Author Archives: Pastor Tommy

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you.” (Acts 18:9)

How is your vision? Is it 20/20 like the apostle Paul’s? It will be if you keep your eyes fixed on the Author and Perfecter of your faith, who has promised never to leave you or forsake you . . . no matter what.

Here is what Paul knew: As long as the Lord had work for him to do, nothing could stand in his way, because God was with him. To be sure, the religious leaders stood in rigid opposition to their once beloved brother in the Jewish faith, whom they now despised because he was a Christian and an apostle of Christ. No matter what those who hated Paul wanted to do to him, they were helpless against Omnipotence. No weapon formed could come up against the great apostle, because he was in the center of God’s will for his life, and he knew that he still had more work to do to expand the cause of God’s kingdom.

This is true for each one of us. Because you are reading this right now, God still has work for you to do. The key is to make sure that you are doing His work and not your own. No one could harm Paul until he had completed his earthly assignment, and no one can harm you either . . . until you have completed the work that God has given you to do on this earth.

So what is holding you back from doing all God has called you to do? Remember what God said to Paul: “Do not be afraid.” Here is what I have learned during my years as a pastor: The devil and his minions are no match for the saints of God—not because of our strength, but because of His strength. The devil himself flees at a word from our Lord; the evil one cannot do anything without God’s permission.

Remember, until you take your last breath, God is not finished with you. He has work for you to do, and He will give you everything you need to do all He is calling you to do. Do not be afraid. Keep on speaking! Do not be silent. Why? Because your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is with you every step of the way. And when you have not the strength to take another step, do not be discouraged. He will carry you forward across the finish line.

Keep looking to Jesus and your vision will always be 20/20.

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

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

If you’ve read the book or seen the movie Lone Survivor, you know the story of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who died in what is often called the Battle of Murphy’s Ridge. Murphy’s four-man SEAL team was surrounded by a much larger force of Taliban guerillas in the mountains of Afghanistan. One of the SEALs, Danny Dietz, had already been killed, and the three surviving members of the team had all been wounded by enemy gunfire.

The treacherous, rocky terrain prevented the SEALs from making radio contact with their base, so 29-year-old Michael Murphy, affectionately called “Mikey” by his men, moved out into the open to call in a rescue mission for his two teammates. Murphy knew full well that to do so was to expose himself to a furious storm of enemy fire; indeed, he was shot through the chest as he gave his position to headquarters, the impact of the bullets jolting the satellite phone out of his hand. Michael Murphy calmly retrieved the phone, thanked the person he had been speaking to, then picked up his rifle and returned fire at the advancing Taliban forces. Moments later, Michael Murphy was dead. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the first member of the Navy to receive that award since the Vietnam War.

Despite the woeful misrepresentation of American history that takes place in far too many of our schools today, most Americans can name at least a few of the major military actions that turned the course of history: Washington crossing the Delaware, The Battle of Gettysburg, D-Day, Desert Storm, and the like. But most of us never hear about the innumerable small-unit actions that take place during any engagement, where valiant men like Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who loved their friends more than life itself, gave the last full measure of their devotion so that others might live.

I hope you’ll pause to remember such men this Memorial Day . . . perhaps you’ll take the time to read about their lives and deaths and give prayerful thanks that God sees fit to raise up such remarkable, selfless men and women to protect our freedom.

And as you ponder this “no greater love,” I hope you’ll consider the actions of one other man, who was only a few years older than Michael Murphy, a man who willingly faced a fury infinitely greater than anything the Taliban could ever unleash. Jesus Christ endured the wrath of God, crying out in unimaginable anguish, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” He didn’t have to do that . . . He never had to leave the comfort and glory of His throne room in heaven, much less allow Himself to be nailed to a cross . . . but He did. And He did it because He loves you that much! He died so that you and I might have life everlasting in His name.

