Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 1/28/20  Hebrews 11:26, [Moses] esteem[ed] the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. In “Bible Economics Class” reproach is

worth more than great riches. Too often we flee the more valuable one and yearn for the cheaper other.                                   Jeremiah 4:3, For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.  The term means “unplowed, neglected, hard ground.” If we won’t break up our hard exterior, God will. Either way, it’ll hurt, but if we do it, it might be a little more bearable. The consummate Husbandman is going to keep trying to get a crop out of you until you go to Heaven... Let the water of the Word and your own purposeful repentance soften you, so you don’t have to be split by an iron plow.

 

- Wednesday, 1/29/20  Don’t go out of the house (or out of your bedroom even) half dressed today!! Many will.  1 Peter 5:5b, ... and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Realize that all we deserve is Hell, and anything that comes that’s better than burning is more than we deserve.                                   Hosea 10:12, Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. I always thought that the term meant unplowed, neglected, hard ground, and it does. However, I just learned that it can refer to ground that was plowed without sowing seed as a means of destroying weeds. We can be “torn up” “hurt” and really be no better. (If the land has weeds or nothing: either way, no one is benefitted.) Don’t waste your heartaches. Get tender, and then love more, share the Gospel more, weep and worship more, be more thankful.

 

- Thursday, 1/30/20  Psalm 103:2, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. It takes character, a disciplined mind, and a desire to please Christ and better ourselves for us to obey this command, but He deserves it and we need to do so. So...go meditate and “forget not.”                             Isaiah 1:1, The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Isaiah is nicknamed, “The Prince of the Prophets.”  Someone said that greatness is simply goodness done for an extended period of time. Here, it shows that he served for decades...simply relating what God had said. Keep doing your goodness...and let Him bestow the accolades upon you.

 

- Friday, 1/31/20  Psalm 27:8, When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. The Bible is to be our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. So, what does the Bible say about it? There may be no higher title than to be called a “Biblicist.” What does the Bible say about it?                             Ahhhh man!!! I am afraid that I fall too often on the wrong part of this verse. Proverbs 28:1, The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. When was the last time someone marveled at you for how quickly you tried to weave the Gospel into a conversation or how readily you bragged on God? Far too often, we may THINK about seeing an opening to speak up for Christ...and that’s all we do. Shame on us (me)!!

 

- Saturday, 2/1/20  Isaiah 30:1, Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me...  A wise man seeks advice; the godly want counselling. A wise man seeks earthly experts; the godly run to the Bible. Wise? or godly?                                  Proverbs 28:4, They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them. When was the last time you entered into a Bible debate with someone? Not with an arrogant, superior demeanor, but still, standing up against wrong doctrine? To do so requires, first of all that we truly know what we say we do, and secondly, be willing to actually voice God’s views on the matter. Bible doctrine is EVERYTHING!! Know it; believe it; live it; contend for it.

 

- Sunday, 2/2/20  2 Peter 2:1, But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies... We absolutely MUST know what we know and know why it is so!! Knowledge of Bible doctrine is CRUCIAL       for us.                         Psalm 119:65, Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word. God says He’s treated us well; our hearts/minds/feelings say otherwise. Who has a better track record of telling the truth? Who has the more complete view of the circumstances, including all of the past and all of the future? Who loves us more? (Sorry to be so blunt...but we all gripe too much.)

 

- Monday, 2/3/20  1 Peter 2:11, Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul... Just a reminder to keep fighting yourself. Not only do our sins disappoint, hurt, and grieve God, they damage us, our souls. So suck it up, and swing again, and harder.                                    Psalm 119:89, For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. The term “for ever” means infinity past and infinity future. “Settled” means “appointed or set.” There never was nor will there ever be a time when there is no Word of God. There never has nor will be any updates to it.  It hasn’t and won’t change. So...your life...today...is in more or less in tune with the Bible than at this time last year? Are you making more or less of It in your life this year? Are you reading It more, getting more from It, loving It more than at this time last year? Let’s all rededicate ourselves to truly becoming men or women of the Book.