Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 5/1/18  Genesis 13:7, And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. An old outline, but when we fuss with other believers, the unsaved see it. Do you criticize your spouse or church folks? Do you cause them to do so? 
                        Genesis 13:8-9, And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.  The more mature believer wanted to stop the strife, and then really showed his maturity by giving the subordinate his choice. Are you content with strife continuing? Will you stop it? Will you give in? Do you more often fit into the role of the “more mature believer” or the “less mature/more carnal” one?

 

- Wednesday, 5/2/18  We all balk and fuss about the trials that God gives us...like He’s picking on us. Right? Are you guilty like me? Matthew 4:1, Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. If He did this to Jesus, why are we surprised that He does it to us?                                 How can we know if we’ve forgiven someone or have some residual angst (i.e. bitterness) against them? If you heard of something bad happening to them, would you be glad about it? “Serves them right!!”  “I hope that wakes them up!!”  “Get ‘em, God!!”  Proverbs 24:17-18, Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: We should NEVER be glad when anything bad happens to anyone...EVER.  V18, Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.  Even if they did “have it coming,” if we respond wrongly to it, we’ll stop the process, and our “enemy” will “get away with it again.”  Forgive that one that so hurt you...and do it again and again until it sticks. And invest in/give to them so that your heart turns toward them.  (BTW, to not be forgiven when you’ve asked for it and that’s all you could do may be the saddest thing a person could endure. Praise God we never get the cold shoulder from Heaven!)

 

- Thursday, 5/3/18  “Why do I have to hurt SSOOOO badly and so much??” Short answer: to refine you and increase your value.  Proverbs 25:4, Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. Bottom line:  Are you willing to be purified? If yes, quit griping. If no, deal with it.                                  Proverbs 24:17, Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth... That’s pretty clear; not much to dispute about or misunderstand there. So, how are we to act concerning our enemies?  V19-20, Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; for there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. We’re not to think about them at all...we’re to live by faith that God will settle all scores in His timing. So, “rejoice not” and “fret not.” Any questions?

 

- Friday, 5/4/18  Deuteronomy 5:1, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. It’s sorta obvious, but we’re to read the Bible and listen in church to LEARN the Bible, start to TREASURE It, and then OBEY It. Are you? Or are you just passing time?                                 I’ve endured some very deep hurts in the last few years, and I’ve, honestly, been mad at God at times about them. Overall, I’ve prayed for Him to get glory for Himself, but there were days... I’ve tried to do this verse. Consider: Proverbs 25:2, It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Try to figure out how this could “work together for good,” or what God might be doing. Use all that you know about God and His dealings with His children; His purposes; His modes of operations, the tools He’s used on others...and try to come up with some scenarios to understand your situation. They may very well be 180^o off target, but at least you’re meditating in Scriptural principles, and if you’re trying to see things with wisdom, from His perspective, then you’re probably not dwelling on your own hurts and getting bitter. Try it.

 

- Saturday, 5/5/18  If we feel heavy burdened and need rest, what are we to do? Take on another burden.  Matthew 11:29, Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. He never says He’ll trade burdens. A paradox...but it’s Bible.                          Proverbs 28:13, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. We all have basked in God’s mercy, but remember, most sins are twins: we violate God’s laws (& hence, need to confess to Him), but usually, in the violation, we sin against a human. Thus, we need to confess our sinfulness to them as well...much harder to do and involves humility...which is a good thing to acquire. If nothing else, the distastefulness of humbling ourselves, admitting our sin, and asking for mercy will help us to say no beforehand next time.

 

- Sunday, 5/6/18  Proverbs 26:10, The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. God’ll care for those who sin against us; we just need to do as we’re told to do: “overcome evil with good.”                           As any good father, God will discipline/spank/train His children. However, it’s not so much as “He’s gonna get you,” as it is that He lifts His protection.  Psalm 102:8-10a, Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.  For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, (notice: the enemies were causing the problem...why?)  Because of thine indignation and thy wrath. Do you REALLY want to get away from God and the things of God? It’s a pretty mean world out there...full of wolves and bears and lions...you may be the toughest, roughest sheep in town...but, Baaah!! Baaah! Doesn’t strike too much fear into the carnivores.

 

- Monday, 5/7/18  Psalm 101:2, I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. A basic truth and reminder: we can only control ourselves. We can’t make another forgive us or see it our way or get right with God. We can only govern ourselves. If another holds a grudge, criticizes, backslides: love them regardless.                               Psalm 102:19-21, For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; to declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem. God’s aware (He knows your state); God’s a’working (He orchestrated your life up to this point for a reason); God’s awaiting (His timing; His purposes); God’s accounting (Stay faithful...you’ll be rewarded.)

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- Pro 2:20, That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. A right and proper daily walk with God is on purpose, and not by accident.

 

- Pro 3:13, Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. The source of real happiness is not in what the world considers important, but in the peace of mind and heart that God gives, and the pursuit of true wisdom and understanding.

 

- Ps 10:17, Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. That which gets God’s ear is humility, and a heart that He has prepared.

 

- Ps 14:3, They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good: no not one. The fools of this world are easily recognizable and it should not be a surprise to God’s people.

 

- Pro 7:8, Passing through the street near her corner: and he went the way to her house. If one never gets on the road to immorality and sin, he will go a long way toward a righteous, pure life.

 

- Hey Christian, In Ecclesiastes 3, there are 28 different times or seasons that we’re going to go through in life. Never mentioned in there is the time to quit... Regardless of what you’re going through today, worship Jesus one more time tomorrow!

 

- Doubting Thomas became a sceptic just from staying home from church one Sunday.

 

- John 10:15, As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.  One fact keeps me humbled before the cross and that is, HE DID NOT HAVE TO DO IT.

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- When your plate is too full, it is usually because you put too much on it.

 

- A woman once told me in marriage counselling, "I've given and given and given, and I'm done giving. Now it's time I start getting some things."  She's wrong. She wasn't giving. She was horse trading and snookered herself. She lost her own gamble. What she will "get" is certain disappointment.  True giving is not some bargain. It's not a swap deal. It's not a cheap, "I will if you will." True giving has no strings attached. I'm afraid very few will catch that statement. But its power can totally heal and transform a broken marriage!

 

- The more I pray, "Lord, help me," at beginning of day, the less I pray, "Lord, forgive me," at end of day.

 

- When my arms can’t reach people who are close to my heart, I hug them with my prayers.

 

- You can’t force someone to believe a message they are not ready to receive. However, never underestimate the power of planting a seed.

 

- Do not leave a church just because you have been hurt. Stay and allow others to see how a Christian should respond graciously to being hurt.

 

- If we spent more time trying to get even with those who have done us good we would run out of the time and energy to get even with those we feel have done us ill.
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