Archive for the ‘Living’ Category

Let Your Light Shine

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Are you holding back your gifts and talents because you are afraid of how others may perceive you? So that you won’t come across as a know-it-all, do you withhold truths? Do you purposely not do your best so that you won’t upstage another person?

All who profess to be Christians have God’s glory within him. Evidence of man receiving the gift of God’s glory is found in Jesus’ prayer in the Garden at Gethsemane. In the Bible, John 17 contains the following verses:

10-And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
22-And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.

Jesus says the glory of God is within us. That’s powerful. How powerful is this Glory of God? The woman with the issue of blood reached out to touch Jesus. She did not touch Jesus’ flesh, but she touched something that was touching Him. Because she touched that which was touching him, Jesus felt that virtue or power had gone out of him. In other words she had drained Him. The woman had pulled from Jesus’ glory!

As believers, we have that same glory of God within us that was in Jesus. POWERFUL! Have you ever ministered and you felt drained? That’s because people were being blessed by the glory of God within you. They tapped into your glory!

Marrianne Williamson made a very profound statement:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

We as Christians must stop portraying “false humility”. You know—when they get up to sing and state – “pray for me, my voice isn’t all that good” —and then they sing better than Patti Labelle. Or musicians declare, “I don’t play that well”—knowing they are skillful in their craft! Having false humility does not allow the Glory of God to be manifested in you. Actually it’s lying! You can be honest and humble.

When you let your light shine before men, without holding back, men will see your good works. And because you demonstrate the glory of God within you, others in turn will glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Don’t dim your light, let it shine bright.

Roline Thomas

Posted in Devotions, God's Glory, Living | 8 Comments »

Who’s Your Guide?

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
—Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)

Five months into my daughter’s lengthy illness, I had to make a telephone call to my parents who lived in another state. It was difficult to tell them that their precious granddaughter’s surgery did not go well, and she was about to have a third surgery, all within one month’s time. Hearing the urgency and uncertainty in my voice, they immediately traveled to visit her. It was late in the evening when they arrived at my home, and upon their insistence, I loaded them up in my car, carefully leading my mother, who is blind. We were off to the hospital.

My parents waited in the hospital’s lobby while I parked the car. Once I entered the hospital I grabbed my mother by the hand to lead her to the elevator. Immediately, my dad grabbed my mom and said it was his job to lead her. So, we got into the elevator headed to my daughter’s floor. While riding in the elevator, I began to warn my parent’s of my daughter’s appearance. Her body was very weak and she had lost a great deal of weight. The news was very unsettling for my father and caused him to become even more anxious to see his granddaughter.

When the elevator door opened, I exited followed by my father. As I turned to remind my father to get my mother, the elevator doors began to close. In the excitement, my dad had forgotten about leading my mom. We did manage to retrieve my mom, who was a little shaken up by the whole ordeal. After all, she was in an unfamiliar place. My mom trusted my Dad to lead her safely to her destination. My mom failed to realize that Daddy could not lead her in a place that he had never been, and his emotional state made him even more unreliable.

Faith in God requires dependency on the One who has seen your destination. Only God can guide you to a place you’ve never been. Whether it’s a new business venture, teaching a Bible Study, or purchasing a new home, God wants you to trust in and depend on Him. God wants you to become his dependent child. In other words, don’t place your faith in man’s leading (as in mom’s case, who would leave you alone in an elevator), but totally lean to God for direction. God is a reliable guide. Sometimes we may not understand the route God is taking us on, but remember, we must walk by faith and not by sight. In other words, we are blind and can’t see the pathway to our destination, but, with God as our reliable guide, He will lead us if we allow him to order our every step.

Something to think about:
1. Has there ever been a time when you did not totally depend on God’s direction? What was the outcome?
2. What hinders Christians from trusting God?
3. Think of a time where you trusted God completely? What could have happened if you had tried to “assist” God?

Posted in Living, Trust | 2 Comments »

Thoughts About My Licensing Sermon

Thursday, November 13th, 2008
Min. R. Thomas

Min. R. Thomas

My church, St. Mark Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR under the leadership of Bishop Steven Arnold held its annual Associate Minister’s Revival, Monday, Nov. 10th – Wednesday, Nov. 12th at 7:00 p.m. each night. For the first time in the history of St. Mark, nine women preached. All nine were licensed on the culminating night as ministers of the Gospel.

As my preaching date approached I reflected on the Little Rock 9. Back in 1957, nine courageous youth attended Central High School as the first and only black students willing to integrate. They were met with much opposition. Because of their perseverance, they became the catalyst of educational equality for all races in school. The Little Rock 9 didn’t realize the magnitude of what they were doing. They didn’t set out to make history, but indeed they did.

