Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 10/6/20  Proverbs 1:5, A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. However wise we are, we can increase learning. If you don’t already, may I URGE you

to read the entire Book of Proverbs monthly. Read the chapter that matches the date.                                    At times, all of us turn around and look back. When you do, what do you see? Your sins and failures? (Which is discouraging.) Your stellar successes? (Probably pride forming.) Other’s failures? (Condescension) Other’s successes? (Possibly discouraging also.) Or, do you see something sweeter? Psalm 23:6, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

- Wednesday, 10/7/20  In Genesis 33, Esau made several friendly overtures to Jacob (vv 9, 12, 15) and all of them were refused. Notice that there is NO FURTHER CONTACT mentioned between the brothers. To you who are servants: learn to allow others to serve you at times. If not, they may leave you: their need to serve isn’t being met in the relationship with you.                               Psalm 100:3, Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. There is a ton of consolation here, but it’s accessible only through meditation. First phrase: our God is the Biggest of the bigs. We’re in pretty good hands.  Second phrase: if we’re in a mess, we’re HIS mess. He’s aware of our status.  Third, we are individually valuable to Him.

- Thursday, 10/8/20  Psalm 25:2, O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. We must always keep the two parts of this statement separate. We’re to trust...ALWAYS. We may pray for victory, but if that prayer is denied, we have to still trust. We talk of forgiveness: maybe we need to forgive God for not answering our prayers, for “not coming thru; abandoning us.” Release Him from His “debt.”                           Psalm 25:11, For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. Iniquity isn't the same as sin. It's the permission we give ourselves TO sin. It's becoming the referee vs. being the player. How great is your iniquity?  (Do you justify doing a lot of what the preacher preaches against or what the boss directs?)

- Friday, 10/9/20  Proverbs 28:9, He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. God is blunt: He says, “If you don’t give two hoots about what I want, why should I give any consideration to what you want?” Very simply, how is your Obedience Level? We hear a lot of truth: but do we obey it? So: are you tithing? Soul winning? Forgiving? Walking with God? Trying to live pure? Living differently this year over last?                              We all evaluate ourselves: “How am I doing as a Christian?” The problem is, whose measuring stick do we use? Luke 18:9, And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. By his own definitions, this Pharisee was righteous. However, “every way of a man is right IN HIS OWN eyes.” We must use God’s definitions. Comparing ourselves to perfection keeps us growing; keeps us humble; keeps us from complacency.

- Saturday, 10/10/20  Are you in a valley re: your obedience to God? Trying and failing, or, even, failing to try? Been there...often. Here’s a warm fuzzy for you: Psalm 103:11, For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. God bless you!!                                   Luke 18:11-12, The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. This man was all about the rules and his keeping them. Does your Christianity revolve around rules or a relationship? Oft times, we IFB blur that line. The purpose of man-made standards and rules is that they are to help us not to break God’s rules, to keep us farther from the edge of sin...but the focus is to always be on God and not the rules. Also, an institution may set rules to qualify occupying certain positions, but those rules are not to become “God’s rules.” We must re-focus on the relationship, and then earnestly striving to please and delight the One we’re related to...NOT just trying to “keep Him from getting ticked off.”

- Sunday, 10/11/20  Proverbs 5:13, ... And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! Has someone tried to teach you something? Did you “incline your ear” (& your heart)? If not, you very well may deeply regret it (and they may not try to teach you any more.)                           Proverbs 5:20-21, And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. The word “pondereth” here means “to roll out flat” (like a road crew making/finishing a road.) It’s saying, “Why will you go down this horrible, rocky path when He has a super-highway prepared just for you?” Good question. Your answer?

- Monday, 10/12/20  Psalm 28:1, Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit (to Hell). It’s not natural for a good father to not speak to his children, so your Father should speak to you. If you’re not “hearing” Him, something’s wrong. Figure it out and fix it. Ask for help...repent...humble yourself...do whatever it takes.                                   Mark 13:4-5, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you... The first response when asked about the future was a warning about being deceived. Hmmm... (The second thing He said was to make sure your own ducks were in GOOD order. (See v9.)