Curtis Tumicki

One of the things that I look forward to is coming to church on a Sunday morning and getting to worship God.  I like when I get to worship God individually, but I love it when we come together collectively and worship Him.  There’s something about collective worship that brings me a sense of peace and a sense of being fueled.  During the week, I feel a sense of fatigue, not just physical fatigue because of the events during the week, but also a sense of spiritual fatigue.  The church is a place where people can come and get healed.  In other words, it is a hospital where people can be treated and restored instead of hospice.  We need to understand that worship is something that we don’t do just once or twice a week, but rather a lifestyle we ought to be living on a daily basis.  

In today’s passage, the apostle John is describing about worship in heaven.  He shares in detail about how wonderful it would be.  He not only describes what worship is like, but also what we might see when we enter into the gates of heaven.  From the twenty four thrones to the flashes of lightning and thunder, it is going to be an amazing sight to see.  If we want to see this, we need to be in that place of obedience to Him and Him alone.  When we appear before the judgment seat of God, I want to hear “well done good and faithful servant.”  Once we hear that, we can then join the angels in heavenly songs and praises to Him.  

Revelation 4:1-11 (NLT Translation)

1 Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” 2 And instantly I was in the Spirit,[a] and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. 3 The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. 4 Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.5 From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit[b] of God. 6 In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.

In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. 7 The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. 8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
    the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,

11 

“You are worthy, O Lord our God,
    to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
    and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Help us to always worship You no matter what happens.  Father, we know that it can be an easy thing for us to fall away from You.  We know that Your word says that we will never be separated from Your love.  Let Your love continue to fuel our hearts and our souls.  Help us to not get weary or heavy burden by our weekly activities.  Help us to take some time to worship You.  Help us to be in spirit and in truth of Your word and Your word alone.  Without Your word, we will not have a clear direction from You.  Help us to dive into Your word and let us meditate on Your word.  

In Jesus name, amen

If there’s a group of people who really put themselves on the line is not only our military, but also the first responders (Police, EMS, Fire Rescue, etc).  I know people who are serving in these areas and they are out there every day doing their best to not only bring that sense of peace, but also rescue us from any harm.  When we are faced with trying obstacles, we would call the first responders to rescue us from those threats.  

In today’s passage, the psalmist David is saying a prayer for the dedication of the Temple.  He starts off by saying that he will exalt the Lord.  Why would he do this act?  It is because He has rescued him.  There is no doubt in my mind that He has rescued us from sin.  It is because of God that we can have life with Him.  While we do have free will, we need to understand that our choices do have consequences.  It is because of God that we can have eternal life with Him.  It is because of God that we have been rescued.  It is because of God that we don’t get trampled by the enemy.  It is because of God that we are restored.  We need to thank Him.  

Psalm 30 (NLT Translation)

1 

I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me.
    You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.

2 

O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you restored my health.

3 

You brought me up from the grave,[a] O Lord.
    You kept me from falling into the pit of death.

4 

Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
    Praise his holy name.

5 

For his anger lasts only a moment,
    but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

6 

When I was prosperous, I said,
    “Nothing can stop me now!”

7 

Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
    Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

8 

I cried out to you, O Lord.
    I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,

9 

“What will you gain if I die,
    if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
    Can it tell of your faithfulness?

10 

Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
    Help me, O Lord.”

11 

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
    You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,

12 

that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I thank You for all that You have done for us.  I thank You for rescuing us from sin.  Thank You for always being there for us.  Thank You for not leaving us even when we sin.  While we know that we are not perfect people, help us to continue to turn to You for when we are lost.  We would get lost by the things that we see and hear from this world.  When we would listen, we tend to get engaged in it and get tangled.  Help us to not get tangled by the web of this world.  Let us be in tuned with You and You alone.  

In Jesus name, amen

Most of you are aware of this but I work at a funeral home.  During my time there thus far, I have heard about different things about people.  I will admit that I was pretty shocked as to what takes place within an environment like that.  At the same time, it was enlightening to know because most would think about what is view on TV.  Of course we all know that what we see on TV is not necessarily portrayed accurately.  While most people think of a funeral home as a place of death, I view it as a place to love on people.  In other words, the light of Christ needs to shine through.  It’s during moments like a funeral service where the enemy can slip in and begin to divide the family over the circumstances that are before them.  It is important to remind them about the love of Christ and giving the families a sense of peace.  

