Pastor Tom's Journal

What has you? In Matthew 19:16–30, a rich young man asks Jesus, “What good thing must I do to have eternal life?” He approaches eternal life as another achievement—something to acquire, possess, and add to everything else he owns. Jesus meets him where he is, but leads him beyond rule keeping, spiritual accounting, and accumulated merit. He places his finger on the possession that has become possessive and gives the invitation: Go. Sell. Give. Come. Follow. The destination is not poverty for poverty’s sake. The destination is discipleship. The man’s problem is not merely what he lacks. It is what he has—and what has him. What possesses you? Money? Reputation? Control? Achievement? Resentment? Position? Certainty? Even a carefully maintained religious identity? Salvation is not another human acquisition. “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Read the complete reflection and access the subscriber Bible study and group discussion guide: https://tomsims.subst...

Summer may be winding down, but here in California’s Central Valley, we still have a “second summer”—one more chance to get out, explore, and enjoy what is close to home. In my latest article for Kings River Life Magazine, I reflect on all those summer plans we meant to make and offer a few ideas for turning the remaining warm days into memorable ones. We may not be able to do everything, but there is still time to do something. What Central Valley adventure would you like to fit in before summer finally slips away? Read “Second Summer: One More Chance to Get Out in the Central Valley”: https://kingsriverlife.com/08/15/second-summer-one-more-chance-to-get-out-in-the-central-valley/ #SecondSummer #CentralValley #CaliforniaLiving #ExploreCalifornia #VisitTheCentralValley #FresnoCounty #KingsRiverLife #SummerAdventures #LocalTravel #ThingsToDo #Staycation #CaliforniaTravel #TomSims

  The Pharisees ask what the law permits a man to do. Jesus redirects them toward what God intends. In Matthew 19:1–15, Jesus moves us: • From control to covenant • From disposability to dignity • From conformity to calling • From exclusion to welcome Jesus will not allow law, marriage, singleness, or religious custom to become a mechanism for controlling, discarding, or excluding people. He calls us away from hard-heartedness and toward covenant faithfulness, human dignity, and openhearted welcome. His teaching must never be used to excuse cruelty, protect abuse, silence wounded people, or exclude those whose relationships have ended. The same Jesus who honors covenant also protects human dignity and opens his arms to wounded people. Read the sermon companion and access the subscriber study and reflection guides: https://tomsims.substack.com/p/the-hard-heart-and-the-open-arms Hard Questions:   https://pastortom.blog/2026/08/16/hard-hearts-or-open-arms/ Join the Conversat...

 

   Who can we welcome? How can we welcome them? What makes us "great?"