The Pastors Pen - Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
10/4/2023

ACTION OR TALK

All great enterprises begin at a critical moment–a moment when a decision is made and someone launches himself into a never-to-be-forgotten enterprise.

PIZARRO, the noted Spanish explorer, faced such a moment. He languished with his men on a small island awaiting new supplies before moving on to Peru. When the supply ships arrived, they brought a message that he should abandon his expedition–considered by the governor to be foolhardy–and return to Panama.

Pizarro assembled his men on the beach. He drew his sword and made a line from east to west in the sand, then turning to the south he said, “Friends and comrades! On that side are toil, hunger, nakedness, the drenching storm, desertion, and death; on this side, ease and pleasure. But there lies Peru with its riches; here, Panama and its poverty. Choose, each man, what best becomes a brave Castellan. For my part, I go to the south.”

So saying, he stepped across the line. The pilot Ruiz was first to respond, then twelve other men stepped across to join the leader and the pilot. Of Pizarro, the famous historian Prescott says he was “…a man more accustomed to act than to talk.”

One such a man was named Bruce Olson who went to Colombia many years ago as a missionary to the headhunters in the far southern jungle, near the border with Brazil. The book that tells his story is Bruchko, the name the Indians called him since they couldn’t wrap their tongues around “Bruce.” It’s an incredible tale of danger and grace, adventure and miracles. He wasn’t trained, had no denominational or organizational backup, just a profound sense that he had been called to this work by God.

He showed up one day unexpectedly among a tribe of Indians. One of the hardest things he had to do was communicate with them before they decided to have him for dinner. Literally. The process of learning their language was also extremely difficult, as many of the words and concepts he needed to explain who Jesus was and what he had done simply didn’t appear to exist in their culture. But despite the lack of communication they began to trust Bruce because of his actions of love and service to the tribe. This trust led Bruce to use his own actions as a bridge of understanding so the tribe began to understand that God acted in sending His Son to die for our sins when we didn’t expect it or deserve it. God didn’t just tell us what to do…He acted upon our need by sending us a Savior.

Pizzaro and Bruce Olson. Men who believed in action. Actions speak louder than words we have always been told. We can say a lot of words and words are important but it’s the actions that follow those words that are most important. What sets successful people apart from others is that successful people act….the rest of us talk.

Watch sermons and read sermon text and other articles by going to www.tomahawkmbc.com. Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday morning at 10:30 Am. Watch his sermons on Facebook by going to his page “Jack Ward.”

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
9/27/2023

In Defense Of God

Many in this world are quick to point out that “if there is a good God why is their evil and suffering in the world?” Why can’t God just get rid of evil? Why does God allow innocent to suffer? Dr Norm Geisler make this defense of God.

First of all God is all powerful. God is the creator. He made everything perfectly. We have order in the universe. If God is not all powerful then we could not set our clocks, we could not build anything, we could not breathe each day, we would not have consistency in the atmosphere, temperature, seasons, water, gravity and even mathematics. If God is not all powerful then we would not have any real hope that the sun would come up tomorrow. God is all powerful.

Secondly God is all good. God created everything good. God created man good. But God in His goodness gave man freedom and choice. God won’t force man to follow Him nor will He force man to make good choices. That’s up to each individual. No person ever says “down with freedom. I hate freedom. I will do everything my mother and father says.” No one wants that…. so freedom and choice is a good thing from God.

But unfortunately God kicked man out of the garden of Eden because of His choice to do evil. Therefore all of creation has been placed in a fallen state. That’s why we have tornado’s, hurricanes, earthquakes and floods. The Bible says that the world is in upheaval because of sin, man’s choice to do evil.

But even in man’s fallen state God allows a person to choose to follow Him or thumb his nose at him. God loves mankind….but forced love is not love. If a young man says to a young lady…..”I love you and I want to marry you.” She says…”I like you but I don’t love you and I don’t want to marry you.” The young man says…”I will make you love me!” Is that love? No, that is forced love and forced love is rape. God loves us and offers His love to us, but He will not force anyone to love Him or serve Him.

Remember when Jesus said “oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, How I would have gathered you as a Hen gathers her chicks but you would not.” It’s not God’s fault that men won’t turn to Him and have chosen evil.

It’s this fallen world that gives us murderers, terrorists, wars and fighting among people. People choose evil. We have children and adults suffering tragedies and disease because we are in a fallen world. If you are suffering right now….. know that God, the divine architect of the universe…..doesn’t build a staircase that goes to no where. Your life and your suffering are not going unnoticed by a loving God. God is using your suffering and pain to bring everything to good purpose.

God allows the rain to fall upon the just and the unjust. God allows the events of this world to unfold as they will. That’s the freedom that God gives to his creation and to each of us because He is good and He loves us.

In defense of God…… we know that God is all powerful and that God is all good and since He is these two things….. we know that He will bring all things to a good purpose. Therefore this is the best possible world to bring about a totally perfect world one day, where no one will choose evil and where every man will get what he has chosen in this life. Choose wisely my friend!
www.normgeilser.com

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
9/20/2023

The Destiny of Man

Man has long wondered why he is here. What is the destiny of man? In each of our heart of hearts we know that there is God who made us. The Bible says that creation is all the evidence we need to know that God is. The Bible also tells us that He has put His moral law upon each heart. But how can we know Him? How can we know what He wants of us?

Most people believe that if you do your best and have a good heart that you will go to heaven. But they have not counted on the moral law of God. They haven’t counted on the justice and righteousness of God. You see God is loving and forgiving but He is also a God of justice. He is holy, taking vengeance upon those who have sinned against Him. The Bible says that there is none good but one and that is God. So then God, by being the creator and being righteous is qualified to judge all mankind.

But if I believe in God but how do I know which god is the right god? Which religion is the right one?

You are asking the wrong question. It’s not who is the right god? But who is the creator? Obviously someone created everything. That someone must be God. The Bible introduces Him..…“in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Then if the God of the Bible is the creator how do we know what He wants of us? We know exactly what He expects of us because He told us so in the Bible. He gave us His moral law or we call them the ten commandments. He clearly and completely made clear to us how to live and how please Him.

But we have a problem here….One of the commandments is “thou shalt not lie.” We have all told a lie in our lives. Another one is “thou shalt not steal.” We have all stolen something in our lives…a pencil from our sister, a borrowed object we never returned. Another one is “thou shalt not kill.” Well most of us are good on that one right? We have never killed anyone. But Jesus said that “anyone who hates his brother is a murderer.” uh oh. We are busted again!

The Bible says that if you have broken one of the least of the commandments you have broken them all. We are in big trouble! The Bible says that the soul that sinneth it shall die? The wages of sin is death! We are in grave danger! What do we do?

That’s where Jesus Christ comes in. The Old Testament was written to tell us that we have broken God’s moral law. The New Testament was written to tell us that we have a Savior. God sent Jesus who did not sin (because He was God’s Son) to become sin for us, to take our sin upon Himself…..to take the wrath of God that was meant for us upon Himself. For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

“Believe or trust” in Christ is mentioned 185 times in the New Testament. We trust in Him when we believe that He died on the cross for our own personal sins. We receive Him as our Savior… we turn to Him for forgiveness for all of our sins, past present and future. Jesus rose from the dead to prove that God accepted His payment for our sins and that we too shall rise again one day.

What is the destiny of man? That choice is up to you. You can receive Christ as your Savior and receive His forgiveness and be with Him in heaven forever…… or you can receive the wrath of God and be in the lake of fire forever! What will you decide?