We shake our heads in awe and admiration at the heroism of men like Michael Murphy, and well we should. But think of this: Murphy was loved and respected by his men, just as he loved and respected them. When Jesus Christ died for us, we were His enemies! (Romans 5:10). We had no love or respect for Jesus Christ, for “the sinful mind is hostile to God” (Romans 8:7). And yet the perfect, sinless Lamb of God laid down His life for wretched sinners like you and me.

This Memorial Day, as you recall the gallant acts of brave American heroes, I hope you’ll take a few moments to consider this too:

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8)

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

A sword will pierce your own soul too. (Luke 2:35)

Not long after the birth of Christ, Joseph and Mary took the baby Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord according to the Law of Moses. There they encountered a righteous man named Simeon, who had been waiting for “the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25), for the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he saw the Savior of the world. When Simeon saw the Christ child, he took Him in his arms and praised God in a song that spoke of this promised child. And then he said to Mary, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thought of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:34).

What Simeon said to Mary can also be said to all the saints of God throughout all ages. For all those who love and follow Jesus, a sword will pierce your soul, just as it did Mary’s. Jesus Himself made it clear that there will be great pain for those who chose to follow the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Perhaps there is no greater pain than that which comes from denying self. By nature, self sits upon the throne of life and has no intention of stepping down on its own accord. Even after Jesus shows up, the saints of God must still battle against self-rule, because sin still remains in our lives, even though it no longer reigns over us.

Moment by moment, we are faced with the decision either to live for self or die to self. When we elect to die to self, we choose the sword of suffering, but that sword is wielded by the Holy Spirit. God uses that divine sword to bring us to the end of ourselves. As John the Baptist said, “I must decrease, and He must increase.” In order for the self to decrease, God must do His work deep in our hearts, moving us away from self-centeredness to Savior-centeredness. And this is a painful, lifelong process for the Christian that will not be completed until we get to the other side of the grave. But submitting to this sword of sanctification is the only place where true life will be found.

To be sure, we seek life in the self by pursuing our goals, our desires, and our plans, but there is no real life to be found there. Only when we seek first His kingdom and pursue His goals, His desires, and His plans will His sword slice away the sinful desires of self and fill us with the sweet Spirit of God.

Remember, the battle is fierce because the enemy is focused on tripping you up at every turn. The devil wants you to seek the path of least resistance and live for self, deferring the inevitable pain that will come in the end. But Jesus wants you to seek the path of pain by following Him wherever He leads, because only in Him will you find the life you truly desire.

Yes, a sword will pierce your heart, but the ultimate result is not a painful death, but rather life and growth in the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

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

From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind. (Psalm 33:13)

What a gracious light we view our Lord in when we read how He looks down and sees us! Our God is not some distant Deity who does not care for His creatures. The One who created us is also the One who watches over us and meets all our needs, and that truth should comfort our hearts and bless our souls.

Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus! He numbers the hairs on our heads and promises never to leave us or forsake us. He meets us in our deepest place of need—not just as it relates to eternal life, but everyday life also. Jesus is not only preparing a place for us in heaven, He is also walking beside us every step of the way. When we rejoice, He rejoices with us. When we grieve, He identifies with our grief so closely that Scripture speaks of a special bottle in which He has collected every tear. Now, if that doesn’t light the fire of your faith . . . your wood is wet!

God is for you. God is with you. God is in you. God has you in His heart and on His mind 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Regardless of where you go, God goes with you to guide, govern, and direct your steps. David wrote –

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast. (Psalm 139:8-10)

God is as concerned for your daily bread as He is your divine destiny. He has promised to meet all of your needs in the glorious riches of His beloved Son. Now, don’t mistake wants for needs. We all want stuff we absolutely don’t need. God never promised to meet all of our wants, because much of what we want is not what God wants for us, nor is it what is best for us. I am sure you can look back over your life and recall something you deeply desired that God did not deliver to you . . . and you are deeply thankful today that He did not! I know I certainly can.

