Baptist City Blog

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A Time Away

Exodus 24:14

"And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them."

One of the missed principles in the Scriptures is the principle of getting away. With the hectic schedules that life brings, God knew it was important for people to get away. The time away from something always helps to keep your mind and body fresh so that you can do a better work. As busy as Moses was with his schedule, he found time to get away. If he wouldn't have found time to get away he would not have lasted for forty years. The pressure of leading millions of people through the wilderness would have eventually broke him down mentally and physically. I find in the Scriptures there are three reasons to take time away.

First, take time away to rest. Mark 6:31 teaches that Jesus commanded His disciples to take time away to rest. Jesus said, "...Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while:..." Jesus understood that the pressure of the crowds following them would eventually destroy the disciples. You will notice that right after they had time to rest that Jesus had a great revival meeting at the feeding of the five thousand. This may have never happened if they didn't take time to rest.

Every week you need to take time to rest. In other words, take a day off every week. God Himself showed us this example when He created the world. Six days He worked in creating the world, but on the seventh day He rested. You will notice that one-seventh of His time was used to rest. I believe that God was showing that you will physically perform at your peak by taking one day off a week to rest.

Furthermore, I also believe you need to take a little time off every year to have a vacation. Though it may sound spiritual to never take time off, the fact is that it is unspiritual. You are setting yourself up for physical stress that will eventually destroy your health. You need to have a vacation every year so that you can physically recover from work, and so that your family can have some personal time with you away from the daily grind.

Second, you need to take time away to pray. In our text verse above, God told Moses to get away from the crowd to spend time with Him on Mount Sinai. It is vitally important for your Christian life that you have time every day to get away and pray. You will accomplish more by taking time to pray than you will by trying to do everything in your own strength. Your Christian life will never survive if you don't take time away to pray.

Third, take time away to think. Genesis 24:63 says, "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide:..." Meditating is thinking. In 1 Timothy 4:15 God commands us to meditate. In other words, God wants you to get away and take time to think. This is where you will get your ideas. Every day you need to take a little amount of time where you get away from people and phones just to think. This will keep your work fresh with ideas.

Finally, let me remind you that you will have to purposely take time away in each of these areas. If you don't put it in your schedule to take time away, then you will find that you will never have time to do these things. When it is time to get away to do these things, don't let anything stop you from doing it. These things are important for the health of your body, mind, spirit and life's endeavors.

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You Can't Do It Alone

Exodus 17:12

"But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun."

The battle with Amalek revealed to Moses something that every leader must learn at some time. It revealed that he could not do everything by himself. While the men were fighting, Moses lifted his hands to encourage the troops that they were winning. However, his arms got tired and he lowered them until they were rested. The problem with this was when he lowered his arms the troops thought they were losing the battle. Aaron and Hur came and lifted his arms until the battle was over.

As a leader you must realize that when you try to do everything by yourself you are hurting the very organization that you want to help. There is no way that you can do everything by yourself. You are human! Too many leaders try to do everything by themselves only to burn themselves out in the long run.

Learning to delegate duties to others does not make you a weak leader, rather it actually makes you stronger. When a leader tries to do every duty themselves they frustrate those who want to help. If Moses would have told Aaron and Hur to leave him alone and let him keep his arms up by himself, then he could have caused men to die in the battle. Likewise, a leader who will not delegate is hurting the lives of people. God gave people to you so you can accomplish more. You become a stronger leader by learning to delegate.

However, when you delegate, be sure to let those to whom you give responsibility the freedom to do their tasks. Often a leader will think they have delegated, but because they won't keep their fingers out of the tasks, they frustrate and limit the ability of the one to whom they gave the task. Micromanaging hurts morale and limits the growth of followers. Yes, you must oversee what they are doing, but you must give them the freedom to do the task themselves. If you have to tell and show someone how to do something all the time, then you don't need them. Though they may not do it to the level of your ability, they will grow into the task.

