If you are in Twin Falls, Idaho on Christmas Eve I hope you might consider joining me at Eastside Baptist Church, 5PM.
During the Christmas Eve service we will sing Christmas Carols, Scripture Reading and a Christmas message from Luke 1:67 entitled “The Horn of Salvation”
I hope you can join me on this special occasion.
Recently ESBC has begun live streaming of Sunday morning worship gatherings. We’ve updated and sped up our internet speed to improve quality of the video streaming and audio. Right now we are still in an experimental arena and using the free service of YouTube. At some point as we work out the bugs we may begin to host the video at our SermonAudio site. For now, you can still listen to our sermons in mp3 files at SermonAudio.
The purpose of live streaming is simple. It is primarily to allow those who would normally gather at ESBC on Sunday mornings but are unable to for any number of reasons. It is not intended to be a substitute for normal, regular gathering. It could also serve as an outreach for those you know. You could send them a link, share on your social media, invite others to hear.
I began preaching through Philippians on December 4, 2016.
Past video messages are archived HERE.
Well, Lord willing, it happens on Thursday.
It is statistically highly unlikely to have 50 more of these.
50th birthday cards are a strange combination of reality and morbidly funny.
I thought I would actually put into practice any (reasonable) 50th birthday card advice. Here is the start…
“Look back and marvel at how far you’ve come.”
“Act old enough to know better, but young enough not to care.”
“Make a list of 50 things you’re thankful for.” (I’ve included people as well)
“Write two notes: one to your 20-year-old self, and another to your 60-year-old self.”
Join me at the National Center for Family Integrated Churches Fear of God conference
at Ridgecrest Conference Center in Ashville, NC October 27-29, 2016.
Register HERE
“How Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways.” (Psalm 128:1)
I will have the opportunity to gather with some of the most looked to men of God in our day. Men like Ken Ham, John Snyder, Joel Beeke, Jeff Pollard, Carlton McLeod, Scott Brown, Craig Houston, and many others. (Full list of speakers)
Over the past several months I’ve participated in a daily devotional on the Fear of God. You may want to take some time to meditate on the Fear of God with these devotions. (All devotion videos)
I will address the Fear of God from the following position.
During the Time of Your Stay on Earth
(Background: Psalm 128:1, Ecclesiasties 12:13-14, 1 Peter 1:17, Hebrews 12:28-29)
It is said again and again in our day; “to err is human”. Could it be said better? “to fear God is human.” This will be our safety net to cover all our wandering ways, sinful indulgences, and actions against our creator.
The philosophy of men gives us permission to sin; even to laughingly brush away the conclusion that, even in our fallen condition, we are called out to fear God and keep His commandments.
How do we keep ourselves from wanting less than what God calls us to; Himself.
A problem many of us are blinded with is that we are more impressed with what God will give us than we are with God. Many spend a lifetime of energy trying to “walk in His Ways” or “keep His commandments” and never come to fear or know Him (1 Peter 1:17).
If we are to walk in His ways in a manner that is considered an acceptable service, we are to do so with reverence and awe “for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29)
When you live in a blessed land like the United States of America it is a sobering truth that the follower of Christ, as defined by the Bible, has both a privilege and responsibility to engage in this amazing moment in the election process.
From all pages of the Bible we read of a sovereign active creator and ruler and it behooves the sojourning citizen to take serious inventory of our duty.
One could choose to not participate in the voting duty, as it appears more than 20 million professing Christians chose that option in the last presidential election.
or
One could choose to intentionally participate in this significant moment as a person of biblical conviction. I refuse to vote for someone in order to block another from being president. I will not waste my duty on such foolishness. I will cast my vote for the individual I believe will maintain a constitutional republic, and I call on Christians and fellow countrymen to the same. Look closely.
I will vote my conscience within the influence of the fear of God, the beginning of wisdom, and ask God to help me live with joy in him regardless of the outcome.
