Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 4/4/17  Proverbs 31:12, She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. Ladies, the second characteristic of the virtuous woman (after earned trust) is consistent active goodness. Do you? Really?
               It is an oft-repeated theme in the psalms: “God, you’ve abandoned us!!” (Ps 74:1, O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?; Ps 69:1-2; 56:1; 22:1; 38:1-3, etc.)  To us, bad trouble is a life-threatening calamity; to our God, in charge and above it all, it is a designed, governed test of a dear child. We’ve got to deal with what He gives us, and strive to see things from His perspective.

 

- Wednesday, 4/5/17  Feeling pretty good about your current status in the Christian life? You need a major infusion of the word of God. Romans 3:20, ...for by the law is the knowledge of sin. More Bible = more awareness of sin.                     Romans 4:18, Who against hope believed in hope... In your doubts, don’t let those doubts overrule the solid faith that generated your hope. It’s easy to do because the circumstances which are causing the doubts are prominent, while the underlying faith is less demonstrative.

 

- Thursday, 4/6/17  Romans 5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world... Remember that however good you’ve got it, your choices can irrevocably damage your “paradise.” (And notice: death came in after the sin...it’s not worth it.)            Romans 6:19, ...as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. All good habits, all godliness, all new character begins as a one-time aberration: new character is strange...but keep doing it. (Just like it was strange the first time you did wrongly.)

 

- Friday, 4/6/17  Romans 12:1, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice... Sacrifices do what they don’t want to, what isn’t comfortable, and for the benefit of others. And since we present ourselves, we’re to do it willingly. So...have you been a sacrifice recently?             Romans 1:11, For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established... Truthfully, do you yearn to help God’s people? If so, could you tell exactly what it is that you do to help? Teach a class? Captain a bus route? Preach in the jail? Send out a daily text or post on FB? (Consider doing that, at least.)

 

- Saturday, 4/7/17  Romans 1:8, First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. That our first thought of any believer is not gratitude shows how far off of a true Bible basis we are.              Matthew 17:5, While [Peter] yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Leadership 101: Big boss/pastor/principal, express your support for your intermediate supervisors to the rank and file of the company.

 

- Sunday, 4/8/17  Romans 5:12, ...and so death passed upon all men... Your sin today sir, ma’am, can forever damage those whom you love or will love in the future. Is that short thrill really that enticing? THINK ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND!!!!                 Proverbs 4:1, Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. A reminder that any teaching moment requires 2 participants: a prepared teacher and a willing student. (Teacher, one of your jobs is to entice/motivate the student to want to learn.) Teacher: are you doing as you should? Could you do more? Student: are you doing as you should? Could you do more? We oftentimes place all of the blame for a failing student on one or the other, but both could be, and probably are, at fault. “Cast out your beam first, and then worry about the other person’s sliver.”

 

- Monday, 4/9/17  If something is inevitable, why not prepare for it (winter, school, surgery, etc.)? Psalm 145:1, I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. You’ll praise God for eternity: start now.            Matthew 18:35, So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. The word “likewise” ties back to v34. So what will our loving heavenly Father do to His children who won’t forgive each other? V34, And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. Believers holding grudges and hard feelings is deathly serious to our God. His words, not mine.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

- Ps 141:8, But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust: leave not my soul destitute. If we ever needed to be focused on our God, it is now.

 

- Pro 4:15, Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. Clear explicit instructions on the path of the evil and wicked for us to heed.

 

- Ezek 12:16b & 20b, And they shall know that I am the Lord. And ye shall know that I am the Lord. This is the purpose of every event in our lives.

 

- Ps 140:12, I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. We need to have God’s attitude about the afflicted and the needy! He gives to me so I can help others, not so I can stack it up and hoard it.

 

- Ps 143:11, Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. We need His hand of help, healing, and deliverence, not because of our merits, but because of whom He is and His righteousness. We need mercy, and not justice.