6/11/21 - Trials

As many already know, earlier this week, the elders of our church removed me from teaching The Bereans, the adult Sunday School class we've loved and been part of for several years.  The main reason given was that I was causing division and that, mainly because I teach a firm pre-millennial dispensational understanding of the End Times and that anything else is wrong.  In other words, that the Lord Jesus Christ will, at any moment, come down into the clouds and call us up to Himself; 'For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.' 1Thes 4:15. 

Read more: 6/11/21 Tom's Blog - Trials

5/23/21 - The Conspiracy is Real!

Psalm 2, prophetically describes the World as it is now:

¹ Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?

² The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
³ “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.”

⁴ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.
⁵ Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure:
⁶ “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.”

⁷ “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.
⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

¹⁰ Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
¹² Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.  Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Verse 1: Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?

Read more: 5/23/21 Tom's Blog - The Conspiracy is Real!

5/29/21 - Salvation Belongs to Our God

Foundational to our understanding of God's great love and mercy for us, His children, is the correct understanding of His having chosen and elected us and of our complete security in Jesus Christ, that we are saved for eternity, having been given eternal life and that we are being kept secure in Him. 

God's Word is replete with references to His having chosen and elected us:

'... just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, ' Ephesians 1:4

'You did not choose Me, but I chose you' John 15:16

'But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation.' 2 Thessalonians 2:13

'Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.' Acts 13:48  What a marvelous verse: It does not say, 'all who believed were appointed to eternal life.'  It says, all who were appointed to eternal life... believed.  They had all been appointed to eternal life, before the foundation of the World, and when God's planned moment came, they believed. 

Sadly, too many Christians believe their salvation was their own doing and the maintaining of that salvation depends upon their correct actions.  They believe some variant of the following

Read more: 5/29/21 Tom's Blog - Salvation Belongs to Our God

5/19/21 First Recipe!!

Cooking Recipes, by Tom Tillman, for your enjoyment and satisfaction.

Many have told me I should write a cook book; maybe this is the beginning.

I, Tom, do all of our cooking; I enjoy it and seem to have a real 'knack' for understanding how different flavors 'go together,' and how much of each to use.

Whenever I 'invent' a dish, I write down what I did.  If it turns out well, I keep it.  If it was not good, I throw it away and move on to something else.  I have hundreds: some on the computer, and most just scratched out on paper.

I imagine what sounds good for today's dinner, then I think through the various ingredients necessary to make it taste like it does in my imagining.

Usually it turns out good but perhaps needing a little adjustment here or there.  However, not as often has something turned out so perfectly, the first time through, as this Mexican Halibut Soup/Stew did.

When I cook, it's always 'by the seat of my pants,' as it were.  The only recipes I use are the things I've previously thought up and written down.  When I write them down, I don't use 'quantities,' I simply add by intuition.

That said, there are, obviously, some things that do require careful following of a recipe: things like bread that need to be just right.

So, when I add amounts, like 1 tsp or 1/2 tsp, etc, I am guessing at what I've used but they are usually pretty close but always allow yourself the freedom to change things according to your own tastes.

Think of cooking as painting a picture.  You decide the colors and where to put them according to what is being imagined within your own mind.

So... here's the first of many to come: Mexican Halibut Soup/Stew.  If you enjoy good fish, I think you will like it very much and use it often in the future.

Read more: 5/19/21 Tom's Blog - First Recipe!