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
9/13/2023

Live in a Way That Glorifies God

Dan Blocker was my favorite character, Hoss, on the TV series Bonanza. When he died unexpectedly of complications after gall bladder surgery, Hoss died. The producers knew they could not replace him. The producers decided that the story of his death would be that a woman was caught in a flood. Hoss held her above the water with one hand and held a branch with the other to keep them from being washed away. He died, but he never let go. He died, but she lived. Fans mourned for the fictional character, but they agreed it was a fitting way for Hoss to die.

In the 80’s, producers were ready to restart the story of the Cartwright’s in a new TV series, Bonanza, the Next Generation. The story was that the original Cartwright’s were dead. Ben’s brother ran the Ponderosa. For various reasons, Adam’s son, little Joe’s son, and Hoss’ son were coming there to live.

Hoss died without marrying. The new series said he had a illegitimate son and died before bringing the mother to the Ponderosa. Test audiences were scheduled with fans of the original series. They were furious. Adam, sometimes a scholar and sometimes a Casanova, may have had an illegitimate son. If Joe had an illegitimate son, no one would be surprised. But Hoss? HOSS??? NOOOOOOO!!! Fans refused to believe it. Test audiences were so angry that producers cancelled the series before the pilot even aired.

Fans refused to believe Hoss’ immorality. If a fictional character can inspire such belief in his character, how much more should we, “live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse [us] of doing wrong, they may see [our] good deeds and glorify God…” 1 Peter 2:12

We have heard that….. “character is what you are when no one is watching.” What do your eyes see when no one is watching? Where do your feet go when no one is watching? What does your mouth say when no one can hear? What do your ears listen to when no one can hear? Have you so lived that people refuse to believe any flaw in your character? Is what you are when no one is watching what you really are?

I like to read about the lives of famous people. I have discovered 99 % of the people that are famous are nothing like the people we think they are. Their personal lives are a mess. They have no consistency, no loyalty, no devotion, and no strength of character. It is such a disappointment to discover what they are really like.

We who know Jesus Christ have one who is steadfast, consistent, loyal, devoted, and strong. We will never be disappointed in Him. He will never let us down. We know that He will never change in His own character. He is the same yesterday, today and forever! And I believe that God wants us to be steadfast and consistent in our own character and behavior.

If you have a problem with character and behavior let me suggest that you quit trying! Quit struggling to be what you ought to be. Follow Christ each day and let Him mold you and make you into a person like Himself….a person of consistency, faithfulness and strong character. That’s the only way you will live a life that glorifies God!

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
9/6/2023

Go Into All The World

Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

One of the things that drive us as Christians and is in the heart of every believer is to tell others about Jesus. But all of us have been called to be witnesses for our Lord. And all of us have been called to our own personal Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. For us that is the neighbor next door, the person in the office or someone in our family or classroom, or the stranger at Walmart or the person that is the outcast and unloved and unwanted in our community.

But a few of us God has called to the uttermost part of the world. I have noticed today that the world is coming to us. The illegal aliens, the Hispanics, Asian and Arabic groups have come to America by the millions in the last decade. God is truly sending the world to us to evangelize. Almost half of all foreigners who come to this nation will be exposed to the gospel within one year and thousands of them are trusting in Christ as their Savior. Every denomination in this nation has a ministry to Hispanics and thousands of Hispanic churches have sprung up all over the United States. There are also many ministries to Asian and Arabic people in this nation. We are fulfilling the great commission right here in America!

But still God is calling those to go to the uttermost part of the world. Of course we have foreign missionaries are called of God to go and be witnesses unto Him. Now we have amazing opportunities with the thing called the “internet.” My little church is reaching almost a thousand people each week all over the world with social media, video platforms like Rumble, Bitchute and Brigteon and radio broadcasts on WSIP FM and iTunes, Spotify, and many more. All from a tiny iPhone (that we all have) a tiny digital recorder and an internet connection. Your church can be a missionary reaching people all over the world!

How do we do it? PodPoint.com is an amazing Christian audio platform that for only $24 a month will take your pastors sermons and put them on a dozen podcast platforms! It is simple to use and very effective. All you need is your iPhone or a small digital recorder. We use a digital recorder at my church because we use my iPhone to record sermons on FaceBook live. Then we take that recording from FaceBook live and put it on media platforms Rumble, Bitchute and Brighteon…..and the video platforms are all FREE!
We are reaching hundreds each week all over the world on these. (You can use YouTube but they will ban you if you say things they don’t like and they don’t like the Bible.)

A radio ministry is simple as well. We use that same digital recorder and send our recordings to WSIP radio in Paintsville. Radio is not cheap but it’s less than you think. Find a station somewhere that will broadcast your church services. You may be surprised. There are hundreds of internet radio stations that will broadcast your church. And it is very effective. Hardly a week goes by that someone doesn’t tell me that they heard my sermon on the radio!

Your church should have a website and/or at least a FaceBook page. And keep it updated every day! It’s easier than you think and very effective outreach. We put sermon text, articles and past “Pastor’s Pens” and links to all of our sermon platforms on our website. It doesn’t take that long either. We spend about an hour a week uploading sermons.

What wonderful opportunities we have! We all can reach the world with the technology that God has given us. The devil is certainly using it for evil….so we shouldn’t we use it to spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
8/30/2023

WHAT A WASTE…?

A pastor told this story of when he lived in another city, he became acquainted with an organization called the Wycliffe Bible Translators. In fact, he had a man come speak to his church. He would never forget the impression he had made on him. The speaker had a PhD in linguistics. He was an incredibly well-educated and gifted man. He could have taught in any university in the country. He could have had a comfortable life. But what did he do instead? He spent twenty-five years with an obscure tribe that didn’t even have a written language. He first had to learn to speak their language. Then he developed a way to put it into writing. He created an alphabet and grammar for it. Then he taught the people how to read their own language. And then he translated the New Testament into that language. And he did all that just so that they could learn about Jesus. Some would say, “What a waste!”

Another pastor told of a young man who grew up just down the block from his wife. He never met him; He couldn’t even remember his name. But he knew about him. He thinks about him every time he is in the neighborhood.

This boy didn’t attract much notice as he was growing up. He studied mostly. He went to college, then applied to medical school. He was accepted. He completed his training to be a doctor, did a residency in surgery. And then what? He moved to some third world country no one has ever heard of, and he’s been there ever since, treating people who can never pay him and will never quite understand what he went through to be there with them all just to tell some of them about Jesus. Some would say, “What a waste!”

During a church service a young man announced that he had surrendered to the call to preach. After the service a wealthy and influential businessman spoke to the young man…”you are a brilliant student, you could become a doctor or a lawyer, and make a lot of money…..why do you want to waste your life being a preacher?” The young man said…”sir, my only regret is that I only have but one life to waste for Christ, for sir I wish I had a thousand lives to waste for Jesus Christ!” That young man was Adrian Rogers who would pastor Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis and touch the world through his powerful preaching.

How much of your life have you “wasted” for Jesus? Matthew 16:24-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mark 10:29-31 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

To “waste” this life for Christ is to gain a satisfying, meaningful and purposeful life for eternity. Will you do something wasteful for Christ today!

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
8/23/2023

The Devastation of Sin

Robert Louis Stevenson, in “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” set forth the irrevocable nature of every act we perform. Mr. Jekyll discovered a drug that would transform him into a man devoid of any conscience and therefore able to enjoy any vice or sin. Jekyll named this monster Mr. Hyde. Any time Jekyll wanted to become this monster, he would simply take the drug. Then when he wanted to return to being Jekyll, he took the drug again. But after a time, the desire to be Mr. Hyde overruled the desire to be Mr. Jekyll, and he could not recover himself.