Regardless of where this message finds you today, whether you are standing in the sunshine at the summit or languishing in the shadow of the valley below, you are not alone. The One who came down off of His throne, took on human flesh, died on a wooden cross, and rose from the grave has promised to be with you always. No matter where you go, there He is. Jesus knows your hopes, hears your cries, and sees your struggles. When heaven seems like an infinite distance away from where you currently are, remember that nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. As God looks down upon you from heaven, He is always looking through the eyes of love. Now, that is a cosmic concern that should bring abiding comfort to your heart!

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

One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. (Joshua 23:10)

The Lord delights in giving victory to His people and He delights in making sure everyone knows who is responsible for that victory. When one of God’s saints routs a thousand opponents, who can argue as to the reason for the victory?

Recall the way our Lord dramatically culled the fighting force that Gideon was going to lead against the Midianite army. Gideon started with 32,000 men, but the Lord God selected just 300 of them to fight against 135,000. Why did God reduce Gideon’s army to one man for every 450 Midianites? So that God—not Gideon or his army—would get the glory.

The Master’s math offers us a truly magnificent message of encouragement today. Think about anything that has come up against you today. Do the odds against you seem overwhelming? Does the obstacle that stands in your way seem too much to overcome? Let not your heart be troubled, “because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised.” Gideon and his small band of 300 did not fight against the massive Midianite army in their own strength. They did not even carry weapons of war when then went into battle! All they had were trumpets, empty jars, and torches; God fought for them and they won the day.

Therein lies the secret to success, regardless of what you are facing today. If you attempt to conquer your “Goliath” in your own strength, you will not prevail. God does not allow His people to gain the victory apart from His strength and His strategy. For the Lord Almighty has said, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6). We must always remember that the Lord’s ways are not our ways, and what may seem like foolishness to us is actually faithfulness to God. In God’s economy, one person in ministry is always the majority, because God is leading the way.

God called Abraham to found a nation. God called Moses to lead the people of God out of bondage. God called Esther at precisely the right time to singlehandedly save God’s people. God called Peter to preach at Pentecost. The question that I want to ask you is this:

What has God called you to do for His glory?

Remember, the only way that the shepherd boy David could have victory against the giant Goliath was because he looked away from his own strength and depended completely on God’s power. As David wrote in one of his magnificent psalms of praise –

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)

Regardless of where this message finds you today, remember that the Master’s math always adds up for your good and for the glory of God.

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

I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. (Psalm 81:10)

Having delivered His people from more than four hundred years of bondage in Egypt, God was just getting started blessing His people. The people of God had witnessed miracle upon miracle from His hand; then, when they were trapped between the Red Sea and the pursuing armies of Egypt, God parted the waters and the people crossed over on dry ground. When the waters came back together, the entire Egyptian army was plunged into a godless grave.

To begin to plumb the depths of today’s word of encouragement, go back and read the verse again. Notice how God reminds His people what He has already done for them. He set His people free from slavery in Egypt and called them to Himself, and He did it all by Himself, entirely apart from anything they had done or could do for Him. And as if that wasn’t enough of a blessing, God says, “Open wide, and I will fill you to the overflowing”—mercies multiplied and blessings beyond compare!

Can you picture a nest full of cheeping baby birds with their mouths wide open in anticipation of the mother bird returning to feed them? How much more will our Father in heaven fill His children if we would but open our mouths? Because of what God in Christ has done for us, we have been given the privilege to boldly come to the throne of grace and make our requests known to the Sovereign Lord of all the universe. We are not to come fearfully. We are not to come hesitantly. We are not to come slowly. We are to come boldly, with our mouths open wide, a song in our hearts, and supplication on our lips. We are to come as the psalmist did: “I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands” (Psalm 119:131).

Remember, God had already given the people of Israel the unimaginable blessing of freedom from bondage in Egypt. Today He instructs His people to “open wide” because more blessings are on the way. When you come to God in prayer, do you come expectantly? Has He not proven Himself a thousand times over in your life? The only way to come to God is with an attitude of wide-open anticipation, because such a posture tells Him and shouts to the world that we know our God is able to do immeasurably more for us than all we could ever ask or imagine.

