March 30, 2015
Tonight, four Thompson households signed a copy of the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
Signers:
Renee Thompson (upper left)
Bianca Thompson (middle left)
Silas Thompson (lower left)
David Thompson (lower right)
Emily Thompson (middle right)
Shirley Thompson (upper right)
Paul Thompson (photographer)
This day in history…
“You must never forget those past days when you had received the light and went through such a great and painful struggle. It was partly because everyone’s eye was on you as you endured harsh words and hard experiences, partly because you threw in your lot with those who suffered much the same. You [sympathized] with those who were put in prison and you were cheerful when your own goods were confiscated, for you knew that you had a much more solid and lasting treasure in Heaven. ” (Hebrews 10:32-36 Phillips)
Sometimes, when I think about those God ordained days I weep as I consider the weakness of my mind. I think about those moments I would rise in the middle of the night, nearly overcome with the consuming thought of what people must be saying and thinking about me? what must Renee be enduring? what will become of Silas? what will become of the Thompson name? how is my church doing during these days?
I think about those moments at night when I would make way to the bathroom in near complete darkness stepping around and over other inmates and be consumed with the reality that the Lord’s faithful around the world endure much worse than even this.
Nothing, in what I have come to call – my American Christian experience – had prepared me for this. I was, in many respects, learning how to deal with this experience without any practical preparation.
I would find a sliver of light through an outside source and open that lamp of Scripture to preach to my weaning heart (that selfish, praise-of-men craving heart) and became immediately aware that I had adopted an unbiblical belief of how strange it is that this was happening (1 Peter 4:12-13).
When I consider those God ordained days, I consider them with joy, and it does not seem strange at all to look at them as such.
“…do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing,
as though some strange thing were happening to you…”
1 Peter 4:12 (NASB)
Here are my top 85 reasons I like living in Idaho
1) Family: I’m thankful to the Lord for my family.
(left to right: Renee, me, Silas, Bianca, Emily, and David)
2) Church: I’m thankful to the Lord for my church family, Eastside Baptist Church.
Eastside Baptist Church is a courageous family of believers striving to keep the Glory of God in front of us, the Lordship of Christ directing our steps, and obeying the Spirit promptly. We gather on Sunday mornings at 9:15am for bible study, 10:30am and 6:30pm for worship; Wednesday nights at 6:30pm for a weekly prayer gathering.
3) Friends: I’m thankful to the Lord for friends like John Martinez.
Hey, write my buddy a short note and tell him hello. Pray for his ongoing ministry with the soldiers of the Idaho National Guard.
4) Raw cow milk from Provider Farms to go on my oatmeal tonight.
Provider Farms delivers fresh farm produce to Twin Falls every Monday morning. You should visit www.providerfarms.com this week and place an order. They make the local delivery at the Eastside Baptist Church parking lot. Take time to come in and say hello while you are here.
5) Adventure awaits me around every corner and there is always a mountain top that needs to be climbed.
We are planning a trip to the top of Mt. Borah again in late August. Contact me about the date and join in on the ‘Borah Shuffle’.
Here are the remaining 80 reasons I like living in Idaho. Beginning July 1, interstate travel in most of Southern Idaho will increase to 80 mph.
Renee is a mom with a level moral compass and a tender heart. I have much to be thankful to the Lord for and the fact that Renee is the mother of our two sons is among the top things I am thankful to the Lord for.
Renee gave our boys the skills to be prepared for anything that they will face, to endure and excel in everything they set their feet toward. Our boys knew how to do laundry, set a table and make their beds before they left the home.
David, your mom is both strong and tender
she may have made you eat veggies
but never liver.
she taught you to tuck, but never cut a corner.
You may have laughed at her tidy ways
but never dismiss her teaching days.
Silas, all moms have seen what no boys wants to admit
your mom was praying
when the world wanted to convict.
She passed on a skill I can only appreciate.
You might make fun of her being fine tuned
but always be thankful
you’ve always been loved.
I thought I would introduce you to some blogs that I like to frequent. Not because they are followed by the masses (yet). Not because they are written by well know authors, artist, designers or publishers (yet).
But because I know them personally.
It is always a blessing to gather with family. When we are unable to travel to spend time with parents or grandparents we make the most of our time and invite all who can to gather with us at the meetinghouse of Eastside Baptist Church. We had expected about 14 and began making plans. On Tuesday, I received a phone call from the College of Southern Idaho’s athletic director asking if we had anything happening on Thanksgiving Day and if we did, could the women’s basketball team from State Fair Community College from Missouri attend our services.
Renee and the other women went to work to double the menu, and at lunch today our family Thanksgiving dinner grew from 14 to 28. It was a most pleasant time. I’ll never forget the 2013 Thanksgiving Day gathering. The day began with my traditional 5K turkey trot race at CSI, preparations for the feast with Renee, great food, an extra slice of pie (the reason for the 5K Turkey Trot), some time in the Word, listening to each other express things we are thankful for, a reading of Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Day proclamation, and of course… no family gathering is complete without family pictures.
The first Sunday of each month Eastside Baptist Church hosts a doctrinal study on Biblical truths. Yesterday was the doctrine of baptism. Historically, to baptize a believing convert was not unheard of but for a church to reserve baptism exclusively for believers and for that baptism to only be a symbolic act and not a saving act was rarely practiced. Except for the separatists, Baptists. Here is a doctrine worth examining. The audio version of this examination is available HERE. A .pdf document of the study is HERE.
Listen right now:
