Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 6/20/17  I know you’re not perfect, but are you “righteous”? Saved? And trying to live correctly from the inside out? Psalm 97:11, Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Then the crop that will be harvested is all yours. (V12: so “rejoice.”)               
                    John 6:67-68, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. Let’s be honest: some of you are fading out of church.  I ask,“to whom shall [you] go?” If you choose to follow your flesh and your heart, that is the path of deceit and lies and death. If you choose to follow the world or the Devil or their crowds, those are the ways of the loser. Any path away from the Lord leads over a cliff: so please turn around, repent, and snuggle up closer to your Father. And for goodness’ sake, if you need relationship counsel to get close to God, get it. (Start with the public services: Sunday morning [including SS], Sunday night, and mid-week service.)

 

- Wednesday, 6/21/17  Proverbs 14:12, There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Don’t do what “seems” right to you; do what you know to be right, or what an advisor (objective outsider) tells you to be right/wise.                                  Proverbs 16:6, By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. For a leader wanting to help followers become more holy, the first half of the verse applies: show mercy and teach truth. (Patience is implied.) For followers trying to become holier on your own, simply develop your relationship to the Lord. In other words, quit trying to quit sinning: draw close to God and the sin will cease.

 

- Thursday, 6/22/17  John 6:29, Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. Do God’s work today: and that is to have faith in Christ. (Definition: knowing rightly and acting accordingly toward an uncertain future.)                         Matthew 23:13, But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! This sentence is repeated 7x, along with “blind” 4x, and 2 references to being a snake. Most of us need to work on being more loving and sweet and patient, but there are some who read this who need to become more Christlike in this respect: you would never say anything bad about anyone. Remember: “grace & truth,” “honor & majesty” and “strength & beauty” are traits of God.

 

- Friday, 6/23/17  Matthew 22:3, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. These people were invited to a wedding (salvation) and refused. I wonder, has the Lord extended any invitations to you recently that you’ve spurned?                                    John 8:11, And Jesus said unto [the woman caught in adultery], Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Self-forgiveness, like any type of forgiveness, is a choice, a matter of the will. But, as one who has made many mistakes and hurt many people and who is haunted by the memories of my sins, I would like to say that it is much easier to forgive myself if the offended conveys and convinces me of their having forgiven me. The Lord did that here. Also, the offended is to “confirm their love” toward the offender (2 Cor 2:8).  So, do you need to forgive anyone? Do you need to convince them of your forgiveness? Or (re)convince them of your love?

 

- Saturday, 6/24/17  Matthew 22:40, On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Wow: the entire Old Testament boiled down to 28 words: Love God supremely and love your neighbor as yourself. I need to try harder on both...you? Figure out “How.” No, REALLY figure it out!!                                  John 7:30, Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. Relax: if your hour hasn’t come, all the demons in existence can’t alter your fate. God is watching over His child, even in the storm. His X-ray vision penetrates ALL weather conditions. Hang on: “when he hath tried [you], [you] shall come forth as gold.”

 

- Sunday, 6/25/17  Genesis 50:21, Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. Offended one who has forgiven your sinful brethren: you need to keep going and take the next steps: do good to, comfort, and speak kindly to the sinner.                              Genesis 45:7, And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. Joseph found out the “Why” of his huge heartbreak after about 22 years. Likewise, we will learn all of God’s behind-the-scenes dealings in time, or in eternity. But either way, “I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us,” Romans 8:18. Stay faithful through the years, though with tears and fears, and you’ll be glad you did.

 

- Monday, 6/26/17  Matthew 24:42, Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. The word “watch” means “to be on guard duty.” Since Jesus uses this word often, I believe the danger must increase as the time of His return nears. So...“Watch” (more diligently.)                                    Genesis 50:15, And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. Those that did wrong have a hard time believing in the forgiveness of others. One who has forgiven others: you may have to show, express, verbalize, demonstrate your forgiveness repeatedly to convince the sinner that their record with you is clear. Don’t be offended: sometimes we wonder if God truly has forgiven us, don’t we? (I know I do...that’s why I fuss at Him at times: “You must be mad at me!!”)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

- Ps 55:20, He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. I guess I can understand and accept hatred and hurt from an enemy, but from friends, family, and fellow Christians, it is unthinkable and almost unbearable.

 

- Pro 19:29, Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the backs of fools. This is the only course of action that can stop the attitude and actions described here. Whether at home, in business, or government, no other approach or action will work.

 

- 1 Sam 3:1, And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days: there was no open vision. What a fearful and dangerous condition when a nation, a church, a family, or even worse, an individual loses touch with God and His word!

 

- Ps 60:11, Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Sooner or later we all come to this point and must rely upon God for help.

 

- 1 Sam 4:5, And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. The victory is not won by methods, shouting, a positive attitude, etc. but by the power of God and His presence.

 

- 1 Sam 4:10b-11, And there was a great slaughter, for there fell of Israel 30,000 footmen. And the ark of God was taken: and the 2 sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were slain. All of those killed and the defeat were the result of 1 man’s failure to discipline and control his sons.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

- People with limited experience usually have unlimited opinions.

 

- God does not see the masses of people with heartaches today. He sees that individual who has a heartache among the masses.

 

- African proverb: “If the village elders do not teach the youth, the village idiots most certainly will.”

 

- Haitian proverb: “Shame is heavier than a sack of salt.”

 

- I never shop for anything that my budget has not first given me permission to buy.

 

- If you keep nursing a grudge it doesn’t get any better.

 

- When we refuse to forgive we are doing more than judging the offense, we are judging the heart of the offender.

 

- The first step to being faithful is taking the first step.

 

- When love is felt, the message is heard.

 

- It will take a lifetime to prove your parents wrong. But many a child has wasted a lifetime to find the truth.