The Third Team on the Field

Posted on 2011/08/16 by Shawn Thomas

At The Response, the prayer gathering attended by 32,000-plus in Houston a few days ago, most of the event was spent in some kind of prayer.  There were no “sermons” as such, although periodically, a preacher or recognized figure would speak for 5 minutes or so before encouraging us in yet another segment of prayer.  One of those speakers was Tony Evans, a well-known pastor in the Dallas area (and known to many of our women as the father of Priscilla Shirer).  Evans shared an analogy which I believe is very insightful, and is a key for keeping a balanced Christian walk in the society in which we live. Continue reading →

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Delight Yourself in the Lord

Posted on 2011/08/15 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 37:4                   “Delight Yourself in the Lord”         8-14-11  p.m.

      Years ago, Corrie Ten Boom wrote, “Look around, you’ll be distressed.  Look within, you’ll be depressed.  Look to the Lord, you’ll be at rest.”  From all of her experiences, she ought to know.  And her words are so applicable today.  There are so many things we can look around at, and become distressed or depressed about: the stock market is crashing, the economy is not in good shape, the nation seems to be sinking in moral depravity, people we care about are straying or suffering.  But even in the worst of times, there is joy available for the Christian – IF we look for it in the right place. Continue reading →

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“The Lord is in His Holy Temple”

Posted on 2011/08/14 by Shawn Thomas

Habakkuk 2:9-20      “The Lord Is In His Holy Temple”       8-14-11 a.m.   

A couple of weeks ago, when we studied Habakkuk 2:4, we talked about how Job, when he had endured so much, asked God questions for which he never really received any answers.  In the end, he just covered his mouth and worshipped.  We have seen that Habakkuk too asks God some difficult questions: why do evil practices not seem to be punished, when God is supposed to be a holy God?, etc.  Here in Chapter 2 we find that Habakkuk gets some answers to his questions – at least more than Job did.  But in the end, both Habakkuk – and we – do not get all the answers; we are still left challenged to live a life of faith, and trust God.  Let’s read this whole chapter together, and then come back and look at “The Sin that Will Be Judged – and the God who is on His throne”.  Continue reading →

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The Back-to-School Speech

Posted on 2011/08/11 by Shawn Thomas

 It was August 2004, and like children all over the country right now, our kids were getting ready to go back to school.  Our oldest, Paul, was going to be taking his first classes at McNeese State University in Lake Charles.  Our second son, David, would be a junior at Sam Houston High here in Moss Bluff, and our daughter, Libby, was starting her freshman year there.  Michael, the baby, and 9 years younger than Libby, was beginning kindergarten at our church’s First Baptist  Academy.  Before we just sent them blindly into this important year of their education, Cheryl & I decided that we should gather the kids together, and that I should give them each a talk, to prepare them for the special challenges that each would face.  The appointed time came, and our whole family gathered in the living room.  I can remember parts of it as if it were yesterday. Continue reading →

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Some Running Advice Is Best Taken With a Grain of Salt

Posted on 2011/08/08 by Shawn Thomas

In one of my very favorite movies, “Chariots of Fire”, the great British runner Harold Abrahams is asked if he enjoys running.  He responds, “I am more of an addict.”  I fall probably somewhere in between those two categories.  Sometimes I might say that I “enjoy” running: when I am in shape, and the weather is good, and I finish a run with a burst — “like a strong man running his course”, as Psalm 19 says.  But many, many times running is nothing but an exercise of the body and of the will – especially in the smothering heat we have had in Louisiana lately. 

I have run off and on for most of my adult life, and over that time I have had many “learning” experiences.  One reads or hears of different “helps” for runners, but obviously some pieces of advice are better than others.  Some have led to downright embarrassing moments for me.  Since I am in a self-deprecating mood, I will share a couple of them. Continue reading →

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Ungodly Appetites

Posted on 2011/08/08 by Shawn Thomas

Habakkuk 2:5         “Ungodly Appetites”         8-07-11 a.m.

      In Leonia, New Jersey, back in 1995, a man was arrested for stealing a truck full of Snapple.  It turns out he had previously worked for Snapple, and had been fired from his job for stealing and drinking the beverages.  Undaunted, he dressed up as a Snapple delivery driver and made off with a whole truckload of it.  The police officer who reported on the crime made the statement: “He just has an uncontrollable appetite for Snapple beverages.” 

