Vol. 03, No. 39

Mt. Baker Beacon

Steven J. Wallace
09/29/24 - Mt. Baker Beacon 2024

“LORD, PROP US UP ON THE LEANING SIDE”
Dennis Abernathy

All of us face temptation in life, and are prone to stumble, if we do not exercise care. Remember that the apostle Paul said, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10: 12). I often think of the old fellow who always prayed, "Lord, prop us up on our leaning side." After hearing that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently.

He answered, "Well sir, you see, it's like this…I got an old barn out back. It's been there a long time. It's withstood a lot of weather, it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years. It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So, I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn't fall. Then, I got to thinking about how much I was like that old barn. I've been around a long time. I've withstood a lot of life's storms, and I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, and I'm still standing, too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop me up on my leaning side.

I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times. Sometimes we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred, leaning toward cussing, leaning toward sexual immorality, leaning toward a lot of things we shouldn't. So, we need to pray, Lord, prop us up on our leaning side, so we will stand straight and tall again to glorify You. We need You, Lord to give us the strength to stand whenever we get out of balance. In those times, Lord, prop us up on our leaning side."

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isa. 41: 10).

(Adapted)

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

Acts 16:30-34 (NKJV, emp. added)

³⁰And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

³²Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

³³And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.

³⁴Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

*BELIEVE* – ACTS 16:31

*REPENT* – ACTS 17:30; LUKE 13:3

*CONFESS* – ROMANS 10:10; I TIMOTHY 6:12

*BE BAPTIZED* – ACTS 2:38; MARK 16:16

*BE FAITHFUL* – REVELATION 2:10

“GIVEN TO HOSPITALITY”

Romans 12:10-13

What does hospitality mean?
What spirit did Peter warn against when being hospitable?

While a good attitude doesn't justify a wrong action, a right action doesn't excuse a bad attitude either.

What did Simon the Pharisee ask Jesus (Lk. 7:36)?
What did Simon lack (Lk. 7:44-46)?

EXAMPLES OF HOSPITALITY
(What stands out to you in the examples below?)

Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 18:1-8)
Lot (Gen. 19:1-3)
Lydia (Acts 16:13-15)
The Jailer (Acts 16:34)
Aquilla and Priscilla (Acts 18:1-3)
The household of Stephanas (1 Cor. 16:15)

Why should disciples of Jesus strive to grow in being hospitable (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2; 1 Pet. 4:9; Matt. 25:35-40; Mk. 6:8-11; 3 Jn. 5-8; etc.)?

“THE WORD OF GOD”

Hebrews 4:11-13

THOUGHT QUESTION: How does the concept of the Word of God as "living and powerful" shape your daily life and decisions, especially when facing difficult situations or moral dilemmas?

The Word of God is ____________________.

1 Peter 1:23, “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the ____________ of God which ____________ and abides ____________.”

The Word of God is ____________________.

Isaiah 55:11, “So shall My ____________ be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me ____________, But it shall ____________ what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

The Word of God is ____________________.
1. What does the Word of God pierce, and what does this mean?
2. Identify some areas of a man’s life where the Word pierces with truth.
The Word of God is a ____________________.

The Word of God judges our thoughts, intentions, and the good and evil within us. It accurately discerns our sincerity and motives, including those who say, "Don't judge me," because they are already judged by it.