From Pastor Tom - Can I Be Forgiven?

In an out-of-the-way cemetery an unmarked tombstone bears the single word, Forgiven.  A person can’t help wondering, who was forgiven and by whom?  What happened that caused someone to leave that message forever engraved upon his tombstone?

The secret of that tombstone has long been buried.  But one thing is certain, the need for forgiveness will always exist, since we all fail to live up to our word and others’ expectations of us at one time or another.

What is more serious is that we have failed to live up to what God expects of us!  No one is able to perfectly keep God’s command­ments.  The Bible states it simply, “all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “Your iniquities [sins] have made a separation between you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2).  Our disobe­dience separates us from our Creator.  We need his forgiveness.

But how can we know that God will forgive us?  How could a perfectly just and righteous God overlook our sin?

Our situation would be impossible if God had not settled the issue himself.  He sent his Son—Jesus Christ—to earth to become a man, live a per­fectly sinless life, and ultimately give his life for you and me.

On the cross where Jesus died, he took the punishment for sin that we deserved.  The Bible says God made Jesus to be sin for us, the One “who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Then Jesus rose from the tomb and came back to life three days later and was seen by hundreds of people (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).

Can I Know For Sure

Because of what Jesus has accomplished, it is possible to know that God will forgive you and one day receive you into heaven (John 14:1-3).  You can have the assurance of God’s forgiveness by mak­ing the following choices:

Recognize that your sins have separated you from God.  In honest re­pentance agree with God about your sinfulness and admit your need for forgiveness: “If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Realize that God loves you, and believe that the sinless Jesus Christ died for your sins—taking the punishment you deserve:   

In response to your trust, God promises you eternity with him! Receive Jesus Christ into your life by faith as your Savior from sin’s consequences.  When you respond to God’s offer of forgiveness in faith, you can know that he has forgiven you.  God’s Book, the Bible, promises that “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

If that is your heart’s desire, right where you are you can pray something like this:

Dear God, I know that I have sinned against many people and against you. I need your forgiveness.  I believe that Jesus Christ died for me and arose from the dead.  I invite him into my life to be my Savior.  Thank you for your gift of forgiveness and eternal life.

Are you forgiven?  Do you know for sure?

Blessings,

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - You Are Special

“There are no ordinary people.  You have never talked to a mere mor­tal,” wrote C. S. Lewis.  It’s true—each one of us is a special creation of God.

Believe it or not—no one else is just like you.  Your physical ap­pearance, your voice and personality traits—your habits, intel­ligence, personal tastes—all these make you one of a kind.  Even your fingerprints distinguish you from every other human being—past, present, or future.  You are not the product of some cosmic assembly line; you are unique.

But the most important fact of your identity is that God created you in His own image (Genesis 1:27).  He made you so you could share in His creation, could love and laugh and know Him person to person.  You are special indeed!

The Bible reveals God’s total interest in you as an individual.  The psalmist wrote in one of his most beautiful prayers, “I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).  God knew you even before you were born.  Then, and now, He has plans just for you, plans conceived in love.

As we appreciate God’s constant concern for us, we really begin to grasp the awfulness of sin.  He loves you and me so much; yet how often we go our own way, turning our backs on Him.  God’s designs for our lives are then blocked; His mercies do not come to the unwilling.

But even here we are precious to God, for He continues to love us even when we pay Him no mind.  He still sees us as individuals with great value.  No wonder the psalmist declared, “How precious are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand” (Psalm 139:17-18). God is not an unfeeling, cold- hearted monarch of the heavens.  He feels our pains; He shares our sorrows.  He cares, and He considers each one of us important enough to love.

In fact, He loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die for our sins.  “Herein is love,” the Bible says, “not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation [full payment] for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

Because you and I are special to God, He wants to forgive us and give us a full, meaningful life.  When we trust in Jesus Christ and let Him put our lives together, the Bible says that we become “God’s masterpieces, created in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:10).  Can anyone be more special than that?

Yes, you are valuable to God! If you have never trusted Jesus Christ for your salvation, you can pray something like this today:

Lord, thank You for sending Jesus Christ to die for my sins and rise from the dead so that I can know Your forgiveness and live with You forever.  Right now I ask Him to be my Savior so that I can live as the special creation that You intended me to be.

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - Finding Your Mission!

Did you know that Jesus has given us a mission?  He has!  It is not Mission Impossible but Mission Possible!  Who God calls – He empowers.  That means He empowers you and me for the mission He has for us.  The Mission Possible that God has given us is to tell those around us about Savior Jesus Christ!  This Mission Possible is called – Outreach.  Let me give you five urgencies of Outreach.

 1.  Jesus expects us to reach out!

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 (HCSB)

 Jesus has told us to make disciples – baptizing them and teaching them – as long as we are here on earth.

 2.  We were left here to share!

“How can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them?” Romans 10:14 (MSG)

Somebody needs to tell the lost how to be found – that somebody is us!

3.  The lost are really lost!

“These will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:46 (NKJV)

No matter how much we don’t want to think about it – there is a heaven and a hell.  People are lost if they don’t know Jesus as their Savior.