     Well, we may shake our heads and laugh at that, but the truth is, there are many such uncontrolled appetites running rampant in America today, leading to the demise of many individuals and families – and they are about to put our whole nation under! Continue reading →

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“Seeking God In Days of Judgment”

Posted on 2011/08/07 by Shawn Thomas

Zephaniah 2:1-3   “Seeking God in Days of Judgment”    Aug. 7th, 2011 p.m.

    A couple of days before we went to Houston for The Response last Saturday, I was reading in the Book of Zephaniah in my quiet time, and my reading began that day at Chapter 2.  I marveled at how what I read there was so applicable to our times: Zephaniah 1 concludes with a prophecy of impending judgment.  It was to be a judgment on the nation of Judah, but  I also believe that this scripture is a foreshadowing of the larger judgment to come at the end of the age, for the chapter ends by saying: “For He will make a complete end, indeed a terrifying one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.”  Many of us believe that last day of God’s wrath may be soon approaching.  If not, then at minimum there is coming for our nation a time of that same type of wrath which Judah endured 2600 years ago — and for the very same type of sins. 

     It is in that context, then, that we find the opening words of Chapter 2.  It calls the people of God together before His anger comes.  These words just jumped off the page when I read them; they could have been written as much for us today as they were for the people of God in Zechariah’s time.  I believe that indeed they were! Continue reading →

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I’m Going.

Posted on 2011/08/03 by Shawn Thomas

The list of those lining up in opposition to The Response, the day of prayer and fasting for our nation that Texas Governor Rick Perry called for in Houston’s Reliant Stadium this Saturday, is growing:

–The LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender) Texans Against Hate is organizing a statewide protest against The Response, calling The Response “anti-gay.”    

— The “Freedom From Religion Foundation”, a coalition of atheists and agnostics, filed suit earlier this month, to prevent The Response from taking place, because they claim it is a violation of the separation of church and state.  “The answers forAmerica’s problems won’t be found on our knees or in heaven, but by using our brains, our reason and in compassionate action,” said Dan Barker, a co-director of the foundation.

–The Houston Clergy Council published a letter June 13th opposing The Response.  The letter said they oppose the rally because it is only for those who will pray in Jesus’ name, and does not include Hindus, Muslims, etc. — and because the American Family Association, which is co-sponsoring the event, is intolerant of gays & lesbians, and has spoken stridently against Muslims.  The Council’s letter was signed by pastors of several Unitarian Universalist churches, among others, and by pastors bearing the first names Becky, Lori, Beth & Ginny, among others. 

Ya know … sometimes you can figure out where you should stand on an issue, just by looking at who is standing on each side.  Looking at the list of those who are opposing The Response only confirms my previous opinion.

Yep; I’m going!

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The Righteous Will Live By His Faith

Posted on 2011/08/01 by Shawn Thomas

Habakkuk 2:1-4   “The Righteous Will Live By His Faith”     7-31-11 a.m.

     In the early 1500’s, young Martin Luther had felt the burden and weight of his sin before a God whom he knew was holy; he knew that he was not right with God.  He went to some of his church leaders for counsel, and they prescribed to him the works of the church as a cure, and so he went about doing those works with a fervor few could rival: Continue reading →

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Notes on Repentance and Forgiveness from Psalm 51

Posted on 2011/08/01 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 51   “Notes on Repentance & Forgiveness”         Sun PM 7-31-11      

Over the past months, we have spoken often of the crisis that our nation is facing, and the need for us to turn to the Lord in a fresh way.  This must especially be true of those of us who are Christians.  I Peter 4 says that judgment will begin with the household of God; we as God’s people are first and foremost responsible to cleanse our lives from sin and return to Him, if there is to be any hope of God’s working in our nation.

In line with that, there may be no portion of scripture better to address our need for cleansing than Psalm 51.  Psalm 51 says in the subtitle (which is part of the inspired text, by the way) that it was written after the prophet Nathan had confronted David about his sin with Bathsheba.  It expresses David’s confession of sin, and how he called on God to forgive him, and cleanse him and ready him for God’s work again.  We can all, as God’s people, learn some important lessons from this Psalm about the forgiveness and cleansing we need, so that God might work in our church, our town, and our nation.  We could literally spend weeks on a series in Psalm 51 – and we may do that some time – but tonight I want us to just look at some highlights from this Psalm which can help us get ready for what God wants to do in our lives, and in His church.  Continue reading →

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