I think Sam Storms is right:

“Simply saying God is infinite doesn’t work. For us, infinity is at most whatever exceeds our atmosphere or transcends human ability… Our cognitive grid for understanding God’s infinity does a horrible disservice to the term itself. The parameters of our thinking are so narrow and restricted that we risk reducing God to a dwarf whose glory is measured by human standards” (from “One Thing”, p.87)

So rather than pile on big words (omnipresence, immutability, etc…) we are instructed to simply look around.

Look at the sky: consider the vastness of the cosmos and the immense distances and think that God measures them in his hand.

Look at a leaf: consider how intricate the complexity and design in the flow of nutrients and photosynthesis and think that God knows every leaf on every tree!

Look at your hand: consider the incalculable number of processes the brain has to organize simply to wiggle your fingers and think that God knit you together in your mother’s womb.

You don’t have to go far to experience the wonders of God. You don’t have to travel to the Grand Canyon or Himalayas or Marianna Trench. The “simple” things around us are not so “simple” after all.

G.K. Chesterton is also right: “This world is wild as an old wives tale, and strange the plain things are”

So consider the wild strangeness of the plain things. Consider and wonder and worship!

The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,
Pastor Tom

p.s. See also Dr. Richard Swenson’s excellent book, “More Than Meets the Eye”

Worship begins with a repentant heart. That’s what we learned last Sunday from Psalm 51. We discovered that ultimately all sin is sin against God (Psalm 51:4). We discovered that we must own our own sin before God and make a complete confession to Him. Than we enjoy the renewal and restoration Jesus died for!

But what about the mess we’ve made with others?

The fact is, most of our sins are also against others. Unkind words, angry outbursts, silent treatments, etc… We’ve also got to address the horizontal dimensions of sin!

Ken Sande, of Peacemaker Ministry, has some great resources on making a complete confession to those we have sinned against:

The Seven A’s of Confession:
As God opens your eyes to see how you have sinned against others, he simultaneously offers you a way to find freedom from your past wrongs. It is called confession. Many people have never experienced this freedom because they have never learned how to confess their wrongs honestly and unconditionally. Instead, they use words like these: “I’m sorry if I hurt you.” “Let’s just forget the past.” “I suppose I could have done a better job.” “I guess it’s not all your fault.” These token statements rarely trigger genuine forgiveness and reconciliation. If you really want to make peace, ask God to help you breathe grace by humbly and thoroughly admitting your wrongs. One way to do this is to use the Seven A’s.

1. Address everyone involved (All those whom you affected)
2. Avoid if, but, and maybe (Do not try to excuse your wrongs)
3. Admit specifically (Both attitudes and actions)
4. Acknowledge the hurt (Express sorrow for hurting someone)
5. Accept the consequences (Such as making restitution)
6. Alter your behavior (Change your attitudes and actions)
7. Ask for forgiveness

(See Matthew 7:3-5; 1 John 1:8-9; Proverbs 28:13.)

Put these into practice today and see God’s peace flow into your relationships!

The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,
Pastor Tom

You are invited to pray together with theChurchofWestOrange.com for the National Day of Prayer on May 3rd at 6:30PM @ City Hall in downtown Winter Garden.

We will be praying in various ways, such as:

• confessing to God our need as His church to love like He loves us
• asking for wisdom as to how we can love neighbors and nations together
• praying for strength and wisdom for local, state, and national leaders
• praying for unity around purpose for the local church expressions and ministries of Central Florida

Hope you can join us!

We love our lives. We really do. Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes life is difficult. But we do love our lives. I mean, we are still alive, right?

What then would make someone take faith filled risks, especially those that risk our life?  Why would anyone do that? You would have to have something better than life. But what is better than life?

“…your steadfast love is better than life” Psalm 63:3

To the degree we are understanding and experiencing the love of God for us, we are freed to take risks because his love is better than life.

That’s why Paul can ask, “Who shall separate us from the love of God?” (Romans 8:35). Then he goes on to list some life-threatening things: tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword. Every one of those things have separated believers from their lives (think of the martyrs). But none of them has ever separated them from the love of God!

So when we feel scared or afraid or are clinging to (false) security we must get closer to the love of God. What are you afraid of? What is keeping you from taking faith filled risks? What are you afraid of losing? Let the love of God enfold you like a blanket and know that you can never lose that!

Because the love of God is better than life!

The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,
Pastor Tom

Risk is scary because it means the potential loss of something of value. That might mean money, relationships, career advancement, or in extreme cases it could mean our very lives. Risk is risky because we just don’t know.

Daniel didn’t know if he would get out of the lion’s den alive.
Daniel’s friends didn’t know if they would get out of the furnace alive.
Peter didn’t know if he would get out of prison alive.