4.  Time is limited!

“Don't you say, ‘In four more months the harvest will be here'? I'm telling you to look and see that the fields are ready to be harvested {now}.” John 4:35 (GW)

There are people who are ready to hear the gospel today – if we would just tell them.

5.  Jesus is coming back!

For you yourselves have the knowledge that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 (BBE)

Jesus will return someday and it will be a day of accountability.  He will ask, “What have done with what I have given you?”

Your mission is possible!  Who God calls – He has empowered.  Share the good news with some one today.

May God bless you,

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - 4 Reasons Jesus Came to Die

Why did Jesus Christ suffer and die? I believe that is the most im­portant question of the twenty- first century. Here are ten answers from the Bible.

Jesus came to die...

#4) To show God’s love for us

The measure of God’s love is shown by the degree of his sacrifice in saving us from the penalty of our sins: “he gave his only Son” (John 3:16). When we add the horrific crucifixion that Christ endured, it becomes clear that the sacrifice the Father and the Son made to save us was indescribably great!

The measure of his love increases still more when we consider the degree of our unworthiness. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Our debt is so great, only a divine sacrifice could pay it.

#3) To take away our condemnation

The great conclusion to the suffering and death of Christ is this: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). To be “in Christ” means to be in relationship to him by faith. Christ becomes our punishment (which we don’t have to bear) and our worth before God (which we cannot earn).

The death of Christ secures freedom from condemnation for those who believe that Christ has served their death sentence. It is as sure that they cannot be condemned as it is sure that Christ died!

#2) To bring us to God

“Gospel” means “good news,” and it all ends in one thing: God him­self. The gospel is the good news that at the cost of his Son’s life, God has done everything necessary to captivate us with what will make us eternally and ever-increasingly happy—namely, himself. “Christ...suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

#1) To give eternal life to all who believe on Him

Jesus made it plain that rejecting the eternal life he offered would result in the misery of eternity in hell: “Whoever does not believe is condemned already...” (John 3:18).

But for those who trust Christ, the best is yet to come. “No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). We will see the all-satisfying glory of God. “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

For all these reasons and more, Christ suffered and died. Why would you not embrace him as your Savior from sin and judg­ment, and live with God eternally?

If you are moved to embrace God’s Son in this way, tell God in words like these:

Dear God, I’m convinced that Jesus suffered and died for my sins. I trust in him now as my Lord and my Savior.  Please forgive me.  Amen.

From Pastor Tom - Assurance: The Certainty of Salvation

I have the most important subject in the universe that I want to talk to you about.  If you have it, you have everything that you need.  Without it, you don’t have anything you need, no matter how much you have.  It’s the reason Jesus came to earth.  It is what the Bible most frequently calls... salvation.

Do you have it?  Do you maybe think you do, but don’t know for sure?  Or maybe you are thinking, "Well, I think I had it at one point, but I lost it."  If you are thinking any of these things, by the time you are done reading, you should not just think you have salvation.  You should be sure.  You should have assurance.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE IT?

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13).

God the Spirit applies salvation to us.  Everything that you’ve got in Christ comes by the power of the Spirit.  On papers of ownership in New Testament times the legitimate owner pressed his seal into the hot wax as proof the purchase was completed.  When we believe in Jesus and commit our lives to Him as our Lord and Savior, the Spirit "seals the deal" to make us God’s children for eternity.

So the question really is, "How do I know if I have the Holy Spirit?"  Well, there are seven main things the Spirit does in the lives of believers:

1) Fruit of the Spirit.  Apple trees have apples.  Christians have the fruit of the Spirit.  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self- control" (Galatians 5:22-23).  If you’re saved, you’re more godly than you used to be, changing to be more like Christ.

2) Gifts of the Spirit.  Each of us has a different set of spiritual gifts, given to us by God through the Holy Spirit.  If you’re saved, you have a desire to use these gifts to honor God and further His Kingdom.  "So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.  Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them" (Romans 12:5-6).

3) Conviction of sin.  The Spirit brings conviction of sin: "He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment" (John 16:8).  Are you grieved when you sin?  That is a sign that you have true salvation.

4) Guidance into truth.  The Spirit guides us into truth.  John 16:13 says, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth."  Is that going on in your life?  Do you hunger for God’s truth?

5) Inner leading.  The Spirit prompts us to make things right, and to respond to what we learn from the Bible.  "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are Sons of God" (Romans 8:14).

6) Comfort.  The Spirit came to give comfort, and the Bible describes the Spirit as our "Helper" (John 14:16).  Could you testify that He gives you strength to handle situations that once drove you to defeat and despair?

7) Perseverance of faith.  "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us" (1 John 2:19).  Perseverance—enduring in the faith, even with it is hard even when the pressure is on.  Christ made it clear that if you are truly saved, then you will endure to the end.  The Spirit gives the strength and encouragement we need in order to persevere in the faith when life gets hard.

Are you seeing God at work in these areas of your life?  God doesn’t want His children wondering if they’re saved.  God wants you to know that you’re His child.  Romans 8:16 says that the Spirit of God "bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God."  If you’re wondering, "God, am I Your child?" get alone, get those Scriptures open in front of you and pray, "God, do I really know You?"  The Spirit will either bear witness of "Yes" or "No"—you don’t have to wonder.

