heaven. And now, because of all that suffering, all that sacrifice, I can actually be forgiven. I can repent and know that God accepts me.The grace it took for all of this... I can't even measure it. When I think about how much God went through just so I could have a relationship with Him, it overwhelms me. His grace really is beyond anything I can comprehend.Sometimes I just sit here and think - all of that, for me. For us. That's love I'll never fully understand.

Thoughts on God's Grace

&nbsp; &nbsp;I noticed something this morning as I sat at my desk working on my morning watch routine. There's this thing that happens with coffee steam, rising in those lazy spirals, disappearing before you can really catch it. That's the whole mystery right there—God's profound truth hiding in something so ordinary we barely notice it anymore. &nbsp; Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." The steam, like the skies, testifies to the Creator, whispering His presence through the simplest things. The God whispers. Not in words, obviously, but in the way the steam moves, the way it just... is. For those few seconds before it vanishes, it's showing us something essential about how God’s creation works and the grace that sustains our world. Romans 1:20 reminds us that, "God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made..." Even the rising steam carries His signature. Heat becomes visible; the invisible made manifest. Water changing states right in front of us, and we're so used to it that we don’t even see the divine design and the miracle of His constant care. &nbsp; Colossians 1:17 says, "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." This moment—this simple transformation—happens because He sustains all things, even the smallest details. &nbsp; But here's what gets me—that steam carries stories. Every drop was once rain on coffee plants somewhere far away, was once part of clouds, was once ocean spray, was once someone else’s morning cup decades ago. The same water, cycling through forms, through lives, through moments just like this one. It’s like seeing God’s eternal faithfulness in vapor, a testament to His enduring presence and steadfast love through all time. &nbsp; Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." Water moves through its ordained seasons, just as our lives shift through God’s timing. Job 12:7-10 declares, "Ask the birds in the sky, and they will tell you… In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." This continuous cycle of life is evidence of His wisdom and care. &nbsp; And the steam rises without trying. No effort, no intention. Just following the laws He established and the divine order He set forth that runs everything—from our coffee cups to distant galaxies. Hebrews 1:3 affirms, "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory... sustaining all things by his powerful word." Even the unseen forces of physics testify to His governance over creation. What the steam really whispers is this: pay attention to His handiwork and be grateful for His presence. Right now. Because at this moment—this exact combination of heat and water and awareness—won't happen again. Not exactly like this. The steam teaches us to cherish each fleeting moment as a gift from Him, so transient that if you blink, you miss it. &nbsp; Jesus spoke of such awareness in Matthew 6:26, saying, "Look at the birds of the air... yet your heavenly Father feeds them." Just as birds trust His provision, we are called to recognize His care in the seemingly small, ordinary things. &nbsp; That’s the divine in the ordinary. Sacred truths, whispers of God’s love, sovereignty, and blessings from our Heavenly Father, tucked inside the most mundane moments, waiting for us to notice. The rhythm of morning coffee, the way sunlight filters through a window—small reminders that life itself is a gift from Him, and every breath is a gift of His love.

The Divine in the Ordinary: Finding Sacred Truth in Daily Life

Morning watch - 6.10.25 - 4:34 am Hebrews 3:1 - 12:2 I started reading Hebrews again and man, it's hitting different this time. Those verses in chapter 3:1 and 12:2 about Jesus being our apostle and high priest, and how we need to keep our eyes on Him - there's so much more here than I realized. I'm starting to see what the writer is doing in Hebrews. He's basically saying Jesus is better than everything. Like, way better. Not just a little bit better, but completely in another league. So in Judaism, we have God, right? But Hebrews 1 shows me that Jesus IS God. Then chapter 2 shows He's also fully human. That's wild to think about - God became a man. The Jews had God up there, but we have God right here with us. That's already huge. Then there's all these other big names in Judaism - angels, Moses, Joshua, Aaron. These guys were legends. But Jesus is above all of them too. It's not that they weren't important, but Jesus is what they were all pointing to. What really gets me is this whole sacrifice thing. All those animals, all that blood, all those rituals year after year. Jesus did it once and that was it. Done. Finished. God doesn't even look at those old sacrifices anymore because Jesus' sacrifice was perfect. That's why Paul couldn't stand it when people tried to mix the old stuff with Jesus. It's like having a smartphone but still wanting to use a telegraph. Why would you go backwards? Why would you settle for less when you have everything in Christ? This is changing how I think about my faith. I don't need to add anything to Jesus. I don't need extra rituals or ceremonies or special days. Jesus is enough. Actually, He's more than enough - He's everything. The old way is done. Jesus is all that matters now. That's actually pretty freeing when you think about it. Need to remember this when I start overthinking my relationship with God.

