Being Drawn

Have you ever experienced an inner longing for Jesus Christ? Set aside all the stereotypes and all the bad things people say about him. In your heart of hearts; in that quiet time when it's just you-do you feel drawn to him? There's a reason for that:

John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.

God the Father wanted so much to be able to have a relationship with you and give you eternal life and joy and peace that he sent Jesus to you. Now he is wooing you to come to Jesus as the only way to have such a relationship with God. He is speaking softly into your heart telling you that what you lack he will supply.

I would encourage you to read the gospel of John chapters 6-10 to learn about this Jesus and just what he did. Jesus' voice may speak to you as well if you are listening.

John 10:27-30 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one." NIV

Pastor Tom

Who to Believe - Man or God

I had an interesting conversation with someone who saw one of our studies in Revelation on Google video. The bottom line of the conversation was that this person feels that we should only believe only what God says and not man. He was concerned that the Bible was merely man's invention.

I know this doesn't answer this person's concerns but I ran into this interesting verse in, yes, the Bible:

John 3:34 "For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives his Spirit without measure."

That person was Jesus Christ who came to earth and spoke God's word to us. You might not want to believe what Peter or Paul or Moses wrote - but how about Jesus?

Oh, one more thing. John 1:1 "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God ... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Now there's a person worth believing!

Pastor Tom

A Tale of Two Rich Men

In Luke 18 there is the account of Jesus and a rich young ruler. The guy had everything that we humans love: youth, position, and wealth. This man felt pretty confident in himself and his righteousness. But when Jesus told him that his riches were a problem and were actually an idol that kept him from God, the man went away sad.

Contrast that with Luke 19 and the story of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was also very rich and he was powerful. People loathed the tax collectors but also had to fear them as well. Zacchaeus was not just any tax collector, he was a chief tax collector. We know Zacchaeus was short - but he could have been handsome and short!

So in many ways these two guys are alike, but there is a huge difference: one got saved and the other didn't. Was it the riches or the position? No. I think it was the heart attitude. The rich young ruler was self justified. Zacchaeus was self aware. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." The problem is not all of us realize it.

As soon as Jesus came into his life he saw his shortcomings. If wealth was holding him back then he would get rid of wealth. If position kept him away from Jesus he would climb a tree in order to see him. Zacchaeus wanted to get close to Jesus no matter what it took. Are you?

Pastor Tom

Should We Always Go Along to Get Along?

Christians by and large are nice people. Jesus said for us to love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us. And didn't the angel announce "peace on earth goodwill towards men"?

So why on earth did he make this statement in Luke 12:

"Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division."

So what's going on? Jesus didn't come the first time to bring peace on earth, but peace between God and man. It marks a separation. No more is it just man against God. With Jesus there is a way back to God, but not all will choose that way. So now there are those who belong to Jesus and those who don't.

Jesus says later in chapter 13 "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

Not everyone will be happy with your choice to follow Jesus and enter through that narrow door. In fact, some will be mad at you, angry, even hurtful and vicious. They may even try to kill you. So what should you do in that case? Love them, for sure. Pray for them - yes. But don't back down from your choice of a new relationship with God even if it means a broken relationship here on earth.

In cases like that Jesus acknowledges there will be division, and that's okay. It's not okay to back away from Jesus just because someone doesn't like your choice. Who knows - sometimes the person who is the most angry about it is actually wrestling with the choice themselves.

Pastor Tom

Pressed Down Shaken Together

Many of you are probably familiar with this verse:

Luke 6:38 "...give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

I know that many times the verse is used to suggest that if you give materially to God He will give materially to you. After re-reading Luke 6, I'm not too sure if that's correct.

Take another look at the chapter, especially the beatitudes. Jesus is talking about being poor in spirit, and poor in judgment towards others. He is talking about being rich in God, rich in love, rich in forgiveness, rich in lending without expecting in return.

We should be generous, and God will be generous with us. But does it mean "stuff?" I think it more likely means more of God; more of His character, more of His Holy Spirit. For more on that read Luke 11 carefully, especially where it talks about the good gifts the Father gives.

If you measure out forgiveness to those who hurt you, forgiveness will be measured back. If you measure out love to those who hate you, love will be measured back to you - in spades.

It's just another way of looking at it. But in terms of God's character I think it fits.

Pastor Tom

The Eye of a Needle

You may have heard the story in Mark 10 where Jesus encounters a rich young man who wants to be justified. Jesus discusses righteousness and the Law with him, but the real thing that keeps the man from coming to salvation are his riches, his possessions.

