“Here I Raise Mine Ebenezer”

Posted on 2013/08/01 by Shawn Thomas

The second verse of the hymn, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”, begins, “Here I raise mine Ebenezer” — a reference which escapes some who sing it. The Biblical source for these words is in I Samuel 7. The prophet Samuel had issued a challenge for Israel to repent of the worship of false gods, and return to the Lord with all their hearts. The Bible says they heeded the call to revival, and subsequently defeated the Philistines in battle at Mizpah. So in :12 the Bible says “Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenzer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’”

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“Just Thunder” — or the Work of God?

Posted on 2013/07/31 by Shawn Thomas

I Samuel 7:10 says: “The Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel.”
There are times in scripture when it seems that God does enough of a miracle so that those who will believe in Him will do so – but also leaves just enough room for doubt so that someone who does NOT want to believe may explain it another way if they are so inclined to. This episode is an example of that.

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Little Condo on the Prairie (July 30)

Posted on 2013/07/30 by Shawn Thomas

FAT LIP
One night last week, we had “Fat Lip” for dinner. Yeah there’s a story behind it … when our son David was little, he would ask Cheryl what we were having for dinner, and without fail, whatever it was, he’d say he didn’t want it. One evening, Cheryl was cooking what most people would call “Beef Stroganoff”, when David came into the kitchen, and with a sneer, asked Cheryl what she was cooking. Tired of his rejection of her dinners, she said, “A fat lip — want some?” He didn’t waver, but immediately went into his routine, whining, “I don’t want ‘fat lip!'” We all laughed. From that hour, Beef Stroganoff has been “Fat Lip” at our house. So … once again the Thomas family had “Fat Lip” for dinner! Continue reading →

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Samuel Describes Repentance

Posted on 2013/07/30 by Shawn Thomas

In I Samuel 7:3, during a message to the people of Israel, Samuel describes what repentance is. He says: “If you return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” Notice that Samuel gives us here a basic overall definition of repentance, as well as describing it both in positive and negative terms:

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POTS update July 2013

Posted on 2013/07/29 by Shawn Thomas

I shared previously (see here) about my visit in June to Dr. Naeem Tahirkili in Oklahoma City, the changes he made in my medications, and how after the first few days I was already doing very well. With over a month under my belt since that visit, and after a followup appointment, it is time to post another update — and another very good one! Continue reading →

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If Saved Will Persevere

Posted on 2013/07/29 by Shawn Thomas

Many Christians (especially Baptists) are fond of claiming “once saved always saved”, and there is truth in that statement. Those who are genuinely saved will indeed never lose it. But many misinterpret that teaching to mean that anyone who makes a profession of faith is genuinely saved and can never be lost. But scripture gives no such blanket assurance. In fact, the Bible makes it abundantly clear that many will make “professions” of faith who were never saved at all. In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus indicated that many would say to Him, “Lord, Lord” but that He would say to them, “I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”

Though it does not teach that everyone who ever professes faith is saved, the Bible does assert that those who are genuinely saved will indeed never lose their salvation. However, it also teaches that those who are genuinely saved will demonstrate it by persevering in their faith: “holding it fast” to the end. Continue reading →

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Today

Posted on 2013/07/28 by Shawn Thomas

Hebrews 4:7 tells us: “He again fixes a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts’”.
God has fixed a “certain day” in which all who hear His word should heed it. That day is “today”! In other words, in whatever day you hear His word, you had best respond to it then. It is never “tomorrow” with God – though that is the response many of us like to give Him. We often offer our obedience “tomorrow”:

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Let God Fight For You

Posted on 2013/07/27 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 35:1 opens: “Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight with me.” The key principle taught here is: let GOD do your fighting for you.

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Whose House We Are

Posted on 2013/07/26 by Shawn Thomas

Hebrews 3:6 says: “But Christ was faithful as a Son over His house – whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.”
What is His “house”? It says here “whose house WE ARE.” The Bible indicates that those who demonstrate by their perseverance that they are genuine followers of Christ, constitute His house — WE are the house of God! This is just what I Cor. 6:19 tells us: “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.”

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Not Just For Atheists

Posted on 2013/07/25 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 53:1 says, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God.'” It has often been quoted in regard to atheists, and certainly it applies. But the verse also applies to the many who claim to be God’s people who too often live and act as if there is no God: Continue reading →

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