Every leader must learn that they cannot carry everything by themselves. I know it may be hard to give something up, but for your sake and the sake of the growth of your followers you need to give up some tasks for the furtherance of the work. The potential of a leader, follower and the work will be determined by how much the leader allows the followers to help. If they do everything by themselves, then the potential of the work will be limited and the followers will become frustrated. However, if the leader delegates and allows the followers to grow into these tasks delegated to them, then the potential of a work is great.

If you lead in some area, get others involved in helping you do your tasks. You cannot do it alone, so use your leadership skills to challenge others to grow with you by helping you do the work God has given you to do. If you are not leading in some area, then ask your leader how you can help. Your help will both grow you and your leader. Don't sit and watch your leader's hands get heavy with the tasks because nobody will help, instead get involved so the potential of the work will increase.

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Who is the LORD That I Should Obey?

Exodus 5:2

"And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go."

Pharaoh asked a foolish question when asking who and why he should obey the LORD. This question revealed the hardness of his heart. This question showed the disdain he had for the LORD. However, what he didn't know was that he was about to find out Who the LORD is. Yet, leading up to the ten plagues, God briefly reminds us Who He is.

First, we are reminded in Exodus 6:3 that He is "God Almighty." This name shows that God is the all-sufficient God. In other words, His power comes from no one else but from Himself. In other words, God is reminding us that He is all we need. You don't need anyone else, you need God. When God says that He is all-sufficient, He is teaching us that we will never find satisfaction in anyone or anything else other than through Him. Christian, you can search this world high and low to find something that will satisfy, but your satisfaction will only come from God Almighty. Money, fame, possessions, lifestyles or people will not satisfy, only God is the One Who is able to satisfy all of your needs.

Second, we are reminded in Exodus 6:6 that God is the deliverer. God reminded Israel in this verse that He would deliver them from their bondage. Pharaoh could have been delivered from the bondage of his sins if he would have gone to God. Likewise, the only One Who can deliver you from your bondage is God. When sin has bound you with its chains, only God can deliver you. When vices bind you and cause you to be addicted, only God can deliver you. When poor health has bound you, then you will find that only God can deliver you from its grip. Whatever it is that has you in bondage, only God can completely deliver you.

Third, we are reminded in Exodus 7:10 that God is a powerful God. The rod in the hand of Aaron was a symbol of God's power. When God sent the ten plagues upon Egypt, God would often tell Aaron or Moses to lift up the rod. This rod reminds us that God is powerful enough to help us through whatever we face in life. When the world is against you, God is powerful enough to help you overcome the world. When your marriage seems like it will not make it, let me remind you that God is powerful enough to help you overcome your marital problems. When your family faces problems that seem insurmountable, only God has the power to help you fix those problems. Whatever problems you face, only God is powerful enough to help you overcome them.

Last, we are reminded from the plague of the Passover that God is the God of salvation. Nothing else can save you. Only God can save. The Pope cannot save you from your sins. A church leader cannot save you from your sins. Your religion cannot save you from your sins. Your works cannot save you from your sins. Church ordinances cannot save you from your sins. Only God can save you from your sins.

So, if like Pharaoh you ask Who is the LORD that you should obey Him? I believe you asked the wrong question. You should be asking, "Who am I that the LORD would want me to serve Him?" What a great God we serve! God in His greatness wants you to be His servant. What a privilege and honor it is to serve the LORD. Don't ever forget the privilege it is to serve the LORD. For God to give you an opportunity to serve Him is the greatest honor that you will have in your life. Don't pass up this honor for something second-rate.

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Accepting God's Unacceptable Plan

Genesis 36:1

"Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom."