Jesus told him to give up on that thing that is holding on to him, like an idol. The man was unwilling and went away sorrowful. Then Jesus says "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God ... It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

It is true that material possessions can often possess us and make us think that we have no need of a savior for our soul because our physical needs are taken care of. Wealth is like alcohol: it anesthetizes us to reality; we are care free when we should care very much about our eternal state.

But I thought of something else. It's not just material wealth, but wealth of any kind that makes it harder than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.

Jesus said "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." There are many things that can make us feel we are rich: philosophy, pleasure, physical prowess, position or power, intellect. Any of these without Jesus can be like idols, making us think like the rich young ruler than we have everything we need and reject anyone who tells us to leave behind that most important thing.

Jesus always seems to go right to the heart of what we serve. Jesus will not have second place because there really is no other place. We can't serve two masters. Why not serve the only real master; the only one that can bring true riches?

Pastor Tom

Did Jesus Want to go to the Cross?

It was Jesus' job to go to the cross, right? So does it follow that He wanted to do it? No. Take a look at Matthew 26:38 "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death..." Then later: :39 "He fell on His face and prayed saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

I don't think Jesus wanted to go to the cross in the sense that it was just something to do. Remember, Jesus was perfect. He had never sinned and didn't have a sin nature. His standing before the Father was pure and perfect. Sin had never touched Him in fact He healed sinners.

But on the cross the full force of the Father's wrath would be poured out on Him. He would suffer all the wrath that should have come our way. You could never endure just your wrath. But imagine enduring the wrath of God for every sin committed by every human throughout history. No wonder Jesus was sorrowful. No wonder He asked the Father that if there was any other way to save man other than the cross to do it.

There was no other way. No, Jesus didn't want to go to the cross but He did. Why? Because He loved you so much. It was love that drove Him there. It was love that kept Him there. It was love for you that allowed Him to give everything so you could have everything. He thought about you on that cross. He wanted to be with you for all of eternity so badly that it was worth it.

That's why the author of Hebrews could write: "who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." Isn't He wonderful?

Pastor Tom

Does the Law = Rules?

When I say the word "law" what immediately comes to mind? A book of rules that if you don't follow there are punishments? Probably. That's what I think too. I think that even about the Law contained in the Old Testament. You know, the 10 Commandments and all that.

But I want us to consider a little thing that Jesus said about the Law:

Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice mercy and faithfulness."

Now, putting aside the rebuke against the religious leaders for a moment, I thought it interesting that this is how Jesus summed up the law in just three words: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. To me, this doesn't speak of a book of rules but of a life of character. Justice speaks of a pure character, mercy speaks of a loving character, and faithfulness speaks of a person in love with God and wholly devoted to them.

The Law is really nothing more than a partial revelation of God's character. The more we become like God the more we become like what the Law says. How does that happen? Surely not from our own efforts, but from opening up our lives to God Himself who gave His Son to suffer the punishments we deserved (mercy) so that He could place His Holy Spirit inside us to change us into His character (justice) and will hold on to us no matter what and will never stop loving us (faithfulness).

Instead of looking at the Law as a book of rules, think about it as a character sketch of God.

Pastor Tom

Who Do You Think Jesus Is?

Matthew 16:13 "Who do people say that the son of man is?"

It's a fair question for all of us to ask. What are the voices around you saying about Jesus Christ? I hear that he was a good man, a teacher, a guru, a healer, an example. The disciples heard various theories that Jesus was a famous prophet or celebrity.

I think as we make up our minds what we think about Jesus we need to take those opinions into account because they affect our own perception. But I think it is equally important for us to take a serious look at what we think about him.

In verse 15 Jesus says "but who do you say that I am?" Jesus wasn't interested so much in what others thought about him, but what individuals thought. And it wasn't because he was looking for complements or an ego boost. In fact, what you think about Jesus is the single most important opinion you will ever form.

1 John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life , and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. ESV

Jesus himself said something similar:

John 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life , and I will raise him up on the last day." ESV

So how do you make up your mind about who you think Jesus is? Don't go by public opinion or what others tell you. Explore it for yourself. Look into his word, the Bible, and make up your own mind.

For those who already belong to Jesus: who is he to you? A big brother, a Lord, a distant and stern father, an insurance policy, an acquaintance? Time to think about it.

Pastor Tom

Judging

Matthew 7:1 "Judge not, that you not be judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged..."

Maybe I'm just dense or something, but whenever I read this I always thought it meant "Judge not, that God will not judge you."

