Category Archives: Devotions/Bible Studies

Love Your Enemies: The Prequel

Posted on 2013/04/05 by Shawn Thomas

Exodus 23:4-5 says: “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless, you shall surely release it with him.” … Continue reading →

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A Stress Reliever

Posted on 2013/04/04 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 127:2 almost seems fatalistic: “It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.” Some may wrongly think that this … Continue reading →

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Don’t Take The Bait!

Posted on 2013/04/03 by Shawn Thomas

II Timothy 2:23 admonishes: “But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.” Then :24 begins “The Lord’s bondservant must not be quarrelsome …”. This verse commands God’s servants not to even get into “foolish” and “ignorant” discussions … Continue reading →

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Kind To ALL

Posted on 2013/04/02 by Shawn Thomas

It is easy to read past II Timothy 2:24, “the Lord’s bondservant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to all”, and not think much of it other than that it is a very general admonition, which everyone should know: “be … Continue reading →

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You Shall Be Gracious

Posted on 2013/04/01 by Shawn Thomas

Exodus 22:26-27 may read at first like a quirky, specific law for Israel, but it is in fact an admonition to grace: “If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you are to return it before the sun … Continue reading →

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I Was Glad

Posted on 2013/03/31 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 122 opens with a familiar and beloved verse for many: “I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of YHWH”. This Psalm is one of 15 Psalms called “Songs of Ascent” which were … Continue reading →

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My “Holy Saturday” Tradition

Posted on 2013/03/30 by Shawn Thomas

I attended a Good Friday service at Trinity Baptist, Norman last night and really enjoyed the service. It included some public worship singing, a series of scripture readings, and several choir anthems. I had not been in the habit, as … Continue reading →

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The Leadership We Deserve?

Posted on 2013/03/29 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 125:3 says: “For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land of the righteous, so that the righteous will not put forth their hands to do wrong.” Basically this verse indicates that God will not allow wicked … Continue reading →

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Learning to Hate Evil

Posted on 2013/03/28 by Shawn Thomas

Many Christians think we should not hate anything, but that is not true according to scripture. Psalm 97:10 says “Hate evil, you who love the Lord.” In fact, one of the greatest problems modern Christians have is that they do … Continue reading →

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Compassion, Not Condemnation

Posted on 2013/03/27 by Shawn Thomas

There is something touching about God’s command in Exodus 22:21, “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Indeed I think it is intended to call out the empathy of … Continue reading →

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