Similarly, our sin progresses, gains power over us, and then one day there is no turning back. Just read the headlines or listen to the newscasts and hear of the consequences of sin. As a nation, we have progressed deeper and deeper into the monster Mr. Hyde. Socially, economically, and morally we are more filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity than ever before. But the sad thing is that we think we are getting better as a people. It is true that we may know more, have greater technology and greater communication…but we have not gotten any better as people and as a matter of fact we are so bad that we are accepting wickedness and evil in the world and actually calling it good. The Bible says ….But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3:13

Oh that we as a nation would begin to understand what sin is and the devastating effect it has had on all of us. We have been deceived into thinking and believing that sin has no consequences. Everybody is basically good and we are all going to heaven. This is deception at its worst! Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

I read a story this week of a young girl who accepted Christ as her Savior and wanted to be baptized. An old deacon in the Church wanted to find out where this girl was really at in regards to her relationship with the Lord asked a few questions. “Were you a sinner before you received the Lord Jesus into your life?”

“Yes, sir,” she replied. “Well, are you still a sinner?” “To tell you the truth, I feel I’m a greater sinner than ever.” “Then what real change have you experienced?” “I don’t quite know how to explain it,” she said, “except I used to be a sinner running AFTER sin, but now that I am saved, I’m a sinner running FROM sin!”

Only Jesus Christ can save us from our sin and the devastating destruction that sin will bring to us as individuals. A nation is made up of individuals. We can’t change our nation but as individuals understand that they are sinners in need of a Savior and in response to that knowledge, turn from their wicked ways and then the Lord will forgive their sin and heal our land.

Watch sermons and read sermon text and other articles by going to www.tomahawkmbc.com. Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday morning at 10:30 Am. Watch Facebook live by going to Jack Ward’s Facebook page.

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
8/16/2023

Mystery Solved!

Death has been around a long time and it is still a mystery to us. Everyone who is reading this has not experienced death yet but know it’s out there! There is no sadder but at the same time dignified tune than “taps.” It is the final honor for one who has given the ultimate for his country. Taps was found in the pocket of a dead confederate soldier who was studying music before the war broke out. Taps in it’s basic meaning sounds the finality of death. The Bible has a verse that tells us the finality of death. Hebrews 9:27 It is appointed unto man once to die….. Death of the body is final for this life. But Hebrews 9:27 doesn’t end there…. it goes on to say….and after that the judgment. Mystery solved! We only die once then judgment awaits those in Christ for their service and those not in Christ for their sins. No reincarnation and no coming back as ghosts.

The Bible tells us in many passages that there is life after death. But….. the Bible gives no hint or even one passage that tells us that we hang around as ghosts after we die. King Saul and a medium conjured up the image of the prophet Samuel but that was in reality a message from God and not a ghost.

I believe that there are spiritual creatures that dwell among us. And for that reason I warn that ghost hunting and ghost seeking are very dangerous things to do.

According to the Bible humans do not become ghosts. So that means that these images and sounds that ghost hunters hear are in actuality demons imitating people. Mystery solved! Demons have been assigned to this earth and await their final disposal into the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels. They are active and very alive. I hear these ghost hunters challenge the ghosts to appear and give them a message. This is very dangerous especially for those who are not Christians. Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and therefore light can have no part with darkness. So Christians cannot be possessed but they can be oppressed by demons. But those who are not Christians who challenge demons are actually opening themselves up for demonic possession. Possession is real and Biblical and dangerous!

In the book of Jude verses 9-10 the angel Michael did not dare rebuke the devil. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

We must have respect for the powers of darkness and leave them to the Lord and His rebuke. To put it simply we are not to be preoccupied with the devil, demons, ghosts and haunted places. They are of no consequence to us. Who cares if demons occupy a house in Pheonix, Arizona or Salem, Massachusetts. Leave them alone because they are there for a reason awaiting their final judgment.

We must focus on the Lord and His glory and our service to Him and not preoccupy ourselves with the things of this world. Because of the cross and the shed blood of Jesus Christ the devil and his minions have lost and are awaiting their final judgment.

We are all fascinated by things that go bump in the night. We all love ghost stories and love to be scared. Why? We have a dark nature called sin. Sin leads to death which is our greatest enemy and our greatest fear. This fear of death leads us to endlessly seek the answer to the question…… what is out there? The Bible has made it clear what is out there. One day we will be free from the power of sin and death and hell and the grave and we will no longer be afraid of the dark but we will step into that glorious light of Jesus Christ and His endless glory. Ghost stories are interesting but obviously we know that the Biblical reality is there is no fear for those who are in Christ Jesus. Mystery solved!

Watch sermons and read sermon text and other articles by going to www.tomahawkmbc.com. Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday morning at 10:30 Am. Watch sermons on Facebook by going to Jack Ward’s page.

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
8/9/2023

What must I do?

Over 185 times in the New Testament the sole condition given for salvation is belief, having faith or trust in Jesus Christ. The gospel is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day. All those who place their trust in Jesus for salvation will be saved from the coming judgment. To add any other condition to faith for salvation is to make justification a matter of works.

During one of his great campaigns, D L Moody was approached by a man who had been to a number of the services and who, although convicted of his need for Christ, had kept on postponing a decision. Now the last night had come. The appeal was over, the people were going home, the work crew was busy folding up the chairs and dismantling the platform, and Mr Moody was preparing to leave. The man finally plucked up his courage. He came to the evangelist and blurted out, “Mr Moody, what must I do to be saved?” Moody looked at him. “I’m sorry sir,” he said, “but you’re too late.” “Too late, Mr Moody?” The man was desperate now. “Surely I’m not too late!” “Yes, sir,” said Moody. “You’re too late. As a matter of fact, you’re two thousand years too late if you want to DO something to be saved. All the DOING has been DONE. But if you would like to accept Christ by faith as your personal Savior, you’re just in time. You can do that right here, right now.”

I read about an instant cake mix that was a big flop. The instructions said all you had to do was add water and bake. The company couldn’t understand why it didn’t sell — until their research discovered that the buying public felt uneasy about a mix that required only water. Apparently people thought it was too easy. So the company altered the formula and changed the directions to call for adding an egg to the mix in addition to the water. The idea worked and sales jumped dramatically.

That story reminds me of how some people react to the plan of salvation. To them it sounds too easy and simple to be true, even though the Bible says, “By grace you have been saved through faith…; it is the gift of God, not of works” (Eph. 2:8-9). They feel that there is something more they must do, something they must add to God’s “recipe” for salvation. They think they must perform good works to gain God’s favor and earn eternal life. But the Bible is clear — we are saved, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy” (Titus 3:5). Unlike the cake-mix manufacturer, God has not changed His “formula” to make salvation more marketable. The gospel we proclaim must be free of works, even though it may sound too easy. It must be free of “Do” even though that seems to be right. It is all of grace, for the gift of God is eternal life and it is received only by faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

What must I do to be saved? Nothing can be done. There is no work good enough but to trust in Christ. Faith is the only work for God that we can do. Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Watch sermons and read sermon text and other articles by going to http://www.tomahawkmbc.com. Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday morning at 10:30 Am. Watch Facebook live by going to Jack Ward’s page.

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
8/2/2023

Rebellion

Author Phillip Yancy tells the story of a friend of his he called Daniel. Daniel was about to leave his wife of 15 years for another woman, someone younger and prettier. He knew the personal and moral consequences of what he was about to do. But he had a larger concern – and he asked Yancey “Do you think God can forgive something as awful as I am about to do?” Yancey pondered, “How can I dissuade my friend from committing a terrible mistake if he knows forgiveness lies just around the corner?”

C.S. Lewis noted that a man whose hands are full of parcels can’t receive a gift. Then Yancey wrote: “To condone an evil is simply to ignore it, to treat it as if it were good. But forgiveness needs to be accepted and then applied, if it is to be complete…and a man who admits no guilt, who continues in sin can accept no forgiveness.”

