Menial Training For Ministry

Posted on 2014/07/01 by Shawn Thomas

In II Kings 3:11, when Jehoshaphat asked for a prophet of Yahweh, someone responded: “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” This is a revealing statement, with some telling implications for those who would go into ministry:

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A Word About Worship Songs

Posted on 2014/06/30 by Shawn Thomas

Colossians 3:16 opens by commanding: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you …” — and then instructs us that one way that is to happen is through our music and worship: “… with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
This verse teaches us some important things about our worship songs:

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God’s Perfect Word

Posted on 2014/06/27 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 12 contrasts the flattering words (:2-3) and boastful word-faith (:4) of men with the perfect words of God. Verse 6 says “The words of the LORD are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.”
Here we find a 3-fold emphasis on the purity of God’s word:

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Is There No God In Israel?

Posted on 2014/06/26 by Shawn Thomas

In II Kings 1, King Ahaziah, who had fallen and become ill, sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether he would recover. In :3, Elijah confronts the messengers and proclaims: “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?”

This question surely applies to many of us today as well:

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The Missing Ingredient

Posted on 2014/06/25 by Shawn Thomas

There is a vital missing ingredient in the lives of many American Christians today. Colossians 3:16 says: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another …”. Those words “one another” are a key.

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What God Says I Shall Speak

Posted on 2014/06/24 by Shawn Thomas

I Kings 22:14 should be the commitment of every Christian preacher and teacher: “But Micaiah said, ‘As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I shall speak.'” He spoke these words in the specific context of :13, where King Ahab’s messenger told him to “go along” with all the other prophets and tell the king what he wanted to hear: something favorable.

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“Putting Up” With Each Other

Posted on 2014/06/23 by Shawn Thomas

You might not think that just “putting up” with someone was a very godly thing to do — but it is actually the literal translation of a Bible word in Colossians 3:13. The New American Standard translates it “bearing with one another, but the Greek Bible word is “anexomenoi” — literally, “putting up” with one another”. Yep, sometimes that’s just what you have to do!

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Become Thankful

Posted on 2014/06/20 by Shawn Thomas

Colossians 3:15 commands: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, and be thankful.” Those last two words are very instructive: “Be thankful.” In Greek the word “be” is “ginesthe” — literallly, “become” thankful. This teaches us a couple of important things:

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Enemies Within & Without

Posted on 2014/06/19 by Shawn Thomas

The prophets of Baal were not the only false prophets in Israel in the days of Elijah, as we see in I Kings 22. As Ahab and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were seeking guidance before a potential battle, :11 says “Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, ‘Thus says YHWH, “With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.”‘” So Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah was not a prophet of Baal, but supposedly a prophet of YHWH. (We see the same thing from other false prophets in :12 too) So the problem in Israel in the days of Ahab was not only the prophets of Baal, but supposed prophets of YHWH who spoke falsehood instead of His truth. We have the same basic problem today.

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Getting The Right Advice

Posted on 2014/06/18 by Shawn Thomas

We all have times when we need advice. But almost as important as the decision you are making is that you get your advice from the right sources. In I Kings 22, Jehoshaphat and Ahab were about to go to war with the King of Aram, and they were getting counsel (advice) from the prophets. What unfolded should serve as an example for us when we are seeking advice:

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