March 25th 2021
David_Orr • March 25, 2021
PROVERBS THOUGHTS
The Heart of the Matter
Solid Foundations
13 ' Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. 14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. 15 Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. 16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. 19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. '
- Proverbs 4:13-19 https://my.bible.com/bible/59/PRO.4.13-19
The Working Process – Solid Foundations
If anyone hasn’t already noticed I can lead singing while playing chords on a regular guitar. I can’t sing while playing the Bass. I have solid foundations of 40 years on guitar and 2 years playing Bass. Needless to say I am easily shaken playing Bass when I wouldn’t be playing guitar. “You JUST NEED TO PRACTICE!” I know that but what do I need to practice? I am CLUELESS except for the knowledge that practicing wrong things perpetuates the shake. I don’t need to learn to hit wrong notes, anybody can do that by accident: so where is my rock solid Bass foundation? I looked up Pentatonic Bass scales online and there were pictures of numbered dots on lines representing Bass strings. But WHAT DO THEY MEAN!? I need to go back to my understanding level and grow in steps because without understanding it’s pointless.
Solomon uses the idea of wisdom personified as a woman to get his student back to basic understanding. A man + a woman = children and the perpetuation of life and families if raised in God’s Wisdom. A man + wickedness = rebellion, violence and death. The first is the desired outcome and the second is to be avoided. Transferred to life in general or learning to play the bass: the goal is to go back and collect information. Building is done from the foundation up. When you realize the process after the building has already begun: some things will need razed. Bad habits need to be thrown out and replaced with sound ones for integrity’s sake.
You are NOT the Designer
I built the Bass into Today’s Picture and it is indeed one of a kind like me. It has its own body design and a glass and brass top. It has an extremely High Output regular Guitar pickup at the neck position made with low registers in mind. It has an extremely High output Bass pickup in the bridge position. It has switches that change tone capacitors and splits the humbucking pickups into Single Coils. But I am its creator – it had nothing to do with its own design. I designed all of the working parts of it from standard and proven designs. Its Scale length and fret spacing is standard and any bassist can pick it up and play it to the limits of their ability. In their hands it can play any genre of music. Plugged in to the amp it can whisper or shake the rafters.
God is your Creator and designer: His Word says you can’t change your height or you can’t make yourself young when you are old. If you learn and practice the basics of His Wisdom there is no impossible situation. He will be the one building your life. When the time comes to make a decision His Structure and His Voice will agree. “But Learning and Practicing is Hard!” Having a shaky foundation is paralyzing. When I am playing bass and begin to hit wrong notes I quit playing. I can hear it – everyone else can hear it. My instrument is distinctive enough I can’t say “It WASN’T ME!” The actions you do on practicing wrong structures will be just as plain as a Bass Dis-chord. This series is about learning Righteous structure and taking those practices to heart.
Ridgecrest Blog
There’s a difference between walking near someone and walking with them. It's a difference you can feel. I don’t just want to walk beside my wife—I want to hold her hand, to wrap my arm around her, to stay close. And in the same way, God doesn't just want us to stroll behind Him at a safe distance. He wants us right next to Him. Closer than close. The Bible makes that clear—again and again. In fact, one of the most beautiful things is when the same truth is spoken in both the Old and New Testaments. That’s when we know God is driving a point home. Take James in the New Testament. He gives us four practical, life-changing steps that can draw us closer to God: Depend on the Savior Deny the devil Desire to sin less Delight in selflessness These aren’t just catchy phrases—they’re daily actions. They’re reminders that we’re not strong enough to live this life on our own. We need help. We need a Savior. And when we lean on Him, He promises to draw near to us. That message isn’t new. It echoes through Proverbs 3:5-7: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” This ancient wisdom from Solomon aligns perfectly with James. Why? Because truth doesn’t change. God's Word is living, consistent, and always calling us to take that next step closer to Him. Maybe you’re reading this and you feel distant from God. Maybe you’ve been walking on autopilot—doing the right things, going to church, saying the prayers—but deep down, you know there’s a gap. Here's the good news: If you’re not close to God right now, it’s not because He moved. He’s still there. Still waiting. Still inviting. “Draw near to me,” God says, “and I will draw near to you.” That word “draw” isn’t passive. It’s personal. In the original language, it carries the idea of reaching out and hugging someone. That’s the kind of closeness God wants. Not cold religion, but a warm relationship. An embrace. An arm around your shoulder. And if you’ve never experienced that before—if you’ve never known what it’s like to walk hand-in-hand with Jesus—it’s not too late. All you have to do is ask. Ask Him to forgive your sins. Admit you can’t save yourself. Believe that only Jesus can. He will meet you there. Every time. And if you’re already a believer? There’s still room to grow. Every single one of us could walk a little closer to Jesus than we did yesterday. None of us have arrived. And the beautiful part is—He’s not asking for perfection. He’s just asking for your heart. So today, let’s take those steps. Let’s depend. Deny. Desire. Delight. Let’s walk a little closer. Let’s hold His hand. And let’s never let go. Closing Thought: Wouldn’t it feel good to be hugged tight by Jesus? That’s not just poetic. That’s possible. Because He’s reaching out right now—waiting for you to reach back.
We are proud to share that Ridgecrest Baptist Church has been a part of the efforts supporting Together We Foster, an organization dedicated to serving the foster care community of Northeast Arkansas.
Welcome to Ridgecrest Baptist Church! We're thrilled to have you join us today for a time of worship, fellowship, and spiritual growth. Whether you're a long-time member or visiting for the first time, your presence enriches our community. Let's open our hearts to receive God's word and blessings together. Thank you for joining us at our VBS closing celebration! Today, our kids will receive certificates, perform a special song for parents, and enjoy a slideshow/video highlighting this week's exciting activities. Stick around after the service for a celebration meal with all families. Blessings,
Happy Father's Day! Welcome to Ridgecrest Baptist Church as we celebrate and honor all fathers today. Whether you're a father, a father figure, or celebrating with a father, we're delighted to have you join us for worship and fellowship. Let's take this opportunity to reflect on the blessings of fatherhood and the love of our Heavenly Father. May today's service uplift and inspire you! "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." - Psalm 112:1-2 (ESV) Blessings,