Bible?

What do you do with your Bible? Read? Study? Research? Memorize? Talk about it? Gather dust?

Our pastor gave an example during Sunday evening services. As a young man out of Bible college, he was at work and he was memorizing the twelfth chapter of Romans. His day was interrupted when someone coming into his office. It was a somewhat disreputable stranger, asking for help with a broken down car. His response was “I’m busy right now.”

The woman left just as he reached Romans 12:16. You won’t have to go get your Bible to read it, here it is:

Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. (Romans 12:16 KJV)

Wow, when the Lord lays it out in front of us, it is so hard to ignore Him. But we continue to try. His train of memorization was broken. He was struck with the meaning of that passage. He then answered for himself my original question.

Live the Bible. That is what a Christian is to do.

We can read it daily and think wonderful thoughts about how we would apply it to our lives. We can study to show ourselves approved. We can research each verse, tracking those quotes from the prophets, know about when and to whom books were written. We can be as the Bereans and search scriptures daily. We can memorize it and quote more scriptures than our neighbors. We can teach and preach it.

Won’t amount to anything unless we live it.

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:18 KJV)

Oh, yes, the woman’s car was started, with our pastor’s help. God’s lessons are taught to be lived.

We’ve read the lesson. Can we teach it? Can we live it?

At Christmas Is Christ Happy Over Us?

“Mommy,” asked Jane, “what makes everybody so happy at Christmas?” “Well, because it is the Lord Jesus’ birthday … and because we love Him … and because we are happy about His coming to this world.” Jane thought a minute and then said, “Then is the Lord happy about you?” “Oh, little girl, what a question you have asked!”

Is the Lord Jesus happy about us on His birthday? Is he really happy because He sees within our hearts a deep, true love for Him? Does He see a satisfying love and not just a seasonal affection stirred up by the festivities of Christmas? What He wants more than anything else on His birthday is the love of our hearts. Do you love Him today and everyday?

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How Rich Are You? (received from a friend)

They huddled inside the storm door—two children in ragged, outgrown coats. “Any old papers, Lady?” they asked a passerby. She was very busy; she wanted to say no, until she looked down at their feet wrapped only in thin little sandals, sopped with sleet. “Come on in and I will make you a cup of cocoa,” she said. There was no conversation. Their soggy sandals left marks on the clean hearthstone. Cocoa and cake would fortify against the chill outside. After serving them, she went back to the kitchen and started on her household budget as they sat enjoying the warmth. After a few minutes, the silence in the front room struck through to her. She looked in. The girl held her empty cup in her hands, looking at it. The boy asked in a flat voice, “Lady, are you rich?” “Am I rich? Mercy no!” She looked at her shabby slipcovers. The girl put her cup back in its saucer carefully. “Your cups match your saucers.” Her voice was old with a hunger that was not of the stomach. They left then, holding their bundles of papers against the wind. They had not said thank you. They did not need to. They had done more than that. Plain blue pottery cups and saucers—but they matched. She tested the potatoes and stirred the gravy. “Potatoes and brown gravy, a roof over our heads, my husband with a good, steady job—these things matched, too,” she mused. She moved the chairs back from the fire and tidied the living room. The muddy prints of small sandals were still set upon the hearth, and she let them be. “I want them there in case I ever forget how very rich I am,” she told herself.

Harvest of the Heart at Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is the harvest of the heart After the fruit and grain are stored away. The quiet season of remembering, The moment when we pause to praise and pray.

“In All Things” “Gratitude is what always spoils life when it is left out.” A thankful spirit enables one to praise God even when circumstances are difficult. Alexander Whyte, the Scottish preacher, always began his prayers with an expression of gratitude. One cold, miserable day his people wondered what he would say. He prayed, “We thank Thee, O Lord, that it is not always like this.”

Observing Thanksgiving “Count it all joy” (James 1:2). Count your blessings instead of your crosses; Count your gains instead of your losses. Count your joys instead of your woes; Count your friends instead of your foes. Count your smiles instead of your tears; Count your courage instead of your fears. Count your full years instead of your lean; Count your kind deeds instead of your mean. Count your health instead of your wealth; Count on God instead of yourself.

