From Pastor Tom - Biblical Meditation

What are you filling your mind with? What are you thinking about?  All of us have thoughts – day and night we think about things.  Are they uplifting thoughts or are they depressing thoughts? 

Did you know that God cares what we think about?  That is why the Bible says:

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians (KJV) 4:8 

Many of our thoughts may be passing.  Some of them stick around for awhile.  Some thoughts we just can’t seem to get out of our heads.  That is why the Bible goes on to say:

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3

Puritan pastor William Bridges once noted, "A man may think about God every day and meditate on God no day."

God commands us to meditate on His Word and godly people model this in Scripture.  God personally promises spiritual success, stability; fruitfulness and strength for thinking deeply about spiritual truth with the goal of understanding it and applying it to our lives (Psalm 1:1-3).

Biblical meditation is quite different from the popular forms of meditation suggested today.

Biblical meditations fill one’s mind actively with truth rather than emptying one's mind of thoughts.  Like steeping a bag of tea in hot water, so the mind steeps itself in God's Word. Meditation allows our souls to absorb truth much like our body digests food and absorbs nutrients in our food.

Let me ask again – What are you filling your mind with?  What are you thinking about?  What do you meditate on?  Is it uplifting or is it depressing?

Something to think about.

Blessings,

Pastor Tom

Auburn Farmers Market Vendors Guide

Auburn Farmers Market has been a tradition in our community for over 15 years.  It has always been held in the parking lot of the church on Tuesday afternoons throughout the summer.  That tradition continues today.

Down through the years people have enjoyed – fresh fruits and vegetables, home decorations, specialty items, bedding plants, crafts, jewelry, baked goods, jams and jelly, live poultry and many other products. 

Vendor Rules

1. Vendors are not allowed to buy products and “resale” them at the market.  (They must be produced locally by the seller or an associate in the area.)

2.  There is no charge to the vendor. 

3.  The hours are 12:30 to 4:30 every Tuesday – May through September. 

4.  Vendors can set up 15 minutes before sale time and are limited to one space per vendor.  (Vendors may park in a space before set up on a first come first serve basis – there are no reserved spaces.) 

5.  Vendors are strongly encouraged to advertise the market.  (You may consider joining with other vendors to have a stronger impact on the customer base.)

6.  A restroom at the church is open during Farmer Market hours. 

(Guidelines were a product of Auburn Farmer’s Market Advisory Board)

From Pastor Tom - Secrets of Fruitfulness

Most people are interested in productivity.  But did you know that the Bible does not use the word “productivity”.  Instead you’ll find the words that speak of “fruitfulness”.

            “…I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit…” John 15:16

 God wants us to have a productive fruitful life which produces GOOD FRUIT.  God’s word warns us to examine the quality of our fruit.

            “…every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot             bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good        fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”  Matt. 17:17-20

Here are four conditions that are essential for bearing good fruit.

1.  You must have a strong root system.

God says there’s no fruit without the roots.  The roots supply the nutrients through the tree to the fruit.  Each one of us must ask “Where does my source of strength come from?”  Our answer should be God.  Jesus says it this way:

“I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

2.  You must eliminate the weeds in your life.

The weeds in your life are anything that hinder or limit your spiritual growth.  Weeds are the things that choke your relationship with God and prevent you from further growth.  Weeds are dangerous because it takes no effort at all to grow them.  You don’t have to cultivate weeds.  It does, however take a lot of effort to remove them.  But if they are not removed they will hinder your fruitfulness.  See Matt. 13:7

3.  You must cooperate with God’s pruning in your life.

What is pruning?  Pruning is cutting off dead branches and living ones in order to stimulate growth.  Pruning is essential for increased productivity.  It is not optional.  If you’re going to be productive, God will put you through times of pruning.  See John 15:2

4.  You must wait for the harvest.

Growing fruit takes time.  It doesn’t happen automatically.  You don’t plant a seed in the ground and harvest it the next day.  It’s common sense: seeds take time to grow.  See Matt. 24:45

May God Bless

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - Hope for Hard Times

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” (Romans 15:13)

For the family facing foreclosure... for the man diagnosed with terminal cancer... for the woman struggling to make ends meet... for the young girl considering abortion... for the thousands who lost jobs and life savings...there is hope.  No matter what the circumstances are…there is hope.

The Bible says that each of us has been created by God...that he loves us...and that he wants us to have a fulfilling life.  Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)  He meant a life that goes beyond “mere existence” to a fulfilling life lived in harmony with the Creator’s knowledge of us and his desires for us.

