Solomon was given wisdom beyond measure by Yahweh. While he was young and under the influence of the Spirit of Wisdom, he ruled well and spoke and wrote many wise words, including what became most of the book we call Proverbs. As Nehemiah pointed out of him, though, Solomon “was loved by his God and God made him king over all Israel, yet foreign women drew him into sin.” (Nehemiah […]
Author Archive: Douglas Thomas
Pleased to be the Lord’s
Lord, You are my portionand my cup of blessing;You hold my future.The boundary lines have fallen for mein pleasant places;indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I will praise the Lord who counsels me—even at night my conscience instructs me.I keep the Lord in mind always.Because He is at my right hand,I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad,and my spirit rejoices;my body also rests securely.For You will not […]
Draw Near and Live
Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.(Hebrews 7:23-26, […]
A Request by the Son of Timaeus
Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many people admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of […]
Increased Faith
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,” the Lord said, “you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. “Which one of you having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to […]
The Message of the Kingdom
Consider, then, the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and promptly receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he remains for only […]
Learning in the Desert
I could be wrong, but I am still convinced that the appropriate answer to any difficulty in my life is not to fix the problem. My first response needs to always be, “Lord, what is in this situation that I need to experience so that I can be more like You, and more truly the person You say I am?” Based on the answer to that question, and my response […]
Called, to Succeed
Jesus has called you. He called you to succeed. I am convinced that if you continue to stand up after falling, continue to ask for clarity when you get confused, continue to obey what instructions you receive from Him, that you cannot fail. And we know that God works together all things for good to those loving God, to those being called according to His purpose, because those whom He […]
Judged Wrongly and Righteously
Vincent Van Gogh was considered an unskilled fool by his peers when he taught himself to paint. Not long before his death, he was schooled for 4 months by another painter, but his style was his own. A couple of years before he became so depressed that he took his life, some people began to show his art in some avant garde settings, but he only sold one painting while […]
We Can Reign in Life
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift overflowed to the many by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting […]