Tommy O's Blog: December 2019

Dec 26, 2019

HOPE'S CHILD

In the darkness of a quiet night,

Hope found a place on earth.

From eternity to measured time

arrived through virgin birth.

In a new born child Messiah dwelt

Though no one really knew,

The day would come when called upon

To see this mission through.

His mother watched her child grow strong,

and too soon become a man.

In sorrow knowing deep within

He would complete God's plan.

He healed the sick, and raised the dead,

still few would dare believe,

This man was who He said He was

We just could not conceive.

Then one dark day the time arrived

His mission was complete.

I watched as He was beaten,

nails in His hands and feet.

Compassion still shown through His eyes

Like none I'd ever known.

He closed His eyes and hung His head

To His Father He had flown.

The next two days had stumbled on

The future held the same.

The third day broke the darkened sky

And once again Hope came.

Oh death where is your victory,

Oh grave where is your sting.

This child born into darkness wins

and with Him HOPE He brings.

Larry Houghton 12-09-2019
© 2019 All Rights Reserved
Used With Permission from the Author

Dec 19, 2019

Someone Needs A Timeout!

Someone once said;

“Christmas would sure be a lot more fun if it didn’t come at such a busy time of the year!”

The reason that Christmas may seem to be too busy is that (oftentimes) we don’t take time to focus on the real purpose for the celebration: JESUS CHRIST.

If this year has been crazy and super busy for you as you attempt to be some kind superhero parent, spouse, uncle, aunt, neighbor, or friend…

STOP and let me remind you of why we set apart this time of the year.

Darlene Zschech (singer/song writer) reminds us that we celebrate Christmas because of a “LOVE that caused heaven to stand still, a son to be born with the purpose of an early death, so that we would know the fullness of TRUE life.”

Take time, real time, to read SLOWLY the following scripture…

In order to once again center yourself on what is really important in life.

Then and only then, will you be able to complete the tasks on your plate between now and Christmas.

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, His one and only Son.

And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending His Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was.

He came to help, to put the world right again.

Anyone who trusts in Him is acquitted;

Anyone who refuses to trust Him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it.

And why?

Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to Him.” (John 3:16-18 MSG)

Merry Christmas my friend! I’m pulling for you to have the best Christmas of your life!

Pastor Tommy O

The Message (MSG)

Dec 12, 2019

Stuck in an Elevator Between the 7th and 8th Floor

I was thinking about elevators the other day just before going with Cathy to watch the Minnesota Wild play the Ottawa Senators. I’m not sure why.

I was pondering how some people really struggle with a fear of elevators.

For some it is “claustrophobia”, which is the fear of enclosed spaces. Because an elevator is a small and confined box, it is easy to see how it could cause a claustrophobic reaction.

For others it is “agoraphobia”, which is the fear of being trapped in a situation in which escape would be difficult or impossible should a panic attack occur.

For others it is the fear of being stuck between floors in an elevator; which has no name.

Trapped, stuck with (seemingly) no way of ever getting out….

As my mind pondered this, I found myself taking stairs at the Excel Energy Center instead of taking the elevators. Cathy probably thought that I was just being healthy by using the stairs.

And yet, did you know that elevators are safer than cars? They really are.

And still many people struggle with this fear.

As I pondered this, I realized how this was an allegory for how people can actually get stuck in real life between a problem and a solution.

Specifically, I was pondering how many people, when struggling with area of sin in their life, will head to Romans chapter seven in the Bible.

In this section of scripture, the Apostle Paul deals with the very real struggle of sinning and not sinning. Paul wrote:

“For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” (7:15) “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (7:19)

Then Paul ends in this great theological question:

“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (7:24)

That is where many people stop reading, concluding that they are prone to sin and are not able to get unstuck. It is as though fear has gripped their hearts and minds and they see no way out of their struggle.

And this is where way too many people live; stuck between chapter seven and chapter eight.

But Paul has more to say; in fact, he answers his own question in the very next verse:

“I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (7:25)

But that is only part way where we need to go. Metaphorically, it is like we are “stuck in an elevator between the seventh and eighth floor”.

