04
Apr '20
Spurgeon for Your Saturday
04
Apr '20
“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all” I Timothy 4:15
This is, practically, a promise that, by diligent meditation and the giving up of our whole mind to our work for the Lord, we shall make a progress which all can see. Not by hasty reading, but by deep meditation, we profit by the Word of God. Not by doing a great deal of work in a slovenly manner, but by giving our best thought to what we attempt, we shall get real profit. “In all labor there is profit,” but not in fuss and hurry without true heart-energy.
If we divide ourselves between God and mammon, or Christ and self, we shall make no progress. We must give ourselves wholly to holy things, or else we shall be poor traders in heavenly business, and at our stock-taking no profit will be shown.
Am I a minister? Let me be a minister wholly, and not spend my energies upon secondary concerns. What have I to do with party politics, or vain amusements? Am I a Christian? Let me make my service of Jesus my occupation, my lifework, my one pursuit. We must be in-and-in with Jesus, and then out-and-out for Jesus, or else we shall make neither progress nor profit, and neither the church nor the world will feel that forceful influence which the Lord would have us exercise.
Read more...
03
Apr '20
Living on Prayer
03
Apr '20
Ephesians 6:18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Who has the time to always pray when most of us are so busy we barely or rarely pray? Here is some brutal honesty. Being “too busy to pray” is not a thing, but being too lazy or so backslidden as to not pray is real and deadly. Followers of Christ are in constant spiritual warfare, and if we do not joyfully obey this command, then we expose our neck to the enemy. Let’s order our hearts according to God’s Word so that our very lives become a prayer. Make prayer your life and your life a prayer while living in a frenetic world in desperate need of the Gospel.
Three Prayer Tips:
- Set aside time daily to pray. This doesn’t have to be a colossal amount of time, just a daily amount.
- Pray throughout the day. If there is a need or a need to praise, offer it right then and there. This doesn’t require a show or everyone else’s participation. Just do it.
- Pray “in the moment.” If someone specifically asks you to pray for a need, offer one with them in the moment if possible.
Read more...
02
Apr '20
Developing a Heart of Wisdom
02
Apr '20
How do we develop a heart of wisdom? Well, it’s not by invention, innovation, or perspiration but as a result of transformation. Psalm 111:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments: His praise endureth forever.”
The fear spoken of here is not a groveling fear, where you’re waiting for something horrible to happen, and wishing that it won’t. Think of the fear of the Lord in the context of a father and son or daughter relationship, but instead of the child fearing what his father will do to him if he steps out of line, this is fearing what I will do to my Father as a result of being foolish instead of wise.
Biblically speaking, foolishness has nothing to do with education or intellectual capabilities. In scripture, unbelief is what marks a fool. “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God, they are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good” Psalm 14:1, and the characteristics of a fool are living apart from and against the truth of scripture.
Life is brief. That hasn’t changed because of the coronavirus, but that has highlighted life’s frailty and brevity. We must take advantage of our limited time, for worship and service to the eternal God. Life is an opportunity we must use wisely, and that wisdom is found first in trusting the eternal God to rescue you from your sins. Sins which pay eternal wages.
Redeeming the Time
Ephesians 5:15-17 reads as follows: “See then that ye walk circumspectly [that means with situational awareness; careful attention], not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
Wisdom is found in understanding and following God’s will, and it’s God’s will that people should be…
- Saved – Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10; 1 Timothy 2:3-6
- Spirit-filled – Ephesians 5:18, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” This means being led of the Spirit and will be marked by joyfulness.
- Submissive – 1 Peter 2:13-15; Hebrews 13:17. Submission requires sacrifice and is to be joyfully rather than grudgingly offered. Colossians 3:23, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
- Sanctified – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:15-20. This means living a life set apart from this world and to the glory of Christ. That kind of existence will not be perfectly lived, but is one primarily directed towards Jesus. That life looks like this:
- Consistent joy – 1 Thessalonians 5:16
- Continual prayer – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
- Comprehensive thanksgiving – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
- Suffering – 1 Peter 2:20-21; 3:17; 5:10. This is part, a regular and sometimes big part, of God’s will for our lives, and Jesus is our ultimate example in all this.
Read more...
01
Apr '20
Making the Most of It
01
Apr '20
Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Let’s play a word association game. Finish this sentence: “It’s about time for _____________.”
I’m thinking it’s about time for COVID-19 to go away. That cannot happen fast enough. In the meantime, this is another opportunity to learn patience and to trust God no matter what. I need to make the most of this time. How about you?
Life is all about time. Do you waste time? Do you manage time or does time manage you? We can be careless with the time we have. We can also be slaves to the clock, thinking that our time is more important than the people around us or God above us.
Time is Precious
Time is precious. Back in 1971 Jim Croce wrote a song that would top the charts. Time in a Bottle was written about and for his firstborn son.
