A frequently recurring comment on many of my report cards growing up was…”Tim seems to day dream a lot.  He’s always looking out the window.”  Interestingly I have seen that same comment reappear on some of the report cards of our children.  What do you day dream about?  Where does your mind tend to go when not captivated by the demands of your daily responsibilities? 

In preparing for this week’s Sunday morning study in Hebrews 3:1-6, it became instantly clear that God desires and directs all of His children to “Consider Jesus”.  He commands us to personally and specifically have our minds focused on His Son.  Do you ever just think about Jesus?  I certainly think about, day dream about my wife, my children, and my grand children regularly.  My mind goes to their “channel” and stays there for a while just thinking  about them, sometimes worrying about them, and often praying about them.  Clearly there are times when my mind is just stuck on thinking about them for some time…but how about Jesus?

What I’m talking about is different than talking about “spiritual things”, discussing biblical issues, or worrying about church stuff.  What a joy it is when my mind falls on Him and then stays on Him as I’m driving, walking, reading, listening to Christian music, or just sitting quietly for a few moments.  So, I  hope to see you Sunday morning as we explore this idea more fully in our worship together.

In Him,

Pastor Tim

So, Father’s Day is coming up.  I don’t know all that that means to you.  I don’t know how many or what kind of emotions or memories that the day incites for you .  For me personally, it causes me to think as a son in reference to my father, but mostly as a father in regards to my (our) children.  It produces sweet memories, a sense of great gratitude, and serious concerns about ways that I have already or may yet fail in my role as a father.

Fathering certainly isn’t for the faint a heart.  It is a profound challenge and privilege with profound, even eternal consequences.  So, as I thought and prayed hard about what to preach this Lord’s Day, my heart and mind kept being attracted to the virtue of courage.  In particular my heart has been focused on God’s words of encouragement to a young leader, Joshua, encouraging him and calling him to exercise true courage in his mission, his ministry.  The text we will be considering on Sunday is Joshua 1:1-9.  It would be great if you took some time to consider it on your own before you come.  Consider how it applies to the role of a father.  Feel free to email any comments or questions that come to mind as you do.  I will try to address them in the message.

Well, see you Sunday, the Lord willing.  Just a heads up…Sunday night Missionary Bruce Tuttle is going to be preaching.  Bruce is a great guy, an excellent preacher, and serving the Lord very effectively in Ukraine.  We will also have a short administration meeting after the service and we really need you there.  Thanks!

In Him,

P. Tim

Sitting by the ocean, early in the morning, with a great cup of coffee, and taking time to read and pray, I am once again reminded of the incredible power of God’s Word.  God spoke and all that it is came into existence.  His Word holds it all together and one day will cause it all to vanish in a moment, only to be replaced by a greater and grander universe instantly created by His Word. 

As I look around at the family God has given to me I am also reminded of the power of His Word.  The truth of His Word drew me to Himself when I was a child and made me His own.  His Word kept me from destroying my life as a young person and gave me a passion to please and serve Him.  His Word opened my eyes and brought me back from the brink of destroying my marriage as a young man and driving my children away from me and from Christ.  Without the power of God’s Word to sanctify me, to teach me, to correct me, to direct my steps, I would have most certainly ruined or lost every good thing.  With Him, well, God has given my wife and me, our children and grandchildren, more than we have the right to ask.

His Word continues to break my heart over the sin that would ruin all, to incite a real and personal passion to please Him, and to blow wind into the sails of my passion to preach and teach His Word as long as I live.  It brings clarity to my confusion.  It brings strength to my weakness.  It brings wisdom into my cluelessness.  It produces love for others in the midst of my self love.  It gives real and powerful hope in the deepest discouragement.  His Word is truly beyond words.

Psalm 119:89-93   ^“Forever, O LORD, your word stands firm in heaven.  ⁹⁰ Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created.  ⁹¹ Your laws remain true today, for everything serves your plans.  ⁹² If your law hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery.  ⁹³ I will never forget your commandments, for you have used them to restore my joy and health.”

In Him,

P. Tim

Sometimes the anticipation of something you’re looking forward to can be bigger than the actual event itself, leaving you a bit disappointed. Sometimes it’s even better than you thought it would be. I mentioned last week that I was looking forward to our baptisms and testimonies on Sunday night. Well, what a fantastic blessing! The testimonies were clear, from the heart, sweet, and powerful. It was all that baptism is supposed to be! It was a great personal blessing to share in that service.

Not so long ago, I was sitting in a training seminar listening and looking through the materials that we were given. A quote attributed to David Chilton was included in the book and caught my attention. It was “The best time to plant an oak tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is now.” It resonated with me because whenever I’m taking time to intentionally evaluate my life or ministry, there are realizations that come that you wished would have come sooner. There is a measure of regret that I didn’t know or get to something earlier and this regret can lead to an “Oh well, it’s too late now” spirit. I was reminded that I should refuse to allow the discouragement of opportunities missed in the past to be the cause or excuse for failing to seize the opportunities God has for me in the present.

Looking ahead to the month of June, a group of significant numbers comes to my mind. First, my mother is turning 80 this week and that’s quite a significant number. There are two other significant June numbers that strangely remind me of two speed limits, (both of which I find irritatingly slow!) The first number is 35 and my wife and will be married for 35 years this month. I enthusiastically praise the Lord for all that He has done in and through our marriage. While Marilyn and I may not have really known what we were doing 35 years ago, God certainly did! The other number is 55 and all’s I’ll say about that is I feel younger than that, except when I look in a mirror or get out of bed in the morning.

Well, thanks for enduring my rather random thoughts for this week. I’m looking forward to our continued study of the book of Hebrews. The next section we will study together is 2:10-18. It would be really helpful for you to read this text in a variety of translations to get a deeper, clearer, and fuller sense of what it’s saying.

In Him,

Pastor Tim