Baptist City Blog

Tuesday, 6/28/16  Ps 119:19, I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. Are you more of a stranger to the ways of the world or to the ways of God? Which do you spend more time studying and indulging in?               2 Tim 3:14, But continue thou in the things which thou ast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. What did you used to do for God that you no longer do? Was your initial choice not well thought out and Bible based...or is your current choice that way?

 

Wednesday, 6/29/16  Ps 51:10, Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Basic Christianity (which needs to be addressed often): What’s your heart’s purity level? How’s your attitude?             Pro 24:11, If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his works? Do you ever hide your eyes to the plight of the down and out? I’m speaking specifically to the kids in SS or school or church who get picked on and made fun of? The “uncool,” socially awkward ones?  Kids don’t need to be “toughened up” as much as need to be loved. Would you be happy to see me pick on your kids like that, or organized a dozen teens to form a clique against them? Think it through...WWJD?

 

Thursday, 6/30/16  Ps 119:69, The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. It’s easy to obey when life is easy. How tough/durable is your Christianity in the tough times? You espouse forgiveness: have you? Do you bless those who’ve attacked you?                  Ps 119:67-78, Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. He was good to afflict you...have you thanked Him for doing so?

 

Friday, 7/1/16  Luke 24:48, And ye are witnesses of these things. Acts 1:8, ...and ye shall be witnessess... Before you can do the action of witnessing, you must actually witness something. You ARE a witness of salvation and God’s awesomeness. Are you witnessing?                   Ps 77:3, I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Giving voice to your problems, getting things “off of your chest” does not help you.

 

Saturday, 7/2/16  1 Pet 2:7-8, ...but unto them which be disobedient, the [precious] stone is made...a stone of stumbline, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient. Why would He give you more truth to disobey?                     Ps 119:113, I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. Those reading this would claim to love the Bible, but how much do you hate the empty, worthless thoughts that go through your head? (Thoughts of anger, pride, self-serving, revenge, selfishness, entitlement?)

 

Sunday, 7/3/16  Pro 31:11, The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. Wives, the first characteristic of a virtuous woman is trustworthiness. Do you have your husband’s heart? Can he voice things to you without being ridiculed or slammed or scolded or dismissed?                Pro 1:19, So are the ways of every one that is greedy of fain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. Greed (a need for spoil) sucks out the essence of a man’s life. This can be cured/prevented by a proper relationship of the wife: Pro 31:11, The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

 

Monday, 7/4/16  Wives, your husband may not realize it, but he craves you love, trust, and affection more than he does finances. Pro 31:11, The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. Perhaps the reason that he works so hard is that he’s looking for a place to place his trust.                Ps 53:4, Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? Who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God. Basic truth in life: you can never expect an unsaved man to behave like a Christian.

 

Tuesday, 7/5/16  Ps  85:6, Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Re-vive: It comes from Latin for “live again.”  “Re-life us. ” The amount and intensity of your praise indicates the health of your spiritual life.                Acts 8:19, Saying, give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. Simon still had the same character now that he was saved that he did before salvation: he was still a conniving showman. Salvation enables His character to begin to be shown in our lives. Work out your own salvation.  Lessons:  ¹Don’t assume/expect too rapid of a change from your converts.  ²Realize that you will also show a LOT of evidence of the old man...don’t be surprised and shocked and thrown off kilter when he shows his face...even if it’s been a long time since he has, or since he’s shown THAT particular aspect of what used to be commonplace activity for you.

 

Wednesday, 7/6/16  2 Cor 2:8, Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. When a person has been confronted regarding his sin and is repentant/trying to rectify things or change, his biggest need is love from those around him: NOT additional condemnation or piling on. (He’s already feeling the conviction...that’s why he repented.)             Eph 6:1, Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Children, wives, employees, citizens: you are to treat your parents, husbands, bosses, and government the way you’re supposed to REGARDLESS of whether they are obeying the commandments given to them. (The follower is always commanded first by God...ALWAYS.) So, are you obeying, honoring, submitting, paying taxes, giving honor, speaking respectfully, etc.?

 

Thursday, 7/7/16  Ps 119:163, I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love. How’s your hate life? How’s your love life?                     Ps 122:6, Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Most of us know very little about God’s favorite city. Idea: to increase interest and to help kindle love, research Jerusalem, like you had to give a report in school on it. Size? Population? Ethnic composition? Walls? Economy?

 

Friday, 7/8/16  The ball is in your court. What’cha gonna do? Hos 5:15, I [God] will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. (I suggest you read the next verse: 6:1.)              Ps 123:1, Unto thee life I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Just FYI, all prayer isn’t to be done with heads bowed and eyes closed. Here, the eyes were opened and were looking at the skies and, by faith, at Heaven.

 

Saturday, 7/9/16  Ps 96:6, Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.  Isa 38:17, ...for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. Do you tend to come to God by His front side or His back side? When coming for yourself AND when coming concerning others.                      James 1:20, For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. We’ve all indulged in and been victimized by a blown temper. It’s painful. However, a worse sin is to give someone the silent treatment.  Pro 27:5, Open rebuke is better than secret love. Now, those are not the only two options available to us to deal with conflict: we could say something positive, something edifying. But, silence is worse than the vocalized anger and is probably the greater sin. Let’s resolved to A) shut up 90% of the time when we’re angry, and in the other 10%, say something good: about God or about the one you’re mad at.

 

Sunday, 7/10/16  Ps 68:19, Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Do you tend to focus more on the daily benefits or the occasional problems? About which do you talk to God more? About which to do talk to people more?              Ps 103:14, For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. He remembers our frame and what we’re made of. That thought has often comforted us as it’s been applied to our own shortcomings. However, why can’t we remember the frame of our spouse or kids or coworkers and what they’re made of...and even remember ourselves what WE are made of. (Some of us are too hard on ourselves...most are too easy, but not all.)

 

Monday, 7/11/16  Ps 119:113, 163, I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.  I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love. Too many Christians have transposed what they are to love and what they are to hate.                    Ezra 3:12, But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy. If something or someone can’t be what they used to be, don’t weep over that in place of rejoicing that they will now be better than they were going to be. Give someone credit for at least trying to overcome faults and to make up for failures. We all can’t be as perfect as you, but we can still be useful...