That’s what made it a risk.

Did Jesus take a risk when he rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday? No! He knew he wouldn’t get out alive. He knew he would face scourging. He knew that crucifixion awaited him. Jesus didn’t not walk in risk, he walked in certainty!

All for us and for His Father’s glory!

So glory in the one that walked into the jaws of death (and out again) for his people!

O what a melting consideration is this!
that out of his agony comes our victory;
out of his condemnation, our justification;
out of his pain, our ease;
out of his stripes, our healing:
out of his gall and vinegar, our honey;
out of his curse, our blessing;
out of his crown of thorns, our crown of glory;
out of his death, our life:
if he could not be released, it was that you might.

If Pilate gave sentence against him, it was that the great God might never give sentence against you. If he yielded that it should be with Christ as they required, it was that it might be with our souls as well as we can desire. And therefore, thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. John Flavel – “The Fountain of Life”

The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,
Pastor Tom

I am not overly sentimental, but certain songs stir my emotions.  It could be a hymn or worship song (“Arise, My Soul, Arise”, “Garment’s of Praise”), or a secular song (almost anything from Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks” album or Springsteen’s “Born to Run”), or a classical piece (Bach’s cello concertos, Mozart’s 21st in C, Beethoven’s 9th). Songs move us.

God knows this, so he commanded Moses to write a song that would move His people to tears, tears of repentance that is:

“Now therefore, write this song and teach it to the peopel of Israel…, this song shall confront them as a witness for it will be unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring” (Deuteronomy 31:19,21)

God knew his chosen people would rebel against him , forget him , and turn toward worthless idols. So he told Moses to write a song to bring them back to repentance. God knows songs move us like nothing else!

What do we learn in Moses’ song (Deut 32:1-44)?

• God is a faithful and true God (Deut 32:4)
• God’s people have forsaken him (Deut 32:5-6)
• Though God was so good to them! (Deut 32:10-12)
• So God chastised his people (Deut 32:23-25)
• But not so much that Israel’s enemies took credit (Deut 32:26-27)
• And then God judged his enemies (Deut 32:35)
• And delivered his helpless people (Deut 32:36)
• To His own glory and honor (Deut 32:43)

God knew that even in the midst of exile and judgement, his people would remember the words to that old song Moses had taught them. Perhaps they would remember a song better than a sermon. That song would cut them to the heart and bring them to repentance. That song would be the means to their deliverance.

So, find a song of deliverance, a song of repentance, and sing it till you weep your way back to God.

The well wisher of your soul,
Pastor Tom

Starbucks coffee. “Five Hour Energy”. P90X. All promise a jolt of energy when you have that “2:30 Feeling”.

What if you have that 2:30 feeling in your spirit? Drained, running on fumes, uninspired, running to stand still. Ever feel like that? (if not – please share your secret with me!). Is there such a thing as espresso for the soul?

“You will receive power…” (Acts 1:8)

Say what? Keep talking, I’m listening..

“when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…”

Holy Spirit power? Sounds like what I need! What is that good for?

“and you will be my witnesses…”

Boy, I could use some help there! But where are we talking here?

“in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the world”

That’s a big mission! That’s a mission I can’t even think about being a part of in my own strength. I’m way too weak. And a big mission needs big power. And that’s what the Holy Spirit provides. He doesn’t turn you into Superman or Wonder Woman. He’s not like an Underdog Super Energy Pill. You stay ordinary, But He empowers ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things!

Let’s pray together this month that the Lord would fill us all with the Holy Spirit so we can see His mission furthered among the nations and among our neighbors!

The well wisher of your soul,

Pastor Tom

A true Christ-follower desires to be a fully devoted disciple of his Lord. But what does that mean? Can it be measured? On what should I focus?

On the one hand, I think a disciple is defined as a person growing in each of our core values (see below). On the other hand, Rev. John Soper has suggested a few questions to gauge our progress:

1. In the last 30 days I have been actively involved in the task of building the Kingdom of God in my sphere of influence.
2. I know what my spiritual gift is and I regularly use it to minster to others.
3. I ask God daily for the opportunity to share His love to others.
4. I am involved in “Paul and Timothy” relationships with others.
5. In the last seven days I have practiced some of the “one anothers” of the New Testament with  others in my fellowship.
6. I have deliberately encouraged someone that I am mentoring  in the last seven days and I have accepted spiritual responsibility for that person.

These questions are not meant to heap “law” upon the follower of Christ. Rather, they give us areas where we can put our discipleship into practice. Remember, religion says “I obey, therefore I am accepted”, the gospel tells us , “I am accepted, therefore I obey!”

The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,
Pastor Tom