Baptist City Blog

Sunday, 11/9/14  Is one of your pastimes “hanging out with friends”? Don’t pray that God’ll bless your actions; do what God blesses (Part 2): Ps 1:1b Blessed is the man that...standeth [not] in the way of sinners. The old saying is still true: “Idle minds are the Devil’s workshop.” And out of the heart proceed evil thoughts...         Gen 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. Some thoughts re: Abraham & circumcision: Why did God institute it? Why a drastic, exterior, somewhat visible sign of identity?  ¹To identify His people as different;  ²as an obedience tester; &  ³as a sign of special relationship. Others?  Likewise, it seems that baptism is an exterior rite with no “practical purpose” other than picturing and identifying and obedience. Throughout His word, God has given His people commands to obey “just cuz He said so.” I think of their dietary restrictions, some of their laws re: seed, and clothing and use of animals. Are you a simple enough believer to simply obey “just cuz” or are you stubborn and demand reasons for everything? (You demand your children obey you “just cuz” you say it, don’t you??)

Monday, 11/10/14  Doing what God’ll bless (Part 3): Ps 1:1c Blessed is the man that...sitteth [not] in the seat of the scornful. Are your companions mocking, talking down about, slandering, derisive, focusing on another’s reactions instead of their own wrong actions? Those are bad friends.             Jud 6:13a And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of...? Don’t be content to live your life without miracles. Don’t be content to live a life without the positive intervention of your heavenly Father. Jer 2:5-6 Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your father found in me...? Neither said they, Where is the Lord that [did many miracles]? Let God be God in your life. Miracles come from desperate situations + prayer + confession + humility.

Tuesday, 11/11/14  “Bless me Lord” or “Show me what you will bless”? (Part 4) Ps 1:2a But his delight is in the law of the Lord... Do you like the Bible? It is an acquired appetite. How can we guide our hearts to enjoy it? Investing your treasure into the things of God:  give it your time, your money, and your will.        Pro 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Do you really “hear instruction”? Or, do you filter everything through your preconceived ideas and discard what doesn’t already agree with you? Are you teachable? Are you changeable? If the preacher or the Bible shows you something to start/stop doing or believing, are you open to it or are you set in your ways?

Wednesday, 11/12/14 Doing what God blesses (Part 5) Ps 1:2b ...in his law doth he meditate day and night. To meditate you must know; meditation means to focus upon; meditation requires relative silence.           2 Chron 17:6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord. Here’s a good verse to have as a goal for the upcoming year: train your mind (which governs your heart) to enjoy the things of God.

Thursday, 11/13/14  Jud 6:1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hands of Midian 7 years. God will do “bad” things to His children to show them the error of their ways. He is a good Parent.                2 Chron 28:9 But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven. It’s not always the case, but if everything is going wrong, God may be chastening you for your rebellion and sin in an effort to humble you to the point of repentance.

Friday, 11/14/14  2 Chron 25:2 And [Amaziah] did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. Oh God!! I want to have a perfect heart as I do rightly. Pray for me.                2 Chron 28:23 For [Ahaz] sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. The recipes that the world uses won’t work for God’s children. To try to use their formulas to direct our lives, marriages, and relationships is to invite disaster which leads to anger which leads to bitterness which leads to a wasted life until humbling and repentance occurs.

Saturday, 11/15/14  The books of James and Jude were written by Jesus’ younger half-brothers. In the salutation, they both referred to themselves as “servants of Jesus.” Maybe we all could learn something about humility and (not) name dropping or not making ourselves out to be higher or more informed or more intimate than is appropriate.              2 Chron 36:15-16 And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. God’s character hasn’t changed. If He’s been speaking to your heart over what He has said is sin, and you’ve argued, rebelled, ignored, mocked, discounted, or otherwise refused to hear Him, wrath and judgment are His next resort. Please get things right.

Ps 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified. You will seldom see a soulwinner be down or have a bad day!!

John 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. All we need to be saved and live the Christian life is given to us. We need to read it, love it, memorize it, study it, meditate upon it, and make it a part of our daily lives.

Pro 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing, but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. Hard work is profitable both inside and out.

Ps 44:21 Shall not God search this out? For he knoweth the secrets of the heart. The only one from whom the inner thoughts, motives, and intentions of our heart cannot be hidden is God. Working to keep it right is a full time job.

John 21:3a Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. We never go back alone; others always follow, and often those we love.