Author Archives: Pastor Tommy

I know that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. (Psalm 119:75)

Now that is a biblical truth that every child of God needs to have etched upon the heart when the storm winds of life are blowing, beginning with me.

Everything God does is good and right. In God’s economy, there are no mistakes and no missteps. Everything is happening for two reasons – for God’s glory and our ultimate good. To be sure, we all must process the challenges we face, but they must be processed in faith not fear. And when we do this, we will always come to the same conclusion that the psalmist reached:

In faithfulness you have afflicted me!

You see, it is during the times of great difficulties and challenges that God is most at work in our lives. When I look back over the years in my walk with Christ, my deepest pains have produced my greatest progress because God was in faithfulness afflicting me. Is this not true for you also when you look back over the years in your walk with Christ? Our Good God is too wise, too faithful, too loving, too, well good, to do anything that is not for our ultimate good as He is conforming us to the image of His Son. It is always in faithfulness, not fickleness, that our God sends storms our way.

We need to remember that we do not rejoice in the experience of the storms that we endure. Rather, we rejoice in the results of them. No one likes to be buffeted by the winds and the waves of challenge in life. But because we know that God is in complete control of all things, including the storms of life, we can rest in the results that He has promised. As someone once said,

My Father’s way may twist and turn, My heart may throb and ache,

But in my soul I’m glad to know, He maketh no mistake!

So, regardless of the storms you are facing today, or will face tomorrow, remember that you can trust God to lead you through safely to the other side because He knows the way. And if God does not change your circumstances, it’s only because He is changing you. No mistakes will ever come from the hand of your Master.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  (Hebrews 13:6)

Did you know that you have a Holy Helper standing at the ready as the Source of every solution you seek? Because God does not change, you can count on Him to help you through every set of circumstances you face.

The Hebrew phrase Jehovah Ezrah is one of the names of God and it is translated as the “Lord My Help!” The psalmist tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Notice the word “ever-present.” God is always available to you no matter what you are going through. The Bible does not tell us that our God is “sort-of present” or “half-way present” or “part-time present.” No! Our God is “ever-present” and nothing will distract Him or keep Him at a distance.

Remember, when Jesus was getting ready to finish His mission on this earth and go back to His Father in heaven, He promised to send our Holy Helper.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth . . . But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:16, 26)

What a powerful promise we have knowing our Holy Helper is with us every step of the way through this life. He is with us through the sunshine and the rain. He is with us through the good times and the bad. And because of this gospel truth, we will not be afraid. What is there to fear when the Creator and Sustainer of the universe has promised to be our Helper no matter what we are facing? Omnipotence will guide you around every obstacle that stands in your way because greater is the power that is at work within you than any power that comes up against you.

So, where do you run in times of trouble? Friends are good. Family perhaps is better. But God is the Best One to go to. Remember, our Holy Helper is not only willing to help, he is able to help and has promised to meet your every need.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. (1 Chronicles 16:11)

Think of all the things you might be seeking throughout this ‘New Year.’ Is the face of your Lord on your list? The Hebrew word “face” can be translated “presence.” To seek the Lord’s face is to seek His presence. But you might be thinking, “I thought I am always in the presence of Jesus. He promised never to leave me.” This is true. But are there not times when you do not sense His presence in your life? If you are anything like me, the answer sadly is ‘Yes!’

There are times in our lives when we can get so preoccupied with life we can forget or even forsake our Lord. There are times when we trust in ourselves rather than our Savior and we find Him “unmanifested” in our lives. It is easy to hide His face behind the curtain of carnal desires and the shawl of sinful pursuits. For this reason, God tells us not only to seek His face, but to seek it always. Just like we are to pray without ceasing, we are to seek the presence of our God without ceasing.

So, how do we seek God’s face always? Both the Old and the New Testaments provide for us the answer.

Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. 1 Chronicles 22:19

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your heart on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1-2

Seeking God’s face will not happen by accident. It will only happen when we are intentional about fixing our focus on Him. To be sure, this too is a gift of God grace, “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ” (2 Thessalonians 3:5), but we must appropriate this grace as we go through life. There are many ways to appropriate this grace, but at the top of the list are reading the Word and prayer.

Remember, the degree of the presence of God you experience in your life will always be in direct proportion to the amount of time you spend with Him in His Word and prayer. The promise for this is clear, “If you seek him, he will be found by you.”

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! (Isaiah 43:18-19)

As you launch out on yet another ‘New Year,’ remember these words from God through the prophet Isaiah, “I am doing a new thing,” and it begins with you.

God is in the business of doing new things which means God wants us to move through this ‘New Year’ with the forward focus of hope and expectation. But we simply cannot do that if we are dwelling on the past. We are to learn from the past, not live in the past. We are to treat the past like a school. We are to take the lesson from the past and press on into our promised future. We must refuse to let our past possess or persuade us. If we do not, we will be paralyzed by our past. So, let me ask you this question: “How are you doing in not dwelling on your past and forgetting the former things?”  