When Esau first realized God's plan for his life, he was not very pleased with it. He first realized this plan and showed his displeasure by saying in Genesis 27:41, "And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob." Esau planned to get his plan through one way or the other. Esau never knew from birth it was meant that the lineage of the family would go through Jacob. However, through process of time and events Esau came to accept God's unacceptable plan for his life, and this resulted in great blessings. When you read Genesis 36, you will see that God blessed Esau in a great way. Was it the plan that Esau originally wanted? Definitely not! Yet, he accepted the unacceptable plan and made it acceptable, and the results were blessings that he never imagined.

Have you found yourself in Esau's shoes facing the plan God has for your life as unacceptable? Everybody will face this at some point in their life. There will be things that God has planned for your life that you don't really want, but if you want to realize God's greatest blessings on your life, then you will have to somehow make God's unacceptable plan acceptable. How do you do this?

First, realize God is right. There have been times in my personal life when I did not like God plan. The first thing I always tell myself is that God is right. You may have to tell yourself this over and over again, but at some point you must realize that God is right. If you never accept that God is right, then you are setting yourself up for bitterness. Those who have become bitter with God over something in their life are those who never accepted that God is right.

Second, you don't have to like God's plan, but you do have to obey Him. God never commands us to like His plan, but He does expect obedience. You don't have to like that sickness is part of God's plan for your life, but you do have to obey what God commands you to do during the sickness. You don't have to like God's plan concerning His calling on your life, but you do have to obey what God has called you to do. Jonah didn't like God's plan, but he obeyed it. God's unacceptable plan for your life could be separated parents, financial misfortune, children who have messed up their lives, physical impairment, death of a loved one, etc., and though these are a part of your life, you don't have to like them, but you still need to obey God while enduring them.

Third, obedience will bring acceptance. Because Esau obeyed God's plan that he felt was unacceptable, he found that God's plan became acceptable to him. You will find that as you obey God, His unacceptable plan will begin to seem acceptable. Obedience to God has a way of causing you to see things through God's eyes. When you see things through God's eyes, then you will realize why God allowed this to be the plan for your life.

Finally, acceptance brings blessing. Because Esau accepted what he thought was God's unacceptable plan, he realized blessings that he could not have imagined. When obedience brings acceptance, then you will see the greatest blessings from God, partly because your attitude allows you to see all of God's blessings. Christian, if you will simply obey God while you live in His unacceptable plan, then eventually you will realize the greatest blessings of God upon your life. Don't quit on God's unacceptable plan, but accept it realizing that He has sent you through this for the purpose of blessing you to the fullest extent.

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The Cause of Sibling Rivalry

Genesis 30:8

"And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali."

Sibling rivalry is a problem that goes back to the beginning of time. You would think because it has been around for so long that we would have figured out a way to stop the cause. Yet, in households all over the world are siblings who are causing turmoil in their homes because of their rivalry with each other.

The first sibling rivalry in the Scriptures is found between Cain and Abel. The unveiling of this rivalry is found when both men gave their sacrifices to God. Though this is the first time we see this rivalry, I suspect that this went on for years because sibling rivalries mostly start as children. The sad part about the rivalry between Cain and Abel is that it led to murder.

Jacob and Esau's rivalry started in the womb. The rivalry became so fierce that they had to part ways so that Esau would not kill Jacob. However, you will notice that this rivalry continued on in Jacob's children. Joseph's brethren hated him so much because of how he was treated by his father. This rivalry between Joseph and his brethren led to a plan to sell Joseph into slavery hoping that he would be killed. The rivalry in this family seemed to affect every generation.

In the verse above, we find there was a sibling rivalry between Rachel and Leah. This no doubt was something that went on for years before Jacob ever came into their lives. Yet, this rivalry reached a fevered pitch when both of these ladies became the wives of Jacob. Now you have two sisters who are married to the same man and their rivalry escalated to another level. Rachel admitted that their was a sibling rivalry when she said, "With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister,..." She thought she finally prevailed in this rivalry, but there are no winners in sibling rivalries.

