Author Archives: Pastor Tommy

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.   (1 Timothy 3:16-17)

The great 19^th century evangelist preacher D. L. Moody once said, “The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.” Clearly Moody is echoing what the apostle Paul wrote to his spiritual son in the faith.

The Bible is the Word of God, designed to change us from the inside out. This of course, is all a work of God’s grace. But it demands our participation. We are called to “renew our minds” (Romans 12:2), by reading, re-reading, and re-reading again the Word of God. The more we meditate on and marinate in the Word of God, the more God changes us and conforms us into the image and likeness of His beloved Son Jesus. Now make no mistake, we are to have our own daily quiet time in the Word. But it is not to stop there. We are also to have our time in the Word with our family of faith.

Since we are saved individually, but saved to community, it is vital that we engage in community study of the Word of God. Because we were made for community, community group studies allow for encouragement and accountability. When you know others are looking forward to seeing you and hearing from you about what you learned in your time of study, you are far more motivated to do the work and show up to share. I like to call this, “Wielding the Word!” The more you wield it in view of sharing it with others, the greater will be your transformation.

Remember, the Word of God is far more than facts, figures, and stories of the heroes of the faith. It is God’s Self-Revelation. It is God’s Love letter to you to transform you into the person He is calling you to be to live the life He is calling you to live. So, how is God’s Word transforming your heart and your mind? 

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

“By myself I can do nothing.” (John 5:30)

If ever there was a life that could have been lived independently of the Father in heaven, it was the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. As the second person of the Trinity, Jesus had all the power of the Godhead contained within Him. But instead of using His power independently of the Father, Jesus made the decision of dependence – and this is the pattern you and I must choose for our lives too. Read on and be encouraged today!

When we read the words, “By myself I can do nothing,” it might be easy to picture someone who is utterly helpless — even hopeless. But nothing could be further from the truth when we are talking about the One who uttered those words in the Gospel of John. The omnipotent Son of the Most High God made the decision not to live in the prerogative of His power, but rather in the power of the Holy Spirit; He submitted to the will of His Father in heaven. Jesus made the decision of dependence; His message and His ministry were performed in utter dependence on the will of the Father. In the same sense that our Lord Jesus lived a life of dependence, we are to do the same. We must keep these words of Jesus ever in mind: “I am the vine; you are the branches. . . . Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

By nature, we all want to live in our own strength and for our own glory. This is exactly what happened to Adam and Eve when they bought into the lie of Satan in the Garden of Eden. They chose the way of independence, and the result of their willful rebellion against God was the utter collapse of all of creation. They actually got what they sought: a life of independence apart from God; they were evicted from the Garden and lived east of Eden. Now their lives were marked by confusion and chaos, fear and frustration, disillusionment and death. Is this not the experience of all of us when we choose the way of independence?

How have you chosen to live these days? Have you chosen the way of independence or the way of dependence? To be a disciple of Jesus is to be dependent on Jesus, and to be dependent on Jesus is to live a life of both faithfulness and fruitfulness. When Jesus called on His disciples to “Follow me,” He was calling them to follow — at the deepest level — His pattern of dependence on the Father in heaven. You and I have received the same calling 2,000 years later. But remember, dependence is always a choice . . . a choice that is always yours to make.

What choice will you make today?

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

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Perhaps you have heard the tenth chapter of the book of Hebrews referred to as “the Let Us chapter.” That’s because you will find in the space of four verses (22-25) that the powerful phrase “Let us” appears five times. Now, all that “Let-us” is a supernatural salad that is designed to both challenge and comfort you, right where this message finds you today.

The first thing we Christians must remember is the fact that inasmuch as we are saved individually, we are saved to community. The Bible knows nothing of the solitary saint. When God in Christ saved us, He placed a new obligation on us: the obligation we have to the family of faith. The word “us” in “Let us” makes it clear that there must be a mutual responsibility in the body of Christ . . . each for the other.

