Christ Sets Us Free

July 2020

Message from Pastor Tom:

With Independence Day coming up, the topic of freedom is on many minds. So what is freedom? I can tell you this, Jesus declared, ''Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin'' (John 8:34). And then he said, ''If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed'' (verse 36). The really true freedom is the kind of freedom Jesus is talking about. Freedom to live as God projected us to live. We have however, deliberately limited ourselves in this work to the problem of freedom. We have become the “me” and the “now generation" with no thought to others, no matter ones ethical, racial background, or religious beliefs. Look, I’m not even talking about the teachings or the upbringing of one’s life here, that’s another blog. I am talking about how we treat one another right now, today!

What is needed is a change in one's lifestyle, beliefs or personality. A journey with God, having faith, and with the help of the Holy Spirit ultimately bringing spiritual healing and peace, will guide one to today's Freedom in this world. So please remember, God’s Grace is a gift and the source of our forgiveness of sin. It is by God’s mercy we receive it, because we have not earned it and we do not deserve it. That God’s Grace is part of His plan of salvation for His believers, beginning with the acceptance that our salvation is through the atoning sacrifice His Son Jesus made for us. That the gift of God’s grace leads us to salvation through our faith and God’s grace will keep our Freedom and faith enduring until the end.

So I ask you this. Do you want to live your life in peace, having a loving spirit, with complete freedom? Or, continue being yoked to sin and chained to the worldly legalism? We have all been granted free will, so the choice is ours.

Heidi and I wish to join you all in praying for peace and healing for our country, our leaders and those who are racially persecuted worldwide. Until next month, may God richly bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you.

 Blessings from a pastor and his wife

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

Pray For Change

June 2020

Message from Pastor Tom:

As June is beginning and summer is well and truly on the way, my question to you is, “How are you responding to the call of Christ?” Remember Christians, one day we will all stand before God and give an account of our life. Those of us who are listening to His voice will experience spiritual abundance and blessing, both here on earth and one day in heaven. As Greg Lorie stated not long ago in one of his daily devotionals, “Please take a stand and say you’re a follower of Christ, people will be watching you (and secretly hoping you’ll mess up). Yet you may be the only Gospel some people will ever read”.

Now more than ever in this season of our lives, it is important we listen to God and the Holy Spirit, as the world is trying so hard to shout out and have Their voices heard. We need to raise true awareness of the fight against racial injustice worldwide. As Our Father stated in John 7:24, ^“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” Everyone reading this is going through something that is painful. We’re all facing some sort of trial. We can either let adversity make us bitter or better. I believe it can serve as a stepping-stone, not a stumbling block. It’s up to us! We cannot claim to love God if we do not take seriously what He says and act upon what He asks of us. Jesus’ passion and suffering produced the opportunity for the salvation of the world. Our suffering ultimately makes us more like Jesus and gives us future opportunities to minister to others.

While we may not understand it now, pain always serves a purpose! The resurrection of our Savior is the cornerstone of our Christian faith. With Covid-19, the killing of an innocent black man at the hands of those people we place our trust, the very ones who pledged an oath to serve and protect, are playing judge and executioner. The world is a sad and troubled place. We need to be listening to God’s Holy Word now more than ever. He is speaking loudly! Please Listen and STOP this worldwide injustice. Be a part of the solution.

I could go on preaching and saying much more here, however I would rather end this blog in prayer, a place we should all be in this time of need.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray the words spoken today have been pleasing to your ears. I ask you watch over all mankind Lord, people who are shut in, sick or in hospitals, and those who are lost and missing out on your precious gifts of life. Lord help us reach out to the lost, just as you have commissioned us to be your ambassadors, committing our lives to passing on the message of reconciliation, and glorify you by spreading the Good News of your mighty works until your return. God you also commanded us to love our neighbor, and our neighbor has no greater need than salvation. I pray we will bring glory to you in thought, word and deed. That you will continue to bless us, keeping your hands upon us as the Holy Spirit continues to guide us along our journey of faith. On this day Lord, I pray there is not one of us who has not received your gifts of peace, love and forgiveness. In your precious Son Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Heidi and I wish to join you all in praying for peace and healing for our country, our leaders and those who are racially persecuted worldwide. Until next month, may God richly bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you.