So, you wonder what is the cause of sibling rivalry? When you study each of these stories, you will find that the parents were definitely the cause in three of the four rivalries. Though we don't know much about Cain and Abel, I would imagine the parents were the cause as well. In each of these cases the parents played favorites with one of the children, which left the children fighting with each other trying to reach that favored point in their parent's eyes.

Another danger in sibling rivalry that is also found in these stories is that it leads to evil. In a few cases, murder was contemplated or carried out, and in the others the rivalry led to marital problems. Sibling rivalries will carry on into the adult years if parents don't stop them.

The best way to stop sibling rivalry is for parents to love and treat each child the same. God placed in every child the desire to please their parents. When parents treat one child differently than the other, then the one who is not treated as well will feel that they need to tear down their sibling so they can be elevated in the eyes of their parents. I believe that most sibling rivalry can be stopped simply by parents making every child feel special. When parents make every child feel like they are as loved as the others, then you will stop the sibling rivalries.

Parents, don't allow sibling rivalry in your home. It is unhealthy for the future relationship of your children, and it can lead to sin. When you see it rearing its ugly head, immediately stop it. Love each of your children with a special love and don't allow yourself to play favorites with any of your children. You will find if you can stop the sibling rivalry then you can have peace in your home.

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Choosing a Spouse

Genesis 24:3

"And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:"

Matchmaking seems to be one of the oldest traditions that many people try to do for single people. Because I didn't get married until my mid twenties, I had several people try to set me up with someone whom they thought I should marry. However, when God sent the right person my way it was evident that I was to marry her.

Choosing a spouse should never be taken lightly. One of the two things that will impact your life the greatest is the person whom you marry. It will ultimately determine many things for the rest of your life. I could never give this subject the proper emphasis in a short devotional, but I do want to give you some things to look for when choosing a spouse. The story of Abraham's servant finding a wife for Isaac gives us great insight on what anyone should look for in a spouse. If you are a parent, you should teach your child these principles. If you are a single person, you should be sure to follow these principles in choosing a spouse.

First, ask God to guide you to the right person. In verse 12, you will see that before the servant started looking, he asked God to guide his path to the right young lady. God's guidance in finding a spouse will greatly help you in finding the right person. When I was single, I constantly asked God to guide me to the right lady. When I was dating a young lady, I would ask God to end the relationship if she were not the right one for me. This prayer saved me from marrying the wrong person. God literally guided my path to my wife, and he will guide your path to your future spouse if you will ask Him. You must allow God to guide you to the right person at the right time.

Second, choose someone who is a worker. In verse 16, you will notice that Rebekah wasn't afraid to work. This principle is important, for if a lady marries a man who doesn't like to work, then she will have to pay the bills herself. Likewise if a lady is not a worker, then she will be a poor housekeeper.

Third, choose someone who is concerned with their appearance. Verse 16 says, "And the damsel was very fair to look upon,..." A sloppy person is not one who will be "fair to look upon,..."  A person's appearance will show if they treat everything with importance. This is important for the purpose that you want your spouse to be one who treats everything in your marriage and life with importance. A sloppy appearance will most likely display someone who does not have great potential.

Fourth, choose someone who has a good relationship with their parents. In verse 29, you can see that Rebekah's relationship with her parents was good for she was excited to tell them about her experience. Likewise, she would not have listened to her dad if she had a poor relationship with him. A person's relationship with their parents will reveal what kind of relationship they will have with you if you marry them. If a young lady is close to her father, then she will most likely be close to her husband. The same can be said about a young man and his mother.

Last, choose someone who wants to do God's will. In verse 58, Rebekah wanted God's will for she heard how God led this servant to her and her family. Never marry someone who is not concerned with God's will for their life. Your marriage has a greater chance of being successful and happy if both desire God's will.

Never take the choosing of a spouse lightly. Though these are a few principles to guide you, I believe these are some of the most important principles to guide you. Finding the right person to marry is not done by accident, but it is done by following the principles mentioned above.

