Baptist City Blog

Tuesday, 6/21/16  Eze 16:15a, But thou didst trust in thine own beauty (self confidence?); :15b, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, (being above rules and wise safeguards); :15c, and pouredst out thy fornication on every one that passed by; his it was (self-indulgence: “I deserve...”). Beware.           Job 2:9-10, Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. Mrs. Job had just lost her kids, her house, her income, her security, and her man was badly ill: she was, no doubt, hurting and confused and scared. Perhaps her outburst was not “foolish” as Job asserts, but was an expression of frustration because she was feeling guilty because he was being a much better Christian about the whole situation, and, in a way, maybe she was trying to pull him down to her level so she didn’t feel like such a heathen. Lesson: don't be so quick to accuse people of acting foolishly, and, while you're at it, don't be too hard on yourself.

 

Tuesday, 6/21/16  Eze 16:15a, But thou didst trust in thine own beauty (self confidence?); :15b, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, (being above rules and wise safeguards); :15c, and pouredst out thy fornication on every one that passed by; his it was (self-indulgence: “I deserve...”). Beware.             Job 2:9-10, Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. Mrs. Job had just lost her kids, her house, her income, her security, and her man was badly ill: she was, no doubt, hurting and confused and scared. Perhaps her outburst was not “foolish” as Job asserts, but was an expression of frustration because she was feeling guilty because he was being a much better Christian about the whole situation, and, in a way, maybe she was trying to pull him down to her level so she didn’t feel like such a heathen. Lesson: don't be so quick to accuse people of acting foolishly, and, while you're at it, don't be too hard on yourself.

 

Wednesday, 6/22/16  Eze 16:30, How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou doest all these things... (indulgence in sin). Engaging in, and not resisting sin and not quickly confessing failures erodes spiritual strength and vitality.          John 11:32b-33a, Lord, if you hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled. Hurt people say hurtful things. We must see past their words and look at their hurt. Deal with, or at least acknowledge and understand the hurt, and, oftentimes, the words will go away.

 

Thursday, 6/23/16  John 3:30, He must increase, but I must decrease. If it “MUST” happen, it WILL happen. Question is: will you decrease (in reputation, status, influence) willingly or not?          Gen 2:18, And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Ma’am, you were made (fitted) to help your husband. (Your first priority is him, not your kids. Yes, they need you, but you were a wife first.) Do you help to meet/alleviate/satisfy his needs physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually? Evaluate each of those areas honestly.

 

Friday, 6/24/16  John 9:25, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: but one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. You may not know all of the doctrines, but you have a testimony: use it to give another what you got.            Eze 15:7b, And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them. Or, look at this verse:  Ex 6:7, And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. The choice of HOW He reveals Himself in your life is up to you... He can flex His muscles in showering blessings or in orchestrating judgments.

 

Saturday, 6/25/16  John 9:15b-16a, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Can you be happy for another’s good fortune, or are you so wrapped up in your rules that when they’re violated that’s all you can see?              Exo 2:5, And the daughter of Pharoah came down to wash herself at the river... Though the daughter of the most powerful man in the world and one of the richest, this lady had to bathe in a muddy river, instead of an opulent bathroom. A simple thought: the rich and powerful are really the same as the poor and needy. They have the same needs. She had to wash in a river...likewise, they have the doubts and fears and problems as you and I have. And they have the same concerns about life after death. Go, and share the truth with the rich too.

 

Sunday, 6/26/16  Ps 119:13, With my lips have I declared all the judments of thy mouth. Notice that none of the Bible is unnecessary, nor unworthy of consumption or conversation.              Heb 12:22-24, But ye are come unto the mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.  Those of you who have no dealings with God’s churches here on earth will feel pretty strange up in Heaven...we’re not just going to a home in Heaven...Heaven is a CHURCH!!!!

 

Monday, 6/27/16  Do you want God to be good to you simply for the sake of your own comfort? (I’m guilty.) However, here’s a higher, better reason: Ps 119:17, Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.              Can bad ingredients produce a good product? YES!! Ps 119:67, 71, Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

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- You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.

- (This is too funny not to share:) “If you say ‘gullible’ really slowly, it sounds like ‘orange.’” Yes, although I knew it was a joke, I did it…while laughing loudly in the van!! Smile today!!!

- Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones.

- If your God never disagrees with you, you might just be worshipping an idealized version of yourself.

- Saying ‘AMEN’ during a sermon does not mean you are spiritual, but it dead sure will keep you awake.