Blessings from a pastor and his wife

But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. 1 John 2:11

Our Hope is in Christ

May 2020

Message from Pastor Tom:

I open this new blog for the month of May with great hope, giving heartfelt prayers for everyone’s wellbeing and safety during this stressful time with the pandemic that has been laid upon the world. We need our faith in God to be stronger now more than ever just as stated in Lamentations 3:25-26, "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him, it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

I know many of you are bored being quarantined, or feel alone when we are to be isolated from the world and our loved ones. The television, blogs, radio, and media bombard us all the time with how we should live our lives according to this world. Yet in the end, it is God who is the One we need to listen to through the reading of His Scriptures. I know what you're saying, I say this all the time and I sound like a broken record. Nevertheless, what record are you playing? Hope in God is power, present and eternal power. Hope keeps people from killing themselves, it helps people get out of bed and go to work each day. People such as our doctors, medical personnel, first responders, food service and grocery store workers. God Bless each and every one of them. 

Hope gives meaning to everyday life, even during this locked-down stay-at-home life. Hope liberates us from the selfishness of fear and greed and empowers love. Not a risk-taking life style the world so often tries to seduce us with, as we know this is Satan's stronghold. In James 4:13-14, he stated it very clearly, "Now listen you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” James makes sense as we do not know if we will live to see tomorrow, or even the end of the day. However, I know if we have hope in Christ, then we have hope in everything knowing we will live forever in and with Christ.

I would like to share something I read this morning about faith by John Piper. The biblical view of faith is not a leap in the dark. It is warranted and well-grounded. It’s called faith not because it has no foundation. It’s called faith because it involves trust. Jesus didn’t call the believers blind; he called the unbelievers blind (Matthew 15:14). “Seeing they do not see” (Matthew 13:13). Saving faith in God’s word is based on “seeing.” Real seeing. The Bible answers like this: Satan does all he can to blind “the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

I also find it is Satan who takes away our Hope. Through His Word, God has entrusted to us the knowledge of who He is, what He is doing, and how the future will unfold for mankind. The Scriptures were intended to lead us into a growing personal relationship with our heavenly Father and to empower us for fruitful service as Christ’s ambassadors. We are called to follow Jesus’ example in glorifying God our Savior, focused not on Him, but on the heavenly Father, whose plan is to reach the entire world with His saving grace. Please read your Bible and know God's will for your life.

Heidi and I pray God will open the eyes of our hearts to see and savor the beauty of Christ. To incline our hearts to hear His word, and know His Son, and His way by filling us with kindhearted love and courage to face each day.

Blessings from a pastor and his wife

 ^“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast" 1 Peter 5-10

The Tomb is Empty!

Message from Pastor Tom:

He has Risen! He has risen indeed. The tomb is empty!

The resurrection of the Savior is the cornerstone of our Christian faith. As we reflect on the physical pain Jesus endured on Good Friday so we could live forever with Him, let’s also contemplate the purpose of our own pain, especially at this time with the onset of Covid-19, loss of jobs, and the isolation of not being able to leave our home. Everyone reading this blog is going through something that’s painful. Now is the time we need to stand strong, not only in our personal surroundings but spiritually as well. We cannot help but face some sort of trials and tribulation, Jesus Himself warned us of this. We can either let the hardships make us bitter or better. It can serve as a stepping-stone or stumbling block. Remember it’s up to us! Jesus’ passion and suffering produced the opportunity for the salvation of the world. Our suffering ultimately makes us more like Jesus as Philippians 3:10 stated, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” This gives us future opportunities to minister to others.

Although we may not understand it now, the pain we are going through always serves a purpose! Nowhere do we see this more clearly than in the life of Christ Himself. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is nearly overcome with anguish and distress. He tells His disciples, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.” He cries out to God, using a term of intimate endearment, “Abba! Daddy, save me! But not my will but yours.” He will say that two more times, swollen drops of sweat falling to the ground like blood. Jesus shows it is not a courageous spirit God desires, but a willing one.

Feeling sorrowful is expected, but denying God’s will because of our own emotional struggle is not an option, “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low esteem” Isaiah 53:3. We can all see this as a moment of temptation for Jesus, but He does not give in. The same thing happens in our own lives where we desire God’s will, but when it comes time to pursue Him deeply and pray earnestly, we succumb to other distractions. This happens in my life more than I want to admit. Our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak.

At the beginning of the passion story line, the Gospels emphasize trust and obedience in the Father. These passages reveal the heart of Jesus and the calling of all who would follow Him, and to stand faithfully in prayer and lean into the will of God, not their own understanding. We must remember the goal is not to focus on the path or on our pain, but instead try to find our own way. We can do this by fixing our eyes on Jesus, because He is not only our guide but also our destination. He will welcome us home with open arms when we finish life's race and cross into eternity with Him.

