Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 11/21/17  Proverbs 14:1, Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. Ma’am, you’re either supposed to be a general contractor or a home and relationship builder. Are you? Or, do you fit more often AFTER the colon?                               Psalm 105:20, The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. Just a reminder that even the highest of the high among men is subservient to the King on High, and therefore, THE King’s kids can be assured that he is subject to Him, and that he will carry out His wishes upon His kids. So, do right today; act like His son or daughter and tell him about Him.

 

- Wednesday, 11/22/17  Here’s a lesson and a comfort: Psalm 103:9, He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. God WILL chide and get angry with His children, but will not continue therein. So, if it’s dark on you now (like it is on me), take heart.                         Psalm 112:4, Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. We like seeing the light; we love it when God treats us with graciousness, compassion, and righteousness. But before the sweet treatment and before the light turns on...there’s darkness. So, if that is your current situation, look for the light!!!

 

- Thursday, 11/23/17  Psalm 115:12-13, The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us... He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. This brought tears to my eyes... Despite my feelings of being abandoned, He’s been thinking of me. (Oh, and you’re on His radar too!!!)                          Psalm 114:7-8, Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters. If we told the world of this commandment right now, they would laugh and mock vigorously. But, the day is coming...THE DAY IS COMING when they will obey it to the T. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

 

- Friday, 11/24/17  Psalm 119:67, Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. If troubles and afflictions make you reform and become more godly, then they weren’t troubles or afflictions, but blessings, spiritual antibiotics, “wonder drugs.” Get afflicted->get right->be better.                                  Psalm 119:59, I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. In troubles, especially interpersonal ones, do you first think on your ways, and how you may have screwed up, or on others’ ways and how they definitely screwed up? Do you seek to correct your walk or their walk? This is one instance where we ourselves should be first on the list spiritually.

 

- Saturday, 11/25/17  Mark 4:4, And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell [in other places.] He sowed on purpose and with a plan, but some fell elsewhere (on a path, rocks, good ground, etc.)  ¹Are you sowing, anywhere, at all?  ²Are you sowing so much that some just falls elsewhere?                              Psalm 119:68, Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. This is a sweet verse to claim and doing so shows some proper thinking and humility, but “Thou art good” immediately follows a verse referring to being afflicted. Is God still good when He is afflicting you? Pointing out sins? Disturbing your comfy little nest? Pushing you toward ‘higher ground’? Theologically we know He is, and the automatic, “spiritual” answer is to say, “Of course,” but, looking at our lives and innermost thoughts, do we, do I, do you, really believe that He is when everything about us screams that He’s not? Disturbing question to ponder...harder still to answer honestly.

 

- Sunday, 11/26/17  1 Kings 12:8, But he forsook the counsel of the old men...and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him... Rehoboam didn’t weigh various counsels; he forsook what he didn’t like. If you ask for advice, at least consider the substance and validity of what is said.                            Bible characters were just like you and I. Stories in the Bible were given to us to show us that others have faced the same circumstances that you and I face, and they show how to/not to act.  1 Kings 12:8, But [Solomon’s son] forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had [just] given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him... (He talked to his peers who were now in line for great power.) You’ve never gone to another counselor because the first one didn’t say what you wanted to hear, have you? Or not gone to the first at all because you knew what he’d say? (You haven’t done that, but I have...) Don’t just read the Bible...learn from it, and change because of it.

 

- Monday, 11/27/17  Psalm 136:1, O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. However rough you are having it, we are still commanded to give thanks. You’re eternally forgiven; you’ve got food and clothing; and...you’ve an opportunity to help someone today: use it.                     1 Kings 13:18, He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. This young prophet did two things wrong in disobeying. First, the old prophet said an angel had spoken to him, whereas the young prophet had said he’d gotten his message ‘from the word of the Lord.’ Don’t ever place a lesser authority above a higher one. Secondly, he believed what someone SAID that the Bible said, instead of seeing it for himself. Don’t believe what I, or any other preacher SAYS is in the Bible; believe what we SHOW you is in the Bible.

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- If you are facing a lion or a bear in your life today, maybe God is preparing you for a Goliath you will face later.

 

- Pro 20:6, Most every man will proclaim everyone his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find. Show me what you are doing, not what you’re going to do.

 

- Matt 23:12, And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. God hates pride and arrogance, and always finds ways to bring us back to earth. If we can’t do it ourselves, He’ll do it for us.

 

- 1 Sam 17:30, And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these: for I have not proved them: and David put them off him. We should never attempt to do difficult or impossible tasks without God, and with the tools, methods, and expertise of another.

 

- Pro 26:10, The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. Both fools and transgressors alike ultimately will get what is coming to them. God is not blind nor is He ignorant nor patient forever! We never get by with sin.

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- (To those who complain about rules and standards): Boundaries don't bother people who don't plan to stray.

 

- Bitterness is the result of being hurt and not believing God can make it turn out for good.

 

- Beautiful flowers grow out of ugly dirt, and the beauty of grace grows out of our ugly sin.

 

- If we are too busy to be friends with the friendless, then we are too busy. Take time to be someone's friend today.

 

- Today is the mediator between the past and the future. The past seeks to sabotage the future while the future tries to blame the past.

 

- I find it interesting that those who once believed what we believe get angry because we still believe it.

 

- You cannot love the cause of Christ without loving sinners because that is the cause of Christ.

 

- Thanksgiving living is for mature Christians. Thanksgiving Day is more for amateurs.

 

- The first step to gratitude is a sense of awareness.

 

- Children need to see their parents make tough choices for God, so they can have a visual in their critical time of need.

 

- In a broken relationship, the one who refuses communication is wrong. The one who reaches out is right. It's that simple.