In today’s passage, Jesus is having a conversation with His disciples about how we shouldn’t worry.  Worry about what?  About what happens when we die.  Often times,  we view God as someone who is full of anger and wrath.  There is also another side to God.  He is also a God who is full of love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  We will all appear before the judgment seat when we die.  I want Him to say to all of all “well done good and faithful servant.”  

Luke 12:4-12 (NLT Translation)

4 “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.5 But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell.[a] Yes, he’s the one to fear.

6 “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins[b]? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

8 “I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man[c] will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. 9 But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels. 10 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11 “And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I thank You for Your everlasting love.  Help us to now worry about what is going to unfold in the future.  Give us that sense of peace and let Your shalom wash over us so that we are in Your care.  We know that You are a God of love and justice.  You want what is best for us each and every day.  Help us to be in that place of obedience of Your direction and instruction.  Without You, I don’t know where we would be because we would lost in this ocean of darkness and confusion.  Thank You God.  Continue to remind us that You are always right there with us every step of the way.  

In Jesus name, amen

Back in 2019, God laid on my heart to write a book.  This was never my plan.  At the time, I had no intentions to do such a task like that.  We all know that God puts these things on our hearts for a reason.  So during my final year of my undergraduate studies, I wrote the book “Rise Up: The Journey from Restrained to Released.”  After I had that moment with the Lord, He showed me all the young people mentioned in the Bible and showed me that God can use people who are in their youth to do things for the Kingdom of God.  One of the people who didn’t let their youth dictate their call was a young woman named Esther.  

In today’s passage, King Xerxes has made a decree that would help the Jews who were faced with persecution from his right hand man, Haman.  After his death, the king has made a decree to spare the lives of Esther’s people.  It was because of Esther that the Jewish people are saved from persecution.  Esther had the courage to save her people.  Even though it took her three different attempts to talk to the king, but during the first two times, she clammed up and chickened out.  You know the saying: third time’s the charm.  Once she did, the king eliminated the problem and brought a sense of restoration.  

Esther 8:1-17 (NLT Translation) 

1 On that same day King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for Esther had told the king how they were related. 2 The king took off his signet ring—which he had taken back from Haman—and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property.

3 Then Esther went again before the king, falling down at his feet and begging him with tears to stop the evil plot devised by Haman the Agagite against the Jews. 4 Again the king held out the gold scepter to Esther. So she rose and stood before him.

5 Esther said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if he thinks it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who ordered that Jews throughout all the king’s provinces should be destroyed. 6 For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?”

7 Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews. 8 Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.”

9 So on June 25[a] the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated. It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.[b] The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews.10 The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service.

11 The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. 12 The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year.[c]

13 A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies on the appointed day. 14 So urged on by the king’s command, the messengers rode out swiftly on fast horses bred for the king’s service. The same decree was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa.

15 Then Mordecai left the king’s presence, wearing the royal robe of blue and white, the great crown of gold, and an outer cloak of fine linen and purple. And the people of Susa celebrated the new decree. 16 The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere. 17 In every province and city, wherever the king’s decree arrived, the Jews rejoiced and had a great celebration and declared a public festival and holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for Esther.  I thank You for giving her the courage to talk to the king about what Haman was trying to do behind his back.  Because of Esther, her people were saved.  Help us to have the same courage that Esther showed.  Remind us that no matter what temperature this world is at, we cannot sweat and lose ground.  Help us to stay focused on You because only You can show us the direction for us.  

In Jesus name, amen

Over the course of history, different civilizations would build these huge walls so that they can keep their people within the limits.  Most of the time, it was for military purpose so that they can have a sense of defense.  Over in China, they have what’s called The Great Wall of China.  It was primarily used for military purposes and keeping their people within the boundaries of the wall.  One of the main focuses is that the purpose of the wall is mainly for defense rather than offense.  

In today’s passage, the psalmist David is writing a song for pilgrims who are ascending to Jerusalem.  In verse 1, he says that he was glad when they said “Let’s us go to the house of the Lord.”  I always feel great when I have the opportunity to go to the house of the Lord.  When we go to the house of the Lord, it should be the opportunity for us to come together as one body.  We come together to lift up our hearts in praises, pray to Him, and have fellowship with one another.  During this particular psalm, David speaks about how the city of Jerusalem is well built.  One thing that we need to understand is that the church is not defined by the building.  It is defined by the people who are occupying the building.  One pastor describes the church as a hospital, not hospice.  A hospital is where people can go to be treated while hospice is where people would go to just be satisfied.  