“If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I’d like to do, is to save every day till eternity passes away, just to spend them with you. If I could make days last forever, if words could make wishes come true. I’d save every day like a treasure and then again, I would spend them with you.”
Those are beautiful words, and understandable coming from a 28 year old singer/songwriter who just learned he was going to be a dad for the first time. But there is another line from that song we need to consider: “But there never seems to be enough time to do the things that you want to do.”
Many of us would agree with that. Croce knew that time was a fleeting commodity, but he didn’t know how fleeting. On the last day of September in 1973 Jim Croce died in a plane crash. He was 30 years old. His son had just turned two.
We all know that time is short, but it’s shorter than we know. None of us have time to waste.
Life is Brief. God is Eternal
The first four words of the Bible are, “In the beginning God…” At the start He was already there. He began the beginning. Psalm 90:2 says, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Humanity, in comparison, is described in verse 10, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
Life is brief. God is eternal. We need His wisdom to number our days, because while this life is short, we will all live somewhere forever, and we can’t save time in a bottle. We each have 86,400 seconds a day deposited into our “time accounts.” We cannot carry over the balance, and we cannot be overdrawn. Whatever is not wisely used is lost forever.
Redeem the Time
Making the most of our time is the focus for tonight’s livestream. Psalm 90:2 and Ephesians 5:15-17 will guide our study. You have viewing options:
- Follow this link to view the livestream directly from our Vimeo page.
- Click the “Watch Video” button on the church’s Facebook page.
- Watch us on Facebook Live (Lord willing 🙂
- Watch us on YouTube (again, Lord willing)
If you search for our feed on Vimeo use “bbc church.” If you search for us on YouTube use “Bible Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon.”
All of these options are available because we want to make it easy for you to follow along. Please set aside the time to tune in at 7 pm. Have your Bibles open.
Read more...
31
Mar '20
God Hears and Delivers
31
Mar '20
Psalm 91:15, “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.”
“I will never leave you nor forsake you,” is a precious promise from God to His people (Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5). Based on the strength of such a promise we trust God enough to call upon Him in prayer, because we are confident that He will answer. When we are in trouble for His name’s sake, when we call upon our Lord, He will deliver and honor His people. We have not only His word on the matter, but He has proven Himself true time and time again. The God of the Bible is the only deity who hears, answers, and delivers His people. Trust Him no matter what, and call on Him always.
Read more...
30
Mar '20
The Power of Weakness
30
Mar '20
2 Corinthians 12:8-9, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Paul wanted his affliction removed. He repeatedly prayed that way. It remained. God never offered an explanation, but He did make a promise. “My grace is sufficient.” God’s grace enables His strength to be made perfect through our weakness. There will be times when God does not remove affliction. Instead, He gives grace so that the affliction works for rather against the believer. Believers live on grace rather than explanations. God’s grace will provide for our every need when needed. God’s grace is sufficient to save us from our sins and sustain us in our suffering. Our feelings change. Trust the promise of…
God’s
Riches
Available at
Christ’s
Expense.
God’s truth is timeless. His promises never change. His grace is always sufficient. It’s the power of weakness.
Read more...
27
Mar '20
Reconciled Ambassadors
27
Mar '20
2 Corinthians 5:20, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
Those who have trusted the Lord Jesus as their Savior are not only saved but are ambassadors of their Lord and Savior. An ambassador is an authorized representative who speaks not in his own name but on behalf of another. We who have trusted Christ have been empowered and tasked with the joyous responsibility to faithfully proclaim the promises of the gospel and urge sinners to be reconciled to God through Christ alone. We have no other message and serve no other purpose. May we represent our Lord well, so that others may trust Christ and be reconciled to God.
Read more...
26
Mar '20
Wisdom is Calling
26
Mar '20
Proverbs 8:1-3, “Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.”
Here wisdom is personified and in the streets, calling all sinners to follow God’s path that leads to life rather than death, the truth that leads to wealth rather than poverty. Hear and heed the Lord Jesus, and gain true wisdom and wealth. He is not stingy with either one. Being a fool, now that is hard work. Fools purposefully ignore and evade wisdom, turning away from the truth, but not because it can’t be found. Wisdom calls out in the street. Be wise. “If ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7) and trust that voice of love and wisdom from this day forward.
Read more...
24
Mar '20
First of all, Pray
24
Mar '20
Luke 18:1, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”
The Lord Jesus thought prayer was important. He preached of prayer’s importance, and practiced what He preached. The gospels are packed with accounts of Jesus praying publicly and privately. During His earthly ministry God the Son remained connected with God the Father through prayer. His followers should do likewise. Life lived for Christ is full of joy and difficulty. The struggle in all aspects of life is real, but we are not left alone. A heart that trusts God will first of all pray and the heart that prays will be strengthened to trust God, no matter what. Don’t give up. Make prayer your first response.
Read more...
