Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 2/11/20  Deuteronomy 32:20, And he said, I will hide my face from them...for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. Notice the contrast: froward vs. faithful; stubborn vs. submissive; controlling vs. serving; manipulating vs. supple. Which better describes you and me? 

                               Acts 4:12, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Jesus Christ’s name is the only means of salvation. So, Allah’s name will not get anyone to Heaven. God’s name will not. (I’m referring to the generic title of “God.” Even the devils believe in God and tremble. So simply having a God, being “religious” will not get you to Heaven. Nor, is your name worth anything, so your good deeds, sincerity, reformation, being sweet or faithful: if those could determine eternal destiny, you’d be your own savior, and your name isn’t qualified. No, Jesus alone is the way of salvation. “No man cometh to the Father but by me.”

 

- Wednesday, 2/12/20  Psalm 39:1a, I said, I will take heed to my ways... It’s easy to forget, but all we can control is us. It’s easy to say our problems come from others or circumstances, but God is in control of all that: things come to us to teach or change us. We can control our reactions...period.                                Psalm 40:10, I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. A reminder that when the lost are damned forever to the Lake of Fire in Revelation 20, we will be there with Christ. They will not see us, only Him, but we will see them. And our shame at not telling them how to be saved will be the cause of the tears which the Lord will have to wipe away. So, act today in such a way so that you won’t weep then.

 

- Thursday, 2/13/20  Psalm 112:1b, Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. The second phrase restates the first half, so one aspect of the fear of the Lord is sweet, happy obedience. I know my outward attitude could go up some...you?                            Proverbs 8:10, Receive [wisdom’s] instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.  The vast majority of people, (and oftentimes you and me), if offered a pile of cash or some wisdom (seeing things from God’s perspective) or Bible knowledge would choose the cash, hands down...which shows how badly we need the wisdom, and probably explains our current state. Case in point: we could compare our church attendance record with our job attendance record.

 

- Friday, 2/14/20  Be honest: do you have a hard time forgiving, especially THAT one?  Read carefully, For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; James 2:13a. No, it’s that we WON’T forgive, not that we CAN’T forgive.                             James 2:5-6a, Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor... Because of our corrupted nature, those whom we most likely look down upon (and we all do), are probably very treasured in the eyes of the Saviour.

 

- Saturday, 2/15/20  Psalm 42:3, My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? When we’re in the midnight hour, it seems like it’ll never end, but it will. It always has, right? Just be faithful to your God. Fake it til you make it, and help another.                                 Psalm 42:11, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. It seems as if the psalmist couldn’t figure himself out. It seems like he was saying, “I’m saved and going to Heaven, this is just little passing trouble...WHY am I so down today?” Remember that our bodies are corrupted and dying. Just like our bodies get a little run down and we can’t run at peak efficiency when we want to, our minds and hearts get “tired,” “sick,” “off.” It doesn’t mean, necessarily that we’re “bad” or “sinful” or that our character is lacking. It means that we’re human, that our entire body and soul are under the curse of sin. So, ease up on yourself a little, and ease up on those around you. Be good to everybody, cuz everybody’s having a hard time.

 

- Sunday, 2/16/20  Has your Bible and church time been a little “dry” lately? Maybe the Lord is just being a Gentleman.  Psalm 43:3, O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Maybe He wants to know if He has your attention. Tell Him you’re WANTING to hear from Him, and will DO what He says.                                Psalm 116:10-11, I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:  I said in my haste, All men are liars. The psalmist, because of his problems, spouted off, spoke rashly, and later regretted it. We’ve all done that, and needed mercy and understanding. So, sow some seeds today (for what you’ll want to reap tomorrow) and give someone else the mercy and understanding for what they’re saying as they are spouting off and venting.

 

- Monday, 2/17/20  Proverbs 11:28, He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. Ostensibly, the verse refers to trusting money, but maybe we’re trusting our charisma, wit, brains, looks, experience. Yes, use what you have, “but the battle is the Lord’s.” Trust Him.                                 Romans 3:10-12, As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. If you’re not scripturally “born again,” these verses are for you. The first thing to know in order to get to Heaven is that we’re ALL sinners, bad ones. However, if you ARE born-again, these verse are also for you. We need to remember that these verses describe our default setting. We’re usually acting in a sinful, selfish, unrighteous way. On rare occasions, we may let the Spirit direct us and we get it right. But, overall, we’ve got nothing to brag about or reason to feel too good about ourselves. We’re saved “by the hair of our chinny-chin-chin.” It’s totally because of HIS great mercy, and has absolutely nothing to do with our “deservedness.”