Baptist City Blog

Sunday, 3/16/14  2 Chron 12:1 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established his kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. Perhaps this is why so many people struggle financially...God’s gotta keep the pressure on to keep them any kind of close to Him.     
    Luke 1:18, 34 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? Both said the same thing: “What you’re saying is impossible.” One was judged and the other had it explained. More was expected of the older Christian and more patience was shown to the younger.  Spiritually, do you act your age? Do you have the faith and the Christian walk that someone who’s been saved for however many years as you should have? Are you as righteous as should be expected of one who goes to a good church or who went to Bible college or who’s had good pastors for decades should be?           Gen 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. God gives us lights in the darkness, some faint, some not so faint.  Rare is the situation where there is absolutely no light at night. He’s knows what you’re going through....look for the "stars" or the "moon" that He has set there to encourage you.

Monday, 3/17/14  Luke 1:47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. If your physical life stinks and your emotional life is a train wreck, your spirit can still rejoice in your Saviour and what He’s done. To rejoice is a choice...go choose it.            Pro 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. If, for some reason you can’t win souls, at least warn souls.                 Ps 22:2-3 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. It’s OK to disagree with God; it’s OK to yell at God as long as you let Him be right and judge Him to be holy.

Tuesday, 3/18/14  2 Chron 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. The Search Continues....              Ps 25:8 Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. Do you consider yourself good? Are you upright? Maybe I should ask if you endeavor to reach sinners...the good and the upright do.               Do you feel that your Bible time is basically a waste of time? Do you do it out of duty?  Ps 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. I am no better or worse than you; if I excel you in any area, I must not point that out as that would be offensive. I must be tactful at all times: such is meekness. Meekness is a spirit of calmness, flexibility, gentle submission. It doesn’t mean a doormat. It’s been defined as not looking up or down at anyone. Basically, meekness is an honest life view in the context of working with others.

Wednesday, 3/19/14  Pro 14:23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury (poverty). Your walk talks, and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks.           Wow!! I just realized that Psalm 25 has a lot in it about how to profit from your Bible study. If you feel that you are spinning to your wheels to a greater or lesser degree when it comes to reading God’s words, look at 25:4-5, 8, 9, 12, & 14 and see if those characteristics are in you. Study the various words in Strong’s concordance or Webster’s 1828 dictionary.

Thursday, 3/20/14  Pro 16:17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. Are you on the “Don’t Hurt Others” highway or on the “That’s My Opinion! My Prerogative! My rights! That’s How I Want It!” dirt road?             Ps 69:1-3 Save me, O God; for the water are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. Bible characters and their stories were put into Scripture to show us that our problems are not unique to us; that the overwhelming aspect of our problems is normal, and to show us how to/not to handle situations. Encourage yourself in the Scriptures: realize you’re not alone, find out what works, and be patient.  The next verses I read today after Ps 69 was Ps 30:1 I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave... This too shall pass....

Friday, 3/21/14  Pro 17:7a Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince. Do your actions match your lips? Do your lips match your actions? Do either match the Bible?             Pro 18:2 A fool hath no delight in understanding. In Pro /9:10, God defines understanding as the knowledge of the holy. When you hear or see “Jesus Loves You!” or “your sins are covered by the blood!!” or “Forgiven!” or “Justified!!” or “Jesus is coming!!”....does your heart EVER soar? Your eyes EVER fill with tears? Your voice EVER choke up? A fool’s wouldn’t....EVER.

Saturday, 3/22/14  Ps 71:8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honor all the day. Pray about your spiritual failures and for help in obeying.            Pro 16:17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. Consistently striving to not hurt others (evil) has a general positive effect on our soul (personality).

Ps 94:10 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth, O God to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.  When will we learn that vengeance, vindictiveness, and retaliation is God’s business and not ours?

Pro 17:6 Children’s children are the crown of old men: and the glory of children are their fathers. How blessed I am to have a close loving relationship with my children and grandchildren, and memories of closeness to my dad. It’s one of the benefits of growing old with a godly heritage.

Luke 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them... Are we destroying lives by our words or our actions? Or are we saving lives. Are we more like Him, or just less like the world?

1 Thess 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. This is a verse that every 21^st century Christian needs to read, and a principle Baptists could stand to work on. As I Look at those who claim to be saved, I wonder what God saved us from?

1 Tim 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefacedness and sobriety.  Whatever happened to modest and lady-like behavior? How can we ever expect the young girls to know how to dress and behave if they don’t have good role models? I know it’s not popular, but it’s still right.