How to Destroy Your Home

Genesis 19:1
"And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;"

The home is the foundational institution of a church and nation. The very first institution that God chose to start was the home. He knew that the strength of everything else would be determined by the strength of the home. The strength of an individual will be determined by the strength of their home. The strength of a church will be determined by the strength of the home. The strength of a nation will be determined by the strength of the home. It is imperative that the home stay strong.

Lot made many mistakes that led to the destruction of his home. When you study Lot's life, you will find that he lost his home, children and wife because of his lack of effort in keeping his home strong. There are five things that Lot lacked that led to the destruction of his home.

First, a lack of backbone led to the destruction of his home. In verse 8, when the wicked men of Sodom came to Lot's home to commit wickedness, instead of standing against their wickedness he tried to bargain with them. In order for a home to be strong, there must be parents who have the backbone to stand against sin. Notice, I said there must be parents. One parent alone having the backbone to stand is not enough. Both parents must have backbone to stand against this sinful society. You must not allow sin into the home.

Second, a lack of spiritual judgment led to the destruction of Lot's home. Again in verse 8, instead of telling the wicked men of Sodom to leave, he told them that he would let them have his daughters and cause them to lose their purity. Can you imagine a father being willing to let wicked men take the purity of his daughters? Lot lacked spiritual judgment. Your home will never be strong if you don't develop spiritual judgment. You will only develop spiritual judgment by daily walking with God. Too many homes lack spiritual judgment because of parents who don't find time to walk with God.

Third, a lack of spiritual leadership led to the destruction of Lot's home. In verse 14, when Lot went to bring his sons-in-laws and daughters with him out of Sodom, they look at him and mocked him because he never led them spiritually. You will destroy your home if there is no spiritual leadership. Each parent must lead their children in spiritual actions. Lead your children to being faithful and active in your church. Lead your children to pray and read the Scriptures. Spiritually lead your children by serving God with them.

Fourth, a lack of initiative led to the destruction of Lot's home. In verse 16, Lot lingered instead of leaving. Don't be a person who procrastinates, but be a person who has the initiative to stir yourself to do what you are supposed to do. A home needs parents who have the initiative to do what is right without someone always having to push them.

Last, a lack of morals led to the destruction of Lot's home. In verses 33-38, you will see that Lot had no morals. A home that has no morals is a home that is headed for heartache and destruction. This is why you need to have standards, for standards keep you living a moral life. Spiritual standards will keep a family from sin. Don't be one who lowers the standards because you don't want to fight the battle to keep them, but stand strong so that your children will live moral lives when they leave your home.

Does your home lack in any of these areas? If it does, then repair these areas so that you won't suffer the heartache of Lot's home in yours.

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Enjoying Your Inheritance

Psalm 16:5

"The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot."

If I told you that you have a great inheritance coming to you, then you probably would be thrilled. Often we think of an inheritance as something that has been left to us after someone has passed away. However, the inheritance in the verse above is given to us while we are alive. Yet, the inheritance that this verse is talking about is the plight of life that God gives to us. Some would call it the heartaches of life, but God calls it your inheritance. All of us will have struggles that come our way, and when they come we must realize that this is our inheritance in life. When this inheritance comes our way, Psalm 16 shows us how to accept and enjoy it.

First, God tells us to accept its boundaries. Verse 6 says, "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;..." The "lines" in this verse is talking about the property lines of your land. God is teaching us that we must accept the hardships that He has given to us. You must accept that your sickness, heartache and plight of life is your inheritance that you must endure. Fighting the boundaries of your life will not help it to become what it is supposed to be. Christian, stop fighting what God has sent your way and accept it as your inheritance.

Second, find the good in your inheritance. Verse 6 calls this inheritance a "goodly heritage." There is good in whatever you are currently facing. Sometimes all you can see in your inheritance is what you don't have, when what you need to look for is what your inheritance does have. There is value in your inheritance of life. Your inheritance of life makes you more valuable to help others.