Jesus Is More Than Enough—He’s Everything

Morning watch 6.9.25 - 4:16 am- &nbsp; God's Dwelling Place &nbsp; The words of Isaiah 66:1 have been echoing in my spirit today: "Thus says Jehovah, Heaven is My throne, and the earth is the footstool for My feet. Where then is the house you will build for Me, and where is the place of My rest?"&nbsp; &nbsp; And in Ephesians 2:21-22, the revelation deepens: "In whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit." &nbsp; What strikes me most profoundly is this: God does not seek a habitation made by human hands, nor does He desire a place built upon religious systems. His eternal dwelling is something far greater—the mingling of His divine essence with humanity itself. The thought humbles me completely. How often do I limit my understanding of His economy to what I can see and touch? &nbsp; &nbsp; Reading through Acts today, I reflected on the builders who failed to grasp what they were truly constructing. Were they shaping a legacy of Judaism? A framework of laws and traditions? No. What God has always intended is far beyond religion—it is the joining of Himself with man. His desire is to inhabit us, not merely through external rituals, but through an inner dwelling, an indwelling of His very presence. &nbsp; &nbsp; Neither heaven nor earth alone satisfies Him. Only in the intertwining of His being with ours does He find His rest. This is His plan. His purpose. His divine economy stretching from eternity past to eternity future. &nbsp; &nbsp; As I meditate on this mystery, I sense an invitation—an urgent calling to open my heart wider. To allow His habitation to take deeper root in the soil of my being. Not as a distant theological concept studied from afar, but as a living, breathing reality that transforms every moment of my existence. &nbsp; &nbsp; The implications overwhelm me. If I am truly part of His dwelling place, then every thought, every word, every action becomes sacred ground. Every relationship becomes an opportunity for His presence to be manifested. Every struggle becomes a place where His strength can be revealed. &nbsp; &nbsp; I think of the early believers, how they didn't fully comprehend the magnitude of what was being built through them. They thought they were continuing Judaism, when in reality they were participating in something entirely new—the corporate expression of Christ Himself on the earth. &nbsp; &nbsp; Tonight, I'm reminded that this building continues. In me. Through me. With others who have also said yes to His indwelling. We are living stones, being fitted together by the master architect Himself. &nbsp; &nbsp; Reflections from Last Night's Leaders Meeting The leaders retreat Becky and I attended last night brought something powerful to the surface—something so meaningful it forced me to turn my focus inward, to examine what I carry around with myself. I had to take a hard look at what I have not let go of, at the places where I've been holding on instead of trusting. &nbsp; &nbsp; There's something about encountering God's desire to dwell within us that exposes our self-protective mechanisms. When I truly consider that He wants to make His home in my heart, I become acutely aware of all the rooms I've kept locked, all the baggage I've refused to set down. &nbsp; &nbsp;But tonight, I'm focusing on this truth: God is my protector. In Him I can trust that He has my back always. If He truly dwells within me, then I can release what I've been carrying. I can let go of the need to guard myself, because He guards me from within. &nbsp; &nbsp;Abba May I become ever more aware of this dwelling You are building within and among us. May I yield more completely to Your construction work in my life, even when it requires the breaking down of walls I've built for my own comfort. &nbsp; &nbsp;Lord, make me a place of Your rest. Build Your eternal habitation in and through this willing heart. &nbsp; &nbsp;Help me to release what I've been carrying that isn't mine to hold. Help me to trust that You are my protector, that in You I can find the security I've been seeking in my own strength. &nbsp; &nbsp;Let this dwelling place You're building in me become more real, more present, more transformative with each passing day.