Now, it’s true that God can do anything, and He can fill even the mouth that is closed. But He prefers when we come to Him with expectant hearts and our mouths wide open, seeking to slake the deep thirst of the soul for His presence. May this be the confession of our lives!

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

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:8)

Here is a biblical principle we all have a tendency to forget, especially when we are in seasons of scarcity: a little with the Lord is a lot! In all four gospel accounts, the Lord preserved a story that offers us great comfort and encouragement. In our passage today, Andrew brought a boy who had only five loaves and two fish, yet when he gave them over to the Lord, his seemingly insignificant offering was transformed into the story of the miraculous “Feeding of the 5,000”—which, in actuality, was probably a crowd of as many as 15,000 to 20,000 people.

We live in a world that insists that the more you have, the more valuable and important you are. But the Bible tells us that God looks not at the outward appearance of man, but rather at the heart. God does not measure our value, worth, and importance based on what we have acquired; rather, we are valuable, worthy, and important simply because of what He has given us: the incomparable inheritance of being made in His image. As image-bearers of God, we are set apart from and high above all of creation. And because we are made in the image of God, we are never to measure our self-worth by our net worth.

Regardless of what you have or don’t have, you are of infinite worth to God . . . so much so that God the Father sent God the Son to die in your place to pay the penalty for your sin. Why? So that He could have an intimate, personal, loving relationship with you for all eternity. Remember, God did not need any of us. No, God wanted us, and to see this any other way is to miss one of the most important messages in all of Scripture. Keep in mind that God was in perfect, eternal relationship with Himself—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He had no need for anything, especially us. What God did have was an eternal want to create a people He could love and who would love Him back.

Do you know one of the best ways to demonstrate your love for Jesus? Offer all that you are and all that you have in faithful service to Him. Sadly, there are a great many people who say, “I don’t have much to offer up to God.” That simply is not true! You have you, and you are all God wants. God wants you to live for Him, lean on Him, and learn from Him. He wants what’s in your heart, not what’s in your hand. And when He has captured your heart, you will release all that you hold in your hand, and He will use it for His glory and the good of others.

What are your loaves and fishes? What little do you have that, when you release it to your Lord, will become a lot? God wants to use you right now, right where you are. He wants to use the personality, life experiences, gifts, talents, and abilities He has given you. When you surrender those to the Lord, you can count on this: God will bless it and supply a supernatural increase.

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

Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. (1 Samuel 18:3)

You and I can glean a great deal from the friendship that existed between David and Jonathan. Jonathan was the son of King Saul; David was the king’s servant. When David went out to battle and returned victorious, the people would shout, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). Saul became insanely jealous of David, and even tried to kill him several times. But Jonathan never wavered. He was a true friend to David, even when it hurt his own relationship with his father. True friendship is costly and demands sacrifice, a sacrifice which Jonathan willingly made for David.

So what does a true friend like Jonathan look like lived out in the life of another? It is someone who, when you need it most . . .

• Listens without lecturing
• Comforts without condemning

Jonathan loved David as himself and refused to follow his father into his sinful murderous plots against David. Jonathan was more concerned for David’s well-being than his own. One day King Saul actually tried to kill Johnathan—his own son! Remarkably, Jonathan defended David to his father even when David was not around, which is truly rare today. Jonathan rejoiced when David rejoiced and grieved when David grieved.

Here are two questions to answer:

1. Do you have a friend like Jonathan in your life today?
2. Are you a friend like Jonathan to someone else?

To be sure, Jonathans are a very special gift from God, and they are to be valued above the riches of this world. If you have a Jonathan-like friend in your life, pause to reach out and tell them what they mean to you. We all need a Jonathan and we all need to be Jonathan to others. Remember, as the old saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed.

Who right now needs you?

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

Dear Brock,

Tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. the Boland family will be sitting in the Spec Martin Memorial Stadium for Stetson University’s 133^rd Annual Commencement Exercise, watching as you walk across the stage to receive your degree in Music Education. It really does seem like only yesterday when we dropped you off at the campus to start your freshman year . . . and here we are, four years later, preparing for your graduation.