- If you have to think about it first, then it is not a habit. Habits are the things we do without thinking. Do you have to think through before doing something for God, or do you just find yourself doing it? An addict doesn't think through, he just does it. A Christian doesn't have to think through, he just lives it... The addict questions, "Can I get even higher?" just as the Christian asks, "Can I do more?" Habits are conditioned both ways.

- The older I get the more I understand that my strength comes from the Lord. When I was younger, I burned in my own strength. However, when that strength burns up a person begins to burn their future strength. The strength of the Lord is renewed day by day. And it can only be accessed by consuming daily portions of the Word of God, and more as I get older. So if you begin your day in your own strength be assured that you are drawing from your future and when the future comes...there will be no strength.

- If you pour the gift of your soul into someone and that gift is trampled, it is the most Christ-like thing you could possibly do. And even though it may never be accepted by the receiver, Jesus Christ will be in you and all over your spirit with more to pour!

- Our children may spurn our appeals, question our authority & doubt our arguments but they are helpless against our prayers.

- When you’re all wrong and willing to admit it, you’re all right.

- Things that don't challenge us rarely change us or others. That is why we must be willing to do the hard things...

- A man has to do what he has to do until he gets to do what he wants to do.

- When a church loses its pastor, the first natural response of the sheep is to scatter. Even Christ's followers did the same. But the first spiritual response is to regroup and stay together. Followers of men will quickly reveal themselves. When the man is gone, so will the follower of the man.  We must ask ourselves, "Are we following men or are we following Christ?" Those men who followed Christ stayed even after He left. Not only that, but they became more mature and less selfish. Why? Because they learned to follow Christ. Had they been following the "man" Christ, they would surely have remained dissembled. However, after their natural response of dispersing, their spiritual response was reassembling to follow the "God" Christ. The man-Christ had died, but the God-Christ arose to keep leading even in his physical absence!

- Blowing out another’s candle will not make yours burn brighter!

- Praise God even when you don’t see what He’s doing.

- Some would have us confess our sins endlessly. Instead we should confess them once, and then give thanks for His forgiveness endlessly.

- I believe in the sun even when it is not shining on me, and I believe in my God even when he is silent to me.

- Prayer and forgiveness are co-joined twins. You cannot separate them. Prayer requires forgiveness in order to be answered and forgiveness requires prayer in order to be accomplished. God cannot answer the prayer of an unforgiving heart and we do not possess the power of forgiveness within our sinful selves.

- OK, I hate to admit this but I remember when I was little I had a crush on a girl named Susie who lived on the next block. One day I took ink and wrote her name on the palm of my hand. Every time I looked at my palm I saw her name and thought of her. By the next morning it had washed off and eventually my interests turned elsewhere. But, did you know that God has done something similar. "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." There is something very sweet about that. Our God has us tattooed on the palm of His hands. I am not sure if it is our names or maybe our faces, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that He loves us so much that He has us engraved on His palms just like I did with ink for Susie back in elementary school. Look at the palms of your hands and imagine having your name engraved on the palms of His hands. Now, isn't that a glorious thought?

- The pain you are feeling right now may be the same pain a butterfly feels as it is emerging from a cocoon or a bud feels when it opening into a flower. Don't fight it. Trust God. He only wants what is best for you.

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- John 6:9, There is a lad here, which hath 5 barley loaves, and 2 small fishes: but what are they among so many? I’m afraid that our faith is as weak today as our Lord’s closest followers during His earthly ministry. We need to pray for stronger faith in Him as we serve others.

- Bible Thoughts! Ex 32:11a, And Moses besought the Lord his God. Moses prayed for the children of Israel to be salvaged as if all of heaven and earth depended on his prayer. That's how God wants us to pray for our loved ones!

- 1 Kings 1:6, And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? And he also was a very goodly man: and his mother bare him after Absalom. The dangers of polygamy, a disloyal wife, and a man who fails to lead in his home!!

- Pro 9:10, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. If would have true wisdom, we must first have a respect for and a fear of the Lord. His words must be more than just a “good book.”

- Ps 71:9, Cast me not off in time of old age, forsake me not when my stength faileth. This is the prayer of all godly seniors.

- John 5:23, That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father; he that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. We’d better wake up and give Jesus His exalted place in our preaching, our music, our homes, and our lives.

- Bible thoughts! Ps 1:1, Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. It doesn't say blessed are the rich, famous, or kings. Anyone is welcome to the blessedness this verse is talking about. Even the poor and needy. I love that God isn't a respecter of persons! He's so great!

- Investors understand that investing was never intended to pay off immediately. Pay off comes later. Manna was temporary. But it was daily obedience in the gathering that tested the investor. Some became greedy. Some complained because only their daily need was met. The milk and honey was coming and it did come...but not for that crowd. Did you get your manna today?