A reflection on His eternal habitation

&nbsp; &nbsp;Morning watch brings my to Acts 4:11-12 and Colossians 3:11, this morning and I see something profound about who Jesus really is to me.&nbsp; &nbsp;When I read about Christ being the stone that was rejected but became the cornerstone, it hits me differently now. This isn't just ancient history - this is about the One who holds my life together. Jesus is my solid ground when everything else feels shaky. When I'm uncertain or afraid, I can plant my feet firmly on who He is and know I won't fall.&nbsp; What amazes me most is realizing how complete Jesus is. His name carries such weight not because of some mystical formula, but because of who He actually is. When I call on Jesus, I'm calling on someone who encompasses everything I could ever need&nbsp; I'm starting to see that Christ isn't just part of my life - He IS my life. He's not just someone I pray to occasionally; He's woven into every breath I take. When I'm hungry, He's my food. When I'm thirsty, He satisfies me. When I feel weak, He's my strength. When I don't know what to say, He becomes my words.&nbsp;&nbsp; The verse in Colossians about Christ being "all in all" used to sound like religious language to me, but now I see it's describing reality. There's literally no aspect of existence where Christ isn't present and available. He's God reaching down to me, He's humanity I can relate to, He's the Spirit living within me.&nbsp; What moves me most is this thought from Ephesians - that somehow I get to be part of expressing who Christ is to the world. Not through perfect behavior or having all the answers, but simply by living connected to this all-encompassing One. When people see genuine love, peace, or hope flowing through my ordinary life, they're seeing glimpses of Christ's fullness.&nbsp;I can't wrap my mind around how vast and complete Jesus is. Every time I think I understand how much He means to me, I discover there's infinitely more. He's my foundation, my covering, my direction, my purpose - literally everything I am and everything I need.&nbsp;This reality changes how I approach each day. I'm not trying to figure out life on my own anymore. I'm learning to recognize Christ as the answer to needs I didn't even know I had.

Christ as My Everything

Morning watch - 6.7.25 -4:13 amAs I was reading this morning something about Acts 5:31 and 11:18 - the idea that repentance and forgiveness aren't things I can manufacture on my own, but are actually gifts from Jesus Christ himself.As I was reading , I saw this beautiful picture of Christ being lifted up as both our Leader and Savior. It's in this exalted position that He has the authority and power to give us what we desperately need but could never produce ourselves.I have to be honest - if I really examine my heart, I know I wouldn't have turned away from my sin if God hadn't somehow drawn me to Himself first. The very fact that I even want to repent, that I feel conviction about my wrongdoing, that's not something that originated from me. It's a gift. Christ, in His role as our Leader, creates that turning in our hearts. He's the one who opens our eyes to see our need.And then there's forgiveness - the incredible relief and freedom that comes after repentance. That's not something I could earn or deserve. It flows from Christ's work as our Savior, from what He accomplished through His sacrifice. The forgiveness I experience is a direct result of His redemption.What amazes me is that in this entire universe, Jesus is uniquely qualified to offer these gifts. No other person, no other power, no other religion can truly give someone a repentant heart or genuine forgiveness. Only Christ has both the authority and the ability.Sometimes I think about how I've been "caught" by Jesus - and I mean that in the most wonderful way. Like being caught in a net of love and grace. Without that divine capture, I would have just kept going my own way, blind to my need for Him.I'm so grateful tonight for these twin gifts - repentance that turns my heart toward God, and forgiveness that washes away my guilt. Both are treasures I could never have given myself.Thank You, Lord, for being the only One qualified to transform hearts and forgive sins. Thank You for choosing to give these gifts to me.

Caught by Grace: The Gifts I Never Could Have Given Myself

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Thoughts on God's Grace

The Divine in the Ordinary: Finding Sacred Truth in Daily...

Jesus Is More Than Enough—He’s Everything

A reflection on His eternal habitation

Christ as My Everything

Caught by Grace: The Gifts I Never Could Have Given Myself