Chapter eight is filled with great promises of HOPE that our battle with sin isn’t supposed to be fought on our own. WE have a team which is ready and able to help us.

We read in chapter eight that there is no condemnation when we “do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (8:1)

We read that “what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.” (8:3)

We read that he has put the Spirit of His Son in us by which we cry out “Daddy!” to Him (8:15)

We read that we don’t do it alone; “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (8:26-27)

We read that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (8:28)

Paul continues:

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 8:31-35)

Paul goes on to hammer the point home and get us unstuck between chapter seven and eight by writing:

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (8:37-38)

In fact, you should probably read seven and eight in one sitting; I’ve only hit a few of the verses.

So, the next time you are struggling and make your way to Romans chapter seven, don’t stop and get stuck, keep reading on to chapter eight.

This way you don’t have to try to live life “stuck in an elevator between the seventh and eighth floor”.

Dec 5, 2019

Another Day In Paradise

“How are you doing?" I asked a friend who I ran in to at a local store.

"Living the dream!" He exclaimed; "It's another day in paradise!"

Really? This is what he dreamed of when he was up all night studying for the finals? This was his dream life and all that it included?

My friend was being sarcastic for his life was marked with many trials such as a failed marriage and bouncing from job to job. His response masked his pain that he was longing for a better life that was filled with supercalifragilisticexpialidocious moments of unending joy!

Truth is, much of life is marked with doing what we need to do: Get up, get dressed, eat, brush our teeth, go to work or do our chores; and at the end of the day we do it all in reverse order and go to bed.

That is how much of our lives go; marked with the occasional outing to purchase groceries and other household items...only to get up and do it all again the next day.

If that isn't enough, throw in the fun tasks such as cutting the grass, shoveling the snow, weeding the garden, taking out the trash, and cleaning the fish tank.

Fun isn't it? Mundane? Boring? I haven't even added in the trials and hardships that we go through as we live in the real world of brokenness that is so far from the paradise that we long for.

Unfortunately, we stop short and look for approval, validation, and life from things that will never really bring real life and fall short of paradise.

We strive throughout the minutia of our day to get everything that we can possibly want to make this bearable such as tablets, computers, dishwashers, ovens, cars, Roombas, leaf blowers, paper shredders, smartwatches, roof rakes, salad spinners and all of the other modern conveniences that we need to break up our boring world.

So, we mark our lives by BIG events such as the big holidays, birthdays, weddings, vacations, funerals, graduations, etc. We spend our days planning and longing for the day when we _____________ (fill in the blank).

And yet that isn't really what this life is all about. In fact, many people use their vacation to get away from all that they have by going deep into the wilderness where they can be off the grid and have absolutely no modern conveniences; including running water or electricity.

Real life comes as we pay attention to that heart cry that says;

"this can't be all that there is..."

It is the heart cry from One who put eternity in our hearts that causes us to seek life.

Life is about just showing up and doing what is on our plates for the day. It is about being consistent and faithful to the items on our agenda for the day. Its leaving room for spontaneous divine 'interruptions' that cross our path.

Life, real life is learning to wake up and be grateful for even being able to wake up. It is looking for and expressing gratefulness in the minutia of this everyday, mundane existence that we call life.

Life comes from the One who Himself wants to give life this side of paradise. He put the heart cry in our hearts for paradise.

Today, at this very moment, He is reaching out to you; calling to you to come to Him because He wants you to have real life. Today. Right now.

His Name is Jesus and He tells us how to get this life in Matthew 11:28:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

He is the one who said in John 10:10 that He came to that we may have life (Zoë) and life abundantly (superabundant in quality or superior; excessive, exceedingly, beyond measure, superfluous, vehement).

Sounds like paradise this side of paradise doesn't it? And you can have it each and every day no matter what happens. It is a matter of choosing how you respond to the grace and mercy that awaits you at each and every turn of your day; from the moment that you awake.

Your response to Him is to say "yes". It's not based upon what you have done; good or bad...that is what His death, burial, and resurrection is all about. The Bibles says in Romans 10:9-13:

"...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Jesus will help you to live today and every day after that in paradise; here on earth and eternally beyond this life.