Perhaps the best way to flesh this out is to look at the “one another” passages of Scripture. Here are just a few:

• Care for one another – Galatians 6:2
• Accept one another – Romans 15:5
• Serve one another – Galatians 5:13
• Confess to one another – James 5:15
• Submit to one another – Ephesians 5:21
• Comfort one another – 1 Thessalonians 4:18
• Carry one another’s burdens – Galatians 6:2
• Love one another – John 13:35

So . . . how well have you been feasting on the supernatural salad Jesus has set before you? Never forget that Jesus died to make us part of His family of faith. He wants us to live as a community of believers who put the Gospel on display in such a way that the unbelieving world begins to ask why we are so different. The answer, of course, is the grace of God that saved us is also in the process of sanctifying us. Without the grace of God, we would still be just as sinful and self-centered as we were before we were saved. Even after salvation, we must appropriate the grace of God in order to live out all the “let us” commands in the tenth chapter of the book of Hebrews.

Remember, living in community is not only God’s desire for every Christian, it is the clear and present sign of maturity — of growing in our faith. As we grow in our relationship with Jesus vertically, we are also to be growing in our relationships with others horizontally.

In the creation account, everything was good except one thing: It was not good for the man Adam to be alone (Genesis 2:18), so God created Eve to form the first human community in the world. And you are part of the most important community in the world today: the church. But in order for the church to be the church, we must do our part and commit to community – each for the other.

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

Elijah said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me to.” (1 Kings 19:10)

God had just used the prophet Elijah to defend His glory by defeating 450 prophets of Baal. But shortly after one of the greatest victories in all the Bible, Elijah had come to the end of his proverbial rope because the pagan queen Jezebel sent word that she had sworn to kill him. Elijah experienced a false sense of failure and wanted his life to simply end and make the pain go away. Scripture tells us, “He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die” (1 Kings 19:4). But God would have none of it; Elijah needed physical refreshment and spiritual restoration, and God met Elijah in his place of deep need and miraculously provided for both. As he slept under the broom tree, the angel of the Lord appeared — not once, but twice — saying, “Arise and eat!”  The Lord recommissioned Elijah for further ministry.

From the mountaintop to the deep valley below, we all experience what the prophet Elijah experienced from time to time: It’s called burnout. Now, I know some Christians are not willing to admit that they are struggling with burnout because they have been taught to “Keep a stiff upper lip” and “Never let anyone see you sweat.” Such platitudes are as sad as they are silly. Because we have not yet been perfected — and we won’t be until we are received into glory — we will all go through “Broom Tree Experiences” from time to time, when we feel . . .

Exhausted

Depressed

Alone

Ready To Give Up

We’ve all been there; we have given our all in the service of God, and our “all” just didn’t seem like enough. We felt drained, depressed, and despairing. Then God shows up. And He keeps right on showing up every time we go through these seasons of struggle. When you find yourself under the broom tree for whatever reason, remember the Lord is with you, He is for you, and He is in you. And the words He spoke to Elijah, He is speaking to you and me today: “Arise and eat!” 

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)

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

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. (Psalm 90:1)

Regardless of where we live — whether in a mansion on a mountain or a tent in the wilderness — our God is our dwelling place. This biblical concept of God as our dwelling place expresses the dependability, reliability, stability, and immovability we have when we are resting in the Creator of the universe.

Nobody understood this better than Moses, who was called by God to deliver His people out of bondage in Egypt. Our passage of Scripture for today comes from the only psalm attributed to Moses, who knew very well what it meant to have God as his dwelling place. You’ll recall that the people of Israel wandered in the desert for forty years with no permanent place to live, and yet their God never left them; in 40 years their clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on their feet (Deuteronomy 29:5).

Check out how other psalmists expressed this truth:

You hide them in the secret place of Your presence (Psalm 31:20)

You are my hiding place (Psalm 32:7)

God is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1)

You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance (Psalm 71:3)

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!” (Psalm 91:2)

Here is something else to consider about God being your divine dwelling place. You have unbroken fellowship and friendship with Him. When Jesus died on the cross for your sins, it was because He wanted to be in an intimate and loving relationship with you. The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus came to “tabernacle” with us — to encamp with us and dwell with us (John 1:14). When you experience those times in your life when God seems distant, remember that it is you who has moved, not Him. Jesus has promised that He will never leave nor forsake you, no matter what you do. The life, death, and resurrection of our Lord has given all of His followers moment-by-moment access to Him so that we can enjoy the fullness of joy in His presence.