But there is something that separates us from this “abundant life” that God intended.  The Bible says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)  It is because of this sin, this disobedience towards God, that every person is separated from him: “your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)  And even worse is the consequence of sin, eternal separation from God—“the wages [cost] of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

However, in his love and mercy, God sent his sinless Son, Jesus, to pay the price of our sins’ debt.  Almost 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ died on a cross, was buried, and then rose from the dead on the third day. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)  It is only through the death of Je­sus that we can be reconciled to God.  And through his death, God offers the free gift of eternal life to all who believe in his name. (Romans 3:23, John 3:36)

There is no greater hope than this—the assurance of eternal life offered to us through Jesus Christ, and his promise to stay with us and sustain us in all circumstances:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  ...For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor power, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 38-39)

God offers this hope to you today.  To accept his offer, begin by admitting that you are a sinner separated from God and in need of his forgiveness.  Then trust only in Christ to save you from the consequences of your sins.

Believe that Jesus died for your sins on the cross, and was raised from the dead in order to conquer death, bridging the gap caused by sin between you and God.  Accept Jesus’ offer to come into your life as your Savior.

If you sincerely desire to have hope in Christ, tell God in words like these:

Dear God, I admit that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. Thank you for sending Jesus to suffer the punishment that I deserve for my sins. Please help me every day to turn from my sin and live a life that pleases you. Thank you for your gift of eternal life and for the hope I now have in you. Amen.

 Blessings,

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - Have No Fear

A friend of mine sent me this article this past week – I thought I would share it with you.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”  1 John 4:18

Satan uses and plays on one of the basic elements and instincts of our nature—fear. It is natural for finite man to fear—especially the fear of the unknown, the fear of being hurt and the fear of death. There is nothing more Satan would like than to see us paralyzed with fear just like King Saul when facing the Philistines and Goliath.

Why do we allow fear to be so controlling? On the one hand, we have past experiences that we don’t want to relive and on the other hand, we are very hesitant about what might lay ahead. But often the events and situations creating most fear in people have no basis in reality.

All fear is based on perception. Thus fear has been described in the English language as an acronym for “False Evidence Appearing Real.”

If we could consciously remember this, it would help us to allay many fears. But that false evidence sometimes is so convincing! However, we must always realize that dread and fear—like other tactics of the enemy—are based on a lie. This is why throughout the scriptures we are repeatedly commanded—366 times—to “fear not.” It is intensely liberating for our witness when we personally overcome the fear of death. This allows us to focus on Christ and His kingdom.

Living as a Christian under Romania’s dictatorship posed extreme difficulties and dangers. Even though Rev. Joseph Tson had counted the cost and served the Lord and His flock faithfully, he feared the day that he would be called in by security. He knew the possibility of facing death was inevitable.

The day that Joseph feared arrived. Security officers arrived at his home one day and took him to their headquarters. He was instructed to sit on a chair and a gun was put to his head. “The choice is easy,” came the commander’s voice. “Deny Jesus or we pull the trigger.”

This was indeed the moment that Joseph feared all through his ministry. But suddenly the Spirit of the Lord filled his whole being.  “If you kill me today you will do me a great favor. All my sermons that were recorded will be in great demand because I will be a martyr for Christ. You will help me greatly to share my messages. You will also help me to go to my Lord quickly!” Joseph fearlessly replied.

The officer dropped the gun. “You Christians are crazy,” he shouted and then commanded the officers to take Joseph back home. Joseph’s life was spared but in a sense he lost it that day.  “Never again did I fear what man can do to me. Never again did I fear to lose my life,” Joseph concluded.

Have no fear.

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - Is There A God?

Have you ever looked up into the heavens at night—and been filled with wonder?  The world is filled with wonder everywhere we look.

Who made all of this?  Did it just happen...or is there really a God who created it?

Can anyone really deny it?  If you say there is no God, then all the wonders around you are just an accident.  The billions of stars in the sky just happened to make themselves, generate their own power, and stay on course.  The land just happens to have topsoil without which nothing could grow.  The air we breathe—only 50 miles deep and exactly the right composition to support life—is just another accident in the “laws of physics.”

Did deposits of coal, zinc, gold and uranium get there by accident? And what prevents lakes from freezing solid—all the way down to the bottom—making it impossible for fish to survive frigid winters?  Why does the earth spin at a given speed without slowing so that we have day and night?  Who tilts it so we get seasons?  No one really knows the why and how of the magnetic poles.  Or think of the sun stoking a fire just warm enough to sustain us on earth, but not too close to fry us or too far away to freeze us.  Who keeps things constant?