Psalm 122 (NLT Translation)

1 

I was glad when they said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

2 

And now here we are,
    standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 

Jerusalem is a well-built city;
    its seamless walls cannot be breached.

4 

All the tribes of Israel—the Lord’s people—
    make their pilgrimage here.
They come to give thanks to the name of the Lord,
    as the law requires of Israel.

5 

Here stand the thrones where judgment is given,
    the thrones of the dynasty of David.

6 

Pray for peace in Jerusalem.
    May all who love this city prosper.

7 

O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls
    and prosperity in your palaces.

8 

For the sake of my family and friends, I will say,
    “May you have peace.”

9 

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.

Dear Heavenly Father, I am thankful for You church.  I’m thankful that we can go to the church so that we can be spiritually treated by the ultimate physician.  I thank You that we can always turn to You for when we are in need of Your divine healing.  We recognize that we are going to receive spiritual bruised and battered, but help us to not be in that place of despair.  Help us to turn to You because we don’t need to book an appointment to see You.  We can always go to You during times of difficulties.  

In Jesus name, amen

One of the things that I have discovered growing up is that life is full of mountains.  Another way of saying this is that life is full of giants.  There are financial giants, emotional giants, and even spiritual giants.  When people face giants, they have two different responses: either fight or flight.  It’s the nature of the beast.  Either we stand up to the giant and do our best to knock it down or we let the giant take over our wellbeing.  There was one young man in the Bible who was faced with a literal giant.  That young man was named David.  

In 1 Samuel 17, it speaks about how there was a giant named Goliath who was aligned with the nation known as Philistine.  This man was four cubits and a span tall (roughly 6 feet 9 inches).  However, there are other translations which say that he was six cubits and a span (roughly 9 feet 9 inches).  Basically, he was one tall dude.  For 40 days, he kept coming to the nation of Israel looking for a fight.  During that time, no one stepped up.  It wasn’t until David showed up and he said that he would fight this giant.  He stepped up and took that giant down.  It reminds me of how we ought to conquer our giants.  While it is important to knock our giants down, it is critical that we have the faith in God by our side.  Romans 8:31 says that If God is for us, then who can be against us?  

1 Samuel 17:19-32 NLT Translation 

19. David’s brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.

20 So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. 21 Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel.

24 As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright. 25 “Have you seen the giant?” the men asked. “He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!”

26 David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?”

27 And these men gave David the same reply. They said, “Yes, that is the reward for killing him.”

28 But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”

29 “What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!” 30 He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer. 31 Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him.

David Kills Goliath

32 “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I thank You for always being by our side throughout our lives.  Continue to remind us that You are always there for us.  While there are moments when the enemy tries his best to pull us away from You, we know that You are stronger than the enemy is.  Help us to be rooted and stand  on Your solid foundation.  When the world is trying to destroy us with all these winds and waves, we need to be placed on Your solid foundation.  Without Your foundation, we would all crumble.  Help us to not crumble.  Help us to stand solid.  

In Jesus name

Amen

If there is one thing that we are lacking in our lives, it is praising God.  There are people who only praise God for when things are good.  While it is good that we praise God for when things are going well for us, it is just as important to praise Him for when things are not necessarily going in our favor.  I remember seeing the movie “Facing The Giants.”  It was about a coach trying to get his team back to its winning ways.  One thing that the coach kept saying to his players is this: when we win, we praise Him.  When we lose, we praise Him.  Just hearing this alone, it makes me think about how we go through wins and loses.  It’s no doubt that we go through ups and downs throughout our lives.  I keep reminding myself that God is the one who is in control.  Romans 8:28 says that all things will work together for good to those who love God, and to those who are called according to His purpose.  

In Psalm 150, it talks about the idea of praising God.  The praise team at Connect2Christ would sing this song on different occasions talking about praising God.  What we need to understand is that praising God is not something we do once a week and check it off of our lists.  It is a lifestyle that we ought to be living each and everyday.  No matter what happens in your life, good or bad, we need to be praising God.  

Psalm 150 NLT Translation

“1 Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heaven!

2 Praise him for his mighty works;
 praise his unequaled greatness!

3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
 praise him with the lyre and harp!

