Baptist City Blog

Sunday, 9/20/15  John 7:47-48, Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? It’s stated in Corinthians that “knowledge puffeth up.” Be careful if you’re smart and/or educated: you’ll tend to think that your brains make you better than another.         Rom 10:1, Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. What is your heart’s desire and object of prayer? Is it health? Wealth? Lack of problems? For you or for your kids? The success of your fantasy football picks?  What about praying for the salvation of the Arabs? ISIS? The abortionists? Mr. Obama? Mr. Obama? Mrs. Clinton? Mr. Trump? Your neighbor?

Monday, 9/21/15  John 14:15, If ye love me, keep my commandments. The word “keep” does not mean “obey.” It is a military term referring to guarding, or protecting. (Though I’m sure obedience is included.) It means to treat as a treasure. Love is shown by treasuring the words of your lover.          Job 14:1, Man that this born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. Hurts hurt. Whether they come from an attack by Satan or via a test from God or a memory of mistakes we’ve made, they are designed to hurt us.  ¹Fix the situation if possible.  ²Forgive all involved (this may take multiple efforts and even a lifetime.)  ³But, ultimately, you must move on and do what you’re supposed to do.

Tuesday, 9/22/15  John 14:15 (#2), If ye love me, keep my commandments. Love is shown by a proper relationship to the words of your lover: obedience to a superior; mutual respect and deference to a peer; respect and mercy to a subordinate. Go be loving today       “Believing in” Christ is not the same as believing on Him. Acts 16:31, And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  Compare believing in a chair vs. believing on it. Many people whom I know believe in Jesus, but I’m fearful as to whether you’ve ever believed ON Him. If you were to die and stand before God and He asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven,” what would you say to Him? If you’re not 100% sure that you’d go to Heaven immediately upon your death, please message me today.

Wednesday, 9/23/15  John 14:15, If ye love me, keep my commandments. Love cannot be seen, but proper actions toward what the other says can be.         1 Chron 25:9, Now the first lot come forth to Asaph the son of Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve: the third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve... Pretty boring reading... So why is it in the Bible? What possible lesson could we glean from a passage like this? God notices every single individual’s contribution to His work. What you do is not unnoticed, my dear friend.

Thursday, 9/24/15  John 14:15 (#4), If ye love me, keep my commandments. Believing on Christ does not automatically mean that one loves Christ. Believing is only the first step: the next is choosing to love, which is shown by a proper relationship to His words.                    Ps 146:5, Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Notice, “the God of Jacob.” Jacob was the sneaky trickster. God is not just your God when you’re a “good little church member”: He’s also yours when you’re a scoundrel!! Praise the Lord!! I’m in the 2^nd group far more often than I’d care to admit!

Friday, 9/25/15  John 14:15 (#5), If ye love me, keep my commandments. True godly love is not all gooshy-gooshy mush (though there’s nothing wrong with that: that is phileo-type, which is good, in it’s place), but true love is more substantive. Rom 13:10, Love is the fulfilling of the law.               Financial advisors help us to prepare for the inevitables: retirement, empty nest syndrome, long-term medical bills, kids’ college bills, etc. A good advisor gives trustworthy and do-able advice.  Matt 6:20, But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven. I don’t know the reason that we’ll want treasures in Heaven, but the MOST trusted Advisor says we will. Start saving.

Saturday, 9/26/15  Rom 12:2, And be not conformed (patterned) to this world. Just a reminder that this is commandment is still in the Book, and we’re still bound to obey it.            Pro 21:29, A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth (plans) his way. The wicked man is obstinate and stubborn. The righteous man deals with the situation as it is. Problems are given to us to be solved, or at least faced. Quit your running; quit your whining; quit your avoidance: figure it out already!!

- A bad attitude is not always a "teenage problem" it is usually adults that have the worst attitudes of all.. One must remember that our young people learn by our example.... What kind of teachers are we????

- A wise man once said, Sometimes you have to love someone from afar. You can't have a person in your life that is full of negativity and someone that continuously puts you down just because you believe differently.

- Forgive people in your life, even those who aren’t sorry for what they did. Holding on to the anger only hurts you, not them.

- Be the person that you’d like to be married to. If you need more love and understanding, give more love and understanding.

- Nobody is perfect. Don’t let the world find out about your spouse’s imperfections via you.

- Make it a point to give your spouse the best of you: the best of your touch, the best of your attitude; the best of your laughter; the best of your words, etc. Don’t always bring them what’s left of you after the world has drained you.

