Revival Time in the Home

Posted on 2012/09/10 by Shawn Thomas

In Genesis 35:2, Jacob told his household: “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; and let us arise and go to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God.” This was like “revival time” in the household of Jacob: he responds to God’s call to worship Him, and leads his family to purify themselves from their attachment to false gods, and to rededicate themselves to worship the one true God alone. It is significant that this call for revival in his home came from the head of the household: Jacob himself issued the challenge to his family. Continue reading →

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“What Real Faith Looks Like: Total Commitment” (James 1:6-8)

Posted on 2012/09/09 by Shawn Thomas

Cheryl and Michael & I were waiting in the drive through at Wendy’s the other day, and it looked like the people in front of us were having a difficult time making up their mind as to what they wanted to order. Cheryl came up with the idea that they should have two lines at the drive-throughs: one for people who know what they want, and one for people who can’t make up their mind. Michael immediately chipped in: “Like Dad!” Hey, sometimes it’s just hard to know what you want!
Well, I would suggest to you that not being able to make up your mind at McDonald’s or Wendy’s is not the worst thing in the world. But when it comes to our commitment to God, we need to be decisive. This what we are going to see in James 1:6-8 today.

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People for an Inheritance

Posted on 2012/09/09 by Shawn Thomas

There is a sweet thought in Psalm 33:12, that we are “the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” God has not chosen for His inheritance the glorious stars, or mighty angels, or the vast riches of the universe. He has chosen PEOPLE — you & I, if we are in Christ. This should influence the way we go to worship this Sunday:

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The Illusion of Security

Posted on 2012/09/08 by Shawn Thomas

Proverbs 18:11 says: “A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own imagination.”
This verse is instructive to us in that it proclaims that the rich man’s wealth is like a wall “in his own IMAGINATION.” It is NOT actually the defense that he thinks it is!

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The Goal of Your Conversation

Posted on 2012/09/07 by Shawn Thomas

Proverbs 18:2 says: “A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own heart.”
This verse reveals a fundamental problem: many people do not seek to understand others in their conversations with them. On the contrary, they are merely “waiting their turn” to fire off what they have already planned to say. The conversation is not a real “back and forth” exchange of ideas, leading to understanding, but more like a “duel” in which they can’t wait to get their “jab” in! Continue reading →

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At ALL Times!

Posted on 2012/09/05 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 34:1 says: “I will bless the Lord at ALL times.”  David, having just come out of a “close call” with Abimelech was a living example of this.  He praised God in good times and bad – “all times.”  We are to do the same.  But we need to remember that the Psalm says “ALL” times! 

Someone said recently that whenever people get good news (no cancer, a healing, test was negative, etc.) that they often respond by saying “God is good!”  But he pointed out that “God is good” even when those things do NOT go how we’d like!  We are to bless the Lord (saying He is “good” is blessing Him!) at ALL times: good news or bad! 

That is what Job did.  Even when he had lost virtually everything he had, his response was: “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”  Job lived out Psalm 34:1, and blessed the Lord at ALL times.  May we be found doing the same!

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Are You A Friend?

Posted on 2012/09/04 by Shawn Thomas

Proverbs 17:17 says: “A friend loves at all times.” It is probably typical for us to think of this verse from our own perspective: that those who are our friends should always love us, and stick with us through thick and thin. If they do not, then they are not truly our friends. While this is true, the reverse perspective is the best for us biblically: we should make certain that we ARE that kind of friend ourselves! Ask yourself: “Am I the kind of friend who loves at all times?” Continue reading →

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This Week in “Paradise” Sept. 3rd

Posted on 2012/09/03 by Shawn Thomas

This Week in “Paradise” Sept. 3rd

This week in the “Paradise” of the pastor’s home, we dealt with an impending hurricane, aging bodies, and of course our kitten, Eponine.

Get Behind Me!

My wife Cheryl loves French fries, but had been convicted recently that they were not best for her to eat right now. Unbeknownst to me, she had made a recommitment not to eat them. Did I say this was “unbeknownst to me”?

One day last week we had gone to pick up some fast food, and without thinking (as usual) I thought I would be “nice” to Cheryl and offer her a fry. I held it up to her mouth and said, “Here, you want one of my fries?”

“NO!” She exclaimed, “I’m trying to be obedient! Could you make it any harder for me?!”

We both broke out laughing at how “helpful” I had unwittingly been!

Continue reading →

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Is He Finding Fruit?

Posted on 2012/09/03 by Shawn Thomas

Jesus’ visit to the Temple in Mark 11 was followed by His cursing of a fig tree outside of town in :12-14.  But the two episodes are not unrelated.  He looked at the fig tree to see if He could discover any fruit to eat.  He didn’t find any – which was symbolic of what He had ALSO discovered in the Temple!  The idea here seems to be that He cursed BOTH for the lack of fruit that He found in them!  Israel is pictured in the Old Testament as a fig tree.  Thus this is a very symbolic passage! 

But it is not just of “historical interest.”  We should each consider: when Jesus examines US — as He did the Temple and the fig tree — what does He find? Continue reading →

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Wisdom in Trials (James 1:5)

Posted on 2012/09/02 by Shawn Thomas

Sometimes when a pastor preaches verse-by-verse through a book of the Bible, he comes to a passage which he is not sure will apply to anyone in the congregation that day.  I can assure you that the verse we are studying this morning is NOT one of those verses!  We are looking at James 1:5, which talks about asking God for wisdom in trials, and I have NO problem knowing that this applies to many of us here today, including myself!  Many of us are right in the midst of trials, and we need the wisdom that God has to give us.  The good news of scripture is, He promised that He will!  Let’s read the chapter together and then see what verse 5 tells us about finding God’s wisdom in our trials. Continue reading →

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