When I thought about it, though, two things came to mind. First: God judged Jesus so that He didn't have to judge us. In fact, God does not judge us though we deserved it. Second: I realized that Jesus may have been talking more about how we interact with each other.

By "judge not" I do not mean that we simply turn a blind eye to any and every thing that anyone does that is contrary to the character of God. "Judge" in this case means to condemn. That's not our job.

But if we go around passing condemnation on others - first it's not right. We should be praying for them, not judging them. Until they die there is still a chance they will repent and turn to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

But I was just thinking that if our attitude towards people is condemning, won't their attitude towards us be the same? Sure, we need to encourage each other to let the Holy Spirit transform us into God's image. But Scripture tells us to gently lift someone out of sin. Isn't that how we want to be treated when we fail?

So just don't be too quick on the judgment trigger finger. You may find yourself on the receiving end from others. Instead be like Jesus who was condemned unjustly and responded by praying for the Father to forgive them, and then laying down His life for the very ones who judged Him.

Pastor Tom

Jesus Under Human Care

I was reading the first five chapters of Matthew today and was struck by something. I noticed that God left it up to humans to care for the very fragile existence of His Son Jesus. While in the womb he left it up to Joseph to decide to marry Mary. It was Joseph who took Jesus to Egypt after He was born to escape Herod's plot, and then Joseph moved his family to Nazareth to avoid Herod's son.

Why I think this is interesting is because of what God did not do. God could have just forced Joseph's mind to accept Mary. No, instead Joseph was left to ponder what to do. At first, in fact, he made the wrong decision to divorce her.

God could have killed Herod before he had a chance to carry out his plot against the children of Bethlehem. God could have wiped out the soldiers who came to murder Jesus. God could have simply surrounded the holy family with angels so that they would be bullet proof while Jesus was little and fragile. But He didn't.

What did God do? He sent His word, in the form of angels, dreams, and stars. His Word informed people who had a choice. They listened to what God's Word told them and obeyed Him. That very fragile life was cared for and sustained by people listening to God.

Your life might seem very fragile to you. You might have enemies all around you who want to hurt you physically or emotionally. My advise today: listen to God's Word and trust that He will guide you through the toughest of hours.

I leave you with this quote from the Apostle Paul:

2 Timothy 4:18 "The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom."

Pastor Tom

As If It Had Never Happened

I ran across this great little verse buried in the prophet Zechariah:

10:6 "...I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them."

God here is talking about bringing Judah back from captivity in Babylon, but it made me think about how God also brings us back from captivity to sin through Jesus Christ.

I think sometimes we look around after being washed in Jesus' blood and we think "I really don't belong in God's family. Maybe if I just keep my head down and don't make a lot of noise no one will notice and tell me to get out." We feel as if the sins we did taint us and even their memory is enough to make us feel unworthy to approach God.

But look at what God says - He makes it as if we had never been rejected. God remakes us through Jesus to be as if we had never sinned. As if all that happened in the Garden of Eden never took place. It's a refreshing and comforting thought to know that God looks at you in Christ as if you are perfect, because Jesus is perfect.

Pastor Tom

The Lord Gets Joy from You

Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

If you belong to the family of God through His Son Jesus Christ then you are rejoiced over by the Lord. He is mighty and has saved you. He rejoices over you because He has become your rescuer. No more do you need feel anxious about your future because His love will sustain you and quiet you. God exults over you with loud singing.

Today if you feel heavy of heart or anxious, listen closely for the loud singing of the Lord over your life. If God is singing for joy, then maybe things won't be so bad after all.

Pastor Tom

Glory in the Midst of Darkness

So I'm reading the prophet Habakkuk. Most of it is about judgment and the purity of the Lord. 1:13 says "You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong." Habbakkuk is complaining the Lord has taken a long time to bring about justice for the oppressed.

There are plenty of "woes" in this short book. But right in the midst is this wonderful verse:

2:14 "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."

It's like this incredible promise in the midst of doom and gloom. That the purity of God, the glory of God, will be known by everyone.

I'm going to meditate on this verse today. How about you? Is your day filled with darkness? Know the purity and wonder of God today. Let the knowledge of Him fill your world.

Pastor Tom

What Does God Want Anyway?

"With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my body for the sin of my soul?

He has told you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:6-8

This is really an amazing scripture. As humans we think that the bigger our gift, the bigger our sacrifice, the more God is pleased. We feel guilty for doing and saying things we know aren't right, and we think that if God sees we are really sorry and we do "pennance" then he will be pleased.

But look at what God says He wants from us: be right on the inside (do justice), be love on the outside (love kindness) and have a right attitude towards ourselves and God (walk humbly).