Ultimately, Yancey told his friend that, yes, of course, God could forgive him. but he also challenged him with these thoughts: What we have to go through to commit sin distances us from God. We change in the very act of rebellion, and there is no guarantee we will ever come back. He said to his friend, “You ask me about forgiveness now, but will your rebellious heart even want it later, especially if it involves repentance, humility and submission to God and His will?”

Why do the virtues of humility and submission that first led us to Christ, somehow disappear in so many? The fruits of the Spirit are found in Galatians 5: 22 and 23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. How much gentleness and meekness do we find among Christians today?

1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. The exact opposite of the fruits of the Spirit is the fruit of rebellion. God compares rebellion to witchcraft. Witchcraft is the attempt to get everything in life to work out for you and your wants and desires. God also puts stubbornness in the same category as rebellion. He compares stubbornness to idolatry. Idolatry is the worship of self. Rebellion caused Satan to leave his appointed place and become the devil. Rebellion caused Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Rebellion and stubbornness is nothing more than seeking to get your will done instead of God’s. You are number one….not God. To put it simply you want what you want no matter what God thinks about it! This must never be in the life of a believer!

Colossians 3:12-14 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Christian if you have God’s Spirit within you, you will not be rebellious but instead practice humility, love, patience and forgiveness.

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
7/26/2023

Priorities

There was this man and a woman who got married. But they shared the same birthday and they decided to get married on the same day. So they got married, had a few kids, and lived the lives they dreamed. But 20 years passed. They were celebrating their 40th anniversary and their 63rd birthday. And while the party was going on, a fairy came to them. “You have a wish. Ask whatever you want and it shall be yours,” said the fairy.
The wife smiled. “I want a diamond. But not just any diamond. I want a diamond bigger than what Elizabeth Taylor has ever seen.” So a diamond showed up on her finger. It was huge. The husband was anxious. “I want a wife that is 30 years younger than me. Then I will be happy.” He smiled and laughed. Suddenly he turned 93.

A group of friends went deer hunting and paired off in two’s for the day. That night one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under an eight point buck.
“Where’s Harry?”
“Harry had a stroke of some kind. He’s a couple of miles back up the trail.”
“You left Harry laying there, and carried the deer back?”
“A tough call,” nodded the hunter, “but I figured no one is going to steal Harry.”

Victor Borge told about a couple going on vacation, standing in line waiting to check their bags at the airline counter.
The husband said to the wife, “I wish I had brought my red jacket.”
The wife said, “Why? you’ve brought sixteen coats and jackets already!”
The husband said, “Yes, I know– but the tickets are in my red jacket!”

God told us what are number one priority should be. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33. In your own life if you make the things of God your first priority…daily prayer, Bible reading, weekly church attendance then the light of Christ in your life will reflect on others….and you and those around you will be blessed, and you will enriched, full of joy and peace.

There is an old legend of a swan and a crane. A beautiful swan alighted by the banks of the water in which a crane was wading about seeking snails. For a few moments the crane viewed the swan in stupid wonder and then inquired: “Where do you come from?”
“I come from heaven!” replied the swan.
“And where is heaven?” asked the crane.
“Heaven!” said the swan, “Heaven! have you never heard of heaven?” And the beautiful bird went on to describe the grandeur of the Eternal City. She told of streets of gold, and the gates and walls made of precious stones; of the river of life, pure as crystal, upon whose banks is the tree whose leaves shall be for the healing of the nations. In eloquent terms the swan sought to describe the hosts who live in the other world, but without arousing the slightest interest on the part of the crane.
Finally the crane asked: “Are there any snails there?”
“Snails!” repeated the swan; “no! Of course there are not.”
“Then,” said the crane, as it continued its search along the slimy banks of the pool, “you can have your heaven. I want snails!”

Do you want snails or heaven? Do you want the junk of this world or the eternal joy of heaven? Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. Get your priorities straight!

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
7/19/2023

Do you consider yourself a good person?

To determine that we need a guide. Let’s let the guide of all guides the Ten commandments check us out.

One of the ten commandments is “thou shalt not lie.” Have you ever told a lie? Well then you are guilty of breaking God’s law.
Another one is “thou shalt not steal.” Have you ever stolen anything no matter how small? You are guilty again of breaking God’s law.
Another one is “thou shalt not kill.” You say now wait a minute, I know I have never done that one! Have you ever hated anyone? Then the Bible says you are a murderer. John 3:15 “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” You are guilty again of breaking God’s law!

James 2:10 tells us “That whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” Still think you are a good person? The Bible says “There is none righteous, no not one.“ Jesus said “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but God.”

Here is something very important to remember: God cannot forgive you just because He wants to! Let me explain: Every good and righteous judge in our courtrooms cannot let a thief and a murderer go free. He has no choice but to bring forth judgment upon the guilty. The Bible says that “without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.” The price for sin must be paid. The law has to be fulfilled.

God, who is a good and righteous judge, has found us guilty of breaking His law. Romans 1:20-21 says “….so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” We are without excuse. We are guilty before God. We must suffer the penalty for sin, for breaking God’s laws. The punishment is everlasting separation from God and torment in the Lake of Fire!

You might say, “my good deeds out weigh my bad, doesn’t that count with God?” That’s like telling a judge, “I only robbed one bank judge, there are more banks I didn’t rob than those that I did, doesn‘t that count for something!” Sorry, you are a bank robber if you only rob one bank, therefore you are a sinner if you only commit one sin.

God cannot forgive sinners unless someone pays the sin debt, the price for sin. Without the shedding of blood there is no remisson of sin. So God did something unheard of. “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. “ Christ died paid our sin debt. Why did He do that? “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosover believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

You might say, “I don’t believe it’s going to be that way. My god would not condemn anyone, God is all good and loves us.” Well, the god you describe is not the God of the Bible. God is all good and does love us, but He is also righteous and just. Even though He is not willing that anyone should perish, many will perish because they have made the choice to reject God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Did you know that there won’t be any good people in heaven! Only saved sinners will be in heaven! You can only be in heaven by accepting Christ’s payment for your sin debt. If you have never done so……ask God to forgive you right now and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior.

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
7/12/2023

Genuine or a Copy

The Apostles were the foundation of the Christian faith. But they built upon the chief cornerstone Jesus Christ. Without the cornerstone there could be no sound foundation and without the foundation there can be no building.

Acts 4:10-12 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Haddon Robinson tells the story of young Chinese boy who wanted to learn all about jade. He went to an old teacher who specialized in the beautiful gem and asked him to teach him. The old man agreed. In lesson 1 the old man placed a piece of the precious stone into the young man’s hand and told him to hold it tight. Then the old teacher began to talk of philosophy, men, women, the sun and almost everything under it. After an hour, the teacher took the stone from the boy and sent him home, telling him to return the next day. The boy was confused but thought surely the next day would be different. But the procedure was repeated the next day and then for several weeks, each time with a different piece of jade. He wanted to be polite to his venerable teacher but finally after weeks of this he was going to quit. He came into the lesson, sat down and the old man put a strange stone into his hand and instinctively the boy said, “Hey, that’s not jade!” To which the teacher replied.. “Now, you are ready to work with the precious stone, for now, you recognize the genuine.” Do you? Or are you trying to base your contentment on all the counterfeit things this world offers? If you want to live a satisfied life than you must recognize the genuine… the cornerstone.. Jesus Christ.

The people of Jesus day did not recognize the true cornerstone and chose to build their religion with inferior materials of the law and the works of man. The religion they built did not have the approval of the master builder and creator….God Himself! Christ is what we must build our lives upon or we will never know the God who made us.

