Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 2/13/18  Luke 17:12b-13, ...ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. If others have told you or you somehow believe that you’re “unworthy”  or “too dirty” to get close to Christ, you can at least lift up your voice and cry. Do it...today.  
                             Psalm 71:18, Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. Middle aged folks and seniors: are you withdrawing from the service of your Lord or staying steady? I understand age has it’s effects, but are you compounding the problem by not trying as hard? The young people need your wisdom, your stability, your perspective...As other aspects of life slow down, do more for Christ. Don’t vegetate and waste away.                                 Mark 8:11-12a, And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? The unbelieving Pharisees caused the Lord to sigh deeply...to be a little depressed and frustrated because they wanted Jesus “to perform a trick” for them. The unsaved critics did that...but I so often demand that God intervene, and intervene now, and intervene in the way that “I know is best!!” I’m sorry Lord...

 

- Wednesday, 2/14/18  I love the technology that we have now, but the “instant gratification” mindset hurts our spirituality. Psalm 70:1, Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord. God doesn’t run on a stopwatch...more like a calendar. The problem is not His reticence, but our impatience.                                    Psalm 130:1-3, Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.  Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? Notice, when the psalmist was in the depths (i.e. problems, burdens, illness, etc.), he addressed his sin issues. Maybe that “giant negative” is just a way to humble us and get us to focus on what is bothering the Lord. Don’t waste your bad times.

 

- Thursday, 2/15/18  Isaiah 26:3, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Read carefully to get the order: the mind is locked on Christ; which brings the trust in Christ; which produces perfect peace. Another direct, practical, needed recipe from Heaven. Read it again and again.                                  And the straightforward will of God for each one of us is...Luke 18:1, And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Since none of us fulfill this yet, each of us must ask himself, “What can I do to improve my prayer life? How can I carve out more time? Whom can I get some advice from? Who is the best prayer warrior that I know? Which corporate prayer meeting can I start to attend? Or, would Pastor allow me to start one?”  How much closer could you get to “always” in the next month, and before January 2019?

 

- Friday, 2/16/18  Luke 18:38, And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Remember that we deserve Hellfire, so anything “bad” in our lives is truly less than we deserve. So we deserve great negatives, and asking for the removal of any negative involves mercy. The giving of any positive would be grace.                           Psalm 72:1, Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. The unsaved man must choose between his own manufactured righteousness (thru good works) or God’s perfect righteousness (purchased on Calvary and offered freely.) The saved man has the availability of the Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ and is able to choose between his own judgments or utilize God’s mind (thru His Word) and allow the Spirit to produce holiness in him. “Choose you this day...”

 

- Saturday, 2/17/18  2 Corinthians 5:18, ...God, who hath reconciled us...and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. When was the last time you heard someone say they are in the reconciliation ministry? Yet, Jesus called us all to that very ministry. Maybe it doesn't sound important enough for us.                                Isaiah 53:11, He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.  1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God’s vengeance against what your Christian brother did was “satisfied” at Calvary. He has forgiven that brother. Why do you hold on to their offense? Why is the relationship still strained? If your Christian brother sinned so grievously, shouldn’t you, the good Christian, take 10 steps toward him or her if they even take 1 baby one “back to the fold”? Who’s the real sinner...???

 

- Sunday, 2/18/18  Proverbs 12:18, There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. It doesn’t say that the wise doesn’t hurt with his tongue, but that his “hurts” are to help: like a surgeon. Are your words more of a doctor or assassin?                         Proverbs 12:16, A fool's wrath is presently known. I thought this meant that the fool will let you know when he’s ticked. No. It means, “daily.” A fool is always mad about something. Blunt question: are you generally happy or grouchy? Don’t answer that: if you’re brave enough, ask your spouse or family. A lot of us are more angry more often than we realize, or are perceived to be so.

 

- Monday, 2/19/18  Isaiah 40:1, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Very simply, the word “comfort” here means to feel sorry or pity for AND to encourage; or, cut some slack to others. Question: Are you more of a “pat on the back” person, or a “kick in the pants” guy? I know I need to improve...do you?                              Proverbs 12:25, Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop. “Heaviness” means fear or anxiety. “Stoop” means to lie prostrate, as in worship or reverence. If the trials of life are causing you fear and anxiety, get some high doses of faith. Hmmm, what could give us faith? “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” OVERDOSE on Bible reading and preaching...there’s no substitute, no man-made alternative. Life is rough...adding God liberally is the only thing that’ll give us a chance of survival.

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- Mark 6:24, And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, the head of John the Baptist. There is no hatred nor desire for revenge or vindictiveness like that of a hateful woman. The ends to which she’ll go are unimaginable.

 

- Mark 4:41, And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? As His disciples question who He really is, and His control over all, I wonder how often we are not just as guilty and doubtful?

 

- Ps 101:5, Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look, and a proud heart will I not suffer. The condition of our heart and what we say in private needs to be guarded. We are all human and imperfect, so why should I criticize another?

 

- Ps 102:2, Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble: incline thine ear unto me in the day when I call answer me speedily. It seems as if I am always in trouble, and need His help in a hurry! He doesn’t care, as long as we need and call on Him.

 

- Mark 7:24, And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into a house, and would have no man know it, but he could not be hid. If the Lord is in the house, He cannot be hid, and will be sought out and found by those who need Him.

 

- Ps 103:11, For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. We need to run scared all of the time.