Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 5/15/18  Matthew 26:38, Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. Jesus, in His perfection and sinlessness wanted to know that people were with Him in His burdens. How much more do WE need that? Whom do you know that is hurting?   
                           All of us at times feel abandoned by God. (Even Christ did on the Cross.) Well, if we can’t thank Him for His goodness to us in action, we can thank Him for His goodness in being. (And, what we/He is, is the foundation of actions, so His innate goodness will “eventually” translate into good actions.) Psalm 107:1, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. So, regardless of how difficult you or I feel life is today, we can still obey this verse today and tomorrow and...

 

- Wednesday, 5/16/18  We can defend ourselves or we can let God do it. Either way, it’ll be a single warrior fighting. So, whom would you rather do it? You or Him? Psalm 35:1, Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. (Hint: He doesn’t need our help.)                                   Mark 4:18-19, And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. Regardless of how fruitful our “fields” have been up until now, each of us must be on constant lookout to cut down any growing thorns. Each of us must ask if we’re closer to becoming unfruitful than we used to be; how healthy is our relationship to the Word; how distracted are we by the things of the world (cares [not all of which are bad/sinful], money, and our innate desires)?

 

- Thursday, 5/17/18  I’ve asked the question before, but all of us need to admit to it and address it: as a rule, in terms of getting angry, are you more of a microwave or a crock pot? Proverbs 14:29, He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.                            Mark 5:36, As soon as Jesus heard [that Jairus’ daughter had died], he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. Even in the worst situation and outcomes, we’re not to fear life’s turmoils. We CAN do that by focusing and directing our thinking. “Believe”: Jesus can do miraculous things: either to our situation and/or to us. There is no situation in which He does not have the final say-so. So, govern your thinking and build up your faith...and go with the Master wherever He leads.

 

- Friday, 5/18/18  Rightly or wrongly, even the best Christians have nothing to evaluate but our actions. Psalm 36:1, The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. So, if we don’t like others’ opinions of us, we must change what they see.                                  Proverbs 15:15, All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. We all know that everyone has good days and bad days; awesome occurences and dark, black, stormy midnights. This verse points out very clearly that it is our underlying attitude that makes the difference. If I see myself as “afflicted,” then ALL my days, every single one of them is evil. “Nothing good ever happens to me. God is mad at me...”  However, if we have a “merry heart,” we have a continual bounty. So, as a general statement: how would you characterize your life: hard or awesome? One rainy day after another or “nothing to complain about”? It’s all in your perception...i.e. your self-centeredness or faith.

 

- Saturday, 5/19/18  Proverbs 15:31, The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. Very simply, this means to learn from our mistakes. A reproof is a difficulty that I brought upon myself (e.g. a speeding ticket.) Are we so busy blaming everyone else for the problem that we don’t ever learn, and thus, grow and change?                                   Proverbs 16:21b, The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. Parents, teachers, coaches, bosses: watch your tone; watch your choice of words; watch your underlying spirit. Just because you say it and they heard it doesn’t mean that teaching/learning has occurred. Have them tell you what the lesson in question is; have them tell you how they’re going to implement what you’re asking; have them demonstrate the material.

 

- Sunday, 5/20/18  Two constants in life are winning and losing. What should never be acceptable is quitting.  Proverbs 24:16, For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.                                  Proverbs 24:16, For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Failing WILL happen...there’s no doubt. We’ve ALL done it scores of times:  performance failures, academic failures, moral failures, character failures; judgment failures; Christianity failures. However, FAR too many people do not know HOW to fail successfully. Failure is an opportunity; failure is a red flag; but failure in a task or in an area doesn’t mean that the person is a failure. People only become failures when they give up.

 

- Monday, 5/21/18  Mark 6:48b, ...he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. “Emergency praying” may not be the highest level, but without them crying from the midst of their storm, He wasn’t going to intervene. So...call 911-Jesus now...and grow to the next level up.                            Matthew 19:8, He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. Be not deceived: regardless of who did what or said what to “cause” the marital problems; regardless of what percentage of blame could be assigned to the other person: Jesus said that God’s allowances of divorce stemmed from the hard heart of man. He NEVER commands divorce; He NEVER prefers divorce; He permits it...because of our hearts’ condition. Since marriage is a picture of His eternal salvation, divorce is a big black blob of stain in His painting.

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- Ps 20:1, The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee. There are times in life when He only hears and understands what we are facing, and our problems.

 

- Mark 13:5, And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you. If Jesus warned His diciples to not be deceived, how much more vigilent and on guard we must be today.

 

- Mark 13:31, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. So much for those who plan to live forever, but I wonder how many of God’s people really believe this verse by the way they live.

 

- Acts 8:8, And there was great joy in that city. Look out Philip!! You are about to have trouble. The devil never ignores success when the Gospel is preached.

 

- Pro 20:30, The blueness of the wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly. We are seeing the results of the lack of discipline in our homes with all the violent crimes among our youth. Many mental conditions could be cured by an old-fashioned razor strap before they are teenagers.

 

- Ps 27:9, Hide not thy face far from me, put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. How often do I come to God with this kind of attitude and petition because of something stupid I’ve said or done.

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