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A good morning prayer: (copied)

A good morning prayer:

DEAR GOD

I want to thank You
For what you have already done.
I am not going to wait
Until I see results or receive rewards;
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait
Until I feel better or things look better;
I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait
Until people say they are sorry
Or until they stop talking about me;
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait
Until the pain in my body disappears ;
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait
Until my financial situation improves;
I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait
Until the children are asleep
And the house is quiet;
I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait
Until I get promoted at work
Or until I get the job;
I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait
Until I understand every experience in my life
That has caused me pain or grief;
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait
Until the journey gets easier
Or the challenges are removed;
I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive.
I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties.
I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.
I am thanking you because I have the ability, and the opportunity to do more and do better.
I am thanking you because FATHER, YOU haven't given up on me..

My husband is loosing his job_ God's at work again :o)

God's at work again :o) My husband just called me upset that the car dealership he works at just announced that they are closing their doors. Wednesday December 2, is their last day. As you can imagine, my husband isn't very happy. We are buying a van through them and owe money on it still. We are concerned that they will take his entire last check. Sales have already been slow so our finances have been hit hard. When we moved across the country we sold just about everything we had to help pay for the move so we're really tapped out.

However, we aren't scared. I have peace in Jesus. I know that He loves me and my family. We moved to Idaho from Texas with NO job--on faith alone. Everyone we knew thought we had lost our minds but we knew that God had opened the doors for us way up in Idaho. We closed our eyes and trusted in Him. He didn't fail us!

I'm not going to lie. I'm sad about not being able to buy Christmas presents for our daughters. I know that somehow, someway God will provide presents. My husband told me on the phone that he was so sad because he knew that there would be a lot of people out of jobs. I told him to be strong for them-to show them God's love. People need to literally see God's love in us--esp. in hard times. How we handle crisis and hardships is a perfect time to show people just how much love God is.

It's one thing to say we have faith in God... it's a whole other ball game to really live that! God will reward you. I am excited to see what God's doing in our lives again! I couldn't stand my husband's job. lol I am praying that somehow... he puts him in a job that is more secure.

It's time that Christians share the miracles God has done in our lives. It's time we don't just say we have faith .. it's time we prove it.

Dream Big for God

Proverbs 29:18

I. Your Vision Must Grow Out of Biblical Principles:

Proverbs 11:30, Ephesians 3:21, Hebrews 11:6, I Timothy 6:9-10

II. Your Vision Must Reflect Your Walk With God:

Luke 16:10, Matthew 5:41, Proverbs 23:7

III. Your Vision Must Depend Upon God's Supply:

Philippians 4:19, Exodus 16:15-21

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The Importance of Leading Children to Jesus

The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to help with the four, five and six year old Junior Church each Sunday morning. We sing songs, watch puppets with the "big kids," review our lesson and play games. As I watch Kelli teach them and my heart is so full.

I was just four years old when I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Savior. My Sunday school teacher brought up a little boy in our class that day, and told us that Davy had asked Jesus into his heart that week. Though many would argue that we were too young, she gave us the Gospel that day. I already knew that I was a sinner. I already knew that Jesus had died for sinners. I already knew that my parent's relationship with God could not get me to Heaven.

That day, the teacher asked us to all bow our heads and raise our hands if we wanted to accept Jesus as our Savior. I remember thinking, "I've never done that. I need to do that." I prayed along with her and accepted Jesus as my personal Savior.

Children must be carefully dealt with so that they are not pressured or led along without making their own decision to trust Christ. Yet it is not our place to judge whether a child "meant it" or not. We are merely to lead them to Christ.

We cannot neglect to give children the opportunity to receive Jesus as Savior because they are young and we are fearful of our own failings; or because we believe that they are too young to understand at all; or because we believe that they will have another chance when they are older; or because we want to labor in fields that reap visible results (baptism and public profession).

It may be years before we see the visible results of our labors. I did not have assurance of my salvation until a few years after I first prayed, and I was not baptized until I was in second grade. My teacher never knew which children had really prayed with her on that day, or which children had really understood and meant the prayer. She left that with God.

Many of the children in our Junior Church may be hearing the Gospel for the first time, and we will never know if it may be their last. We must be faithful to clearly present the Gospel and give them opportunity to accept salvation. The results are up to God.

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, "Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Some fell upon stony places where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up because they had no deepness of earth:
And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
~Matthew 13:3-9

~picture from Reusable Art

Have You Tried To Win Them??

Your family and friends will die and go to the lake of fire forever if they are not saved before they die or before the Lord Jesus comes. You can meet a need that no other person can perform if you will do it.

Winning souls to Christ is of more value than gaining the whole world.