Heidi and I wish a Happy and Blessed Easter to you and your family as we celebrate our Father’s greatest sacrifice through His Son, Jesus Christ, and pray this Easter you receive God's Love, Grace, and His never-ending peace. Please keep yourself and your family safe, remember God loves you, and He always grants you His peace.

Blessings from a pastor and his wife

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him." Mark 16-6

Spiritual Wellness

March 2020

Message from Pastor Tom:

While March may be known for many things, one of them is Spiritual Wellness Month. Typically, Spiritual Wellness is considered a search to find meaning and purpose in human existence, where we strive to find harmony with ourselves and those around us while balancing our inner needs with the rest of the world. Spirituality and religion go hand in hand, as our religious faith, values, beliefs, principles and morals actually define our spirituality. I know every person has their own religious spiritual preferences, however I am talking about one God, our God, Jesus Christ who shed His blood for our sins and gives us hope in all things.

I had been listening to the news last night and it was particularly gloomy. So sitting at the dinner table with my wife, I was contemplating the happenings of the world around us, the elections, the change in weather having devastating consequences around the world, yet again another mass shooting of innocent people only trying to make a living at their place of work, and the overwhelming impacts on every family member and friend in their lives. My heart was heavy with pain and anger, but then I remembered the Lord’s voice through Scripture," I have told you

these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV). I could breathe again my heart lifting from the pain.

Yes, the world is a dark and disturbing place, so full of controversy and chaos. Yet we can shift our focus from our frustration and worries toward God and ask for His peace to surround us today. Remember, God is the only One with limitless resources and power, and He wants to meet our needs as promised in Romans 8:11, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” Does this not bring peace to you? I know it gave peace to me at the dinner table during my time of frustration. Jesus is saying the peace He gives us is different from what the world can give us. This explains why people search for peace elsewhere, but will never find peace at the end of their pursuit. Jesus left His peace with us. His peace is the peace that enables Him to stand still in the strongest storms of life. His peace is the peace that allows Him to forgive people when HE was suffering the most excruciating pain of crucifixion.

Life is full of things to worry about, but approximately 90% of the things we worry about never happen. The remaining 10% of the things we worry about are beyond our control making it pointless for us to worry about those things we cannot change. The path to most spiritual wellness must include prayer. So rather than taking time to worry, let us spend this time in prayer focusing on God and you will have peace. Pray about everything. Prayer is the primary means by which we talk to God, and it’s also one of the ways He teaches us. When we pray, we’re petitioning the Lord and trusting Him for the answer and peace. In doing so, we learn to listen to Him, just as we learn to wait for His response. God loves for us to honor Him through this spiritual act of worship called prayer.

Heidi and I pray for the Lamb of God to richly bless and keep you safe from harm. The Good News is true peace is not so hard to obtain. All you have to do is to accept it as God’s gift, and you will be able to experience the peace He so wants us all to enjoy.

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety" Psalm 4:8

For God So Loved the World...

February 2020

Here I am thinking it’s already February, then realizing it's a leap year, so a longer February, which led me to contemplate what “February” means, then of course realizing Valentines Day will soon be upon us. Shaking my head by how one random thought leads to many more, curiosity got the better of me and I decided to look up the meaning of February just to see how it came by its name. I found it was derived from the Latin word Februarius meaning “to purify”. So in ancient Roman times, February was known as the “Month of Purification”, a transitional time just after a month of reflection and New Year's resolutions. February has also been long celebrated as a month of romance, and St. Valentine’s Day as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. I read opposing versions for the actual tradition of celebrating St. Valentine’s Day itself, but one version recognizes the death of the martyred Catholic priest St. Valentine. There are differing stories surrounding his death, but one explained he was killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. Another version for the celebration was to bring a Christian meaning to a Roman pagan fertility festival celebrated at the ides of February, dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture. Yet regardless of the origin, February is celebrated as the month of Love, and I think for Christians this is the perfect opportunity to remind one another what exactly sets Christianity apart from any other religion.