Today copies are made so well that it is hard to recognize the genuine article. We have generic medicines that are just like the real medicine. We have Dr cola and Dr Pepper. We have Lee jeans and Rustler jeans. How can you tell the real from the copy?

While in most things the copy is just as good as the original…. there are some things that cannot be copied or faked. For instance in the word of God there is no generic salvation, there is no alternative way of salvation. We must recognize the false ways of man and the true way that God has approved and made available to us. God’s way is not in any religion…it is not a set of rules….it is not in the government…..God’s way is not a change in the way we think or feel. God’s way is not in a new book on the Oprah Winfrey’s show.

God’s way is in a person…a Savior….Jesus Christ our Lord! God didn’t send His Son to teach us a new way. God sent Jesus to be the way! Jesus is genuine, He is real, He is the cornerstone upon all that God wants us to build our lives upon. He is everything!

A seminary president told his students. “We are taught not to put all of our eggs into one basket. …but I say to you that you MUST put all of your eggs in one basket and then mind that basket! That basket is the only genuine and true thing worth living and dying for …..Jesus Christ the way, the truth, the life and the cornerstone of God.”

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
7/5/2023

God Can Save Anyone!

What happens when we learn about a really bad guy repenting? It happens all the time in prison ministry, yet many of us think those people aren’t worth saving. They had more chances than most of us are willing to give them, yet God hasn’t given up on them.

Jeffrey Dahmer was a convicted murderer and cannibal who cooked and ate his victims. You don’t really get much more heinous than that. He was awarded 16 life sentences. While in prison, Dahmer met with Roy Ratcliff, a minister with the Church of Christ in Madison, Wisconsin, and turned his life over to Jesus Christ. He was baptized in prison, knowing that he would never leave prison alive. He had nothing to gain in this life, but everything to gain in the next.

We may scoff at jailhouse conversions, but within months of Dahmer’s baptism, people noticed a Christian spirit in him. His father and pen pals noticed the difference, and his father, who had left the church, has since been restored as a faithful member. Dahmer’s younger brother also had a conversion experience of his own.

Dahmer was killed in prison by a fellow inmate a few months after his baptism. At his memorial service, along with his own family and several Christians, two sisters of one of his victims attended, having grown close to Dahmer’s family after their brother’s death.

That may have been Dahmer’s last chance for repentance, and he took it. But many of us think he shouldn’t have been given another chance. He didn’t deserve it. And that’s true. He didn’t deserve another chance. But neither do we. Jeffrey Dahmer was like that fig tree that provided no fruit during his life. But he was given one more last chance to repent, and he took it.

The fruit of Dahmer’s repentance included bringing at least two people to Jesus and helping to heal the painful wounds left by his transgressions. How many of us can claim the same? God chose to work through him.

God chose to work through David Berkowitz as well. The Son of Sam killer who murdered six people in New York City in the late 1970s was involved in the occult and Satan worship. Ten years into his prison sentence, Berkowitz met a man named Rick in the prison yard who told him about Jesus. He explained that no matter what a person did, Christ was ready to forgive him if he would turn away from the wrong things he was doing and put his faith in Jesus. Rick gave him a Gideon’s Pocket Testament and Berkowitz prayed to Jesus later in his cell, pouring out his heart to Jesus. This was in 1987. Since then, Berkowitz has refused to be considered for parole but would rather serve the Lord among the inmates in prison.

God can save anyone. He wants to save everyone. If man was the judge then the David Berkowitz’s and Jeffrey Dahmer’s of the world would go to hell. But thanks be to God that He is not like us! He loves us despite our sin and will forgive even the unforgivable.

We were unforgivable once. We were on the way to hell. But God so loved me and you and the whole world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who ever believeth (trusts) in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God can save anyone. He saved you and me didn’t He?

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
6/28/2023

Missing Church

One fine Spring Sunday morning, the Baptist preacher was gazing out of his office window at a nearby Trout Stream. “Today would be a good day to sneak off and go fishing”, he thought. The weather was perfect, his fly rod had new string, he had very recently heard reports of a good Trout run, and the Associate pastor was more than ready to handle the service. So, within minutes, the service was underway and the preacher was quietly sneaking out the backdoor, rod, net and creel in hand, heading upstream. But he didn’t go unobserved. An Angel was watching his every move and went straight to God.

“That preacher lied so he could sneak away and go fishing”, the Angel reported to God. Smiling, God said, “So he finally gave in to temptation”. The Angel nodded, “Should I alert the congregation, Sir, and allow him to be caught?” “No, give him complete privacy”, God said. “Should I command the fishes to avoid him, so he gets skunked and catches nothing?”, the Angel asked. “No”, God said, calmly, “We want the preacher to catch something. In fact, command the largest Trout in the stream to take the bait and give the preacher the fight of his life”.

Confused, but loyal, the Angel did as God instructed and within minutes, the preacher had hooked a massive Trout. The fight was spectacular. The preacher was using every trick in the book to successfully land the fish. He loosened the drag so the giant fish could run and not snap the line. He slowly walked the bank, up one end and down the other, allowing the huge fish freedom and time to tire out. Finally, after an exhausting ten minute ordeal, the massive Trout cruised into the shore and the preacher proudly scooped him up in the waiting net. The Angel quickly turned to God, “Should I make a hole in the net so the fish is released?” “No”, God said, calmly, “The preacher will release the fish”. “What?”, the Angel said, shocked, “This preacher lands the biggest fish in the stream, by far the biggest catch of his life and, forgive me God, but you actually expect him to release it?” Smiling knowingly, God assures the Angel, “The preacher is supposed to be in Church. He can’t carry the giant fish into the service and he certainly can’t talk about it to anyone”.

Missing church isn’t the end of the world. Sometimes we get sick. Sometimes someone needs our help and sometimes we are just plain tired. And sometimes we are just plain determined to do something else that day.

One time a pastor took a rare Sunday off. He and his wife drove to the local mall….. not that they needed anything but they were just curious to see what the world outside of church looked like on Sunday morning. The mall was fairly busy. People were running to and fro. The pastor wondered how many of those people were Christians who skipped church today? He also wondered how many could care less about going to church? Then he shuddered….. “I wonder how many were thinking the same thing about me?”

They didn’t buy anything that day. They ate dinner and came home. They had seen the world outside of church and in that world there was no special blessing from God. They didn’t fellowship with any of God’s people and it didn’t make them feel any better for having been there!

In my life I have never gone to a church service and wished that I done something else. God always gives you a special blessing when come to worship Him and fellowship with His people and you always feel better for having been there!
Psalm 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
6/21/2023

ANGER ON THE GOLF COURSE

There were times when golf course etiquette was completely traded in for the ever popular “lose control and act like a madman” routine. There’s something intriguing about watching a full grown man crumble to pieces over a tiny ball that’s 1½ inches in diameter. I’ve seen guys thrown their club farther than they hit their ball out of sheer frustration and anger. I’ve seen them break their club over their knee. I’ve even seen people get so angry that they thrown their golf bag (clubs and all) into the nearest water hazard they can find.

This reminds me of a story of a group of golfers watching a fellow who was having some difficulty on this particular course. The frustration became too much by the 13th hole as this poor guy placed shot after shot into the pond that lay between him and the green that, finally in exasperation, he picked up his golf bag, spun around like a discus thrower, heaved the whole thing into the middle of the lake, and stormed off the course, apparently forever.

Moments later, however, he returned, and in complete embarrassment waded into the pond. He had ‘come to his senses.’ He fished out the dripping bag, unzipped a pocket on the side, took out his car keys, and flung the bag once again, this time even further than before. Then he went home.