There are many ways to reach your family and friends.


First, go to them with God’s plan for being saved by believing His Word.


Second, give them the plan of Salvation in a gospel tract form.


Third, take them with your to Church where the Word of God is preached and souls are saved.


Fourth, write out the plan of Salvation in a letter. They will read it.


Fifth, tell them how and when you were saved.


Sixth, spend much time in prayer for each one. Give them such scriptures as --



Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;


Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.


Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:


Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.


Romans 10: 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.



These verse are very effective if you will write them out and give them to your family and friends.


Remember, you will lead none to Christ if you do not try.

Get started today.

He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind

He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.

Let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies

[are] great.--I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave

thee altogether unpunished.--He will not always chide: neither

will he keep [his anger] for ever. He hath not dealt with us

after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.--

For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we [are] dust.--I

will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted

above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a

way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].--Satan hath

desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: but I

have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.

Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the

needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from

the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones [is] as a storm

[against] the wall.

Isa 27:8 2Sa 24:14 Jer 30:11 Ps 103:9,10,14 Mal 3:17 1Co 10:13

Lu 22:31,32 Isa 25:4

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Christians not Growing

Scripture: Hebrews 5:12-14, Romans 10:17, II Timothy 2:15

I. Lack of Spiritual Knowledge

II. Lack of Scriptural Exercise

III. Lack of Spiritual and Scriptural Accountability

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Let There Be Light

A young girl once consulted with her minister. “I cannot stick it out any longer. I am the only Christian in the factory where I work. I get nothing but taunts and sneers. It is more than I can stand. I am going to resign.” “Will you tell me,” asked the minister, “where lights are placed?” “What has that to do with it?” the young Christian asked him rather bluntly. “Never mind,” the minister replied. “Answer my question: ‘Where are lights placed?’ ” “I suppose in dark places,” she replied. “Yes, and that is why you have been put in that factory where there is such spiritual darkness and where there is no other Christian to shine for the Lord.”

The young Christian realized for the first time the opportunity that was hers. She felt she could not fail God by allowing her light to go out. She went back to the factory with renewed determination to let her light shine in that dark corner. Before long, she was the means of leading nine other girls to the Light.

We need to be that light that the world so desperately needs to see. Keep shining!

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BaptistQuips.Blogspot

When some say they want to serve God, they mean in an advisory capacity.

A missionary is one who never gets used to the sound of heathen footsteps on their way to a Christless eternity.

Men do not reject the Bible because they find faults in It, but because It finds faults in them.

Real revival is not a fresh anointing, but rather a renewed sensitivity to sin.

"God does not sideline us when we fall; we sideline ourselves when we fail to get back up." - Paul Chappell

"Our one need is to know Jesus better." - Andrew Murray

"Christ is the desire of nations, the joy of angels, the delight of the Father. What solace then must that soul be filled with, that has the possession of Him to all eternity!" - John Bunyan

Tears have been called "liquid prayers".

http://baptistquips.blogspot.com/

"The eternal God is thy refuge."

"The eternal God is thy refuge." --Deuteronomy 33:27 The word refuge may be translated "mansion," or "abiding- place," which gives the thought that _God is our abode, our home_. There is a fulness and sweetness in the metaphor, for dear to our hearts is our home, although it be the humblest cottage, or the scantiest garret; and dearer far is our blessed God, in whom we live, and move, and have our being. It is at home that we _feel safe_: we shut the world out and dwell in quiet security. So when we are with our God we "fear no evil." He is our shelter and retreat, our abiding refuge. At home, _we take our rest_; it is there we find repose after the fatigue and toil of the day. And so our hearts find rest in God, when, wearied with life's conflict, we turn to Him, and our soul dwells at ease. At home, also, we _let our hearts loose_; we are not afraid of being misunderstood, nor of our words being misconstrued. So when we are with God we can commune freely with Him, laying open all our hidden desires; for if the "secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him," the secrets of them that fear Him ought to be, and must be, with their Lord. Home, too, is the place of our _truest and purest happiness_: and it is in God that our hearts find their deepest delight. We have joy in Him which far surpasses all other joy. _It is also for home that we work and labour_. The thought of it gives strength to bear the daily burden, and quickens the fingers to perform the task; and in this sense we may also say that God is our home. Love to Him strengthens us. We think of Him in the person of His dear Son; and a glimpse of the suffering face of the Redeemer constrains us to labour in His cause. We feel that we must work, for we have brethren yet to be saved, and we have our Father's heart to make glad by bringing home His wandering sons; we would fill with holy mirth the sacred family among whom we dwell. Happy are those who have thus the God of Jacob for their refuge!