Third, thank the LORD for your inheritance. Verse 7 says, "I will bless the LORD,..." Christian, when is the last time you thanked God for what you are going through? Too many times we complain to God about what we are going through when He commands us to thank Him for it. Yes, it may be hard to thank God for it, but you must trust God that He is looking out for your best interest. Therefore, thank Him for what you are enduring.

Fourth, don't try to move the lines of your inheritance. Verse 8 says, "I shall not be moved." Determine not to let your inheritance of life change you. What I mean is you must decide that you will not quit on God because of the difficulty of your inheritance. Far too often people quit when the times get tough, when what they should have done is decided they were not going to be moved. Decide right now that you will not allow your hardship to move you away from what God has called you to do.

Fifth, realize it will end someday. Verse 10 says, "For thou will not leave my soul in hell;..." Yes, one day what you are going through will end. I know, sometimes it seems that there is no end in sight, but you must understand that one day the heartaches you face will end. It may be that it will end when we get to Heaven, but realize that Heaven is for an eternity, and this life is only for a few years. If anything, your inheritance can make you look forward to an eternity in Heaven.

Last, stay close to God. Verse 11 says, "...in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." You will never see the good in your life's inheritance if you don't stay close to God. Notice that the Psalmist found joy and pleasures close to God. Likewise, you will only find joy and pleasures in your heartaches if you stay close to God. His presence is what helps you to accept the lines of your inheritance.

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About the Throne

Revelation 4:4

"And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold."

Years ago I had the privilege of traveling to England to preach a week of revival meetings. While I was there, the pastor took me on a tour to see the crown jewels and the throne of England. My perception of crowns, jewels and the throne were changed forever because of this trip. The western culture cannot grasp the uniqueness and mystique of the throne because of our form of government. However, after I could see with my eyes the beauty of the throne, I better understood the throne and why God set one up in Heaven.

Revelation 4 is a description of the throne of Heaven and what is about the throne. Certainly, the beauty of the throne that God sits upon cannot be imagined by the human mind. Yet, God tried to describe what it would be like. We find about the throne in Heaven are twenty-four elders who have their own seats and crowns upon their heads. Yet, when God entered the room, we find three things happened because of His presence.

First, God's holiness was seen and proclaimed. Verse 8 says that the beasts about the throne cried day and night, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." It is interesting that God's presence was what was proclaimed and not what the elders about the throne had done. One of the greatest needs of this day is the need to see the holiness of God again. When people see God's holiness, then it will cause others to live holy. I fear that one of the reasons that Christians are filled with sin is because they have not seen God's holiness. No, we cannot go to Heaven to see His holiness, but we can see His holiness by studying the Scriptures.

Second, the focus of Heaven was proper. You will notice that the focus of Heaven was not upon the elders, but it was upon God. When people spend time with God, then their focus will be proper. Too many Christians are focused on man and not upon God. Let me make this very clear to you, we do not serve man, but we serve God. It does not matter what some man whom God has used in a great way says, it only matters what God says. Until you get your focus right, you will always struggle in your Christian life.

Third, Heaven's attitude towards themselves was proper. When the holiness of God was proclaimed, then the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped God. What is amazing to me is how people justify not using the altar. When these elders saw God's holiness, they had no problem coming off their seats and falling on their face before God. Likewise, when you get in God's presence and see His holiness, you will have no problem leaving your seat in church and going to an altar to worship God by getting rid of your sin.

You may wonder how this can help your Christian life. Though we cannot physically be at the throne of Heaven, we can go into God's presence daily through the Scriptures and prayer. When you spend time with God, you will find that your focus will be proper and your attitude towards yourself and sin will be right. Whatever you do, don't let your time with God slip, but be sure to daily set time aside to spend with God so that you can keep your focus and perspective right.