Baptist City Blog

Sunday, 8/17/14  Matt 4:19 ...follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. It is absolutely impossible to be following Christ if you’re not trying to win souls. I don’t care how close you feel or what else you do, if you’re not fishing, you’re not following.            Matt 11:4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see. “Tell him again.” To the doubting, He’ll give the same message again. To the struggling, He’ll give the same message again. To the rebellious, He’ll give the same message again. To the indifferent, the bitter, the hurt, or the successful one, He’ll give the same message again. When you come back to God, whether it’s been years our just hours since you last came, the Book’ll be the same, the commandments will be the same, the expectations will be the same, and the love will be the same.

Monday, 8/18/14  John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. He came today with new mercies, a load of blessings, guidance and direction, commandments, protection, wisdom, His mind, deliverance, and much more...will you receive Him?              Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another.  Sub-mission:  putting your mission (agenda) under another’s. My needs are less than our needs. We’re all selfish proud creatures bent on having our own way. A secret to a good marriage is to love “us” more than I love “me.”

Tuesday, 8/19/14  Ps 136:1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. The Psalm simply recounts the acts of God through the history of the nation with a great emphasis upon God’s mercy. Take a walk today and review your life and thank God for what He’s done to, for, and through you.                  Deut 4:24 For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.  Or, v31 (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. How we act determines which aspect of God we see. He doesn’t so much act, as He reacts. For example: I am a fun loving, joking, generous man (so I tell myself), but given the right circumstances, the Kenpo karate skills will come out as will the weaponry. How you act toward me determines which Hedderman you’ll see.  God is the same way.

Wednesday, 8/20/14  John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. It’s a sad fact: many who get saved and grow to the level of disciple then quit on God. It’s been true for 2000 years. All we can do is love those who leave; leave an open door so they can return; keep preaching the truth; and make new disciples. V67: Will ye also go away??                Deut 2:21 A people great, and many, and tall as the Anakims; but the Lord destroyed [the Zamaummims] before [the Ammonites]; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead. God works and directs in the lives of other, non-believing nations. He doesn’t only have His eyes on born-again Baptists.  The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Thursday, 8/21/14  John 6:2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. Along with v26, this shows the mindset of the people, and seeing that is crucial to understanding the words of this chapter. The people simply saw Christ as a carnival side show.               John 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? Yes, the law commanded that she be stoned, but that was under a theocracy. The Jews were under Roman civil law: their civil laws were null and void. Note that there are 3 types of OT law: Moral, Civil, and Ceremonial.  See if you can pick them out.

Friday, 8/22/14  Ps 119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity: and quicken thou me in the way. Pray about your troublesome body parts.             Matt 26:50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Unsaved, rebellious, thieving Judas’ premeditated, disloyal, wicked betrayal for money, still got him called “Friend.” Your shortfalls haven’t alienated you from God, or caused Him to give up on you. Get back in the game!!!

Saturday, 8/23/14  Ps 119:36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Pray about you spiritual appetites (or lack thereof).            John 11 and the story of Lazarus’ death. In v22, Martha asked for a miracle. In v43, she got it. However, they had to do something before Jesus worked: see v39. They also had to do something afterwards (v44c). Ask all you want...but are you preparing for the answer? Maybe the lack of faith in preparing for your Lazarus to step out of the tomb is prevent Him from granting your miracle.

Ps 106:34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them. It never turns out right when there is incomplete obedience to God’s commands: ask Israel. To question His commands is a sure path to disaster.

Josh 5:12a and the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land, neither had the children of Israel any more. There is a sadness in this event in that they lost both dependence upon God for daily food and also the nourishment of perfect, health giving food. I wonder how often we fail to enjoy Heaven’s food because of the old corn of this world?

Jude 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference. We will win far more sinners to our Saviour with love and a tear in our eye than we will with good methods and effort. If we can’t get a genuine burden for the lost, forget about successful soul winning.

Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth and was dead: and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen: and have the keys of hell and of death.  Our Saviour is eternally alive, and He alone has the keys of death and Hell. What an awesome comforting truth!!

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Many Christians are going through the motions, but have left their first love of personal soul winning. It will take character, disciple, and schedule.

Ps 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. Today, more than ever before, we need to have our hearts fixed on our eternal God and trust in Him.

Pro 23:24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. We need to thank God for the children we have who honor us by their lives and their godly testimony.