Baptist City Blog

Tuesday, 12/6/16  Ps 119:149b, Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O Lord, quicken me ACCORDING TO thy judgment. God’s methods are often harsh: do you really want His intervention? Some lessons can only be learned through hard, harsh methods. 
                          Ps 119:26, I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. Go dump your emotional garbage on God, not on your spouse, family, or friends. And, while you’re dumping on Him, ask Him to teach you whatever you need to learn next.

 

Wednesday, 12/7/16  Ps 81:8b-9a, O Israel, IF thou wilt hearken unto me; there shall no strange god be in thee... God is far more interested in us doing rightly than He is in us not doing wrongly. The best way to not do wrongly is to be too busy doing rightly.                            Ps 143:8, Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Were you in a spot to hear God this morning? Bible open? Awake and alert? Hungry heart? Praying for wisdom and understanding?

 

Thursday, 12/8/16  1 John 3:18, My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. If you had to prove your love to your spouse, kids, friends, church...in the last few days, to what would you point? DO love: quit just FEELING and SAYING it.                           2 Pet 1:1, Simon Peter...to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. How long since you deeply thought about what you’ve got in your salvation? Go walk and think and thank God for each aspect of your salvation story: the one who led you to Him; the circumstances that God orchestrated; your first pastor and church. (Maybe also write a note of gratitude to the people involved.)

 

Friday, 12/9/16  Ps 149:2,  Let Israel rejoice in him that made him. Notice: “Let” or “allow.” Christianity is inside of you: LET IT OUT!! “Work out your own salvation.”                                  Pro 3:30, Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. At the least, if you’ve not suffered physical harm, you have no reason to strive with another. (Hurt feelings and inconvenience don’t qualify, especially not on the highway nor in line at the store!)

 

Saturday, 12/10/16  Ps 119:34a, Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law. We need understanding to know WHAT to do, HOW to do, and HOW to implement what we know into our daily lives.                              Ps 119:10, With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Honestly, do you feel that you’re fairly spiritual? Then the direction that you’ll most likely go is downward, and the method will most likely be gradual: “wandering.” Beware of tolerating small steps southward.

 

Sunday, 12/11/16  Don’t let this be your summary statement: 2 Chron 28:22, In the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord. Suffering is a part of our lives that either gives birth to getting bitter or getting better.                          Ps 2:1, Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The lost fantasize about not having to answer to God. But how often do you and I say, “If only...”, “I wish...”, “We oughta...”  Live the life that you have in front of you (not some fantasy); live your life on purpose, for His purpose, and with a real, clear plan.

 

Monday, 12/12/16  Ps 4:1, Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me (to broaden) when I was in distress (narrow, crowded by an opponent); have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. You made it through the last time that you were in way over your head; just do right today.                                  Rev 2:9, I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty,(but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. This church in Smyrna was really suffering, and notice that it was the only l of the 7 that the Lord didn’t correct. Lesson: if someone is suffering, low, defeated, persecuted, depressed: back off a little.

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- Ps 50:5, Gather my saints together unto me: those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. Only the blood of His eternal Son will qualify us!!

 

- Ps 49:6, They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches: none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. Wealth and riches can never buy eternal salvation for anyone: they are already paid for.

 

- Pro 8:11, For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. The choices in life for value and attainment are worthless and cheap substitutes in comparison to godly wisdom.

 

- Pro 3:7-8, Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones. A novel way to enjoy optimum health, both spiritually and physically without expensive medical bills or undesirable side effects.

 

- Ps 53:2, God looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. He is still looking and asking the same question today. I hope and pray what He observes in us is pleasing to Him today.

 

- Pro 10:25, As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. Like a destructive storm that passes quickly and is soon forgotten, so is the wicked, but the memory of the righteous is lasting and eternal.

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- God often puts us in situations that are too much for us so we’ll learn that there is nothing that is too much for Him.

 

- Don’t cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.

 

- Beware of those who alter their convictions so they don't have to alter themselves.

 

- Too many people are trying to restore the fallen without first rescuing them. A drowning man cannot be given life support until they are brought to shore. We want the fallen to repent while they are still drowning in the confusion and consequences of their sin. Throw them a lifeline first. Pull them in the boat. Then you can work on helping to restore them to their Christian life.