September 21st 2020
David_Orr • September 21, 2020
The Light
25 'With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless. 26 With the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. 27 For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. 28 For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. 29 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. 30 This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true. He is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. ' Psalm 18:25-30 ESV
7 ' The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. 8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness. ' Nahum 1:7-8 ESV
I couldn’t post all of Psalm 18 or Nahum Chapter 1 but they are both awesome to read. Brother Robbie is preaching through the Basics of God’s Word and he preached on Genesis 3 this morning. He made the point that when confronted Adam tried to shift the blame to God. God was the ONE that said “Don’t eat of that tree because the day you do you will die.” There are games all over the internet where you have to open the right valves to do the right thing. If you open the vat of poison or flaming liquid on the person they die. But if you open the right valves the danger is eliminated and the intended happens. You can’t blame the creator of the game for you doing the wrong sequence of things. If you choose to eat the fruit you get the poison that fruit contains.
If you choose to be obedient to God you get what He intends for you to have or do. In experience I have found the things of obedience can bring the hardest situations: but you battle Satan. If tempted by Satan you are supposed to flee: but if God orders you to stand He stands with you. In obedience to God you get a front row spot to watch the battle of Good VS Evil for Eternity. Alone against the Devil you WILL lose but standing with God you will see Satan’s defeat. Like the pillar of Cloud/Fire that led Israel through the wilderness: darkness to God’s enemy was Light to His people. God is the One that gives Light/Understanding to our eyes and shows His Way.
Psalm 18 was written on one of the occasions when David was delivered from the hands of Saul. Many of the Psalms of Light we are reading are David’s: in contrast Saul’s heart was pure darkness. Brother Robbie preached tonight about when Mary and Joseph lost the 12 year old Messiah at Jerusalem. He used it as a picture of us making choices that separate us from Jesus and how we seek him. As Robbie preached I remembered when my choices had separated me from Jesus. The remembrance of that darkness chilled my soul and made me want to cry. The level of darkness you have known will determine how far you are willing to stray. I asked God if I had strayed and He asked me “Are you still breathing?” The darkness trying to catch up with me will end me if I stray. Practice God’s Presence.
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,