I and the other eight female ministers who were licensed on last night did not begin our journey setting out to make history. I then tagged my own personal name to our group of nine—we are the “St. Mark 9″. We were selected by God to be the history makers for such a time as this. And as history is continually being written each day, we have yet to realize the magnitude of what we have done. But as I look at my fellow female ministers, some who were previously licensed by other churches/organizations, I also celebrated that we all shared in this historical moment, this glorious day of change and shifting.

The St. Mark 9

The St. Mark 9 with Pastor Thomas

In Matthew 19:30, Jesus says, “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” Although I was the last preacher to speak for the week’s revival, I was the first woman out of the nine to be issued an official license to preach. Although we were all “line sisters” who crossed over together, I can’t help but acknowledge that I, the last to preach, became the first woman to be licensed in the 117 year history of St. Mark Baptist Church.

And so you may think preaching is easy. My night to preach was truly amazing, yet challenging. I had been ignoring an illness for quite some time. As soon as I got up to preach, my condition reached the point where it caused me great difficulty to stand. I began to preach and was greatly distracted by what afflicted me. I wanted to stop the message to sit down but, I pressed on. I’ve preached many times, and never have this happened to me. WHY NOW! Although it was paining me, I pressed on. God was gracious.

One of the congregants sent me an email which read:

You were off the chain..You truly blessed my heart Sis Roline last night, and about your sister-”I just ain’t feeling it..” and especially about the Jonah and the fish spewing him out while in the sea and placing him on solid ground to redirect him to where he should have been all the time…Thank you so much for inspiring me to be a woman of god, thanks for being a Titus 2 woman in my life..setting an example for those women in your area of influence. I know we don’t get to talk alot but I love and respect you dearly, you are so open, entreatable and for being real..and lady–FUNNY!! You are a true gem-truly..If you ever need anything, holla….. be blessed my sista and that you are..gone’ with your bad self..

While I was preaching, my condition weakened me and distracted me. However, only one lady, a person who I mentor, said she thought something may have been wrong. She said she could tell by the way I had moved my legs at one point, something was happening to me. However, she said by the way I preached, you would have never thought that I was going through what I was going through.

I was somewhat down after I finished preaching, because I know I didn’t preach it like I “could” have. However, after getting a flood of calls and emails which carried the same sentiments as the one I shared, all I can say is God is good!! The Word did what it do!

I did make an appointment with a doctor for next Tuesday. Maybe that’s why God allowed me to be distracted by this illness while I was standing. I don’t think I would have made the appointment without having been afflicted on last night.

My topic last night was “It Doesn’t Look Good, but I’m Coming Out”. I preached about Jonah who God placed in a dark, messy, nasty fish because he “wasn’t feelin’ “ God’s command. Jonah’s fish experience was his own fault because he “wasn’t feelin’ it”. But even though Jonah did it to himself, and his situation didn’t look good, Jonah came out of the fish.

I have neglected going to the doctor because I “wasn’t feelin’ it”. As a result, I got swallowed up by my own God prepared fish. Last night was my fish experience. In terms of my condition, it doesn’t look good but I’m coming out.

Posted in Living, Special Announcements | 4 Comments »

Be On Your Best Behavior

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

By Roline Thomas

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. – 1 Peter 2:11

My 9-year old niece Kayla spent two weeks of her summer vacation with our family. Two days into her stay, she told me “I don’t think I can stay here another day because it doesn’t feel like home!” After regaining my composure, I said “It doesn’t feel like home because it is not your home. But, while you are here, be on your best behavior.”

In I Peter 2:11, Christians are likened to aliens and strangers in the world. Simply put, this world is not a Christian’s home. Christians are also urged to abstain from and deny ourselves of sinful desires, our own self-indulgent urges. Jesus said that he was in this world, but not of the world. (John 17). He showed us that we don’t have to adapt to, or embrace worldly methods.

Does the world look at you as though you come from another planet? Do you stand out in the crowd? Does the world look at you strange because your beliefs, morals, and values do not mirror theirs?

Peter reminds us of the clarion call of God, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Carrying a Holy Bible does not make you holy. To be holy is to be set apart by God for God. Holiness is living a lifestyle pleasing to God. Our daily behavior- the things we do, say and think- must glorify God.

As Christians, we are not to allow ourselves to be comfortable in this world, for it is not our home. But while we are here, let’s be on our best behavior.

Posted in Living | 1 Comment »