Pastor Tom's Community

Powered by
WordPress
Powered by
WordPress

  • All Things Well

    “And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.” – Mark 7:37 Jesus does all things well. This surprised the onlookers and lurkers. They had only seen a fraction of the things Jesus had done, was doing, and would do.…

  • Hope in Humility

    Hard to Be Humble Honesty, Humility, and Hope Do you recall Mac Davis’s song, “O Lord, It’s Hard to Be Humble?” How about this? There is a city called Humble Texas. Some might consider that an oxymoron. Sorry, Texas.  There was a Danish King named “Humblus.” Ghandi said that “aid that an attempt to sustain truth without…

  • What Soils My Soul?

    From the Heart “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts…” — Mark 7:21 The debate in Mark is over what causes defilement in a person. What makes a man or woman ritually and spiritually unclean? Jesus loves to poke holes in our assumptions as if they were balloons. He does it in…

  • Is there any sorrow like my sorrow.?

    O Vos Omnes Have you ever asked such a question, alone and despairing? Jeremiah did and he beheld his beloved and abandoned city. “O Vos Omnes” is a responsory, originally sung as part of Holy Week, and now often sung as a motet. The text is adapted from the Latin Vulgate translation of Lamentations 1:12.…

  • Wrestling with God

    This message centered on the theme of struggle in the context of faith, using the biblical story of Jacob wrestling with God as a primary example. The discussion emphasized that struggle is an inherent and necessary part of living out one’s faith and purpose, and that deep faith and spiritual growth are often forged through…

  • A Call for Peace Making

    Ceasefire Is not Peace, but it is an opportunity for peacemaking. I challenge three groups to invest in the rebuilding of Gaza, respecting the autonomy of the people. That means well-place financial investments. This is a time of opportunity for all. It can be seized, or it can be wasted. Many have suffered in both…

  • Proactive Love

    Read More: It Is Not Enough Just Not to Hate

  • Slow Down to Soak Up the Grace

    Sometimes slower gets you there sooner and better. Like slow food, grace must be savored. Life moves too quickly at best. The Long, Lingering, Meandering Way We meander and gather our thoughts. We stop here and there to taste and breathe and to be aware. But a nagging voice within us whispers that we are…

  • Living in Exile

    Are you homesick? Do you feel disengaged, disoriented, and dispossessed in a world where nothing is familiar? Is there a feeling of hostility from or toward you as you confront the values and cultures around you? There is actually a biblical illustration of a people who experienced what you are experiencing. Listen to this message.…

  • The Jehoiakim Factor

    We are not all that good at generational thinking. We are fairly well tuned to passing on truth to the next generation and to that of our grandchildren, but we are not often that concerned with the children unborn and their children. How would it change our thinking, prayers, and behaviors if we thought 100,…