Don’t Follow The Crowd

Posted on 2013/04/16 by Shawn Thomas

Exodus 23:2 commanded the people of God: “You shall not follow the masses in doing evil …” That is like the old admonition many of our parents gave us: “Don’t follow the crowd”! That was Biblical!

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The False Witness of a “Straw Man”

Posted on 2013/04/15 by Shawn Thomas

In Exodus 20:16 we are given the 9th Commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” This verse entails numerous applications, but one of them includes purposefully misrepresenting the position of another. It is not uncommon for opponents of a given position to construct what has come to be known as a “straw man”: a caricature of the opponents’ position which does not accurately represent their views, but which is relatively easy to refute.

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For the Sake of Your Servant: Substitionary Grace

Posted on 2013/04/09 by Shawn Thomas

In Psalm 132:10 the Psalmist prays: “For the sake of Your servant David, do not turn away the face of Your anointed one”

The salient principle here is that for the sake of ANOTHER who has gone before and who has found favor with God, the present ONE has the blessing: “For the sake of Your servant David”, “do not turn away the face of Your anointed.” The anointed one (the king) was to be blessed for the sake of David.

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Fairest Lord Jesus

Posted on 2013/04/08 by Shawn Thomas

The hymn “Fairest Lord Jesus” has an uncertain origin. It was first published in a German Roman Catholic publication in 1677, without attribution to an author.

It is interesting that Samuel Rutherford, the Scottish Puritan pastor who was exiled in Aberdeen from his congregation in Anwoth, wrote the following to one of his former congregants, the Laird of Cally, in 1637: Continue reading →

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When You Don’t Have A Word

Posted on 2013/04/08 by Shawn Thomas

In Psalm 130 the Psalmist, in “the depths,” cries out to God. Then in :5 he says: “in His word do I hope”. In “the depths” of our own particular situations, we should do the same thing: put our hope in God’s word. Sometimes people talk about how God has given them a specific “word” of scripture to “hang their hat” on, and trust in for their situation. But what if He doesn’t give you a word like that? Continue reading →

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A Call To Worship (Psalm 132)

Posted on 2013/04/07 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 132 is one of the Songs of Ascent, which were sung by pilgrims on their way to worship at Jerusalem. Verses 7-9 still present a great call to worship for us today:

“Let us go into His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool.
Arise O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength.
Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your godly ones sing for joy.”

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Remember His Name in the Night

Posted on 2013/04/06 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 119:55 says: “I remember Your name in the NIGHT O Lord, and I keep Your Law”
What is significant about remembering God’s name “in the “night”? Continue reading →

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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.” What is significant about this verse is that we are not commanded to do these things for our FRIENDS, but for our ENEMIES!

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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 verse implies that it is “vain” to work long hard hours, because God will bless the one He is going to bless even while he is NOT working – even in his sleep – so why bother to work hard; it’s all up to God anyway?!

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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 which you know are just going to lead to quarrels.

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