Now God has a formula for doing new things. Because God won’t put new wine into old wineskins, He will not begin a new thing in your life until he does away with the old that is holding you down. The next question to consider is this: “What old has become an obstacle in your way of becoming all God is calling you to be?”

• Old way of living?
• Old way of thinking?
• Old way of doing?
• Old way of desiring?

Remember, the most important new thing God is doing is conforming you into the image and likeness of Jesus. And He will do it by any means necessary. Embrace this new thing He is doing in your life with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, regardless of the cost or circumstance, knowing this new in you will be the greatest good you could ever receive.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

On Monday, we took a moment to “look back” to reflect on the wonders God performed throughout 2025. Today we will pause to “look ahead” as we prepare to launch out in 2026.

Beginning tomorrow, January 1, 2026, a common greeting from those you come in contact with will be, “Happy New Year!” Yet, if that is all we had as believers to launch out into a new year, it would be a scant portion indeed. As Christian’s, we have much more than a “hopeful greeting” given to us by the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. In our verse today, we have the promise given to Joshua by God – I will be with you wherever you go!

You might remember, Joshua was preparing to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land after Moses had completed his ministry of service to God. Joshua knew quite well the challenges he would inevitably face in leading God’s people. He learned from Moses just how difficult the task would be. But he also knew, just like Moses, that he would not be alone in the work God had called him in to. And the same is true for you and me as we begin our “forward march” into this new year.

To be sure, the new year brings with it both questions and concerns . . . doubts and fears . . . obstacles and opportunities. Will we hear from the doctor a less than positive report on our health? Will we find ourselves facing professional challenges? Will our marriage of many years march on for many more? We will suffer the loss of a loved one? The list of uncertainties is indeed endless. Yet, we can hold on to something greater than the hopeful, “Happy New Year!” Why? Because we have the promise of God that wherever we go, He goes with us.

In that promise, I want you to remember something. This “going with God” is not a going by chance. It is not a random roll of the dice. God is guiding, governing, and directing your every step. He is in sovereign control of everything – nothing is left to chance. Your God is in charge and in control of all things so do not be discouraged. This promise is to help us exchange every fear for our “forward march” into God’s perfect plan and purpose for our lives. Oh, one final point. Approximately 3,400 years after God told Joshua that He would be with him wherever he went, Jesus reaffirmed that promise before He ascended back to heaven – “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).

Look ahead, with confidence and boldness, knowing Jesus goes before you as He goes with you, making the way straight, regardless of how many twists and turns you will encounter throughout this new year.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced. (Psalm 105:4-5)

Today and Wednesday we close out yet another year of Grace For Your Race. Today I want to encourage you to take a “look back” over the past year and to remember and reflect on the many and multiplied wonders God has done in your life. On Wednesday we will look forward to the starting line of another year, and if God is so pleased to give it to us, to live it out with both the freedom and faithfulness available to us in Jesus.

Someone once wisely said, “It is difficult to climb to the summit of the mountain when you are always looking over your shoulder.” Yet, “looking back” is beneficial for the believer to be reminded of all God has done. To be sure it must be brief if we are to be making forward progress throughout 2026. But make no mistake, it is the best way to close out another year of blessings God has bestowed upon us. 

Now, “looking back” is not the same as walking backward. We cannot go back, nor should we want to. God is moving us forward into His perfect plan and purpose for our lives, inasmuch as we live it out imperfectly. It is important to remember to always treat the past as a school – we are to learn the lessons from our past but not live in our past. Far too many live in the past which prohibits any measurable forward progress. But this is not for you!

Take time today to reflect on the past year and make sure your “looking back” includes both your successes and your storms. There is much to glean from both life experiences because God has delivered both to us in order to conform us into the image and likeness of His beloved Son Jesus Christ. Let your “looking back” bring to mind Gods . . .

• Faithfulness & Friendship
• Discipline & Devotion
• Mercy & Ministry
• Love & Leading

In “looking back” I pray you will be encouraged and strengthened to set out on another year with Jesus sitting upon the throne of your life, guiding you through every twist and turn, and growing you through all the ups and downs, every step of the way. On Wednesday we will look ahead.  

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

We all know about the importance of taking good care of the temple of the Holy Spirit with a “workout” plan that includes consistent exercise, sound nutrition, and adequate rest, especially after a Christmas day of feasting on tasty treats, if you are anything like me. Today, I want to encourage you with another kind of “workout,” one that builds your temple from the inside out.

First, let me make something perfectly clear. The apostle Paul is not suggesting that we need to “workout” a salvation that we can lose if we do not have the right kind of workout and produce the right kind of results, living in a continual condition of fear. That beloved, would violate not only the good news of the gospel, but all of sacred Scripture. The fear Paul is speaking about is best translated as “reverence” or “respect” for our Redeemer.

So, what does it look like for the Christian to work out their salvation? It starts with a desire to live obediently before the face of God. The primary witness of our “work out” is to be found in our practice of obedience to the Lord. Notice I did not say the perfection of obedience, because that will not happen until we cross the Jordan and are received into glory. Along the way, we will live lives marked by obedience and disobedience because the old sinful nature is in a constant struggle with the new sinless nature. 

