Monthly Archives: April 2020

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (Hebrews 6:19)

As we head into the fourth week of this global pandemic, it can begin to feel as if we are adrift on a sea of uncertainty, trapped on a boat with no rudder as we veer perilously close to running aground on the rocks of disaster. But I want to emphasize to you today that it only seems that way, because the Christian is on a boat that is steadily running its intended course with its sovereign, unwavering Captain standing at the helm.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the anchor of our souls; He keeps our hope firm and secure, regardless of the storms we find ourselves in, including this unprecedented, unrelenting virus. Jesus has assured His followers that we are in Him (John 14:20), and He has promised to keep us safe in the midst of the storm winds of life. Because we are in Christ, and Christ is unmovable, we too are unmovable when the waves of challenge wash over us, including the challenge COVID-19.

The song “My Soul is Anchored,” written by Douglas Miller, encourages and instructs us to stay anchored in the Lord, no matter how hard or how long the winds of challenge and confusion may blow: “If the storms don’t cease, and if the wind keeps blowing, in my life, my soul has been anchored in the Lord.” Remember, Jesus never promised us a storm-free life; in fact, He told us to expect just the opposite. But He also promised that He will take us through every storm that comes our way. And one day, in His sublime, sovereign timing, He will command the storm, “Peace! Be still!” And the raging waves of COVID challenges will become a flat calm.

We live in a broken, sin-stained world as broken, sin-stained people, and so we suffer. But so did Jesus! The King of kings was “a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering” (Isaiah 53:3). He who was sinless suffered when he was tempted (Hebrews 2:18). He suffered the heartbreak of rejection by His Father (Matthew 27:46), and he suffered the unimaginably agonizing punishment for your sins and mine (1 Peter 2:24). And Jesus the Christ endured all that suffering so that we would one day enter into the new heavens and the new earth, where there will be no more sickness, no more sorrow, no more suffering, and no more death.

Until we cross the Jordan and reach our glorious, eternal abode, let us fix our eyes on our Almighty Anchor, who promises never to leave nor forsake us. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

You are in my prayers and in my heart.

Purpose and Passion,

Pastor Tommy

He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

No one likes to feel powerless. Yet in times like these, we are all faced with this absolute biblical truth: We are powerless! We like to think we are in control of our lives until something like COVID-19 smacks us upside the head, reminding us that we are not. But there is a Power that can give us great comfort when we feel most powerless. I’ve quoted Steve Brown here before, who likes to say, “God is bringing you to the end of yourself” . . . to which I add, “And the sooner the better!”

Powerlessness is actually power beyond measure, because that is the place where we acknowledge that we are not in control of our lives. Daniel flatly told Belshazzar that “God . . . holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways” (Daniel 5:23 NKJV), and what was true for the king of Babylon is just as true for you and me.

But before going on, know this: powerlessness is not—most definitely not—a place to pull over on your life’s journey and put your life in “Park.” It is however, the place that opens the door that will connect you with the one true Power in the universe, and His name is Jesus Christ. This is the place where surrender intersects with strength—true strength, a God-honoring strength—a power that will never flicker, falter, or fail us. This was the place where Paul lived his life of service to the Savior, for he knew well that “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Beloved, God is as all-powerful as He is all-present, even in the midst of this pandemic and even when it looks as if He is not engaged. But think back; He did not look all-powerful when the young shepherd boy laid aside armor and sword, taking only a sling and 5 smooth stones to face the giant Goliath. But He was! God did not look all-powerful when a little boy handed over his five loaves of bread and two fish to Jesus to feed a crowd of thousands. But He was! Make no mistake, our God will always appear underwhelming to the watching world. And that is the way He most likes to work, so that when the victory is achieved, there can be no doubt as to Who was responsible for it.

We will get to the other side of this virus, by God’s grace and by practicing our mandated social distancing and the “stay-at-home” orders. But when we do, remember that it was God who brought us through. To be sure, He has provided every means available for us to be responsible citizens of this world as we love our neighbors and obey our civil magistrates. But it is our all-powerful God whose power is made perfect in our weakness. And so let us “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10).

To my church family, I can only say that you have no idea how much I miss you and how much I love you. You are in my prayers and in my heart.

Purpose and Passion,

Pastor Tommy

God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. (1 Corinthians 1:27)

Today is the First of April, which traditionally is an annual day of playing practical jokes and pulling hoaxes on others. The perpetrator of the trickery will reveal their behavior by shouting “April Fools!” at the person who was the object of the prank; the victims of the chicanery are referred to as “April Fools.” Now, I suspect that while we are in the midst of this worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, not many people are feeling lighthearted enough for playing pranks . . . or for being on the receiving end of one either! But since today is “Aprils Fools Day,” I’d like to encourage you to be an “Almighty Fool.”

Today’s verse provides a powerful word of encouragement for those who are in the family of faith. We are not God’s adopted children because of anything “good” that is in us. When Jesus left His throne in heaven and came to this earth, He chose twelve disciples; note well that He did not choose those whom the world considered wise or powerful or influential. On the contrary, He choose a few poor fishermen and even a despised tax collector, all men of low esteem and position in the community. They had no special learning or ability to do what Jesus was calling them to do.

The world would have expected Jesus to choose the scribes, Pharisees, and teachers of the Law, but He did not. He chose the foolish things of this world to shame those who exalted themselves as wise; He chose weak people to shame those who presumed themselves to be strong.

Why would Jesus do such a thing? He had available to Him the elite within the religious community, as well as the elite outside of it—learned Greek philosophers and powerful Roman rulers. Yet He chose the powerless and uneducated so that that no one would mistake the reason for their success in ministry. The more foolish they looked to the watching world, the more glory would be ascribed to the wisdom of God. The more powerless they appeared, the more praise would be given to the strength of the sovereign Lord. Whatever good they were to do would all be attributed to the only One who is truly good (Luke 18:19), and who had called them and empowered them to do it.

When was the last time you considered yourself to be an “Almighty Fool?” You may not be greatly esteemed in the eyes of the watching world, but you are of inestimable value in the eyes of the One who chose you to be His. Remember, you don’t need any special education, position of influence, wealth, or wisdom to be a servant of Christ and to show His love to a lost, broken, and hurting world.

And at this time, when tens of millions of people around the world are gripped by uncertainty, fear, and even despair, remember that all you need to minister to them is Jesus and the willingness to go where He is calling you to go and to do what He is calling you to do. We have been instructed to avoid coming into physical proximity with others, so your ministry this day may be as simple as picking up the phone and reaching out to someone you haven’t spoken with in some time in order to let them hear a calm, loving, caring voice—a simple action that can carry a profound impact.

So . . . probably no Aprils Fools’ jokes today; but let us instead be Almighty Fools who are intent on spreading the love of Christ to a world that needs Him now, more than ever!

Purpose and passion,

Pastor Tommy