If we would but follow these short principals, through the blood of Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how much better our lives would be.

Pastor Tom

Knowing God Hurts

Hosea 6:1 "Come, let us return to the Lor; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up."

This seems like such a strange verse. It almost paints God out to be a double personality--on the one hand healing and the other hurting. How could this be? Isn't God love? Would a God of love actually cause harm to someone?

Look at chapter 10 verse 10: "When I please, I will discipline them." Discipline hurts, no doubt about it. As parents we discipline our children, not to punish them, but to train them. We slap their hand away from a hot stove or yank them back from crossing a busy street. We say "no" to them when they want to follow the crowd to do evil. We withold privileges to teach them the consequences of their actions. God does the same.

Hebrews 12:6 "For the Lord disciplines those he loves."

Our kids sometimes say mean things to us when we discipline them, but they come around and eventually, hopefully, see the good we are trying to do in their lives. That's the way God is times infinity. He tears out the bad in order to instill the good; He hurts by allowing us to feel the consequences of our actions in order to instill His character in us.

So let's do what Hosea says later in chapter 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. ESV

Pastor Tom

Keys to the Successful Prayer

Daniel 9:18-19 For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God ESV

I really like Daniel's prayer for several reasons:

1. He hasn't gussied himself up for God so that the Father will look down and think "what a good boy, I've give you a treat." Daniel comes right out and says "I'm not asking this because I deserve it."

2. He asks because of God's mercy. God does desire to give to His children, but it isn't out of obiligation but because of mercy. It's not even out of our mercy, but His. Mercy is basically getting what you don't deserve.

3. Daniel asks God for four things associated with his prayer: "hear, forgive, pay attention, act." I like that. We come to God, who will not even hear our prayers unless we come through the Messiah, we ask for forgiveness because, frankly, we need it, then we ask God to focus on our situation and act. Make your prayers full of requests, not just statements or emotions (though those are good too). James says "You have not because you ask not."

4. Daniel asks God not for something that benefits him but benefits God. "For your own sake" he says. I like that. We should always want to give glory to God and if the thing we ask doesn't do that then maybe it's the wrong thing to ask for in the first place.

Pastor Tom

On Balance

There is a pervasive opinion in our world today that God grades on the curve. We think that when we get to heaven we can make a case to God that all the good I did, and the bad I didn't do should outweigh any sins I've committed.

Some might call it karma-my good karma cancels out my bad karma if I've done enough good in my life. I call it bad information.

Read Ezekiel 33, for instance. Here's a snippet: "12 The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as of the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins."

In other words, any sin cancels out all the good you've done. What is sin? It's anything that is outside the character of God. If you think that's an easy standard, just read Revelation 22:15 (lying, for instance-ever lied, even once?)

The good news is that no matter what bad you have done, if you repent and turn (change your mind) about those things, and seek God's cleansing through His Son Jesus Christ, then no amount of bad will keep you from God's presence. God in affect sees His righteous Son Jesus rather then you when He looks at you. It's a cool deal and one worth pursuing.

Pastor Tom

Does God take pleasure in sending people to hell?

Provocative title, I know. But I have actually heard people conclude that. Since God is all powerful and can do anything He wants, if He chooses to reject a soul and send it to hell then it must please Him. It must be something He wants to do, right?

I don't think so. First realize that God is pure and holy. He is so pure that anything that is not pure doesn't stand a chance in His presence. So not allowing something impure to come near to Him is actually mercy. Second realize that God is just. That's part of His pure character. He won't do anything wrong or unfair.

Now look at this little verse out of Ezekiel 18:32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn and live."

Far from wanting to reject people, God is not pleased when anyone dies. So what is God pleased with?

1 Timothy 2:3-4 "This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

What is that truth? That Jesus, God's Son, gave His life-His purity-so that He could give it away to you, if you will repent, which means to change your mind about the evil in you, and grasp on to Him.

That puts a smile on God's face.

Pastor Tom

The Problem of the Familiar

I noticed this verse in Ezekiel:

3:5 "For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel ... Surely, If I sent you to such, they would listen to you. But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me."

Sometimes it seems that those closest to us are the hardest to reach for the gospel. I think it may be because there is so much of us that they see and hear instead of seeing and hearing God.

Often it is easier to travel thousands of miles to preach to people who don't speak our language than it is to share God's truth with our family and friends.

It was tough for Ezekiel too. I think perhaps our prayer should be "Lord, when I speak for you to those I know, don't let them think about me, but about Your truth."

Pastor Tom