- Be intentional. Every day, look for a way to bless your spouse. A thankful, giving heart will repulse blame and discontent.

- Believe the best about your spouse, even when they don’t communicate well. Sometimes, it’s hard for them to find the right words.

- Greet your spouse with a kiss. Positive touch releases endorphins, so you associate your spouse with pleasant things. (Bonus: you can’t say anything regrettable when your lips are occupied.)

- Like all of us, no one remains the same. We change physically, act less romantic, etc. Take time to find the two people who fell in love and reconnect.

- Fear is a self-imposed prison that will keep you from becoming what God intends for you to be. You must move against it with the weapons of faith and love.

- My Prayer: God, give me the discipline to pray and then the faith to believe that you are listening.

- If you paid the price Christ did to purchase a sinner you wouldn't be so quick to throw them out when you discover a flaw.

- God's delays and detours are meant to either lead us to a better place or protect us from a dangerous one.

- Satan often defeats us by deflecting our minds from the message and onto the messenger. When the messenger pleases us we idolize him but when he lets us down we demonize him. Lost in both cases is the message.

- The God who directs your path also directs those who cross your path. Be aware of those whose path you cross today.

- My sins look so much worse on you than they do on me.

- Be careful not to overthink things.  I tend to overthink things and that causes me trouble. Satan got to Eve by making her overthink what was simple. God said it. But Satan got her overthinking and that is when she had doubts that led to her disobedience. We doubt our salvation when we overthink it. We doubt our usefulness when we overthink it. We doubt God's forgiveness when we overthink it. We doubt our approval in Christ when we overthink it. Most doubts are merely our overthinking what God has plainly declared. If God declared it, I do not need to think about it. Many of my worst struggles are caused by my overthinking the, "thus sayeth the Lord" promises, commands, assurances and declarations. Be a thinker of truth but be cautious of overthinking it.

- We sing about a God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and pray like He owns a couple of cans of Spam in an otherwise bare cupboard.

- When you lose, (in a game, or a risk, or a choice) are you humble, or angry? If you are humbled, you win! If you are angry, you lose, twice!

- Discontentment is not because you have too little in which to be content. It is because you have not learned to be content in little.

- Greatness is goodness oft repeated.

- The job of the church is not to change the world for Christ. It is to reach the world for Christ and then let Him do the changing.

- Facebook reminds me of all the different people God has made. If every Creation of God would give Him honor and allegiance we would still be different. When the pursuit of our lives is to convince others to agree on every point we kill any hope of seeing the puzzle fitted together. I know already that I am one of those odd looking pieces, but I am glad I fit somewhere in the scene. My posts on here are never meant to demonstrate great Bible knowledge, or anything. I guess I'm just trying to make a positive contribution, and I thank you, who do the same.

- Those who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare pearls.

- God gives us grace to endure, not grace to understand.

- We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong: the amount of work is the same.

- Uncoachable kids are unemployable adults. Let your kids get used to someone being tough on them. It’s life: get over it!

- Too many of us are looking for a door to open to us, but instead why don't we look for a door we can open for someone else?

- You will not fix what you are not willing to face.

- When mistakes are made in life forget them long enough to get over but remember them long enough to never do again.

- Sometimes God is just about to answer our prayer, but chooses not to because we are sneaking around and trying to hide things from Him. God is not to blame. All blame is upon us. Consider Hos 7:1, When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria... Healing was in motion, but somebody in the family was holding out. Therefore healing never happened. It's time to surrender.

- Ps 146:5, Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God. You can tell by a man’s attitude where his hope and faith lie.

- Mark 6:20, For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. Am I living a holy and just life insomuch that even the wicked would respect and listen to me? What a sobering verse! There's always room for improvement!

- Bible thoughts! Ps 22:5, They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. They went to God about all their problems and not their peers! Well, that ought to solve a lot of things! Ain't God good!

- Some people suffer from depression; or a lack of confidence or self-worth. Well, here's great news!! God, Almighty, the Creator of the universe, our Heavenly Father says we're valuable to him!! That's awesome! Matt 10:29-31, Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

- Ps 5:3, My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. What a wonderful privilege we have to begin every day praying to our God, Who made and controls the whole world.

- Pro 21:11a, When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise. This is why we must punish crime and be tough on wrong in our kids.

- We could literally transform our lives if we would do just these two things! Matt 22:36-40, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.