Anger can make us do some of the most stupid things. Like dismissing God because we are angry because of something happened to us that we don‘t like.

One day many of Jesus early followers got mad at Him and decided to leave. They didn’t like the message Jesus was preaching. It was about Jesus being the bread of life and about commitment and sacrifice on the part of the those who would follow Him. John 6: 66-69 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

It is interesting that John 6:66 is the verse where the disciples decided to leave Jesus and walk no more with Him. 666? Anyway….Many things happen to us in this world that we don’t understand. The death of a loved one…the suffering of children….the tragedies of innocent people. People who get angry at God are like the golfer who threw away his clubs then realized his car keys were in the bag….for without the car keys he couldn’t go anywhere….so it is for us if we if we throw away God because of anger and misunderstanding. For without God we are not going anywhere in this life or certainly in the life to come.

Jesus asked the question, “will ye also go away?“ And as Peter contemplated his decision the words “Where else can we go?” came to his lips. Where else can we go? God is still God no matter what happens to us isn’t He? Will you turn to yourself for the answer? Will you go to the devil and his crowd for the answer? Will you turn to alcohol and drugs for the answer? Will you turn to the government for the answer? Peter didn’t understand very much…. but he knew Jesus.

Then Peter said “We believe and are SURE.” This was one of Peter’s greatest moments. He realized that it didn’t matter to him how many people hated Jesus or deserted Jesus. Despite all the pressure to leave…. Peter stayed with Jesus.

Peter had found in Jesus is all he needed. He is all we need. He is our rock when our world is crumbling. He is our defender against the hounds of hell. He is our strength in our times of weakness. He is our wisdom when nothing else makes sense. Where else can you go? No where but to Jesus!

Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday morning at 10:30 Am. Watch Facebook live by going to Jack Ward’s page at 11:25 AM and 6:10 PM every Sunday. Watch past sermons and read sermon text and other articles by going to www.tomahawkmbc.com

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
6/14/2023

A SECOND CHANCE

Some years ago, two teenagers with a long history of crime and misbehavior robbed a YMCA on the lowest East Side of New York City. On the way out they saw a young man at the telephone switchboard. They were frightened and assumed that the man must be calling the police. They held and beat him violently with brass knuckles and a black jack. They thought he was dead; they hid him behind the swimming pool and escaped.

Later that evening, a woman who came to swim was walking by the pool. She slipped in the man’s blood, screamed, and then found Donald Tippet’s body. He lived, but one eye was so badly damaged that it could not be saved.

Meanwhile, the two teenagers were seized and brought to trial. Their past records assured that both would get long sentences. Donald Tippet did an amazing thing when he called for the judge to allow the two young men to be paroled to his charge. He wanted to give them another chance. He believed they could change. One of the boys committed another crime, was caught, and sent to jail. The other boy was receptive to Tippet’s kindness. He went to college and then to medical school. He became one of our nation’s leading eye surgeons. A reporter, writing about Donald Tippet’s amazing story of forgiveness, said of the surgeon’s deeds: “I wonder if he ever performs one of those delicate eye operations without thinking of that night in the YMCA and the young man whose forgiveness changed his life!”

We know that God is the God of second changes, not only that but He is the God of third changes, fourth changes and on and on. We believe and know that He never gives up on us. He will always love us and His desire is to draw all men unto Himself. We all know and believe that about God.

But what about you? Are you willing to forgive and give people a second chance? I’ve heard people say “I’ll forgive but I won’t forget!” But I ask you…. is that really forgiveness? God said in Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. I believe that the greatest sin that we as God’s people commit is our lack of forgiveness for others. We love to hold grudges. We are happy to keep resentment. We enjoy our revenge. What if God forgave like we do? How would we like that? If God forgave like we do I’m afraid that not many of us would stand a chance of making it to heaven.

Jesus expects us to forgive. In fact He demands it. Jesus said in Luke 17:3-4 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. That’s pretty serious isn’t it?

Jesus takes this matter of forgiveness and second changes very seriously. We should and we must forgive others. It not only helps the person who is forgiven but it helps us in our relationship to Christ. For how can we hope to truly know Him if we are not like Him in His forgiveness, His mercy and His willingness to give people another chance.

Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday morning at 10:30 Am. Watch sermons on by going to www.tomahawkmbc.com or go to Facebook live (Jack Ward) at 11:25 Am every Sunday.

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
5/24/2023

Pray!

Gen. Douglas MacArthur wrote this prayer for his son. He prayed: “Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, & brave enough to face himself when he is afraid. One who will be proud & unbending in honest defeat, & humble & gentle in victory.

“Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds – a son who will know Thee, who is the foundation stone of knowledge. Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease & comfort, but under the stress & spur of difficulties & challenge.

“Here let him learn to stand up to the storm. Here let him learn compassion for those who fail. Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high, a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men, one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

“And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor so that he may always be serious but never take himself too seriously. Give him humility so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, & an open mind of true wisdom, & the meekness of true strength. “Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, `I have not lived in vain.’”

That is a great prayer. May we all pray this for our children. Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus. Ephesians 3:16-21 “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. 20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.

That is a great prayer that we should pray for ourselves and our church each day. But… it is not just the contents of the prayer that matters with God…but what matter to God is that Paul prayed! Is daily prayer a part of your life?

The Bible says “ye have not because ye ask not.” Are you asking God? If you haven’t turned to God in prayer where are you turning to? God has set the stars in the heavens and hangs the moon on nothing…and we don’t ask Him for anything? How foolish that is. There are many great prayers in the Bible…..but the bottom line is people who do great things for God in this world have this one thing in common…..they pray!!!
Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons and find sermon text and outlines and much more at www.tomahawkmbc.com and listen each Sunday at 10:30 Am on WSIP FM 98.9 for his weekly sermon from the pulpit of Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church.

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
5/10/2023

Breaking the Barrier

Chuck Yeager was the first man to ever break the sound barrier in an aircraft. Planes like the British Meteor jets that approached the speed of sound (760MPH at sea level, 660 MPH at 40,000 feet) had encountered severe buffeting of the controls. At that time, no one knew for sure whether an airplane could exceed “Mach 1”, the speed of sound. The U.S. Army was determined to find out first.

The Army had developed a small, bullet-shaped aircraft, the Bell X-1, to challenge the sound barrier. A civilian pilot, Slick Goodlin, had taken the Bell X-1 to .7 Mach, when Yeager started to fly it. He pushed the small plane up to .8, .85, and then to .9 Mach, but backed off when the plane began to shake uncontrollably. The date of Oct. 14, 1947 was set for the attempt to do Mach 1.

As he approached Mach 1, that plane began to shake and rattle and be buffeted from side to side, so much so that he was not sure that he would not explode in mid-air.

But on this day Chuck said, “I refuse to turn back now! If I die, I die trying but I am not going to back down! I’ve been close before, but no matter what happens today, I am going for it!” And with that he shoved the controls forward and headed for the sonic wall!

In the account of this momentous event recorded in the book “The Right Stuff” the author records: The X-1 went through “the sonic wall” without so much as a bump. As the speed topped out at Mach 1.05, Yeager had the sensation of shooting straight through the top of the sky.

In our Christian lives we have many barriers to serving our Lord. We need to have the attitude of Chuck Yeager. Refuse to turn back! “If I die, I die trying but I am not going to back down!” We have much more at stake than just the sound barrier…we have as our goal the will of God. We have as our purpose to glorify the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. How much more should we refuse to turn back or slow down or even God forbid…. quit!

Just like Chuck Yeager made it through the sound barrier and saw the top of the sky…we shall behold our Lord one day. We shall see Him that we have served so faithfully. We shall behold His glory. Our small troubles we go through here on this earth will be worth it all when we see Him! We must press on for our Lord, and He will help us to break through all our lives barriers.

