Baptist City Blog

- Tuesday, 2/28/17  Proverbs 22:13, The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. I don’t know if the slothful man is simply making up an excuse, or whether he is a “worst case scenario” kind of a guy. Either are bad thinking habits.   
     Proverbs 22:28, Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. One of the sad things about splintered families and people moving far away and the general dismissal of older people is that the younger generations don’t even have a clue what their “fathers” believed and valued. Young parents: be sure to HEAVILY promote your parents and grandparents to your kids (and yourself.)

 

- Wednesday, 3/1/17  Psalm 35:3, Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. In a hard time or a battle, we often pray for God to help win the struggle. But don’t forget to pray for your own spirit: your fall is the enemy’s goal.          I have often heard it said that there is something negative in the Bible about each main character except Daniel. I beg to differ. Looking carefully at 2:48-3:7, and noting the words, “ruler” and “all” I have no doubt that Daniel bowed to Nebuchadnezzar’s image. I think it noteworthy that God put the truth there but didn’t brazenly publicize it. He allowed Daniel to “save some face.” Lesson: there is some distance between hiding or overlooking sinful activity and tactfully acknowledging it. Realize that the guilty party has feelings, has loved ones, and has a future. If God is willing to use any of us again after what we’ve done, who are we to permanently brand and cripple another? (The same is true of Esther: she committed fornication with the king, yet she is considered a heroine.)

 

- Thursday, 3/2/17  Unsaved King Darius may be the greatest example of faith in God in the whole Bible! In Daniel 6:16, Daniel was cast into the den of lions. But Darius spent the night in prayer for him, and had enough faith to go to the den in the morning to see if Daniel had been delivered. How challenging!          Daniel 4:27, Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility. Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Daniel’s city, probably killed his parents, enslaved him, made him a eunuch, and yet Daniel was trying to sustain his happiness. How do you treat your enemies (who haven’t done 1/100^th as much evil to you?)

 

- Friday, 3/3/17  Proverbs 25:21, If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink. To obey this verse, Step #1: we must first be doing a little more than ignoring our enemy. Are you aware of the status of your enemy?       VERY INTERESTING!! May think Christianity is simply a list of “don’ts.” (Hopefully, you’re not in that group.) I just noticed: Psalm 37 has 3 commandments of things we’re not to do, and 12 that we are to do. If we’d just be busier doing about doing all that we are commanded TO DO, we wouldn’t have to worry about the relatively FEW things that we’re not to do. (BTW, this has been true since the Garden: before they sinned, Adam was told 6 positives to do and 1 negative not to do. Check it.)

 

- Saturday, 3/4/17  John 20:8b, ...and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Notice that belief (reliance) can come before totally knowing and understanding the Scriptures.         Do you just wade through your Old Testament reading because “you have to,” because “the Preacher said to read it all.” God didn’t put those stories in because He had a page quota that His publisher gave Him to fill. Romans 15:4, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written FOR OUR LEARNING, (Why?) that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures MIGHT HAVE HOPE. Those were real people in real situations that can teach you something in your current situation. Heads up!! That Book is for you.

 

- Sunday, 3/5/17  Proverbs 31:12, She will DO him good and not evil ALL the days of her life. Ladies, what good did you DO for your man yesterday? Or, did you try to hurt him yesterday? (with words? emotions? innuendos?) What good do you have planned for him today?             Proverbs 31:2-3a, What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?  Give not thy strength unto women. Men, the command to us is clear. Ladies, you have the power to entice us to disobey this verse. Please don’t try to beguile us into surrendering our God-given position of leadership. How do you do that? By your feminine charms, (given or withheld); by whining; by outright battling us for leadership; by belittling us, and so forth. When all of us do things as the Lord directed, all of us are happier.

 

- Monday, 3/6/17  Psalm 110:1, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. While you’re waiting for God to intervene in your situation, be sure to sit close to Him, at His right hand. Don’t stray because He’s “ignoring” you.         Micah 6:8, He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? God requires the active doing of right, not the active un-doing of wrong. Christian school graduate: many of you have gotten it into your head that, in order to be right with God, you’ve got to “not do” this or that. Phooey on that. Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. Quit “not doing” and get to doing. And “not doing” without “doing” is simply a demonstration of character: like eating rightly: it may have it’s place...but, really, so what?? So you eat healthy...you’re still gonna die. Big deal if it is 5 years later...

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- Pro 28:13, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but who confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. The mercy of God and our success by His standards in every endeavor, depends on our willingness to admit to, confess, and forsake our sin.

 

- Pro 3:1-2, My son, forget not my law: but let thine heart keep my commandments. For length of day, and long life, and peace shall they add to thee. If we have a heart for the word of God, and don’t forget to obey it, we will have added peace of mind and heart, and a more productive, fulfilling life.

 

- Matt 8:24, And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves, but he was asleep. If we decide to follow Jesus, don’t be surprised, and fearful, when the storms of life come our way. It will increase our faith in Him.

 

- Psalm 119:120, My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments. We need to have a reverential respect and fear of God, like the attitude we had toward Dad and disobedience to his rules as we were growing up; a fear of what would happen.

 

- Jer 38:24, Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die. An example of weak, ungodly leadership. May God give us strong leaders who will stand for right with guts and courage, without political correctness.

 

- Ps 119:133, Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. What a soul searching request. What has control over me today?

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- Whatever God commands, obey.   Whatever God promises, believe.  Whatever God allows, trust.

- There is nought that can fill the heart of man except the Trinity. God has made mans heart a triangle. Men have been for centuries trying to make the globe fill the triangle, but they cannot do it; it is the Trinity alone that can fill a triangle. ~Spurgeon

 

- Judas didn't just decide to betray his Lord. He simply saw an opportunity to make some extra money. That's all. What is often forgotten is that his whole family had to live with his decision.

 

- Sometimes I drive myself to prayer. Then there are times when I refuse to drive. It is then that God drives me to prayer.

 

- You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.