Baptist City Blog

Sunday, 8/9/15  What is it that tempts you? What’re you struggling with? Matt 26:41, Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. “To watch” means to be on guard duty. Are you letting temptation get near you? Prayer: where? When? How long? How often? Prayer meetings?  It’s not rocket science...                                    Ps 34:1, I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. The books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon are Hebrew poetry. The thoughts are often in pairs, usually separated by a colon or semi-colon. They take 1 of 3 forms: the second half restates the first; the second enhances the first, or the second gives an opposite view. See: Ps 34:11; 34:14.

Monday, 8/10/15  Ps 39:1a, I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. Honest question: how long has it been since you did a critical self evaluation? Since you’ve “taken heed” to your speech, habits, productivity, spirituality, marriage, etc.?                              Gen 5:24, And Enoch walked with God...; 6:9c, ...and Noah walked with God. I’m sure there are theological applications to this phrase, but let’s do it practically:  when you walk the dog, when you do your exercise 2 miles; when you walk from the parking lot into work or into Walmart...talk to God. Put away the headphones and converse with God. Let’s make walking time to be talking time. WALK WITH GOD.

Tuesday, 8/11/15  Ps 39:4, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. At 54 years old, I am not close to the end, but I’m realizing my frailty. All of us need to pray this verse and rededicate our lives, our TODAY to serving Him...cuz we may not have tomorrow.                          Gen 6:3, And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. Because we don’t read and study the Bible ourselves, we are fairly gullible about what “the Bible says.”  -Many times I’ve heard from a pulpit that it took Noah 120 years to build the ark. WRONG: it was 100. The 120 here refers to Moses’ age (who wrote Genesis.)  -Another misconception: “all of the Bible is true.” Nope. There are lies recorded in the Bible.  -Another: “Joseph and Mary took Baby Jesus to Egypt right from Bethlehem’s manger.” Nope...it was about a year to 18 months later that the wise men came.  -Another: “There were 3 wise men.” The Bible records 3 types of gifts, but never the number of the men.  -Another: “Saul was the first king of Israel.” Nope: Abimelech was.  -Another: “The speaking in tongues in Acts 2 was to assist the Apostles in witnessing.” No, they all spoke a common language. It was to show the Jews that they’d missed the Messiah.  -Another: “We won’t ever cry in Heaven.” Nope: at least twice, God has to wipe away our tears.   Search the Scriptures!!! Be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11:  Trust what is preached, but verify it yourself.

Wednesday, 8/12/15  Ps 39:5b, ...mine age is as nothing before thee. You’ll understand the Christian life a LOT more if you’ll view yourself as a toddler, and not as a grown up adult. (I think I could scripturally prove that the most spiritual person on the planet right now is the spiritual equivalent of about 15-18 months months old physically.)                             Luke 15:28-29 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. The Prodigal Son...the original “it’s all about me” person. Lessons:  ¹People today have the same character flaws as Bible characters. Read the Bible to learn how to handle them and what to expect.  ²Do YOU ever act like him?  ³Leaders, acknowledge and reward faithful followship in a language the follower appreciates. Learn your followers.

Thursday, 8/13/15  Ps 39:5c, Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Don’t place too much weight upon man: not yourself, not your pastor, not your spouse, not your parents. Lean heavily on God and lightly on men. Expect them to fail (frequently) and Him never to do so.                                    2 Sam 19:6, ...in that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well. Joab ripped David up one side and down the other. Could YOU take such a blistering rebuke from a subordinate and yet repent and realize your error?