Let’s close with one of the most encouraging verses in all of sacred Scripture, one that should be engraved on your heart and emblazoned in your mind:

Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Revelation 21:3).

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

God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his.” (2 Timothy 2:19)

Oh, the comfort from this inspired inscription from the pen of the apostle Paul! Our Lord Jesus Christ knows all those who, by grace through faith, are trusting in Christ alone for their salvation. Jesus knows you intimately . . . He knows you savingly . . . He knows you lovingly . . . He knows you eternally!

God’s solid foundation is built upon none other than the chief Cornerstone, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. And what is built upon the foundation of the Rock of Ages stands firm forever and ever. Sin cannot shake this foundation. Satan cannot shake this foundation. Death cannot shake this foundation. He who became flesh and dwelt among us, He who took the punishment for our sins in His own body nailed to a tree, He who walked out of the grave on the third day . . . He knows all those who are His, for He is their God and they are His people.

Now, if this is your truth today, is it not a source of great encouragement, regardless of where this message finds you? Perhaps you are in the middle of one of life’s inevitable storms; rejoice in the truth that Jesus knows you and is your solid foundation. Perhaps you are facing a very difficult decision; rest in the truth that Jesus knows you and is your solid foundation. Maybe you are just discouraged and you feel like you are facing it all alone; respond in the truth that Jesus knows you and is your solid foundation.

A final word about being sealed with this divine inscription. In the ancient world, the seal was a distinguishing mark that signified several things, including approval, authenticity, and authority. Within the context of this passage, we are to understand the “seal” as the marking of ownership; with ownership comes provision and protection. Think about it this way: Because the Lord knows you as His, you can be certain of His continued provision and protection, no matter what you are facing. Let that truth set you free today to do all God is calling you to do and to be all God is calling you to be.

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

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 ESV)

It’s not uncommon for members of our congregation to tell me about their prayers being answered. What they mean is the “thing” they have been praying for has come to pass, and thus they say, “God has answered my prayers!” Here’s what we all need to remember: God answers ALL prayers. I pray you will find cosmic comfort in what follows.

All prayers are answered instantly by God with one of three responses: “Yes” … “No” … or “Wait.” Now, we all recognize God’s “Yes” responses, but what about the other two? You may remember the apostle Paul’s prayer about a thorn that was tormenting him. Paul prayed — not once, but three times — that God would take this thorn away from him, and three times God said “No.”

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)

Was Paul’s prayer answered? Of course it was . . . but not in the way he wanted it to be. God said “‘No” because He had something much better in store for Paul, which was a sufficient amount of grace to help Paul mature and grow with the thorn, not without it.

I will confess to you that “Wait” has often been more difficult for me to deal with than “No.” I don’t do well in waiting rooms! But God, in His perfect providence, is working in our lives, conforming us to the image of His beloved Son so that we can live out His command to “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). Because our God is so loving and gracious, waiting is His way of growing our joy in hopefulness, growing our patience in our pain, and growing our faithfulness in our prayers.   

So regardless of where this message finds you today, let these words bring you cosmic comfort. You can be sure that God is at work in your life, no matter which answer He has given you to any particular prayer. As you look back over your life, I am sure you can recall some prayers you fervently wanted God to answer with a “Yes,” and today you are deeply grateful that He said “No.” And as for those prayers that God finally did answer with “Yes,” but were preceded by “Wait” for a time — perhaps even a very long time — can you not see how God had to make you ready to receive the answer you were looking for?

The key to living out the truth of our verse for today is to simply trust the infinite wisdom of our God in answering our prayers, even when we cannot trace His hand with our finite understanding. God truly knows what is best, and He will always deliver it to us for His glory and our ultimate good.

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

I will strengthen you and help you. (Isaiah 41:10)

The prophet Isaiah has set before us a wonderful guarantee that is designed to both comfort and challenge every child of God. Let’s take a look.

First, notice Who has given us this guarantee of strengthening: It is none other than God Himself! Omnipotence has promised strength, and who is so foolish to doubt such a guarantee? Herein lies an endless stream of strength that is not diminished in any way when He gives us a portion of it. 