Can you believe these things just happened?  Isn’t it more reason­able to believe that God is behind all of them and everything that exists?  But here is another amazing fact:

The Creator Entered His Creation                                                                 

Our Creator came to earth on a mission to change disaster into victory. The Bible says that we’re “dead in trespasses and sins” and “alienated from the life of God” (Ephesians 2:1, 4:18). Just as a body without physical life is physically dead, so anyone who is separated from God is spiritually dead.  So we need God’s forgiveness of our sin and freedom from its penalty, which is spiritual death—eternal separation from God in hell.  We all are in need of a right relation­ship with God.

That’s why God the Father sent Jesus to earth.  The Bible tells us, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).  Jesus willingly paid the ultimate price to save us from the consequences of our sins!                                  

By His death on the cross – the sinless Jesus paid the debt of our sins that we could never pay. His resurrection three days later proved what He claimed was true: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

That everlasting life will be yours if you acknowledge to God that you are a sinner and believe in your heart that Jesus is the only way you can ever be forgiven.  If that’s your heart’s desire, why not tell Him?

Blessing,

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - How To Handle Stress

Have you ever been under stress?  Have you ever felt that the pressures of life are too much?  I am sure that at one time or another all of us have. 

So here are some guidelines to help you handle stress:

1.  KNOW WHO YOU ARE

    This is the principle of identification.  This is critically important in stress management because if you don’t know who you are – you will let other people manipulate you and pressure you into being somebody you aren’t. A lot of stress in life results from our wearing masks, being unreal with others, living double lives, or trying to be somebody we’re not. 

    Here are some of the things I know about myself:  I am a father.  I am a husband.  I am a human being.  I am a follower of Christ.  I could go on – but you get the point.  Identify who you are and this will help you:

2.  KNOW WHO YOU’RE TRYING TO PLEASE

    You know you can’t please everybody, because just about the time you get one group pleased, another group gets mad at you.  Even God doesn’t please everybody, so it’s foolish to try to do something that even God doesn’t do!

    The Bible says if I seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then all the other necessary things of life will be added unto me (Matt. 6:33).  This means that if I focus on pleasing God, it will simplify my life.  I will always be doing the right thing regardless of what anybody else thinks.

3.  KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH

    Every day you either live by priorities or you live by pressures.  There is no other option.  You either decide what is important in your life or else you let other people tell you what is most important in your life.  You either live by priorities or you live by pressures.

    Having clear goals greatly simplifies life.  Spend a few minutes each day in prayer talking with God.  Look at your schedule for the day and decide, “Is this really the way I want to spend a day of my life?  Am I willing to exchange twenty-four hours of my life for these activities?”

4.  GIVE YOUR STRESS TO CHRIST

    Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30) 

    Christ did not say, “Come to Me and I will give you more guilt, more stress, and more worries!”  No – Jesus said, “I want to give you rest.  I am the Stress-Reliever.  When you get in harmony with Me – I will give you inner strength.”  So this final principle of stress management is: Give your stress to Christ.  You will never enjoy peace of mind until you have a relationship with the Prince of Peace.

Blessing,

Pastor Tom

From Pastor Tom - God Is Looking For Holy People

God is looking for people He can use.  He is looking for people He can bless.  He is looking for people He can trust.  He is looking for holy people and holy people are looking for Him.  Look at what the Bible says: 

                “Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.”  Hebrews 12:14 (HCSB)

Why won’t we see God if we don’t pursue peace and holiness?  Because God dwells in a place that is holy and He wants holy people around Him.  What does it mean to be holy?  Look at what the Bible says in Psalm twenty four:

“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?  Who may stand in His holy place?  The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not set his mind on what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully.”  Psalms 24:3-4 (HCSB) 

In this passage we find four characteristics of holy people:

1. They have clean hands.  “Clean hands” simply means that their conscious is clear.  Does it mean that they are perfect?  No!  None of us are perfect but – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9 (HCSB)  Our conscious can be clean because we have taken our sins to God.  

2.  They have pure hearts.  “Pure hearts” simply means living with pure motives.  In our private time we need to be saying, “God, examine my heart, clear off the impure and make my motives pure before You.”  The Bible says, “Cursed is the one who does the Lord’s business deceitfully.” Jeremiah 48:10 (HCSB)  We don’t have a pure heart when our motives are mixed.

3.  Their minds are set on what is true.  If we are not setting our minds on that which is false – we are setting our minds on what is true.  The Bible tells us to, “Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth.” Colossians 3:2 (HCSB)  Those things that are above are pure, holy and true.

4.  They are honest.  Those who do not “swear deceitfully” are honest in their dealings.  When they give their word – they keep it.  The Bible says, “Blessings accrue on a good and honest life, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.”  Proverbs 10:6 (MSG) 

God loves those who are holy – who are seeking a holy life – who desire to be holy because He is holy.  How about you – are you seeking a holy life?  God is looking for Holy people.

May God Bless

Pastor Tom