Friday, 8/14/15  Ps 115:1, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. Most of us claim to want God to get the glory, but what if it means we get TOTALLY ignored? Usually, we have a hard time with that.                               Ps 81:11-12, But my people would not hearken to my voice...so I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels. “I just don’t see it that way, Preacher...” “I don’t see why you preach against that...” Maybe, God has given you up to your own wicked heart. Maybe He’s waiting until you are so full of corruption that you get sick of it and will come back to Him with a humbled heart. Don’t play tug-of-war with God...He WILL let go and let you fall on your posterior.                          Today, I was a little behind on my Bible reading, so I wanted to catch up. However, I might as well have been reading ancient Chinese history...my mind wouldn’t focus and my heart couldn’t have cared less. So, instead of wallowing through it or quitting, I confessed my hard-heartedness and told God I really wanted to hear from Him, and then I got up, got a small snack, and changed venues. I put down my Bible, left my usual Bible reading place (my bed), and went to my desk and read the Bible on an app on my phone. Things just jumped out to me from the Scriptures. Lesson: if what/how you’re doing your quiet time with the Lord isn’t working, maybe change something. Sometimes the answer is spiritual (so confess and repent); sometimes the issue is mental (so eliminate distractions); sometimes the issue is physical (so change locations, eat, sit up, maybe even rest and come back to your Bible.) God WILL speak to you from your Bible. If He’s not, figure out why and fix it. (Others’ posts: So often when I begin to just "See words on a page" I seek out some "Milk of the Word" and find a favorite or easier passage for awhile to ease my mind and soul back into focus.  //  I read from my Bible, the Bible on my Kindle, and the Bible on my phone. Each one is on a different passage. So, I read from one of the 3 each day, and it feels more fresh to me.)

Saturday, 8/15/15  Mark 2:25, And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did... God’s word and plan can withstand scrutiny, but to get your answers, you’ve GOT to study. He will not unlock His treasuries to the one who simply casually glances. GET IN THE BOOK!!!                                 Mark 1:22, And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.  ¹What we teach is God’s word and not man’s thoughts, so teach with boldness and confidence. (Be sure you’re not mixing your material in with God’s...)  ²Some listeners will be astonished, and some angry: “He’s so arrogant!! He thinks he is the final authority!!”  ³Remember that you’re just the mouthpiece: the message is His; the responsibility is your audience’s.

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- When you find yourself in the dark times of life remember that darkness affects your sight, not your hearing, and hearing is where faith comes from...not sight.

- Be careful not to mistake separation for isolation. They are not the same. Separation is not avoidance of the world. It is not conforming to the world.

- Love is not an emotion; Love is a commitment.  Emotions spike and sputter; Commitments stand and stay.

- Life is not about seeking happiness. Life is about seeking to serve. When you have discovered serving you will have stumbled upon happiness.

- I identify myself as a wretched sinner because I want to remember what Christ did for me with his work of redemption, but I do not identify myself with my wretched sins lest I wallow in their guilt and shame.

- We often overlook the things of God because we overlove the things of self.

- What you lack does not make you discontented; it merely reveals the fact that already were discontented with what you have.

- I don't have any trouble sleeping because I know my Father has no trouble staying awake.

- The fact that someone gives me a good reason to hate them is no excuse for me taking advantage of it.

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- 1 Chron 13:12, And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? There are questions we should ask before trouble, not after. I wonder how often, like David, we blame God for problems we could have avoided had we asked before concerning His will and way.

- Pro 27:6, Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Be more receptive and grateful for criticism from a friend than praises from an enemy.

- Ps 119:91, They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants. All of creation obeys and serves its Creator...but not man.

- Ps 119:106, I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. I wonder how many unkept promises to God we’ve made. We’ve knelt at the altar, prayed in a crisis or been convicted in devotions...

- Pro 25:18, A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor is a maul, a sword, and a sharp arrow. When we gossip, tell half truths, and lies about people, we can do irreparable damage.

- Ps 119:114, Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. I wonder how often we are protected from danger and harm each day by our omnipotent God?

- Bible thoughts! Ps 11:1, In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? Why fear when you know Jesus is near? My new motto, folks! It's a great reminder that HE IS EVERYWHERE!!!

- It's highly unlikely that God, Almighty, believes in the remote possibility of evolution! He's a creationist in the truest sense! Gen 1:1, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

- 1 Chron 29:25, And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel. Look out Solomon!! We need to be very careful when God gives us popularity, fame, fortune, and success. Very dangerous for most.

- Ps 119:138, Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keep not thy law. I wonder how broken hearted we are, and how many tears we shed over sin and lost sinners?