1/17/09
January 17, 2009
I was reading Joshua Ch. 4 in my quiet time and a few verses really grabbed my heart and caused a pause for reflection. Joshua instructed some men to bring 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan River to Gilgal. There he erected a monument for a memorial. He told them that when their children (later generation) ask what they were, they would be told about the great work of God on their behalf by drying up the Jordan River. The result is they would know the Hand of the Lord is Mighty and the people would fear Him.
I stopped and asked myself – Tom, what stones do you have that your kids and grand kids can visibly see? Stones that remind them of how Mighty God is in your life? Things like big screen TV,s, bows, guns, boats, the the things we think we must have won’t work. Those things are temporal and will rust and rot away one day. What stones are there that will lead them to worship? Stones that will magnify the Lord and show He is mighty, and cause my family to fear and respect my God? Something to think about!
At last I found this. Had 3 different address. Keep up the good work.Keep telling it like it is.
You really are doing a good job.
Tom,
Thanks again and again for your encouragement through your sermons as well (and especially) via your own heart and life. I appreciate your ability to lead people into worship (not singing) but worship while studying God’s word.
You are an excellent communicator and RELATOR I think mostly because of your sincerity of heart, but also because you engage the congregation both visually and spiritually.
Seems as if after today’s sermon on Psalm 1 “The Blessed Man” that I have more fully realized I am not living as a “Blessed Man.”
The one indicator you mentioned was concerning the “confused man.” This is not a legacy I want to leave my son or others in my immediate circle of influence.
More than anything I want to pass onto my son (especially after divorce has already effected his life) is CONFIDENCE and SURE FOOTEDNESS! And based a current evaluation, I feel that he is not receiving my best as a father.
I greatly appreciated the man who gave testimony of how God’s word helped him through his father’s and son’s deaths. I also appreciated Rich’s prayer and sincerity of heart.
My life and heart do not line up with my confession…and have not seemed to for quite some time. This is not due to a lack of desire, but more a lack of focus (very much like the man who looks in the mirror, turns away and immediately forgets what he just looked at or saw).
And…not that I am not Blessed…because God does in spite of my own actions and inactions. But, in order to truly match up with Psalm 1:1-6, I have a very long way to go. Perhaps you can preach a sermon on “How to line up your life with your confession” sometime?!
Per your blog and more than anything, I want to leave the same legacy you mentioned and that is for my son to see the power of God in my life and the true strength of God’s power in my life.
God bless you many times over and thank you for your committment to God’s word in study and application!
P.S., Just a note regarding the church’s search for Worship Leadership: “A Great Theologian a Preacher does not make!” –Albeit the Theologian might could be very mentally stimulating?! However, just as you would most likely NOT hire a Salesperson who lacked the ability to visually engage a client and draw that person into a conversation and to establish rapport, I think might be a good starting point for Worship leader.
A “for instance” is a pastor of a medium-sized local church here in Northwest Arkansas. Obviously, this man loves God and preaches (from what I have experienced so far!) the word acurately…BUT—and a BIG BUT—he looks down while he is addressing the congregation and this really seems to lose or disengage his audience. His inability to really move you into a place of relationship with himself (and God’s word) is greatly effected by his constant looking down at his notes (makes you wonder if he’s Preaching to the pulpit or the congregation?!).
This is not a “knock” on him personally, but I think if the congregation is giving him attention and eye contact, I would at least appreciate some breif acknowledgement by looking up every once in awhile?!
Just a thought…which may not count for two cents which won’t get you a cup of coffee (and may not even get you a single sugar!).
Thankful for you Tom…
Mike
Wow…you got me thinking. As Amelia is still at a young age, she is beginning to see my “stones”. I have to ask myself; do my “stones” look like pebbles because they are half way buried in the ground? Or are they perfectly revealed….obviously identified that her dads “stones” is a life that reflects his Savior.