Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 11/9/21  Luke 10:20, Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Very simply, how long has it been since

your emotions were affected by your standing with God? Maybe we need to beg for a broken heart...                          Job 31:30, Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. (A reminder: the vast majority of these daily Bible thoughts are things the Lord got on my case about.) We’re too good of a Christian to WANT someone else to be harmed, right? “Love your neighbor.” But do we hold some semblance of a grudge, and/or criticize and demean the character of an old adversary? (God convicted me over this toward a former supervisor and coworkers... They WERE bad...and I’ve often told others about “the 3 witches...” Shame on me!!!) You’d never so something similar, would you?

- Wednesday, 11/10/21  Luke 11:4b, And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Many believers aren’t even fighting their temptations (or not very often.) Many others fight them solo. Have you enlisted God’s active help in fighting yours today?                          Luke 11:42, But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. It seems to be easier (& therefore, more prevalent) to do the visible aspects of Christianity rather than deal with the hidden heart issues. Maybe a major flaw in God’s people is an over-emphasis on the things that can be seen and quantified vs. the unseen inclinations of the heart. But, regardless of others, you and I need to be reminded to do the visible things (church attendance, soul winning, controlling our tongue & eyes, etc.) while not neglecting the hidden (desire for holiness, forgiveness, non-critical spirit, joy, faith, etc.)

- Thursday, 11/11/21  Psalm 119:51, The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law. It bears (often) repeating: we absolutely CANNOT control what others do, but we can TOTALLY control what we do.                               Job 32:1, So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. You may be good, really good, but there’s still room for growth a reason to be corrected, admonished, and taught. Are you open to that? Job wasn’t. (And he was the best Christian on the planet at the time.)

- Friday, 11/12/21  John 8:6, This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. We need to learn to RESPOND instead of REACTING all of the time. Think, pray, speak (or not: you don’t have to...)                              We’ve all had troubles and wondered what the Lord was doing, right? Psalm 119:75, I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. The psalmist got to where he knew the Lord was right in doing what He did. Dr. Jack Hyles, “It’s all right to disagree with God as long as you get to the point where you know He is right and you are wrong.”

- Saturday, 11/13/21  Proverbs 9:8, Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. How we react when correction tells A LOT about us. How’re you? How did you do recently with THAT authority (boss, spouse, parent, friend, pastor) who got on your case?                         Psalm 119:107, I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word. We all have been afflicted. Many of us are afflicted. All of us will be afflicted. We can seek relief from and comfort in the affliction in many different ways: we can whine and post “poor me” thoughts on social media; we can try medication (legal or not); we can try diversion; we can try to find the comfort in sin, or we can take our burdens to the Lord. Take your cares and make them prayers...but don’t dwell on you!! Mention your problem to God and then intercede for another. Find another who also is afflicted and help them. What did Jesus do on the Cross? He thought of His mother and cared for her physically. He forgave the soldiers. He saved a thief...no whining, no drugs to numb the pain.

- Sunday, 11/14/21  Psalm 119:124, Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. Of course, we should confess our sins regularly and receive His proffered mercy. But don’t waste His mercy: use the cleansing by mercy as a lifeline to figure out how to prevent the sin the next time.                          Proverbs 10:15, The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. A strength and a weakness are mentioned. What do we lean on in trouble (i.e., what is our strength)? We would SAY the Lord, but, in reality?? What’s your weakness, and how are you changing that area? At one point, the knock on Michael Jordan was that he was a poor shooter and, at best, was an average defensive player. He took those two weaknesses and worked and worked and worked til he was the best offensive player in the game, and won Defensive Player of the Year awards. He changed what he was and became better. What’s your weakness?

- Monday, 11/15/21  Psalm 119:106, I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. A three step process is outlined: learning what to do; choosing to do it; and then following through on the doing. Where could you “step up your game”?                                 Proverbs 10:18, He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. Lying about our hatred of another: foolish. Concealing and tolerating the hatred in our hearts: not wise and self-destructive. Confession and prayer and (anonymous) acts of love toward that one: wise. Ask God to search your heart and point out if you fall into this verse anywhere.