Like most things that we get our hands on, ordination has become an issue of denominational debate instead of embracing what the Bible has to say about it. Twenty men and women celebrated three years of hard educational labor on Saturday by being the first-ever “never before, never again” ordination class of The Joshua Center Global, Inc. Did they need a ceremony for that to be true?  No. In fact, a closer look at the Biblical understanding of ordination carries with it the meaning of “being appointed.” So the question might be… do you have your appointment from the Holy Spirit yet?

It is amazingly disturbing how free we become when we are saved… only to slip into legalistic behavior and thinking shortly thereafter. But it has happened since the inception of the Church in the book of Acts. Peter and James rightly defended the new Gentile believers from the legalistic burden of circumcision. And it is equally important that we continue that fight against adding any burden whatsoever on new believers. Instead, we should spend our energy helping them embrace and understand the Holy Spirit!

“May you cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s desire to make you holy by deciding that you want to be a saint.” Wow! Can we make it any plainer?! Thanks be to the power of the Holy Spirit, we are made new the moment we repent and receive the justifying work of Jesus for ourselves. At that very moment, we go from “dead bones” to “living saints.” Believe the Good News, and wonderfully and beautifully embrace it!

Who would have thunk it?! I was just buying a car. Who would have thunk it that in a quick stop to Sugar and Spice Donut Shop before buying my “brand new” 2014 Camry, the Holy Spirit would lead a conversation about country churches, God, and faith! And all sparked by the choice of a sweatshirt. But that is exactly how the Holy Spirit of the Living and Loving God can work if we give Him full reign and if we are paying attention!

So, does everything that happens in this world have to have a reason behind it? Sure sounds like it when we have sayings such as, “Everything happens for a reason.” Or this one: “There are no coincidences with God.” But how Biblically sound is that theology? The challenge for all of us may be to avoid at all costs superficial sayings and pithy phrases that may have no grounding and founding in Scripture.

Our good and gracious God is a healing God. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, we see story after story and testimony after testimony of His healing grace. But just like everything else good and perfect and holy, we humans tend to mess it up! As we continue to trust and pray to the Holy Spirit for healing, let’s be sure we are praying for the right kind of healing.

So often we fail to give credit to God for so many good things that happen in our lives. Even more specific, we fail to recognize the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit in so many ways. As we try to pay closer attention to the Person who lives within us, the blessings and benefits found in Psalm 103:1-5 are a beautiful blueprint of how the Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s great goodness!

Happy New Year! Here’s hoping and trusting that 2025 ended well for you, and that 2026 begins even “well-er!” Some of you may have the habit of making resolutions, and others may not. But may I suggest that we resolve to make Romans 12:12 a part of our daily habits as we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and sanctify us more and more. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

So, there is always a “blurb” or a paragraph that accompanies these podcasts. They are supposed to be concise and help capture the essence and the heart of the topic being covered by the podcast. After talking and laughing with Theresa Blight for 30 minutes about some of our favorite Christmas movies and memories, I’m not sure I have any “concise” words to capture the moment! But that is the essence of Theresa Blight. Enjoy! And Merry Christmas! And we may be teaming up with Theresa more in the months to come.

“Serendipitous” is defined as something discovered or occurring by happy chance, a fortunate accident, or a beneficial coincidence. Some synonyms are: chance, accidental, lucky, unexpected, coincidental, and fluky. If we’re paying close enough attention, then we just might see past this superficial definition and instead see the “serendipitous” grace moments of the Holy Spirit, as He brings people into our lives at just the right time.

We’ve all heard the saying, “20% of the church does 80% of the work.” While, unfortunately, I can’t necessarily argue that statement, I wonder if the source of that statement could be linked to the number of people who simply and sadly do not know their spiritual gift. It is clear in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians — and to us — that each believer has at least one spiritual gift given to us by the Holy Spirit. Oh, how effective the Church of Jesus Christ might be if every believer actually manifested their gift!

If we’re paying attention… the Spirit of God is always and everywhere. These last three weeks have been a whirlwind of great highs and some sickly lows. From a deep dive Bible study at The Person & The Power Conference at Asbury, to understanding culture and the Gospel at The Assembly in Scotland, to shivering through the flu on my couch in the prayer room, it has been three weeks of watching the Holy Spirit work in all situations. Because He is always… and everywhere! We just have to pay attention.

I actually have really good memories of Halloween, from the stash of candy, to the “perfect weather” for trick-or-treating, to the haunted houses we used to have in our basement for the whole neighborhood. My memories are more warm and innocent than they are dark and sinister. But obviously, I am very aware of the Halloween debate that is argued among Christians, and I have my own history with Halloween since I’ve been a born-again believer. One thing I do know for certain is that Jesus wouldn’t be scared of Halloween. So whether we participate in the holiday or not, we can be sure that not even the “gates of hell” shall prevail against the Kingdom of God!

As a fan of bonfires, I confess that I do indeed use a fire starter at times. It’s a small block of wood that is treated just enough to burn long enough to start the rest of the wood on fire. In times of wind or dampness, it is a fire saver! Whether we know it or not, the Holy Spirit is our prayer starter. He is the initiator of our prayer life that should be reciprocal in nature, not a one-way monologue. As we are more and more aware of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives, our prayer lives should become more and more intense and impactful!

One of the most misunderstood phrases in Christendom might just be “the fear of the Lord.” Images come to mind of a stern and even angry God looming large and ominously over His people as thunder peals and lightning flashes in the backdrop. And when we introduce the word “piety,” there is usually even more confusion added into the mix. In simple terms, it really comes down to the awe, the respect, and even the depth of devotion we have to the Lord and to His Kingdom. And the Holy Spirit is the key to all of that!

Just as Phillip was “sent” to a single, solitary Ethiopian eunuch in the middle of a desert to help explain the Word of God, so too are we to be ready to be sent by that same Spirit. Just as Phillip was “sure” of the interpretation of the passage in Isaiah dealing with the Lamb of God, so too are we to be sure of the revelation the Spirit will give us. And just as Phillip will most likely be “approved” on the day of examination before the Lord of how he handled the Word of God, so too should we strive for that approval as well. All of this is the work of the Holy Spirit!

“Inconvenient holiness.” Don’t you love this title? It’s true. God uses those “inconvenient” moments of our lives in order to grow us in our patience. As a part of the fruit of the Spirit, it is critically important to be open and willing to allow the Spirit to grow patience in our lives. So come, Holy Spirit, give me the grace to respond to daily disturbances with supernatural patience. Indeed, may every little inconvenience become an occasion for me to grow in great holiness.

Communion is a high and holy moment in the life of a Christian whereby we remember the saving work of Jesus on the cross. Unfortunately, much like baptism, we have tainted and distorted the purity and beauty of that sacrament by our humanness and our propensity toward legalism. May we allow the Holy Spirit to help us truly “do this in remembrance” of the One who willingly gave His life so that we may have eternal life. May we find great joy in partaking of the body and the blood of Jesus Christ in holy communion.

Contrary to popular but wrong belief, we do not have a “God on high.” Rather miraculously, we have a God inside! That’s the power and the awe of the Christian life. God has always desired relationship and communion with His people. How much more communion can one have on this side of heaven than to have God living within us! Let us fully embrace this truth, and then let us stay in awe of the One who dwells inside of us as believers!

The reaction to someone’s death, whether we deem them wicked or righteous, reflects how near or how far we are from God’s heart. May we ask the Holy Spirit to align our hearts to better represent God.