Pastor Tom's Community

This Thanksgiving, while giving thanks for our executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government, it is in a context of prayer, petition, and intercession that it will insure a level of peace for us to grow in grace so that God’s purpose to save humanity and reveal His truth will be furthered. To pray for…

  Waves sweeping,Ship sinking,Footholds giving way,Still the music plays.Resistance tempers strings,Prompts the resonating vibrations. Art without pain,Music without suffering,Oxymoronic monotonicSilence.Titanic dangers surround the emerging soundOf sweet assurance …Nearer, my God, to Thee.       unsplash-logoMourad Saadi

  Awareness of moral dilemmas and ethical ambiguity is an indicator of intellectual, emotional, and spiritual maturity and health, serving as a counter-balance to superficiality and slogan driven oversimplification of complexities. (Reflections on book of Job)    

The afflicted soul is tormented within and without. The heart is troubled. Anxiety keeps the mind and body on edge. Life is unsettled. The complaints of personal injustice and abandonment bubble up inside and must find release, but body, mind, heart, and soul grow faint. Strength fails to even complain. Prayer seems far removed from…

Sometimes you have to hear the logic of the logical exercising their role as "cautioneers" and naysayers and acknowledge that the safest and most reasonable thing to do is one thing and then, do the opposite because our loyalty is to the law of love and the Lord of love. We can do the thing…

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple … – Luke 16:19 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! – John 19:5 When I see purple I think of Lydia who, in the book of Acts, was known…

  Psalm 16:1 – Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. Never separate the two parts of this prayer or you will diffuse its power. The first part is a request made in faith. The second is a declaration of faith upon which every request is made and in which our…

  Enough with the hand wringing.Enough with the despair.Enough waiting for someone else to have enough faith …Enough to change the world …Enough … Enough waiting on Republicans or Democrats or Independents.Enough waiting on public opinion. Enough complaining and waiting and procrastinating as governments do …What they do best …And worst …Wait and do nothing…

  No one is going to come along with you until you start moving.Now one is going to see it, get it, or understand it until you live it and demonstrate it.Do not wait for a vote of your peers or critics to start living a life of faith, compassion, or obedience to God.If you…

Lord of this morning,Light of this day,Master of the darkness that daily dies,God of night and light and all that is,I come …Empty handed, I come.I bring to the morning and the day, nothing,Nothing,Nothing, but me …myself …. my self,Undone, unfettered, unconditionally empty.I come. Our Father ….My loved one's Father …. Ours …Father of my…