August 22nd 2020
David_Orr • August 22, 2020
Standing God’s Ground
The Warrior
Faith’s Mighty Warrior
The only things that Faith’s Warrior hates is fear. Being afraid is the only thing that can steal a Victory God has promised. The only thing that can stop the Salvation of a soul is they don’t ask. They don’t ask because they don’t understand: they don’t understand because they are afraid to see. Hate toward people is from the deceiver and destroyer’s heart and shouldn’t be seen at all in God’s Warrior.
There is evil that does need to see God’s indignation: don’t pour that out on those evil has deceived. It is the Warrior’s task to cut away the lies so the deceived can see the truth. Love should be what they see because indignation insights and invites an attitude of rebellion. Be sure you don’t insight froth by agitation instead of faith by supplication. “Praying Always” is the most important part of what you are trying to do as a Warrior or Soldier of the Cross. The Warrior always prays that God guide every thought, action, and word to accomplish what He intends. Faith Believes God
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3 ESV
It is a liberating thought when you realize your whole duty toward God is to trust Him and obey His commands. Many preachers are driving congregations away and themselves insane by trying to make people do right. God is the only being that can actually make anyone do anything and He allows each person to choose. Forced obedience isn’t real just like making someone love you makes them hate you. As part of the praise team I can’t make people worship God. I can worship God with all my heart and hope my enthusiasm will coax others to do the same.
All those people in Hebrews 11 came to an understanding of who God is and believed Him. They believed God knew what they should do so they obeyed Him and accomplished things impossible for mere men. They understood that God’s Warrior is limited in vision
I have spent my life fixing things and it taught me one very important thing. “If you don’t know, leave it alone.” But God leads us to do things way beyond our mental, emotional and physical abilities. I have guided customer’s through system resets over the phone and they did things they didn’t understand but it worked.
We see small but God sees all: does it matter if the only thing we understand is we obeyed God? The Word of God in our hearts accomplishes things so much bigger than our understanding. The act of Salvation is made simple but we rejoice in spending the rest of our lives trying to understand it. It is accepted by faith: we believe Jesus has it in hand and we trust Him.
What I am trying to relate in all this is being bivouacked in God’s camp isn’t supposed to be a fearful thing. Through Christ you have chosen victory: all you have to do for the rest of eternity is what God says. Believing Him says you know that He knows what He is doing and you don’t have to know.
I can barely figure out the seven remotes I have to work to watch TV: could I save a soul? What I understand is I had to let Jesus do all that and I just believed Him. But I do know Him and what he did for me: I can tell my testimony and introduce you. Being a warrior for Jesus is realizing it’s His breath in your lungs and you just relax and breathe. As His Word was written as He breathed it into those that penned it: listen to His Word and Spirit. Just breathe.
Next week we look at “Standing in the Gap.”
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,