Philippians 3:14-15 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

My brothers and sisters in Christ…keep pressing on. Sooner than you think we will break through the top of the sky and then be in His glorious presence where there is joy forever and ever.

Hear Pastor Jack’s Sermons and read sermon text and more at www.tomahawkmbc.com

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
5/3/2023

Thank God Anyhow!

Habbakkuk 3:17-19 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

102 Pilgrims in landed in America in 1620. 56 died due to starvation, disease and the cold winter. In 1621, 46 Pilgrims and 91 Indians met to give thanks for a bountiful harvest and for the preservation of their lives. Those folks had every reason to be depressed and discouraged, but they were thankful anyhow!

The book of Habakkuk was written against a backdrop of apostasy, judgment and unbelievable hardship. It was written during a time when Jehoiakim the king of Judah led the people back into idolatry and away from the Lord. As a result, God is preparing to judge the nation. Habakkuk is having trouble understanding why God would use a heathen nation like Babylon to punish His people. He cannot understand why God doesn’t just purge their sins and draw them back to Himself and to righteousness.

Habakkuk is a lot like Job. He argues his case, but in the end, he realizes that God is not to be worshiped merely because of the temporal, material and physical blessings of life, but simply for Who He is. Thus, he ends his words with a song of thanksgiving to God for Who He is and for the unchanging benefits that belong to those who know Him! Habakkuk had reason to fret, but he chose to be thankful instead!

The keywords of these verses are “although” and “yet”. Habakkuk is saying, “I sure don’t understand all that is happening, but I am going to thank God anyhow!” Circumstances change, God never does – Malachi 3:6 I am the Lord I change not. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever. I may not be able to rejoice in my situation, but I can always rejoice in my Sovereign Lord. Sovereign means supreme power or authority. No one is greater, no one has more power, no one compare to our God.

A recent counseling magazine had an article that said ….“It is good for people to go to church.” It went on to say that “there is nothing that helps people more than to go to church and realize that God that loves them and can help them. What 12 step programs and counseling cannot do …..going to church can do….. by helping people to realize that they belong to a just and loving creator God who welcomes them into His arms. Going to church never harms anyone but can only help.”

WOW! Isn’t that what the Bible has been telling us….Jesus said…..“Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavily laden and I will give you rest.” When life is tough. When life gets hard, thank God anyhow!

Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons and get sermon outlines and other articles at www.tomahawkmbc.com

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
4/26/2023

Confess Our Sins
When we sin we try to justify it, rectify it, and ignore it. But the thing is that God knows all about it. God hates sin but fortunately He loves the sinner. As long as we are alive though we will try to sin and get away with it. That’s just the way we are.

When a man has his sin revealed, he can come up with some pretty creative way to try and justify his sins. Several years ago, the House of Representatives voted 426-0 to reveal the names of all past and present members who have bounced checks at the House bank, an act that one commentator likened to committing “mass political suicide.”

They tell us that when the list was finally released it contained 355 names. Some of our elected officials evidently never bothered to balance their checkbooks. One wrote 972 bad checks; another wrote 716. The man who wrote 716 rubber checks is from the Chicago area. He held an indignant press conference at which he loudly proclaimed that since no public money was involved, it was nobody else’s business. With an air of extreme anger, he proclaimed, “It’s personal.”

But he wasn’t the best one. The best performer so far is a man named Charles Wilson from Texas. As I took notes, he seemed to be making five different excuses for his overdrawn checks.
1. “It’s not a crime like child abuse.” (Translation: “It’s not so bad.”)
2. “My people knew I was sloppy when they elected me.” (Translation: “They knew I was stupid when they elected me.”)
3. “If you’ve ever bounced a check, vote for me. If not, vote for my opponent.” (Translation: “Everybody does it.”)
4. “The system was all fouled up.” (Translation: “It’s not my fault.”)
5. “It’s no big deal.” (Translation: “It’s no big deal.”)

We need to stop trying to justify our sins and do exactly what the Lord Himself said to do with them. Simply, confess them. 1 John 1:9; 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The word “confess” is a word that means “to say the same thing about something.” The word “repentance” means about the same thing. Repentance means to change your mind about something and go a different direction. God says that my sins are wretched and filthy. He says that they harm His Kingdom and rob Him of His glory. He says that my sins hurt me in ways that I have never even thought about. He wants me to say the same thing about my sins that He is saying about them. He just wants me to come clean, and when I do, He has promised to make me clean and give me the strength to turn from sin and follow Jesus.

Are there some who need to come and confess some sin to the Lord? Folks, being religious will not save your soul and it will not buy you favor with the Lord. The only thing that brings us near to Him is when we put our sins behind us. Do you need to confess the sins in your life?

Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons, get sermon outlines and sermon texts and more at www.tomahawkmbc.com

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
4/19/2023

Rights or Responsibility?

1 Corinthians 9:12 If others be partakers of this power over you are not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.” What Paul says is that I’m not standing up for my rights. I want to be a soul-winner. And he says, “I’ll be a soul-winner even if it means that my rights are trampled on. The most important thing to me is getting out the gospel of Jesus Christ.” I tried to apply that to my own life and I tried to say, “Jack, are you more interested in your rights or are you more interested in getting the gospel out?” I thought about that and I came to the conclusion that I pray that I will always be more interested in getting the gospel out than I am in my rights.

Adrian Rogers tells this story: Joyce and I went out to lunch and, while we were having lunch in this particular restaurant, I began to witness to the waitress. We had a wonderful witness to this waitress, and she had a lot of difficulty, a lot of problems. It was not only a witness, but it turned into a counseling session and I spent much time with this waitress, telling her about the love of Jesus. She finally had to go, and she was off, so she left the restaurant. Well, when I got the check, she had overcharged me – she had overcharged me several dollars more than what she should have charged me. I didn’t have enough money with me and didn’t have a credit card. I only had some cash, and I had just enough money to pay the bill and to leave her a tip, but now I’m on the horns of a dilemma. If I go up there and, after all of this witness and testimony, tell the employer this woman has overcharged me, even though that would be the normal and natural thing to do, but after I had witnessed to her and talked to her, I knew it would just embarrass her to pieces. I knew that because she was a woman who was already so unsure of herself, a woman already who felt that she was such a failure – that’s part of what we were talking about. I knew it would devastate her if I had to go to her employer and he were to say to her, You overcharged this man.

So I said, “Well, I’ll suffer the wrong, I’ll pay the overcharge.” But then I thought, “If I pay the overcharge, I won’t have enough money to leave her a tip.” So I had to tip the woman who overcharged me. And so I wondered, “Now what am I gonna do? I can’t tell him and leave her a tip, but I can’t leave her a tip if I don’t tell him.” You know, the crazy thing I had to do was this: I had to say, “Joyce, you sit here in the restaurant; I’m going out to car, drive all the way home, get some more money, and come back here, so I can (a) give a tip to the woman who overcharged me, and (b) pay the overcharge and not say anything about it. Unless she’s here tonight, she doesn’t know anything about it.”

I thought about that. I had a right to say I was overcharged or I had a right not to leave a tip, necessarily, to a person who overcharged me. But that didn’t make any difference to me. I’d far rather be overcharged, and far rather her not know about it, and no one else would’ve known about it, had I not told you, than to fail to get the gospel of Jesus Christ out. We shouldn’t always stand up for our rights. I think Bill Gothard has well said, “When we stand up for our rights, we have a revolution. When we stand up for our responsibilities, we have a revival.” It’s not all about us…for us It’s all about Christ.

Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons and get sermon outlines and more at www.tomahawkmbc.com

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
4/12/2023

Are You Getting Enough Training?

If I decided to join the US Army and depending on whether or not I could pass the physical…. I figure it should only take me about one week of training and I’ll be ready. We all know better than that don’t we? One week of training would never prepare anyone for going to war, not even Superman.

What makes us think a minimal amount of church attendance will get the job done in the Lord’s army, fighting against Satan and the world of evil? It should be obvious that it will take a lot more training once a month church attendance or even once a week!

A woman approached the minister after the sermon, and thanked him for his message. “I found it so helpful,” she said. The minister replied: “I hope it will not prove as helpful as the last sermon you heard me preach.” “Why, what do you mean?” asked the astonished woman. “Well,” said the minister, “that sermon lasted you three months.”

Church attendance among those who know claim to know Christ is…… just to put it honestly “shameful.” The average church has only 20 percent of its members present on Sunday morning and only 4 percent present for Sunday night service or Mid week services.

Growing up as a young Christian man I loved going to church. I attended Sunday School, Sunday morning, and Sunday Evening services faithfully. The most miserable times in my Christian life were the five years I only attended Sunday Morning worship and even then only a couple of times each month. At first I felt guilty about missing church…… then later on I rationalized that God didn’t expect me to be at every service…… and then later I felt that I was too busy and tired to go to church! Then finally I felt like those people at church don’t care about me anyway. Personal Bible reading, personal praying and sharing of my faith also had just about disappeared from my life.

One day I saw my pastor at the Post Office. He didn’t say anything particularly about church only that He hoped to see me Sunday. I thought…“have I gotten this far from the Lord that the pastor has to say he hoped to see me at church!“ I decided then and there that even though I may fail God everywhere else in my life there is one thing that I will not fail Him in and that is faithfulness to His church.

I can’t tell you the many ways that God has blessed me since that day. Now as a pastor I can tell you the disappointment in those who don’t come to all the services at our church. I don’t hurt for me. I have learned to be faithful to preach and teach the word and leave the results up to God. But I do hurt for the unfaithful and the fellowship they are missing…the blessing of God that they are missing…the word of God that they aren’t hearing….the training that they are not getting. And I hurt also because I know that those Christians who are not faithful to attend church we won’t be faithful in reading the Bible, spending time with the Lord in prayer or in sharing their faith with others.

It’s a tough world out there. We need the Lord Jesus Christ. He blesses us when we try to please Him. We need the each other’s encouragement, support and love. We need the word of God to guide us, to train us so that we will be a fully prepared soldier ready for anything this world might throw at us.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. Are you a good and faithful soldier for the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you getting enough training?

Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons and read sermon outlines and much more at www.tomahawkmbc.com

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
4/5/2023

CONTENTMENT!

Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” he asked.
“Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman.
“Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?’ the rich man asked.
“What would I do with them?”
“You could earn more money,” came the impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.”
The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?”
“You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the industrialist.
“What do you think I’m doing now?” the fisherman replied as he looked placidly out to sea.
Hebrews 13: 5 Let you conversation be without covetousness; and content with such things as ye have…”
We live in an increasingly discontented world. People aren’t happy with what they have and they want more. That is they think that they want more. People think that something newer and better and more fancy will make them happier.

A man was dissatisfied with his wife and wanted to divorce her for a woman who would fulfill his life and dreams. But first he had to find this perfect woman. He put a description on one of those internet dating sites describing thee woman of his dreams. He excitedly went to the computer a week later and had a match. He was so excited….this woman will be everything I need and could hope for……The perfect woman! To his complete dismay and surprise the woman who replied was his own wife! She too had been looking for the perfect man! Needless to say they both had a wonderful chuckle and are now happily contented in their marriage.

God is contented with us. This means that we are worth all that He has done to save us from our sins. He is contented with Christ and therefore if you are in Christ He is contented with you. He is satisfied with being our Savior. But why do so many look elsewhere instead of Christ? Why are we not satisfied with Him?

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. God rejoices over you with joy. God sings about us! Now I’m not saying that we are deserving of any of this…It is by God’s grace and love that He has chosen to redeem us…but there is no doubt that God has moved heaven and earth to bring us….. His most prized possession… back to Him.

This means that God doesn’t need you to DO MORE for Him…God just wants you to follow Jesus in faith and in trust. You can’t do anything for God….You can only have faith in God….and in that faith God will use you to accomplish His purposes.

Hebrews 13:5 for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
God is committed to you. He will never, no not ever leave thee nor forsake thee.
If God is committed to you…what would change His mind? Malachi 3:6 I am the Lord I change not. Hebrews 13:6 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and forever. Nothing can change God’s mind about you! He is committed to you…He is content with all He has done to save you. He is content with you because of your faith in Jesus Christ. The question is…are you committed to Him? Are you content with Him?

Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons, sermon outlines and more at www.tomahawkmbc.com

The Pastor’s Pen
Jack Ward, Pastor, Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church
3/29/2023

Pardon From Sin

The truth is we can’t please God on our terms. Nor does it do any good to try and hide our sin. Like Isaiah, we can only admit, “I am a person of unclean lips.”

It reminds me of the story of KING FREDERICK II, an eighteenth-century king in Prussia, what is today Germany. He was on a visit to a prison in Berlin when the inmates crowded around him to proclaim their innocence. All except one man. He sat quietly in the corner, head bowed.

Frederick walked over to him and said, “What are you here for?” “‘Armed robbery, your majesty,” the man replied. “Are you guilty?” the king asked. “Yes, sir. I deserve this punishment.” The king turned to the guard and ordered, “Set this guilty man free. I don’t want him corrupting all these other innocent people.”

Finding God’s pardon in our lives begins by admitting our guilt. To insist we are innocent when we are not leaves us in a prison of our own making because people who outwardly proclaim their innocence really in their heart of hearts know that they are guilty.

God’s pardon means that God does not hold our sin against us. He has carried our sins far away. I would guess that most all people wish they could just get the guilt and remorse of sin out of their minds and move on. But they cannot and you know why……it is because THEY are bearing the guilt of their sin.

In the old Testament there was a ritual of the scapegoat. The priest would gather the people together and lay hands on a goat and then someone in the congregation would lead the goat out into the wilderness and leave it there. The goat symbolically carried the sins of the people away. The goat bore the sins of the people and took them far away.

Jesus bore our sins for us on the cross. The Bible says that He hath removed our sins as far as the east is from the west. Christian are you burdened by the guilt of things you did 30 years ago? 5 years ago? Quit trying to carry your sins and instead know that He has already forgiven you for your sins and that He has already carried your sins far away! “Thy sins and iniquities I have remembered no more.” If God has forgotten them then you forget about them too! What gives you the right to condemn what God has forgotten and forgiven?

What about sins we committed yesterday and even today? Christian, every sin is very serious. We should not take any sin lightly. And let me also add that we cannot be perfect…we will sin. Paul said that I die daily. The Bible also says “how can two walk together except they agree.” Agree means two people are in fellowship. Each one is doing what makes the relationship work. We cannot walk in fellowship with Christ as long as we are carrying our sin. We weren’t designed to carry our own sin. It will slow us down. It will weaken us. Our Lord is master and we are His devoted servant. But in this relationship the master bears the burden not the servant. Our Lord is able and was made to carry our burden of sin for us so that we can walk together. Isn’t our God a great God and Savior! “The Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.”

Christian confess your sin to Him… don’t proclaim your innocence….then you will be free to walk with Him. We are in perfect fellowship with Him. We are free from the burden and guilt of our sin. Whom the Son hath set free is free indeed.

Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons and get sermon outlines and text and more at www.tomahawkmbc.com