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At Your Wit's End

Scripture: Psalm 107, 1 John 1:9

I. Producer of the Storm: Psalm 107:25, Job 23:10, Psalm 66:11-12

II. Prayer During the Storm: Psalm 107:6,13,19,28

III. Peace Through the Storm: Psalm 107:29

IV. Purpose of the Storm: Psalm 107:8,15,21,30-32

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A Sidebar, Please

Whether it's the gist of a news story or the conference between a judge and attorneys, sidebars are places where things happen. The same is true here.

I have visited some of the blogs on our sidebar here, but only one or two at a time. Right now Beloved Husband is ill with an upper-respiratory that I just went through, so I have a great deal of time -- and absolutely no energy. Perfect storm to visit each and every one of the blogs on the sidebar.

It has been my loss to have waited so long.

I've added some RSS feeds from ones that piqued my interest so I'll know when there is an update to their pages. There are newlyweds and silver-haired couples; there are pastors with years in the pulpit and new graduates looking over the fields, white unto harvest.

The greatest gift these sidebar blogs give me is the continuity from generation to generation that His word is being read, spoken and shared. This brings about a strong promise from our Lord:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 KJV)

The Lord is sending His word around the world. It is a blessing to be a part of that!! Read the sidebar.

The Father's Prayer

by General Douglas MacArthur

Build me a son, oh Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak,

and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid;

one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be;

a son who will know Thee, and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.

Here let him learn to stand up to the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high;

a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men;

one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep;

one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor so that he may always be serious,

yet never take himself too seriously.

Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness,

the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.

Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, `I have not lived in vain.’

Wise Advice from Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln once said, “You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

Wise advice for today.

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God Takes Care of His People

Recently while reading my Bible I came across these verses (well this chapter) and since I keep a Bible/Prayer Journal (which is a good thing to do by the way) I was able to look back and post some of the things I wrote down.

Psalms 73:1-28 says: I am quoting only a few verses... not the whole chapter. :)

Verse 1- "Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart."
Verse 3 - "For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." The rest of the verses from 3-22 talk about... even though the wicked and foolish might be prosperous... their lives are destroyed. But from 23-28... the psalmst talks about how good God is to him... no matter what the circumstances. Verse 23 and 25 are two of my favorite verses...
vs 23 "Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand."
vs 25 "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee"
Then verse 26 is so key! "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." just goes to show you how unimportant we are and how IMPORTANT God is! We are weak but GOD is strong!
And to wrap up the verses verse 27 and 28 "For lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee."
vs 28 "But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works."

What I wrote in my Bible/Prayer Journal:
Most of the chapter talks about God taking care of His people- God will put us in a slippery place for a reason..... maybe to get our attention, maybe to get us to praise Him and not ourselves. There is always a reason, we may not always know why... but even when God does put us through things, it is for our good.... so you see God IS taking care of us!

Stepheny

Tremendous Book found on Baptist Martyrs!

title is:

THE

BLOODY THEATRE;

or

Martyr's Mirror

of the

BAPTIST CHURCHES

OR

Defenseless Christians

Go to my blog for more information if interested: "The LORD's voice Crieth Unto the City"
Specific post is here.

Ten Rules for Happier Living (copied)

1. Give something away (no strings attached).

2. Do a kindness (and forget it).

3. Spend a few minutes with the aged (their experience can be priceless guidance).

4. Look intently into the face of a baby (and marvel).

5. Laugh often (it is life’s lubricant).

6. Give thanks (a thousand times a day is not enough).

7. Pray (or you will lose the way).

8. Work (with vim and vigor).

9. Plan as though you will live forever (because you will).

10. Live as though you will die tomorrow (because you will die on some tomorrow).

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Blog Advice

I am always looking for advice and help on making my blog more accessible or improved. Do you have any blogging tips or websites with tips that have helped you improve your blog? Here are the websites that I have found very helpful and which I keep on my favorites list and refer back to:

To get listed towards the top of google and other search engines you need Meta Tags. Here is a website about them and instructions on how to add them to blogger (a bit tricky, but this site makes it easy. If it doesn't work the first time, it's likely because you have an apostrophe in the description or keywords). http://www.bloggertricks.com/2007/12/adding-meta-tags-to-bloggerblogspot.html It takes a few days for the listing to take effect, so be patient, but it's free!