The secondary witness of our “work out” is found in the environment in which we are “working out” in. An attitude of reverence and respect for the Almighty is to be the environment in which we “work out” in, remembering that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In other words, we are to take seriously the call of Christ to live as obedient disciples. Even though we know we will “work out” our salvation imperfectly on this side of the grave, nonetheless, we desire to be obedient in all things. True disciples desire to live lives that are pleasing and acceptable to God. True disciples seek to use all of their time, talent, and treasure for the advancement of the kingdom of God. True disciples look to glorify God is all things.

So, what has the witness of your “work out” been saying to those around you? In what areas are you working well? In what areas do you need to put in a little extra effort. Remember, the same grace that saved you is the same grace that is sanctifying you . . . and it is all of grace. Yet, God has called each one of us to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling.” May this be the confession of our lives.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

“That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.” (Linus – Charlie Brown Christmas Special)

As a little boy growing up, A Charlie Brown Christmas was my favorite. When I was a boy, my mom and I would search through the TV Guide to see when it was on so we would not miss it. Today, we can just put in the DVD and watch it anytime we want – which is often during the Christmas Season. The part that caught my attention long before I was a Christian was when Linus responded to the question asked by Charlie Brown, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” Here is the response from Linus, right out of Sacred Scripture:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:8-14 KJV

And with that being said, Linus picks up his blanket and shuffles off-stage. Why? Because he said it all. That is what Christmas is all about – the Christ Child. Jesus is the Reason for the Season. This is the greatest Christmas present the world has ever been given. May we rejoice in having received this great Gift by grace through faith, and may we respond by sharing this great Gift with others because that’s what Christmas is all about.

Tomorrow is Christmas Day – may yours be filled with the presence and power of Christ.

He chose our inheritance for us. (Psalm 47:4)

Infinite wisdom has chosen for us His “Inspired Inheritance.” He who knows what is best knows what is best for us and when we come to this understanding, we come to that place where we can rest in our redemption.

Left to our own design, we would never choose the best destiny either in this life or in the next life because we are making those decisions from the place of a wisdom that is not only finite and fallible, but utterly fallen. Again, the old saying is as true as it always is timely, “Father knows best!” When God is at the helm of our lives, we can rest assured that He will steer us into His intended port of call. Now notice two biblical truths:

1. This does not mean God will not steer us into the storms of life. To be sure, our God has ordained storms to strengthen us for the ministry of service in which we have been called.
2. This does mean God will be with us in the storm. Like the disciples in the boat when the storm winds arose out on the sea, the Lord was with them asleep on a cushion, in complete control of everything that was going on. 

Every inheritance we receive from the hand of our Lord is as intentional as it is inspired. It is always delivered for two simple reasons: God’s glory and our good. Now I know by way of personal experience, that this is often difficult to see when we are in the middle of the storm. Some storms simply seem to pop up out of nowhere and wreak havoc in our lives. But this is simply not true. Nothing just pops up in the life of the disciple of Christ. Everything happens “on-purpose” because it is according to His purpose.

So, regardless of where this finds you today, let me ask you this question: “Who would you rather have choosing your inheritance, your Savior or yourself?” As for me and my house, we shall choose that Jesus makes the choice for us. Remember, if this finds you in a painful present place today, this did not happen by accident. God chose this for you and He is working it all out for your absolute good no matter how bad it is. We must remember to trust the heart of our God in all circumstances even when we cannot trace His hand. Have you received your “Inspired Inheritance” today?

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

“Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.” (Luke 15:9)

In the ancient world in Palestine, it was common for women to receive ten silver coins as a wedding present. These coins had both a monetary value and a sentimental value, kind of like a wedding ring would have today. To lose a single coin would be as distressing as it was upsetting. So the woman who lost the coin would search everywhere until she found it. And just as the woman would rejoice and celebrate with her friends, so too, the angles in heaven rejoice and celebrate when one lost sinner is repents and turns to God.

Here are a few things to take from this story that will both comfort and challenge you as a “Christian Coin” –

• We were lost because of our sin
• We had no interest in being found
• We were the object of a search by the One who wanted us
• We were found by the One who searched for us
• We were celebrated by the One who found us

Remember this important point in the story: even though the woman still had nine coins in her possession, she went after that one lost coin and would not stop until she found it. God loves us so much and desires deeply to be in a right relationship with us, regardless of how many other coins He has, He still goes after that one lost coin and will not stop until that coin has been found. Why? Because that single lost coin has true value and the same is true for every lost sinner in the eyes of our Lord.

Oh, one final point. There was a cost for the woman in finding her lost coin. “Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it.” First, to light a lamp would be costly simply because of the oil expended. Next, she does not just glance here and there, but uses a broom to sweep the whole house, searching diligently and carefully until the coin is found. Remember, Jesus was making this point to the self-righteousness religious leaders who cared not for others. Certainly, they had no concern for “sinners.” But Jesus came to seek and to save lost sinners and He paid the ultimate cost to have them – His precious blood shed on a cross. 

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!