This Week in “Paradise” Sept. 24

Posted on 2012/09/24 by Shawn Thomas

Big news in “Paradise” this week, with the much-anticipated announcement that pretty much overshadowed everything else: our first grandchild is on the way! (I’ll still give you everything else anyway. Well, almost everything! 😉

So That’s News?
Monday I was home sick and was watching the news reports of the unrest in the Muslim world. The news cameras were focused on how the Arab protesters were burning a picture of President Obama, and were stomping on it and hurling epithets at him. “What’s news about that”, I said. “A lot of us are doing that here in the States!” Continue reading →

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Does Praise Look Good On You?

Posted on 2012/09/24 by Shawn Thomas

Someone has said that a good interpretation of Psalm 33:2 might be: “praise ‘looks good’ on the upright.” The righteous are commanded to praise God, and it is fitting and comely when they do. But we may also infer a couple of other things from that statement: Continue reading →

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“What Real Faith Looks Like: Perseverance” (James 1:12)

Posted on 2012/09/23 by Shawn Thomas

     In 1998, I ran the Tulsa Run road race with Paul, David & Libby, our three oldest kids.   Cheryl took a picture of the four of us at my favorite time of a race: when it was OVER!  After the Tulsa run they had huge tables of cokes, Gatorade, water, and big selections of candy bars and all kinds of snacks.  We had run that race together, and in the picture I had a big smile, because we had gathered up all the “rewards” and now we could celebrate!  The race was hard – but it made the rewards very sweet!

     The running of a race is often used as an illustration of the Christian life, and it is an apt illustration.  A race has a beginning, but it requires perseverance to reach the end.  And that is how it is with the Christian life, too.  Unfortunately, many people don’t seem to understand that the Christian life involves perseverance.  Perseverance demonstrates that our faith is real, and is necessary if we are going to see the reward of heaven.  James 1:12 shows us “What Real Faith Looks Like” when it says:

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

 I.  The Proof of Perseverance Continue reading →

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A Providential Encounter

Posted on 2012/09/21 by Shawn Thomas

Genesis 35:15-17 is a little paragraph that might look insignificant: just “a man” with whom Joseph has what many would think a “chance encounter.”  But this little narrative is actually of great significance.  “All scripture is inspired of God”, and this one is here for a purpose.  It demonstrates God’s providence in the coordination of seemingly insignificanct incidents in order to fulfill His purposes.  Continue reading →

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POTS update: “Redeeming the Time”

Posted on 2012/09/20 by Shawn Thomas

One of the things I am starting to get used to with having POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) is the rapid change of condition that I often experience. I wrote previously of how I was feeling pretty well a number of weeks ago, and decided to run in to the mall quickly to buy a pair of pants, but after walking through the heat into the store, I got so woozy that I had to leave. Then I was “under the weather” for about 5 days afterwards. A quick reversal!
I have had a number of such episodes, and they are not always heat-related. I will experience several “good” days, and think that things are “really getting back to ‘normal'” — and suddenly I will start feeling poorly again. For example, a week or so ago I was in the church office studying for Sunday, and I got up to get a drink of water, and while I was getting my drink, my face began to feel warm and tingly, and that nauseated, carsick-like headache came on, and the room begin to spin. I packed my briefcase and left for the day. All of the sudden, my day was over. Continue reading →

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A Simple Recipe For The Day

Posted on 2012/09/20 by Shawn Thomas

Sometimes we make things too complex; looking way off into the future, worrying about “what if” and “which way”, when many times those decisions don’t really need to made today.  What we really need to focus on this day is very simple: Continue reading →

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Prayers for a Loved One

Posted on 2012/09/19 by Shawn Thomas

Often times we end up praying the same old things for people – especially when we pray for them very often. It is easy to get into a “rut” and pray some version of the same tired “bless so-and-so.” One remedy for that is to pray through the scripture that you read in your Bible reading each day for the person or people you are praying for that day.

Psalm 36:7-8 is a great example of the kind of scripture you might want to pray for a loved one – especially someone whom you are confident knows the Lord:

Continue reading →

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Behold Me!

Posted on 2012/09/18 by Shawn Thomas

In Genesis 37, Jacob asked his son Joseph to go to his brothers who were pasturing the flock. Many versions translate Joseph’s response as “I will go”, but his actual response is very interesting. Literally he told his father: “Behold me!” Continue reading →

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This Week in “Paradise” September 17

Posted on 2012/09/17 by Shawn Thomas

This week in the “paradise” otherwise known as the pastor’s home, we had company from out of town, which proved to be very entertaining — on top of our own typical antics. I can even share SOME of what went on! 😉

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Just Say It!

Our out-of-town guests were Chip & Gail Faulkner, who have been our friends since our days at Southwestern Seminary in the 1980’s. Chip is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Bethalto, Illinois. At one point in the visit, Cheryl had to explain one of our family “stories” to Chip & Gail. We’ll let you in on it, too:

Continue reading →

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Near to the Brokenhearted

Posted on 2012/09/17 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 34:18 says: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.” This should be comforting to those of us who have sorrow. Sometimes, in our despondency, we feel like God is far away. But this scripture says that in reality, He is actually NEAR to the brokenhearted! By faith we need to claim this. When you are hurting the most, God is actually very near. So TURN to Him in those times. It will take an act of will, by faith, because you won’t feel like it. But if by faith you will turn to God in your sorrow, you will indeed find Him to be near.

Continue reading →

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