Looking for images to use? These stock photos can be used (depending on permissions) and there are a lot of them to choose from! http://www.sxc.hu/ I find adding an image to a post makes it more enjoyable to read for some reason.

Add your blogs to twitter effortlessly and automatically when you post using http://twitterfeed.com/ - you can also do this with your facebook account using http://www.networkedblogs.com/. Once you set it up, when you post to your blog, it will put your post on your twitter or FB feed. With networked blogs you can also set it up to only add the blog posts you want to add manually.

Free Giveaways

I love these, especially as I won a pair of earrings a little while ago! If you know of any other giveaways, please comment! :)

Prizes:
1. I've Been To The Mountain - songbook
2. Where The River Leads - cd
3. Sail On - cd
The winner will also receive a bonus gift of Sheet music for 10 songs that aren't in the songbook (pdf) (enter HERE)

Thankful for Second Chances

I have a few blogs, and besides this one, one of the ones I try to update every day or at least every few days, is http://kjvdevos.blogspot.com/ - it's really a place where I (and a few other people) have collected various KJV devotions in one place. Today's devotion from Paul Chappell meant so much to me, I wanted to repost it here. "You can still finish the race." AMEN!

Thankful for Second Chances
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
by Dr. Paul Chappell

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

God does not sideline us when we fall; we sideline ourselves when we fail to get back up.

The Rijks Museum in Amsterdam is the home of many famous and rare paintings. This gallery holds magnificent pieces by all the great painters of the seventeenth century. One day an unemployed schoolteacher entered the museum, and while wielding a knife, began cutting into one of the gallery's most precious paintings. Over and over again he shredded the painting, running the knife through it before being detained. Oddly enough, a few days later, another man entered St. Peter's Cathedral, and with a hammer began smashing a certain sculpture. He broke off pieces of the face and badly damaged the overall piece before the authorities arrived.

But what happened next surprised many people. Rather than throwing out the sculpture or retiring the painting to a basement somewhere, the owners of the museum and the art gallery hired some of the worlds best painters and sculptors to restore the items. They didn't care what the cost of the project was; they simply cared that the pieces be restored, and set back in their places so others could see them.

These pieces were not discarded because of their mishaps. They weren't thrown out because of their imperfections. The owners of the museum and art gallery went to great lengths and paid dear prices to restore each piece, making sure they were given a second chance.

The same can be said about our Heavenly Father. He went to great lengths and paid a dear price (the blood of His only Son) to save us, and when we fall or mar our lives through sin, He desires to restore us to Himself.

All Christians make mistakes, and everyone falls. Even in the Bible, stories are recorded of believers who made mistakes but were given second chances-everyone from Moses to Jonah to the Apostle Peter. God didn't give up on them, but offered them restoration if they turned to Him.

God doesn't sideline us when we fall; we sideline ourselves when we fail to get back up. God offers us a second chance. He offers us restoration through the forgiveness of His Son, and He desires that we would turn from our sin and allow Him to restore us. But the move must be made by us. If we desire to still be used by God, we must repent of our sin, and seek His restoration.

God never commands you to be perfect. There is no verse that demands Christians live sin-free lives. God understands that there will be times you fall into sin, give into temptation, or make a mistake. God doesn't love you any less because you sin; He stands with arms outstretched, ready to forgive you and give you a second chance.

Is there some area in which you have fallen? Have you sidelined yourself by not getting back up? God doesn't want any Christian to fall by the wayside in the Christian life. He desires that we would all finish our race with faithfulness.

If you have fallen into sin, don't believe the devil's lie that you are worthless. Grasp onto God's truth in 1 John 1:9, and seek His forgiveness and restoration. Take time today to thank God that no matter how many times you fall, He is willing to give you a second chance. You can still finish the race.

My Blog and a new page dedicated to Baptist History

Hello, I am David Peterman. I am the pastor of Christ Independent Baptist Church in inner-city Philadelphia. I have a blog that I post my sermons and outlines on called "The Lord's Voice Crieth to the City". This blog is enrolled in your blogroll, but doesnt seem to automatically update (maybe because it is Word Press and not Blogger.com?).

I welcome you to check out my blog, specifically for a new page I have made dedicated to Baptist History. You can view the page here.

