Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 2/20/18  “I feel forsaken by the Lord...” He promises you’re not forsaken. Look around: Psalm 75:1, Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare. Find some “wondrous works.”  
                           Very simply: Can you keep a secret? I mean from anyone and everyone? Even from your “prayer partner”? Even from your most trusted friend, your spouse, if they don’t need to know, if it’s not their area or concern? Proverbs 12:23, A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. Prudent, or foolish?

 

- Wednesday, 2/21/18  Psalm 75:2, When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly. Don’t tell me what you’re gonna do someday...show me what you’re doing now. Are you honest NOW? Diligent NOW? Just NOW? Critical NOW? Forgiving NOW? Prayer full NOW? Faithful NOW? Loving NOW?                           We all know John 15:5, “without me ye can do nothing,” but here is a verse showing the unsaved are the same:  Isaiah 45:1, Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him... God held his hand and “he” subdued the nations. Picture a dad with his hands over his son’s holding a hammer and driving a nail.

 

- Thursday, 2/22/18  Psalm 141:5-7 detail calamity in the psalmist’s life. 141:8, But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. You’ve heard it; I’ve heard it, you’ve said it and I’ve said it, but we MUST get our eyes ONTO the Lord and OFF OF the problem. Does God love us? Will He allow unnecessary hurt into our lives? Lord, forgive me...                               Psalm 142:4, I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. The psalmist said in v3 that he was overwhelmed. I pray that as long as I’m around, none of my friends would ever feel that “no one cared for their soul.” Let’s all strive to reassure others of our steadfast love and friendship, and the availability of an shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen without judging.

 

- Friday, 2/23/18  1 Peter 1:22, ...see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.  1) Love others. 2) Love with a pure heart.  3) Love fervently.  “Batter up!!” “Strike 1. Strike 2. Strike 3! You’re OUT!!”  Ouch...my batting average is WWAAYYY low...                             1 Peter is a book about handling suffering. 1:13, Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ... Perhaps the biggest lesson to learn while suffering is to discipline our minds: put down the thoughts of “God doesn’t love me,” or “He’s not good.” Don’t allow vengeance, anger, wrath, bitterness to arise in your hearts, but rather humility and forgiveness. Learn patience. “Gird up” means to put a belt around; restrain; control.

 

- Saturday, 2/24/18  Proverbs 21:8, The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right. Our fundamental essence will always be corrupt while still in this body, so don’t think you’re “over” any sinful tendency. However, we CAN act righteously, that is, unnaturally.                             At times, I think we all struggle with feeling that our prayers are worthless and, in fact, unwanted. (You do pray regularly and frequently and specifically, don’t you?) I just saw this: maybe the feeling is trying to tell us something:  Proverbs 21:13, Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Only you can examine your recent circumstances and reactions. (Keep in mind, “poor” could refer to poor in mental or social capacities, defenseless, disadvantaged, unpopular, etc. as well as economically challenged.)

 

- Sunday, 2/25/18  2 Peter 2:9, The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. A verse to rest upon and to comfort our troubled hearts...if we’ll choose to believe it. Maybe memorize it?                         I’m sure the best thing would be to trust God in every situation, all of the time. However, I know I never even come close to that standard, and, probably you don’t either. Psalm 43:9, I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Maybe the next best thing would be to take your complaints to God. Is He your Rock even when He seems to be ignoring you? Or, put it this way: keep disputes between you and your Dad “in the house”:  no one outside the family needs to know, nor even your brothers and sisters.

 

- Monday, 2/26/18  Titus 2:14, Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. If you’re born again, you’ve allowed Christ to do the redemption part; are you allowing Him to purify you and are you zealous regarding good works?                                  Titus 2:4, That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Middle aged and senior ladies: are you willing, able, and engaged in teaching these lessons, both in word and by example? Younger women, are you faithfully “attending class,” “paying attention,” and “doing your homework”?

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- Ps 106:33, Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisably with his lips. A man of God may be provoked to sin by those whom he leads.

 

- Pro 22:5, Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. The wicked, perverted, scheming doer lurks at every corner in our world, and must be avoided at all costs. They will destroy godly men’s lives and their very souls.

 

- Pro 23:21, For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. There is a vivid comparison between alcohol addiction and gluttony, or eating indescretions here. A word of caution to each of us.

 

- Pro 26:3, A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.  A lack of a rod on the backside of our children in our homes has resulted in a nation of rebellious fools.

 

- Pro 25:8, Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do when they neighbor hath put thee to shame. We need to be very careful into what battle, argument, or conflict we step. It could be embarrassing, costly, and tragic.

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- Don’t allow someone else’s perception become the prism from which you see through.

 

- I’ve walked up and across the West Virginia hills since I was a small boy. I’ve always had the same rule, that you never stop when your going up hill. Make that the rule of your life and you will always view the uphill struggle as a simple means to a better view.

 

- God has different benefit packages for different levels of commitment. He also has a bare bones policy.

 

- I do not get to choose joy over sorrow, but I can choose to have joy in my sorrow.

 

- While I choose to put my past failures behind me, I also choose to put the lessons learned from those failure before me.

 

- Don’t let old failures take up permanent residence in your head. Kick them out on the street and go on.

 

- Everyone is looking for a door to open to them, but instead why don't we look for a door we can open for someone else?

 

- People who give up on God are giving up on the only one they can count on not to ever give up on them.

 

- If I listen more intently to my wife's concerns I will seldom need to listen to her complaints.

 

- Words are effective tools that can be used to build people up or powerful weapons that can be used to tear people down. Choose your words carefully today.

 

- When both of my parents went to Heaven I am so thankful I had no apologies left unspoken.

 

- Instead of putting others in their place, try putting yourself in their shoes today.

 

- Most of us extend grace towards those we feel deserve it, which really isn't grace at all. Read that one again, and read it slowly.

 

- No one should be forced to take the blame for the choices YOU made when they hurt you.
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