Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 2/21/17  Psalm 102:12a, But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever. Regardless of how hard today is, your eternal tomorrow is doing just fine, and it’s only a little ways away. So, hang on: you can take what is on your plate for a short time more.          
   Psalm 30:11-12, Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. In v11, God answered his prayer. But notice the reason in the first 3 words of v12: “to the end” or, “for the purpose of” ‘my spotlight being turned on full power onto Thee!! I will sing and give thanks for ever!!’ How did your respond to the last answer to prayer you received? The one before that? Maybe we all owe God some “back pay.”

 

- Wednesday, 2/22/17  Proverbs 17:3, The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts. God tells us that His method of refining, purifying, increasing value involves fire, so why are we so upset when our lives are put to the test? (I’m guilty.) Let’s get off of God’s case.            Proverbs 17:22, A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. A combination of medicine and theology: ladies, you know that, as you age, your body is prone to osteoporosis. (Men, we are too, to a lesser degree.) Guarding our spirits will at least, keep our bones in better shape than if we allow the burdens of living to sour our dispositions.

 

- Thursday, 2/23/17  Proverbs 17:24, Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. “Before him”..: It sounds like God is VERY actively trying to teach us 24/7/365. Maybe we should pay attention more in class??           Psalm 31:24, Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. “Courage” = to stabilize, steady.  “Strengthen” = make obstinate, strong. We are to calm our fears, How? by quit talking of the problem and look at THE Solution, and then He’ll empower us. Quit magnifying the power of the enemy and focus on the power of your Ally.

 

- Friday, 2/24/17  Romans 6:12, Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. You don’t have a choice: your body WILL have a king whom you will obey. You simply get to choose whom the king is: The Lord, or lust.          Psalm 32:5, I acknowledged my sin unto thee (an offense and its penalty), and mine iniquity (perversity, moral evil: the permission I give myself to break His rules) have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions (revolt) unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity (perversity, moral evil) of my sin. When we sin, there's a lot more to it than sin.         Psalm 35:7, For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Notice that a net was put in the bottom of a pit: a double whammy. The pit was for the soul and the net for the body. In a battle or struggle, AT ALL COSTS, protect your own soul (attitude, spirit, resolve) or your body won’t keep fighting.

 

- Saturday, 2/25/17  Proverbs 20:22, Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. Do you want payback, or do you want God to intervene, in a way that only He can? Do you want revenge, or “all things working together for good”?        Proverbs 20:15, There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. It doesn’t say knowledge of what. Your lips have the power to brighten someone’s day in a way that a pile of money cannot. Go and tell someone that you love them or that you’re proud of them or that they matter to you or that you’re glad they’re in your life...and convince them that you’re for real. Some people are pining away for a physical touch, and some are pining away for an emotional, spiritual touch. Reach out and touch someone today.              Proverbs 23:4, Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. In context, God is saying to work for character’s sake and to help others, and to let Him care for your money. However, the 2^nd half is good universal advice: in every area and arena of life, we may utilize OUR wisdom or the Lord’s. “It seems to me...” Who cares? I want, “It seems to God...” “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 2:5.

 

- Sunday, 2/26/17  However long a smoker has smoked, quitting improves his health almost immediately. So too, does shutting our mouths...regardless of the situation.  Proverbs 21:23, Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.          Honestly, how biblically wise and knowledgeable are you? Daniel 2:21c, He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. There’s a lot more He could teach you. Stay (get) humble, my friend; humble and hungry.         Acts 4:33, And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. “Grace” is simply God’s goodness in action, or His supernatural help. I wonder if there’s a connection between them witnessing of Christ and God being good to them and helping them in all areas of their lives? Need some heavenly intervention? Maybe take an hour and go soul winning.

 

- Monday, 2/27/17  Proverbs 22:1, A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. I often pray for God to help me financially, but can’t remember asking Him to help me build up my name or for loving favor...shame on me. You?          Proverbs 22:3, A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. This indicates that prudence analyzes my current habits, trends, direction, and forecasts how they’ll turn out. Where will your current music choices lead? Church attendance record? Tithing records? Amount of attention to your marriage? Job performance? Prudence takes work and thought; simplicity is...simple.

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- Pro 21:19, It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman. There are some things that are worse than living alone!

 

- Acts 7:51, Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Preaching with a hook in it will usually provoke a response, and needs to, if Holy Ghost empowered. God give it to us again today.

 

- Acts 8:37, Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. If all we had was this one account about baptism, it tells us who, when, and how of the ordinance. Why all the confusion?

 

- Matt 8:14, And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her. This was the mother of one of the great ladies of the Bible: the one who served in the background as Peter’s wife.

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- The only way God can show us that He’s in control is by putting us in situations that we can’t control.

 

- Be careful whom you call your friends. I'd rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.

 

- The way to feel peace with God is by deciding to be at peace with those who have hurt you.

 

- If a sinner can't proclaim grace and forgiveness, who's left to preach?

 

- We know that God's grace is for the wretched, but sometimes we forget that we are the wretched ones.

 

- Doing too much, in a hasty manner is a guaranteed ingredient for failure. Pull back, evaluate...seek counsel, pray for God's wisdom and help.

 

- Sometimes you think you’re being buried when, in fact, you’re being planted.

 

- Some succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determine to.