Baptist City Blog

Sunday, 5/31/15  Ps 106:1 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. Just a reminder that obedience to this verse isn’t dependent upon your health or wealth, marital status, the weather, or your feelings. Praise God and give thanks...PERIOD. NOW. ALWAYS.                      Jud 10:13-14 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. You’ll look really funny praying to your gods of pleasure and money and hedonism when calamity hits, and you’ll wish you would’ve developed a love for the true God. Just sayin’...

Monday, 6/1/15  You’ve probably seen posts like this on Facebook:  “I need a hug so post a word about how we met and what I mean to you...I’ll be watching...” Well, here’s Christ’s response to that junk: Read Ps 32 & 103; Matt 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19. If you don’t “feel the love” then you’re the first zombie to ever read my texts.(LOL...two of my text recipients thought that I was the one saying that and answered me, "I first met you..." I had to explain that I was NOT the one whining...)                     2 Sam 24:10 And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people... He followed his heart, and when he got what it wanted, it smote him. Your heart is a LIAR!! Follow God, His book, good advice...almost anything except your heart.

Tuesday, 6/2/15  Ps 33:1 Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Rejoicing in God and realizing how good you’ve got it will produce not only praises to God (which He deserves), but also you’ll develop a much sweeter tongue in general which will make you more attractive.                              Pro 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love. When I first thought about this, I thought of married couples and the need to express love, but they know there’s mutual love (at least they knew it once). (Though applying it to married couples wouldn’t be incorrect, by any means.) I think the real intent of the verse is toward “lesser” relationships. Does your pastor know of your love and support? Your SS teacher? Kids, your school teachers? Adults, your boss? (I don’t mean we men should tell our unsaved boss, “I love you boss,” but a compliment, a thank you for the good they do would fit inside this verse.) Does your local police officer know of your support? The fire station closest to your house? Hey! Even your garbage men could use a greeting with some lemonade and cookies on a hot day.  That secret love...let it see the light of day.

Wednesday, 6/3/15  James 4:8a Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. God’s end goal is intimacy with us. To achieve it, He’ll use means to entice us: the need for answers to prayer, the need for wisdom, our fears and discouragements and sorrows. Beat Him to the punch and love on Him today.                              Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. Most Christians respond to hurtfulness by another with anger and a bad spirit.  Good Christians respond with prayer: (Ps 109:4, For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.) However, the haters will probably keep on hating: (Ps 109:5, And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.)  **Don’t quit doing the good. Don’t give up on Christianity activities; don’t give in to your anger: (Ps 109:6, Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.)

Thursday, 6/4/15  Are you discouraged? Is the road hard right now? Ps 37:18, The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. You can take anything for a short while, and that’s how long until we’re in Heaven forever: just a little while. Don’t quit doing what others need.                            Pro 1:5a A wise man will hear, and will increase learning.  ¹You’ll never learn enough, let alone all.  ²He’s still talking in His word: if you can’t hear Him, YOU (not He) need some adjustments. Blunt question: is your Bible a closed book to you even on the rare occasions that you do open it? Does your Pastor or SS teacher sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher: “Waa-wa, waa-waa, wa-wa”? There are things you can do. Talk to your spiritual leaders or message me for some suggestions.

Friday, 6/5/15  2 Cor 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Clean yourself!!! Attack your sins!!! Quit being a Christian wimp. FIGHT the good fight of faith. Quit excusing your sinful habits!                             Judg 16:17 Then [Samson] told [Delilah] all his heart, and said...I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb... He was trying to play both sides of the street: holiness and self-indulgence. When we do that, we WILL lose to the world.  Do you have any sins that you keep hidden from most, while at the same time going to church faithfully? Careful...you’re playing with Delilah...no...you’re playing with her daddy (Satan.)

Saturday, 6/6/15  Ps 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  ¹Make a list of “Prayer answers” just like you do “Prayer lists or requests.”  ²Thank God for what He does.  ³Encourage yourself that He’s involved in your life.                      Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee... Forsaken by mercy and truth?? How would this happen?  By not confessing sin and frequently coming clean with God; by neglecting Bible time and church, or by tolerating the doing of those spiritual activities without any benefit. (I think many people would fall into this last category...do you ever just go through the motions? I know I often do...

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- We live in a day when people want to rebel against God, and then try to force Christians to approve of their rebellion.

- People do not gripe because they have problems; they gripe because they are ungrateful gripers.

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- Bible thoughts! Ps 31:4,24  Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. V24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. Hard times are going to come, there's no getting around them, BUT aren't we so glad we have a God of deliverance??!! He's awesome!

- Bible thoughts! Ps 32:1,8 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Vs 8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. How can one not get excited about these verses??!! Not only does the Lord save us, folks, but He then Personally shows us how to live! Woohoo! That's something to shout about!! Have a great day!!

- Bible thoughts! Ps 33:5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. God's blessings are EVERYWHERE!!

- Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. This is great news from God's word. ONE DAY we - (vs 9) “if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you" - will not suffer, be sick, make stupid mistakes (sin!), have regrets, have sorrow, or have any other problems that sin causes because we will finally be delivered from the bondage of it!!

- When you sin do you feel conviction or condemnation? Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. God brings conviction that we're guilty of doing “that sin". Which leads us to confession and restoration, 1 John 1:9. The Devil provokes condemnation and no self-worth - that we're “no good" and that we shouldn't even bother trying - which leads to a further strain on our relationship with God. Listen to God; so you can restore the relationship with HIM!

- Ps 65:2 O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. No matter how wicked and sorry a man may be, in a time of real crisis, he cries out to God for help. It’s tragic that that’s the only time we think of Him.

- 2 Kings 2:13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan. If we ever needed me of God who are willing to take up the mantle of great men of the past and do again the great works of God, it is in America today. Why can’t we learn and follow the old paths again?

- Ps 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. We, like the psalmist, need to stop and count our blessings. We have so much to be thankful for, and I’m afraid all too often we forget the one Who gives it all to us.

- Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. This is one of the toughest Scriptures to obey, but necessary four our world/nation to operate and perform without chaos. God put them there; our job is to follow, obey, and pray for them.