Pastor Tom's Journal

Tongues of Fire When you observe a religious ruckus, you might be like the pilgrims to Jerusalem two thousand years ago and ask, “What does all of this mean?” That would be a very good question. https://youtu.be/F3yCtw8dmcc Friend Link https://medium.com/@tomsims/tongues-of-fire-and-the-spirit-of-truth-1600341a2b67?sk=47818a468f3d5dbd8482b355726bf1d6 Medium Member Link https://medium.com/@tomsims/tongues-of-fire-and-the-spirit-of-truth-1600341a2b #truth #spirituality #pentecost #spiritoftruth #tongues #speakingitongues #BABEL #towerofbabel

  unsplash-logo Shelby Miller And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. -  Luke 10:41-42   Martha knew how to entertain with style. It took its toll on her. She was careful and troubled all the time, especially when she had company. Perhaps she was a perfectionist and that was no doubt a great strain on her body and soul. Mary knew how to be in the moment with Jesus. Jesus saw the value in both kinds of hospitality, but He wanted Martha to know that when tending to details interfered with tending to the Master Himself, just being with Him was all that really counted. It is still what really counts. It counts for the busy mother, the harried executive, the flustered teacher, the hard-driven salesman, and the politician in the pressure cooker of legislative compromise. It is what counts for the safety officer who...

  Read more on Medium - https://medium.com/@tomsims/cry-of-the-destitute-472fc19c8a18 Free Friend Link - https://medium.com/@tomsims/cry-of-the-destitute-472fc19c8a18?sk=9c231a3b058d3f5468c12d19089af880 Tom Sims - Stay in Touch -  https://linktr.ee/tomsims For those who you who cry the cry of the destitute this morning, I stand with you in the sacred and sound solidarity of prayer. This is "A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD." Read this portion again as your own prayer. I pray it for and with you, but do not stop with 11. Read on. "Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to you! Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call!" "For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace. My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; I forget to eat my bread. Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my flesh. I am li...

In Acts 16, Paul has come to a very unique city, a Roman colony, Philippi. It is located in present day Greece. There are very few Jews there, but there are some God-fearing women. One of them, Lydia of Thyatira, becomes the first believer in Europe. A little later, Paul is having a successful preaching ministry but is followed around by a very annoying young woman who is being exploited by her masters. Paul speaks a word of liberation to her, and she is set free to believe. Something inevitable happens when the good news liberates people from their bondage The profits of their masters dry up and the masters cry out. If God’s people are bringing liberation to the lives of people, powers that be and industries of oppressive commerce will declare, “These men … are disturbing our city.” They will hurl insults and ethnic slurs.    They will call the prophetic word and its demonstration unlawful. And they will be correct …. hopefully. They may even cast the messengers of ...

“For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.” – Psalm 36:9   One of the first lighthouses ever built, certainly one of the most famous, was the Lighthouse of Alexandria in 280 BC. Situated on the Egyptian island of Pharos, it was at one time thought to be the tallest structure on earth at 383 - 440 feet. Many lives were rescued because of its existence.   Its purpose was the same as that of all lighthouses: to warn ships away from dangerous shores and guide them in the night.   No ship’s captain ever complained about a lighthouse getting in his way or inconveniencing him in his journey. Many a lighthouse has saved many a life.   James 1:17 says,  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.   Man-made lighthouses point us to the reality of God’s gracious willingness to warn us and guide us because He loves us. He desires ...

For Medium Members, Click the link below. https://medium.com/@tomsims/to-know-god-f11bc475afca For Non-Medium Members, Free Friend Link https://medium.com/@tomsims/to-know-god-f11bc475afca?sk=c1cd8f9186b5646ab0cfd26f6d235df1 A God that We Might Know There is a God who desires to be known and there are people who desire, whether they know it or not, to know God. https://youtu.be/9NCjE8Qubt4

Five Priorities for Relational Living ------- People before preferences. Love before liberty. Grace over gluttony. Open hearts over over-opinionated headstrong determination. Faith over all choices.

I failed to elaborate on the word, "Insist," but read it and heed it. When the world is upside down, what is our part in turning things around? #reisstance   #evil   #civildisobedience   #speakingout   #standingfirm   #politicalspeech