Next, notice that we are not told in which season we will be strengthened. So we must take this promise to mean all of them! God has promised to strengthen us in our seasons of successful service, and He has promised to strengthen us in our seasons of sorrowful service. Regardless of the season we find ourselves in — clear and sunny, gray and gloomy, or stormy and threatening — we have this guarantee from the Lord God Omnipotent: I will strengthen you!

To be sure, this guarantee from God should be a source of unimaginable comfort, but it does not stop there! It goes on to challenge us to rise above any obstacle that stands in our way, because our strength does not come from within, but from above. Human weakness is no impediment for divine strength. In fact, Scripture tells us that when we are weak, our God is strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). Regardless of what we are currently facing, God has promised to strengthen us.  

• The fearful are given courage.
• The doubting are given conviction.
• The lonely are given company.
• The weak are given confidence.
• The broken are given compassion.

These are just a few of the seasons we face throughout life; through them all, God has promised to give us the strength we need to see them all through. So let me ask you a very important question right now: What strength are you in short supply of today? Fear not! Go to your Savior and say to Him . . .

“Strengthen me supernaturally according to your Word!“

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

Trust . . . Delight . . . Commit . . . Be Still . . . (Psalm 37:3, 4, 5, 7)

The psalmist gives us a word of inspired instruction as we launch out into 2025 that can encourage, empower, and equip us to rise above our natural tendency to fret.

There are many ways to define the verb to fret: to worry; to eat away at; to gnaw at. Fretting is something that plagues every one of us from time to time, and the results can be devastating in the life of a believer — emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Fretting can start as an infection and wind up a disease if we do not heed the inspired instruction the psalmist has set before us today.

The first instruction is to trust. To trust is to place your problem in the hands of your Savior. Simply give it all over to your Lord. A good place to start is with prayer, which leads to casting your cares upon the Lord because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

The second instruction is to delight. To delight is to enjoy the Lord — not for what He has done for you, but simply because He is God. True delight comes from focusing on the Giver of all good gifts, not the gifts themselves.

The third instruction is to commit. To commit to the Lord is to be “all in” with every aspect of your life. Do not withhold anything from Him, but surrender every area of your life to His wisdom, His will, and His way.

Finally, the fourth instruction is to be still. To be still is to center your heart on home and remember Who is in charge of everything. God is on the throne of your life every moment of every day, “for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). He is in complete control of the entire universe, and that includes whatever it is you are going through.

Many have been blessed over the years by following these inspired instructions. What about you? Are you ready to forsake fretting in 2025? Regardless of what you are facing, are you ready to trust, delight, commit, and be still? Know that He is not just God, He is your God, and He has promised to bring you safely through any storm you are currently facing or will face in the future.

Happy New Year! Happy New You!!

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 Friday we took a moment for a “backward glance” to ponder the wonders God had done throughout 2025. Today we will pause to consider our “forward march” as we prepare to launch out into 2025.

Over the course of the next few days, a common greeting from people you encounter will be, “Happy New Year!” Yet if that was all we had as Christian believers setting out into a new year, it would be a scant portion indeed. As Christians, we have much more than a “hopeful greeting” given to us by the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. In our verse for today, we have the promise given to Joshua — and to us — by God: I will be with you wherever you go.

You may remember that Joshua was preparing to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land after Moses had completed his ministry of service to the Lord. Joshua knew quite well the challenges he would inevitably face in leading God’s people. He had learned from serving with Moses just how difficult the task would be. But he also knew that, just like Moses, he would not be alone in the work God had called him to.

The very same thing is true for you and me as we begin our march forward into this new year. To be sure, the new year brings with it questions and concerns . . . doubts and fears . . . obstacles and opportunities. Will we get a less than positive report from the doctor? Will we be confronted by professional challenges? Will our marriage of many years march on for many more? Will we suffer the loss of a loved one? Will the world erupt into war? The list of uncertainties is almost endless. Yet we can hold on to something infinitely greater than a hopeful, “Happy New Year.” Why? Because we have the promise from God that wherever we go, He will go with us.

I want you to remember something in that lovely promise: 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 a matter of “luck” or “chance.” So don’t be discouraged! This promise is given to cause us set aside every fear and confidently march forward into God’s perfect plan and purpose for our lives.

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, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Forward, march! You have nothing to fear. Your Master marches by your side!

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