4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
 praise him with strings and flutes!

5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
 praise him with loud clanging cymbals.

6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I thank You that we can praise You for all You have done for us.  Help us to continue to praise You no matter what happens.  Remind us each and every day that You are in control.  I know that we have all been called by You.  Because we have been called by You, help us to pay attention for when You are communicating to us.  Let our eyes and ears be open to what You have for us.  Help us to be in tuned with You no matter what takes place in our lives.  

In Jesus name

Amen

This past Sunday, we celebrated Easter Sunday.  We didn’t celebrate the Easter bunny, but instead we celebrated the most miraculous moment in all of history: the resurrection of Jesus.  This was when Jesus had conquered the grave so that we can have eternal life with Him.  How amazing is that?  There is nothing like the resurrection of Christ.  The prophecies that were mentioned in the Old Testament have now been fulfilled by this moment.  Jesus not only spread His good news to all the people, but He also did what He said He was going to do.  He conquered death and came back from the dead.  Death didn’t win, but instead life won.  

While the gospel writing speak about the resurrection based on different viewpoints, Luke’s account gives a different perspective of the resurrection.  This chapter, much like Matthew, Mark, and John, explains the events that followed the resurrection of Jesus.  In Luke’s account, verse 1 uses the phrase “Sunday morning.”  It is interesting that the NLT translation uses this phrase while other translations use the phrase: “on the first day of the week, very early in the morning.”  

Luke 24:1-12 NLT Translation 

“1. But very early on Sunday morning[a] the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man[b] must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.”

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I thank You for Your Son Jesus who made the sacrifice for all of humanity.  Not only that, but I thank Jesus for conquering death and rising from the dead three days later.  It is because of Your Son that we can have life with You.  It is because of Your Son that we have a home.  Thank You God for Jesus Christ.  

In His name I pray, 

Amen

I believe that one of the things that we are lacking is the idea of giving thanks.  In today’s world, people would only give thanks once a year, which would be known as Thanksgiving.  Believe it or not, giving thanks is something that we should be doing all year round instead of once a year.  Sometimes, as believers, we would only thank God for when the big things happen in our lives.  The truth of the matter is that we need to thank God no matter what happens.  

In Psalm 118:1-2, the writer is acknowledging that we need to give thanks to the Lord because He is good.  As we go throughout our lives, we tend to forget that God is good.  When things are going south, we need to understand that He is still good because only He can lift us through.  During the rough moments in life, we still need to give thanks To God because He will never lead us astray.  

Psalm 118:1-2 

1 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.

2 

Let all Israel repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank You for Your love.  I thank You for Your everlasting love that is always with us no matter where we are at in our lives.  Continue to remind us of how wonderful Your love is.  Even when we are at our lowest moments, Your love is always there for us.  Help us to draw closer to Your love each and every day.  Help us to not cave into the pressures of the world.  Instead we need to be placed on Your solid foundation.  

In Jesus name, 

Amen

Yesterday, we celebrated a wonderful Easter service at church.  A time of reflection, remembrance, and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It’s important that we shall not forget what Jesus did for us so that we can have life with Him when He calls us home.  We need to remember that Jesus wants to have life with us.  The whole reason why He died and rose from the dead is so that we can have life with Him when we are called home by God.  

While we sit back and think about the wonderful miraculous event that He did for us, there are some people who love to boast and have brag about themselves.  The apostle Paul reminds us that boasting is not the right thing to do.  He even speaks about how we need to remove the old “yeast.”  Is he talking about baking?  No. While he is not talking about baking, he is talking about how we need to remove those who will drive us away from God.  I’m not saying that we need to stop talking to people.  What I am saying is that there are people who are trying to steer us away from God’s love.  It’s not the person, but rather Satan using the person to get to us.  This is where the spirit of discernment needs to come in.  In other words, we need to have the awareness of when Satan is trying to attack us.  

In 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, it says 

6. Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? 

7. Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.[g] 

8. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread[h] of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread[i] of sincerity and truth.

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I pray that we would have that spirit of discernment throughout our lives.  Help us to pay attention to what is around us.  Make us aware of the potential attacks from Satan and help us to be strong so that we are able to resist him.  Continue to guide us each and every day with Your love and Your grace.  Help us to keep pressing forward rather than always looking backward.  Help us to take it, receive it, and learn it.  

In Jesus name, 

Amen