Blessings,

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - Did you know that...

BATS can locate objects in the dark?  They use sonar—making high-pitched sounds and listening to echoes—so they can fly without bumping into things!

 BATS come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors?  There are about 1,100 different kinds of bats worldwide.

 BATS can fly faster than most birds?  Bats have thinner wings than birds, which means they can move quickly and change directions easily.

 BATS can live up to 20 years?

 BATS are called “pups” when they are first born?

 BATS are not blind?  While most species have very poor vision, they are still able to see.

 BATS of some species have been discovered to detect ultraviolet light? That’s a type of light that humans can’t even see!

 BATS have very flexible “fingers?”  But bat fingers are different than human fingers, so they can bend and move in more direc­tions than human fingers can!

 Bats are amazing creatures!

      Did you know that the same God who made bats also created YOU?  God’s book, the Bible, says that though God cares about each bird in the sky, you are much more valuable (Matthew 10:29-31)!  And though you don’t fly with wings like bats and birds, and you don’t have sonar like bats, God made you very special in many other ways.  That’s because He loves you, He wants you to know Him, and He has made you so you can love Him back.

     God knows everything about you.  He knows the good things that you do but He also knows the bad things that you don’t want anyone to know about.  The Bible says that all of us have done bad things, called sins, and it says we all deserve to be punished for doing them—it says “the wages of sin is [eternal] death” (Romans 6:23a).

     But the Bible also says that “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b)!  You and I are so important to God that He sent His very own Son, Jesus, to die on the cross and take the punishment we deserve. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son [to die for our sins], that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  Then Jesus came back to life and was seen by hundreds of people before going home to heaven (1 Corinthians 15:3-6)!

      God loves you so much that He wants to forgive you for your sins.  But first you must agree with Him that you have sinned. You must also truly believe Jesus died for you so you can be forgiven and receive God’s gift of eternal life.  If you believe that with all your heart, right now you can tell God that you want to accept Jesus’ death to take the punishment for your sins and accept his gift of eternal life.

     Those who believe in Jesus become God’s very own children (John 1:12).  He even promises them a home in heaven someday (John 14:1-3).  He wants you to be part of His forever family and to help you live to please him every day!

If that’s your sincere desire, you can tell Jesus in words like these:

     Dear Jesus, thank you for loving me even though I have done wrong things that You had to die for.  I admit my sins and I do believe that You took the punishment that I deserved. Thank You for taking my place so I can learn to please you now, and live forever in heaven with you someday!

Blessings,

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - 4 Things God Wants You to Know

1. You need to be saved from sin’s penalty

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6)

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 14:12)

For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

Each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12)

It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)

2. You cannot save yourself

Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy. (Titus 3:5)

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. (James 2:10)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)

3. Jesus has provided for your salvation

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrigh­teous, that he might bring us to God. (1 Peter 3:18)

For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corin­thians 5:21)

God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

4. You can be saved today

Whoever hears my word and believes has passed from death to life. (John 5:24)

Behold, now is the... time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. (Isaiah 55:6)

Your part:

Believe: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31)

Repent (turn from your sins): Unless you repent, you will all like­wise perish. (Luke 13:3)

Confess your sin to Jesus: For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (I Timothy 2:5)

Confess Jesus before others: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

Trust Him to keep you: [He] is able to keep you from stumbling. (Jude 24)

That’s what God wants you to know!

May God Bless

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - A Friendly Church

Did you know that relationships are the glue that holds a church together?  It’s not the preaching or the teaching – its relationships.

 A survey was taken of church members.  They were asked, “Why did you join this church?”  93% answered that they joined because of the pastor.  Then they were asked, “If the pastor leaves, will you leave too?”  93% answered “No.”  When asked why they wouldn’t leave, the response was, “Because I have friends here.”  People stay in a church because they have friends there.

I once read about another survey of four hundred church drop-outs who were asked why they left their churches.  Over 75% of the respondents said, “I didn’t feel anyone cared whether I was there or not.”  What does that tell you?  Caring about each other is vital!  All of us want to feel cared for!

While some relationships will spontaneously develop, most relationships will take effort and time.  You can’t just “hope” you will make friends in church.  You must actively seek friendship.  Talk with people, visit, call them on the phone to see how they are doing, invite them to lunch or a walk around the park or just have them come over to your house to visit.  Friendships take time and effort.

A real key to a friendly church is:  You don’t have to know everyone in the church to have friends, but you do need to know some people!  Friendships are important.

Look what the Bible says about friends:

            “Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.”              Proverbs 18:24 (Msg)

             “The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.  Never abandon a friend – either yours or your father’s.  When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance.  It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.” Proverbs 27:9-10 (NLT)

Even Jesus talked about friends when he said:

            “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”  John 15:13-15 (NKJV)

Friendship consists of communication, compassion and commitment.  All this boils down to caring.  Caring about each other is vital!  All of us want to feel cared for!  Friendship just does not happen.  You must actively seek friendship.  May we be known as a caring – friendly church.

May God Bless                                                                                                                            Pastor Tom