Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 8/14/18  1 Kings 12:28, Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Beware of a religion that is too convenient; one that doesn’t demand much from you.  
                     1 Kings 15:4, Nevertheless for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem. Is anyone receiving blessings because of your relationship to the Lord?

 

- Wednesday, 8/15/18  Here is scriptural foundation for the old saying, “A request from a friend is a royal command.” 1 Peter 5:5b, Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. If I am a “humble subject” to my friend, I’ll obey.                                 “How to be like Christ.”  Galatians 1:3, Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Be a dispenser of unmerited goodness to all. Unmerited means that they don’t deserve it...so yes, I’m referring to “bad” people here. How good are you to those who’ve been bad to you?

 

- Thursday, 8/16/18  Proverbs 13:3, He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. “What does this verse mean, Teacher?”  “Shut up! Zip it! Zip it! Zip it!! Loose lips sink ships.” Is it going to edify someone? Will it further the cause of Christ? You know...                            Mark 4:1, And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. A very basic thought: before the teaching and learning occurred, a “gathering together” had to be done. How are you doing on gathering yourself together with other believers down at the church house? God’s chosen method for revealing His word is NOT reading: it’s preaching.

 

- Friday, 8/17/18  Ecclesiastes 11:2, Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. Paraphrase: “Very generously give out some friendliness and encouragement today, because you can’t always tell whose heart is broken.”                                  “I don’t read my Bible cuz it’s so hard to understand! It’s just a book of Hebrew history anyway.”  Proverbs 13:4, The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. Paraphrase: “Wish in one hand and spit in the other and see which one fills up faster.” Yes, there are difficult, obscure passages, but there are hundreds of others that aren’t. Are you maybe trying to find an excuse to not read those? You and the Lord know the real reason that you won’t read your Bible.

 

- Saturday, 8/18/18  1 Kings 19:12, And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. A reminder that God usually speaks in the soft voice. If He has to get loud with you or I, the message won’t be good. Listen carefully, and obey quickly.                                   I Kings 19:14, And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. Elijah pours out his heart’s complaint to God. The response? In v15-17, the Lord issues 4 specific commandments and 2 prophecies. Then, in v18, almost casually, He tells His man that there are 7000 others who’re standing true. Lesson? God’s agenda is paramount. Though He loves us, His mission trumps our hurts. Right now, you and I are soldiers who’re to fight; employees who’re to work; brethren who’re to help. It’s a little callous to put it this way, but we’re expendable in this war; our eternal destiny is secure. If we have to be thrown into the burning fiery furnace or to the lions in the coliseum to get someone saved, it’s OK. So, I don't mean to sound insensitive, but you and I need to get over ourselves, and be willing to take one for the team.

 

- Sunday, 8/19/18  Proverbs 15:4a, A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. Trees, by their existence, bless those around them. They provide shade, food, oxygen, wood, roots to stabilize the soil. Is your world blest or cursed by your life? Honestly? Work? Home? Church?                               Ephesians 4:1, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. Too many Christians are trying to “stand worthy” in Christ instead of “walking worthy” in Him. We would come a lot closer to standing in a holy fashion if we would walk in a more holy fashion. Christianity is supposed to be an action word and not a state-of-being word.

 

- Monday, 8/20/18  Do you feel that you are doing “pretty good” in the Christian life? Ephesians 4:29a, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth... The standard is “none,” not “less” or “little.” Redouble your commitment and efforts to speaking sweetly and living rightly.                        Proverbs 20:4  The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.  a) There is always a reason not to;  b) I can come up with an excuse if I try hard enough;  c) some excuses are legitimate;  d) God gives me now to prepare for later;  e) later will come;  f) to have later, I must work now;  g) I will live later with now’s choices.

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- Heb 13:8, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. PTL that He is the one constant, unchanging Peron upon Whom we can depend, regardless of life’s circumstances.

 

- Heb 13:4, For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. We should not get our eyes on the things of this world, and become too infatuated with possessions, position, or things here. We need to keep our eyes on Heaven and the things to come.

 

- Luke 8:5a, 11a, A sower went out to sow his seed... Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. We are not to worry about where the seed lands nor how it grows. Our job is to spread the seed.

 

- Ezek 30:10, Thus saith the Lord God; I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Make no mistake: our God controls the affairs of this world.

 

- Ps 97:7, Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods. All idolaters, false religionists, and false gods of this world are confused, will be confounded, and along with their false gods, need to bow down and worship the only true God of gods.

 

- Pro 23:17-18, Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end, and thine expectation shall not be cut off. We should not want what the world has, but worry about our walk with God and fear Him. In the end, we will be glad we did.

 

- Pro 20:19, He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. We should avoid, not associate with, or hang around those who gossip, boast, or try to cover their idle talk with flattering remarks.

 

- Luke 7:49, And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? He is the God’s eternal Son Who alone has the authority and the right to forgive our sins!! Not someone in a gown, appointed and ordained by a church!!

 

- Husbands, if our wives are not submitting to our leadership, perhaps it's because they are not sensing our Christ-like love.

 

- Even if THAT person doesn't deserve your forgiveness God deserves your obedience.

 

- Restoration can only be done in the spirit of meekness because self righteous people don't care about the fallen.

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- Cheerfulness:—Cheerfulness is a duty we owe to others. There is an old tradition that a cup of gold is to be found wherever a rainbow touches the earth, and there are some people whose smile, the sound of whose voice, whose very presence, seems like a ray of sunshine, to turn everything they touch into gold. Men never break down as long as they can keep cheerful.

 

- Loving someone is doing what matters to THEM. So try loving Jesus today.

 

- You can search for a church which will serve you or you can search for a church in which to serve. In one you will leave empty and the other you will leave full.

 

- In Egypt, thousands of years ago, cats were worshiped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.

 

- Getting counsel is simply collecting the opinions of wise people you trust thereby equipping yourself with powerful resources enabling you to take the best course of action.

 

- There is difference between loyalty and neediness, but they can easily be confused. We can be loyal because we need someone, but that means that when we no longer need them, we are no longer loyal. Real loyalty chooses to be so by character, and that means it remains true regardless of need. This explains why a "loyal" church member or friend can turn into a vicious enemy. They no longer need you, so their "loyalty" reverts to selfish hurtfulness. Make sure your loyalty is based upon your commitment not your need.

 

- Be the reason a neighbor or coworker feels loved today.

 

- Do not have your concert first and then tune your instrument. Begin your day with the Word of God and prayer and get in tune with Him and then go about your day.

 

- The only thing harder than waiting on God is wishing you had.

 

- The church is not like a new car showroom where the perfect are on display, but it's like a salvage yard where the broken are put back together again.