Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 3/21/17  Psalm 57:2, I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. Here’s an Old Testament equivalent of Romans 8:28. All things: sickness, poverty, trials, conflicts: are FOR you. Trust Him, and be faithful.
                                Romans 3:21-24, But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Just in case anyone STILL thinks that Old Testament people were saved by keeping the law, they weren’t. They were saved the same way as we are: by trusting Jesus Christ only. Notice: the law and the prophets said it was without the law; it was by faith unto all who believe; justification is free.  So, are YOU saved? Do you know 100% for sure that you’re 1 heartbeat away from Glory? If not, message me.

 

- Wednesday, 3/22/17  Psalm 57:1, Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, UNTIL these calamities be overpast. Are you in Christianity for the long haul, or only in the easy times?                              Galatians 6:1, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  2 Corinthians 2:8, Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. That loved one or church member who sinned against you, who “should’ve known better”: are you making them “earn” their way back into your good graces, or have you gone out of your way to show them that they’re welcome back, and are, in fact, WANTED back? Are you making them hike all the way back by themselves so as “to show their sincerity,” or did you run to them and throw your arms around their wounded body and spirit and are HELPING them to come back? Love goes to; it doesn’t wait for the other to come.

 

- Thursday, 3/23/17  In troublesome times, do you run first and most often to men for advice, help, comfort, direction, provision, and intervention, or to the Lord? Psalm 121:1-2a, I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord.                                    Psalm 122:1, I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. There are those who are not in church who would say this, if we’d invite them. Also, be a “Preservation Committee” of one: invite regular attenders of your class or church. Make sure that regular members around you are coming. In so doing, we might prevent a backsliding or drifting. It’s easier to prevent rather to solve.

 

- Friday, 3/24/17  Isaiah 35:6, Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing... However bad you have it, focus on the brevity of life: a million years from now, you’ll be glad you took it...one more day...                              In problems, it’s always easier to focus on humans: what they did to cause the problem and how they/we can fix it. But ultimately God governs both what happens to us and how it all plays out, so we’ve got to get into the habit of going to Him first: first for wisdom for us, for His mind to govern us, and for His intervention in solving it.  Psalm 62:1, Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

 

- Saturday, 3/25/17  Psalm 65:4, Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. Problems cause us to approach, so, if we’re having a bunch of them, God says that we’re blessed. Who ‘ya gonna believe: your wicked heart/feelings or Him?                                    Proverbs 20:3, It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling (obstinate, or sticking their nose in other’s business). Strifes occur, and we can only control our side of the argument. So, quit meddling with the other person.  ¹You can’t make them apologize or forgive you or see it your way.  ²You can only govern your own spirit and actions.  ³Are you 100% right with them in your heart?  ⁴Do they know that you’ve forgiven them or are sincerely sorry for your actions in the contention?  ⁵Do what you can...and pray for your enemies.

 

- Sunday, 3/26/17  Psalm 66:18, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. “Lord, I don’t like humbling myself, and admitting and confessing my sins, but I want to be heard in Heaven: search me and point out my wrongs.”                                    God had just pronounced great judgment on the nation, but said it would come upon future generations. Isaiah 39:8, Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days. Because of Hezekiah’s selfishness and callousness here, I absolutely despise him: he is my least favorite Bible character. Lesson: sometimes 1 statement or act that we commit will bring us a lifetime enemy.

 

- Monday, 3/27/17  Matthew 11:18-19, For John came...and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came...and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. If all you can find in your leaders are faults, maybe it isn’t the leaders who are faulty.                          Matthew 11:18-19, For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. Men of God, preachers, and godly Christians have always had their critics: people who do nothing for God but criticize every move anyone else attempts to make. The critics, though they do nothing and never have done anything, always know the best way to do anything. Does that shoe fit your foot?? ‘Just asking...

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- Matt 9:16, No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. This is exactly why the new birth and conversion are necessary for eternal salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

 

- Pro 22:10, Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out: yea, strife and reproach shall cease. This is true in God’s business as well as that in the the world. If we can’t help, at least shut up and don’t create problems.

 

- Ps 130:5, I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. Like hungry animals wait to be fed by the farmer, we need to wait to be fed by our God from His Word. Of course, if we feed at the devil’s trough, we will starve to death, and never hear from God.

 

- Pro 24:32, Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. If we would be successful, we need to wake up, be observant, and listen!

 

- Ps 136:2, O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever! Our God is the God of gods, and His everlasting mercy toward us deserves our gratitude and praise.

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- My memories tomorrow will consist of my actions, accomplishments, behaviours, attitudes and responses of today. I have real, serious work to do!

 

- How could we say he is a God of love if there were no Heaven, but how could we say he is a God of justice if there were no Hell.

 

- Don’t worry about other people’s opinion of you. God never told you to impress others; just to love them.

 

- Flowers grow back after being stepped on. So will I.

 

- My freedom in Christ is not the freedom to do what I want to do but the freedom to do what I was created to do. God created me for a purpose, but sin bound me from that purpose. He freed me from the bondage of sin so that He could recreate me, not for a new purpose but for the original purpose for which He created me.