The very foundation of Christianity is LOVE, and here’s the proof. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16 NIV. Jesus performed everything necessary for us to be a Christian. Just before giving up His spirit, Jesus stated upon the cross “it is finished” (John 19:30). In this unselfish act of love, provided by God’s Grace and Love, we find the foundation of Christianity and all that is necessary for us to call ourselves Christian. And being a Christian is all about having a loving, real relationship with Jesus Christ, and when we do we have a change of heart. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God” 1 John 4:7. It is by faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, not by anything we do, we are saved Children of God and will have eternal life. This means we are under God’s authority. Jesus commanded us, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” John 13:34. Jesus didn’t suggest this, He didn’t say it was a good idea; it’s not even up for discussion, He commands us. It’s all about love.

Yes, I know, it can be hard living as a Christian in a world that has become tolerant of behavior contradicting basic Christian principles, and still love those who choose to ignore and defy God’s truths. The struggle lies in the fact as Christians, while we know others practice or belief is a sin, we should never condone prejudice or discrimination against anyone. We do not have to accept what others do or believe, but we can pray through the love of God and power of the Holy Spirit God will change their hearts one day. We can love as God commands without bias and still be true to our moral and ethical Christian beliefs.

If you take anything away from this month's blog, please remember this, Jesus humbled Himself, surrendered His rights, and obeyed God even to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8). Being His servant begins with the same unselfish, loving attitude. It requires helping others when it’s not convenient, doing tasks that are not glamorous, and obeying the Lord even if it’s costly. It is God’s plan we make it obvious by our actions to those who are able to see, that God is all around us. Our works and accomplishments will serve as testimony God is at work within us by letting His light shine through us and show God’s love. We don’t do this alone, but with the help of the Holy Spirit within us allowing Jesus’ love to flow unhindered through us to one another. We aren’t on earth to build our own kingdom, but to faithfully serve God as He builds His.

Heidi and I pray you will be able to show others the same unbiased, unconditional love Christ shows all of His children, and enjoy the peace we are granted because of it. May you also enjoy a very blessed and Happy Valentines Day, and let it be a reminder to simply LOVE one another.

Blessings from a pastor and his wife

And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16)

God's Balance

January 2020

Message from Pastor Tom:

Happy New Year! As we start this new year I pray for hope, love, and peace for us all and we feel the balance our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can bring to us all. In reflecting back on 2019, it’s hard not to remember some of the horrific things we’ve witnessed in the news, things happening to our friends, neighbors and in our own personal lives. Yet at the same time, we have also seen some very positive and uplifting moments coming from these very dark and tragic events. In God we can always find our hope, peace and balance as He works so many things around us, as well as in and through us in His loving way.

This was brought to mind over the weekend while packing away Christmas decorations. I returned a mobile to its rightful place of a man sitting in a circle on one end, being perfectly balanced while suspended beneath a weighted arch, never getting out of balance with movement. The Holy Spirit found it a good time to remind me to share in my blog, it is God who gives us balance in our life. If not, we would just go around in circles and never balance out our lives fulfilling the plans the Lord has for us. Instead, we would find ourselves always searching for something, or for answers and never being fully at peace.

I know you’re probably thinking that sounds great pastor, but how do I balance my life? You don’t know what I'm living with or what I’m going through! And of course you would be right. However, I can still answer your question. Jesus gave us this formula for us to find balance in Matthew 22:36-39, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

What God wants is for us to manage our time and treasures for Him so they can be used for His purposes. God wants our hearts. He wants us to understand this balance in life is what makes life work at its best. When our hearts are right, we are attempting to love God with all of our strength. When our minds are in the right place, we are taking care of ourselves to the best of our abilities. While the world changes all around us every day, God never changes. We must strive to live as Christ-like as possible, upholding our Christian moral and ethical beliefs. As Christians we study the Bible and continue to develop our personal relationship with God. Our moral integrity grows as the Holy Spirit drives this within us. Our ethics can be defined by how we act when people are not watching us. Therefore, our code of conduct should guide us in doing the same thing whether we are alone or in a group, for as Christians we know God is always watching and we are never truly alone. God is perfect, He never changes, and consequently there is no room for inconsistency. We accept the Bible by faith to be the Holy Word of God, not just parts of it, but all of it. To know God is to trust in Him and to accept He controls all things. All we need is faith to receive God’s never ending rewards.               

                                                     

For this New Year, Heidi and I pray you will know the blessings and presence of the Lord, and for God’s refreshing over each one of you. To make all things new in balance with your hearts, in your minds, and in your lives, so each of you will reflect the joy, peace and hope to a world so desperately in need of God’s presence and healing. I thank you for taking the time to read this and as always, I hope it spiritually enriches you.

Blessings from a pastor and his wife.

 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.  1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)