Leaving you at Stetson that first day was a mixture of joy and sadness; no matter how much a parent prepares for that day, emotions run high. Mom was staying for the parents’ weekend and Tank and I were heading back to get ready for weekend services at the Cross. As we started to walk away and the tears began to flow, you stopped me one last time and said something that I will forever hold in my heart: “Thank you, Dad!” We both knew what you were saying, and I thanked God for 18 years of countless mercies He displayed every time I messed it up.

You were our firstborn, and there were so many times I blew it as your dad while you were growing up. I was hardest on you, not just at home, but as your coach in so many sports, including karate. I think back on how many times I hurt your heart growing up, and it still breaks my heart today. I was demanding a level of obedience from you that I could not give to God myself! Often I disciplined you—not in love, but in anger—which is the antithesis of what God does for us. Yet through it all, as Romans 5:20 says, where my sin increased, His grace increased all the more. God was so gracious to protect your precious heart and to begin changing and growing me into the father He was calling me to be for you, Jenna, Katie, and Tank.

To say that Mom and I are proud of you would be an understatement of gargantuan proportions. You are the first of our four children to graduate from college. Our God has truly met your every need in Christ Jesus these past four years, and to see how He has grown your gifting and love for music brings a joy to us that is indescribable. I don’t believe we missed any of your performances, whether singing in the choir or performing in the opera . . . and I even got to watch an intramural championship flag football game!

In addition to your music education, God has given you an incredible girlfriend in Meg. We sat in the same stadium last year and watched her walk across the stage and receive her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. We can see the powerful and positive influence God has caused Meg to have in your life, both in and out of music education and performing. We have also seen the incredible impact you have had in her life and believe God has brought you both together for something truly special and God-glorifying.

And, as if it could not get any better, you are convinced that God is calling you back to Cross Community Church to put your gifts into full-time service as our Director of Music and Media. My son, as I write this my emotions are beginning to get the best of me, making it hard for me to find the right words to truly express my heart. So it is best that I let God’s Word speak for me in a way that I trust will express the depth of my love for you and my gratitude to God.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 4)

I love you, Brock!

Dad

They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. (John 17:16)

There are two common errors when it comes to understanding the role of the church in the world today. One error is to be believe that Christians should be so insulated from the unbelieving world that we make no impact for the glory of our King. The other error is to become so saturated in the unbelieving world that we make no impact for the glory of our King.

The key to avoiding both these errors is to understand that we are in the world, but not of the world, and we are called to make a difference in this world by being different from this world. We are to make contact and deep connection with unbelievers in the world around us, but we are in no way to copy the behavior and customs of this world. Read on and be encouraged!

In order to encourage sinners (that is, people just like us) to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, we must make contact with them and connect with them the deep truths of the Gospel, but we are never to embrace the sinner’s sin in order to fulfill our mission in this world. As Peter said, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Peter 2:12).

To be sure, there is great tension produced by living in a world that is hostile to God, but we have been given the power of the Holy Spirit to live in such a way that our good deeds do indeed glorify God. Make no mistake, when we live this way, some will accuse, but some will also advance in the direction of the Almighty. We make God attractive to the watching world when we live in a way that is pleasing to Him . . . when we become “the aroma of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15) to the people around us.

Here is perhaps the best way of looking at being in the world but not of the world: Our physical location right now is in this world, a world that for the most part lives in defiant opposition to the biblical worldview. The unbelieving world does not not acknowledge God as God or thank Him for the many blessings we receive from His hand. The vast majority of unbelievers have a man-centered worldview which is of this world, and we are not to follow it in any way. We must guard against allowing any man-centered thinking to seep in and saturate our biblical worldview through the movies and shows we watch and the music we listen to. As disciples of Christ, we are to put the biblical worldview on display for the world around us with both our lips and our lives; when we do, we can be assured that God will supply the increase.

Remember, make contact with everyone you can and work to establish some kind of friendship connection, but make sure you don’t copy them! You will be an eternal difference-maker by being different . . . because of the One you love and serve: the Lord Jesus Christ.

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