Baptist City Blog

Sunday, 9/21/14  1 Sam 15:2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel...  Let God hold a grudge if He deems fit. You and I aren’t strong enough or holy enough to hold one.             Gen 15:1 God said, Fear not Abram; I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. To us in our sin-full state and carnality, having “only” God as our reward seems “cheap.” When we get to Heaven, we’ll appreciate it a lot more.

Monday, 9/22/14  Ps 107:1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. We need no further evidence/proof/demonstration of His goodness than this 1 verse. Settle the issue and never bring it up again for discussion.         Ps 33:15 He fashioneth their hears alike; he considereth all their works. Keep in mind that your heart was crafted from the same mold, and holds every bit as much wickedness as mine, and both of us have as much as the jihadist, the homosexual, or the worst deviant criminal. There’s nothing good about you or me...never has been, and never will be...(except what God’s done!!)

Tuesday, 9/23/14  Pro 21:12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. Realize all that is implied in this verse: observation of everyone; categorizing some as wicked; seeing the end results of those wicked; processing the info; and making a wise conclusion.           1 Sam 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. Sound advice: apply it to first impressions made re: a new co-worker; dating; a new teacher in class or a new preacher in the pulpit; a new boss; or even your child/friend whom you’ve not seen in years. Quit being a “wrapper inspector.”

Wednesday, 9/24/14  Ps 103:2 Bless the Lord (to praise, celebrate, adore on bended knee), O my soul, and forget (forget or ignore) not all his benefits (well done action or work).  When was the last time you bowed the knee and “named them one by one”?              Ps 35:13-15 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not. We cannot and must not ever expect others to love to the same level that we do. If you’ve grown and matured and progressed to a certain spiritual level, don’t chastise and castigate others who are what you were yesterday. Simply love them, encourage them, and pray for them.

Thursday, 9/25/14  Ps 103:3 Who forgiveth (forgive, mercy, withdrawing the hand) all thine iniquities (deviation from the straight path); who healeth (heals) all thy diseases (sickness). God is merciful on the spiritual as well as the physical level.             1 Sam 18:12, 14 And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him... And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him. God’s presence, fullness, wisdom, love...all that “spiritual stuff” is not reserved exclusively for preachers and full-time workers. David here was a soldier and a musician on the side, yet God was with him. Let God help you drive your truck or study your subjects or type the invoices on the computer or cook your meals or create the PowerPoint or build that house or wash the dishes or drive to work or teach the class or modify that budget.

Friday, 9/26/14  Pro 23:4 Labor not to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom. Why are we to labor?  ¹Work was given to man and woman to do before the Fall, so it is part of our reason for living.  ²Work was made harder to keep us out of trouble.  ³To get substance that can earn eternal rewards.                 Gen 27-32  (The stories of the stolen birthright and blessing; parents choosing favorite kids; family hatred; threats of violence between siblings; rebellion against parental wishes re: a mate; cheating by a boss; one man with four jealous and cat-fighting women; brother still angry against brother 20 years later.) Lesson:  Dysfunctional families are not a 21^st century novelty. Sin is still the cause and God’s righteousness and rules for living are still the answer.

Saturday, 9/27/14  Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. As believers, we choose to yield either to sin or to obedience, and thereby, we live a life filled with dying or righteousness.               Ps 38:1-3 O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. David spends the entire Psalm mentioning all of the negatives in his life and body that are the result of his sin....BUT HE DOESN’T CONFESS THE SIN AND GET THINGS RIGHT!!! In v18 he says, I WILL (sometime in the future) declare my iniquity; I WILL be sorry for my sin. If God is getting after you and you know why...what in the name of all that is sweet are you waiting for? Get the sin that you know of confessed and forsaken!! Don’t endure the negatives....and whine and moan to God and man about “how hard” your life is, or how “God picks on” you. Fix it!!!

Heb 10:14 for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. In Christ, we are just forgiven, we are perfected.

Pro 21:9 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house. Wealth, luxury, and beautiful houses don’t assure a happy marriage. Godly ladies are happy and contented wherever they are.

Pro 22:14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. Men need to keep God in good humor and seek His favor; no matter the level of spiritual maturity or the position of leadership one holds.

Luke 1:47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Being a good Christian is not going to church, praying, Bible reading, etc. What makes Christians good is having a great Saviour.

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. The spiritual freedom for which the world seeks today is the same and no different than it ever has been. It can only be found in God’s eternal Son and nowhere else.

Ps 143:4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me: my heart within me is desolate. It’s a good thing that David didn’t live today as some fool doctor would have put him on antidepressants and we never would have had the Psalms.

Pro 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls. No defense against an unruly spirit,: like an unprotected defenseless middle eastern city in a volatile, nomadic area.

Pro 17:23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment. Our government and criminal justice system need to look closely at this. Until we get lobbyists, crooked attorneys and judges out of our government, we are destined to failure and destruction in America.