I think that an honest observation of the current landscape of the candidates of the two primary political parties reveals that we are in active judgment of God. Then, a deeper examination of other options, in other political parties, it appears that God is willing to give the nation a chance to repent. Have you looked at Darrell Castle yet? He is running for the Constitution party (party platform). Take a close look. There is no flashy personality. There is humility and conviction, there is a man stricken with anguish for the direction of the nation and hopeful for the dawning day.
I’m not looking for a presidential “savior”, I’m looking for a candidate who is interested in acting in the best interest of the nation from a biblical worldview.
“If God raised me up and made me President of the United States, what I told the states, what I told you I would do, I will do, or die trying. So help me God.” Darrell Castle
In a recent devotional project with the National Center for Family Integrated Churches I had the opportunity to offer some thoughts on what it may look like when there is no fear of God in civil leaders.
When There Is No Fear of God in Civil Leaders from NCFIC on Vimeo.
* From The Fear of God Devotional
There is a benefit to your soul to live out your life with the fear of God.
Is there evidence in your life that there is a decrease of the fear of God or intentional actions you are doing to keep yourself from walking in the fear of God? Do you want the benefit of the fear of God upon your life? Here are some warning signs that may help you identify if you are on a path to keep yourself from the fear of God.
Here’s a short video where I attempt to express this for a devotional project for the National Center of Family Integrated Churches.
What It Means When You Don’t Want the Fear of God in Your Life from NCFIC on Vimeo.
While preaching through the Kings at Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls, I’ve come to 2 Kings 18. In this chapter there is the sweet sound of revival. It is clear from the very first few verses that true revival will require an active work; hard work of removing, destroying and breaking. But if the actions of removing, destroying and breaking the idols we so love is done without repenting of the sin that drives us to love idols we are only dealing with behavior modification and not dealing with the motivation or the cause that drives us to disobey God.
Here is a three minute clip from the sermon from LORD’s Day, July 24, 2016:
Here is the full sermon:
“Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
Keep your behavior excellent among the gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.
For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.
Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:11-17)
I’ve been attending Twin Falls City Council meetings over the past 15 years as matters arise that I believe I want to understand better of what is going on or to speak for or against proposed ordinances.
Recently, over the past month, I’ve been attending weekly to see if what is being reported in traditional media and social media is accurate.
If all one was doing was responding accordingly to all media (traditional or social) reports, one would think Evil Kinevel was in town to jump the Snake River.
At every city council meeting the public is given an opportunity to speak about any matter of interest to the city council. Wow, this is an amazing country we live in. Every citizen has an opportunity to address any issue of interest on a weekly basis. WOW.
I’ve been attending Twin Falls City Council meetings the past several weeks primarily to listen. Over the years I have spoken out, for and against, on matters that I think I must speak toward. I’ve learned that I must exercise discipline in the liberty to do so and resist the tendency to abuse my liberty.
I have a personal code of conduct for how I engage in the public square. Here are some suggestions I have and lessons I’ve learned.
Five things are sure:
In conclusion; to the Gospel plow, sometimes that plowing work takes us through public forum meetings like city council, state legislation, national hearings. When that happens, we must be the same principled, disciplined, duty obeying followers of Christ. When the fever pitch of emotion begins to boil take a deep breath, bless the Lord for His grace, speak boldly, be respectful, honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the [government] but don’t put down your gospel plow, don’t waste the day, don’t waste words spoken with unvetted, undisciplined, dishonorable emotions.
Last October (2015) I had the occasion to attend and participate in the “Holiness of God” conference hosted at Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina.
I had two speaking duties; this one was at a men and boys lunch “the Burnings in the Soul” at the National Center for Family Integrated Churches annual conference.
2015 Burnings in the Soul – Paul Thompson from NCFIC on Vimeo.
Sunday morning worship gathering is available here on audio only. (.mp3)
Sunday evening in one continuous, unedited, version.
Sunday evening, John Martinez gave an examination and history of the hymn, “This is My Father’s World”.
Paul Thompson gave biblical definition of “atonement” from Leviticus 16 and Hebrews 9 and 10.
