Baptist City Blog

Sunday, 2/1/15  Pro 28:6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Poverty with godly character > wickedness with riches. Over what do your pray, work, and worry more: money and stuff, or godliness?            Mic 7:8c ...when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. When in the darkness of sin, confusion, loneliness, doubt, fear, shame, exhaustion...look for the Lord.  (BTW, you’ll be more likely to see in His normal hangout spots: in the Bible, at church, and with God’s people, or while you’re being righteous.)

 

Monday, 2/2/15  Pro 29:6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice. When an evil man offends you, rejoice because you’re saved, and pity him because he is ensnared. Remember, the evil one is probably lost...he doesn’t have a good nature like you and I. Pity him and try to win him.                    Ps 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted...hath lifted up his heel against me.  ¹Remember that you can never control another’s actions: only your reactions.  ²Expect others to fail...it’ll still hurt you, but won’t surprise you.  ³Hold yourself to a higher standard of action.  ⁴Deepen the relationship with the One who never fails His children.

Tuesday, 2/3/15  Pro 29:22a An angry man stirreth up strife... Do arguments seem to erupt frequently around you? There’s a cause for that...           Ps 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. The purpose of learning the Bible is to get closer to the person of God. If the Bible is a closed and boring Book to you, maybe the root cause is the leaning of your heart. Do you want to know the One Who created and sustains everything? “Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face...” He’ll more than meet you halfway...but you’ve gotta take a step or two. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you...

Wednesday, 2/4/15  1 Kings 15:11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father. God never condemns having heroes or role models in the faith, realizing of course that they’re only representatives of our True Model, Jesus. But it’s OK to have intermediate ones, as long as we follow men, we look over their shoulder at Christ.             1 Kings 15:14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the Lord all his days. God deals with each of us individually. He may convict me of Sins A-F while dealing with you on D-K. That doesn’t mean that A-C are not sins to you, but for His own reasons, God may not emphasize them as much in your life. So, although you commit A-C your heart could be perfect with God. The moral of the story? You clean up your act and I’ll clean up mine. We both answer to God. We’re both to help each other and not to condemn.

Thursday, 2/5/15  Hos 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord... Remember that your first spiritual priority is you, not your spouse, kids, SS pupils, or church members. Do what you have to do to keep yourself spiritually healthy.                    Mark 14:49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. These men heard the Word of God taught daily...and were still siding with the enemies of Christ. Are you equally (un)responsive and (un)changed?

Friday, 2/6/15  Jon 1:2-3 Arise, go to Ninevah...but Jonah rose up to flee... Just curious, what is your initial reaction and initial words when given a tough assignment/project from your boss or teacher? Fear? Refusal? Self-doubt? Excuses? Acceptance? Analysis? Defer to another?           Obad 10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever. Obadiah preached to the Edomites, a neighboring country whose ancestral father was Esau, the brother of Jacob. Though hundreds of years had passed, God still expected some familial bonds and proper treatment. How are your relations with your siblings? Your cousins? Do you need to reach out and mend some fences? Especially if they’re unsaved, you can’t expect them to come halfway...you’ve got to do far more than is reasonable. If the rift remains, make sure no one can point at you and lay any guilt at your feet. (I know...this is a tough one...)

 

Saturday, 2/7/15  Jon 1:3 Jonah rose up to flee...went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going [far away]. Just a reminder, if you want to run from God, you’ll be able to find a way...but He’ll also find you. Do you want to encounter Him while running and rebelling, or while submitting and conforming?                   Jon 1:12 ...for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. You may run from God if you choose, but realize that others will be affected by it. Are any of your loved ones suffering because of your sins? Is God trying to reach you through them? You may have caused it: now, don’t waste your friends’ pain.

Pro 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. We need to be very careful about heeding Holy Spirit conviction to preaching, wise counsel, and God’s word.

Pro 17:18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend. Real friends make one responsible. The curse of our nations is irresponsible indebtedness.

1 Sam 18:9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. Envy and jealousy, like an incurable disease, will consume and destroy anyone so afflicted.

Pro 23:31a & 33 Look not upon the wind when it is red... Thine eyes shall behold strange women and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Thank God for His warning and telling us exactly what to expect if we drink the wicked stuff. It has to be the curse and the blight upon our nation.

Acts 14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Few things change from one generation to the next. The unsaved will always hate and give us trouble.

Pro 7:10 And behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. There must be a way women dress that lets men know what they are. We need to spot them and run. We also need to teach our girls how to behave and dress modestly.