So many today are ignorant of our our Baptist Heritage. I pray that the books linked on my site may be used of the Lord to remedy that. We certianly have a "goodly heritage"!

-Pastor Dave

It's Not Me!

Genesis 30:2 "And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?"

Today, we read a conversation between a husband (Jacob) and a wife (Rachel). Rachel was having a difficult time with the fact that Leah was able to have children with Jacob and she was not. While I could spend ample amounts of time writing about the problems that polygamy brings, I want to focus for the moment on the relationship between Jacob and Rachel and how it mirrors the difficulties that many marriages go through today.

Rachel is upset that she is unable to bare any children and lashes out at Jacob in verse 1 and tells him, "Give me children, or else I die." While her statement seems a little dramatic, when you are in the midst of a difficult situation, it often seems as if your world may come to an end. What we read in our verse today was Jacob's response to his wife's personal struggle.

In essence, I believe Jacob lashes out at Rachel after she lashes out at him and tells her, "Hey, I am not the one having any problems, I have already fathered children. The problem is obviously with you!" Many times, when husbands and wives come to a difficult stretch in their marriage, it is always the other one's fault. Our initial response is usually, "It's not me!"

But there is an interesting portion of Scripture in the previous chapter that sheds a little more light on Rachel's condition. Genesis 29:30-31 "And he (Jacob) went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served him yet seven other years. And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren." The implication here is that the Lord allowed Leah to conceive, and not Rachel, because of the attitude of Jacob ("he loved also Rachel more than Leah...Leah was hated").

What does all of this mean for us today? Well, the next time there is a difficult situation or a disagreement in your marriage, don't be so quick to say, "It's not me." Instead of pointing to others, look in the mirror and begin to make the changes needed. Everyone must take personal responsibility for their relationship and make the necessary changes for it to succeed.

Comfort

The southern part of the United States is well known for Comfort Food. AllRecipes.com has a section explaining some of the origins of these favored dishes. Do not confuse them with Southern Comfort Whiskey, though. The Food Network offers a Comfort Food section, too, though not confined to southern recipes.

We all enjoy the warmth and homecoming feelings with foods associated with family and fellowship. They are also associated with bodily growth, which is not something we’re looking for. Used to be that physical labor took care of that growth part and laborers could begin a work day with meat, eggs, potato and gravies that were sopped up with homemade biscuits, if not with homemade bread.

Unless you’re on a ranch in Wyoming or a farm in Amish country, those days are pretty much gone. Now we’re counting calories, checking for fiber and thinking yogurt makes a fine meal. I’m not to the yogurt meal, yet.

I fully understand the need for comfort food. Beloved Husband has taken care of that for me with his marvelous chicken soup. I checked my recipe Blogspot and found that I have not posted that particular soup. I’ll try to get that done today.

My doctor said that homemade chicken soup is very good for someone sick. What it lacks in big scientific words, it makes up for in love and warmth. It is true comfort food.

Filled by this comfort food, I decided to take a look at the Bible to see what it says about comfort. In the naming of Noah, we first read of the word “comfort.” And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed. (Genesis 5:29 KJV)

I like its last use the best. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 KJV)

In between those two are sixty verses. One of the best known would be: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalms 23:4 KJV)

Just as ER stands for Emergency Room, God provided an ER for His children. Add ‘er’ on to comfort and you find God Himself, as Christ explained.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26 KJV)

Jesus continued, explaining more about God’s Comforter, and that this Holy Spirit will testify of Christ: But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (John 15:26 KJV)

Whether the Bible speaks of Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost, it speaks of this Comforter. I thank God that as such, He dwells in me. Do you have this comfort? Share it?

KJV

"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out
of thy law."
Psalms 119:18, KJV

"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I
cannot attain unto it."
Psalms 139:6,

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge
of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways
past finding out!"
Romans 11:33,

"...For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."
Psalms 119:89,

"...Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my
path."
Psalms 119:105,

"Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it."
Psalms 119:140,

"Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy
righteous judgments endureth for ever."
Psalms 119:160,

"...thy word is truth."
John 17:17b,

"The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of
his heart to all generations."
Psalms 33:11,

"I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name
for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast
magnified thy word above all thy name."
Psalms 138:2

"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there
is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring
the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the
things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall
stand, and I will do all my pleasure:"
Isaiah 46:9-10

"God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of
man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not
do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"
Numbers 23:19

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper
than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart."
Hebrews 4:12