Mount Pleasant Baptist Church

Daily Nugget: “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.” Matthew 11:18-19 You surely have heard the saying, “You can’t please all the people all the time?” It certainly is true, especially when one tries to live for the Lord. John the Baptist experienced criticism. Jesus noted of the prophet that there was none greater than John (Mat. 11:11), yet that godly man was accused of being demon-possessed (Mat. 11:18). Jesus, the sinless Son of God, was also charged of being gluttonous and a drunkard (Mat. 11:19). If the great spiritual giants and God’s only Son were wrongly accused and spoken of by some, Christians should not be surprised when things get twisted around, and are talked about negatively. Here are some thoughts when your reputation is being questioned: If it is...

Header from Matthew in a 1611 KJV Daily Nugget: When one gets saved, he is expected to serve the Lord that saved him. No one is to lazily sit and soak up God's goodness. He is to do what the God commands in His Word: to go and tell others the messages from God's Word, feed one’s self spiritually, have a relationship with the Lord, and to do what the Lord lays on one’s heart to do for Him. These seem to some to be simple tasks, but these responsibilities can cause one a lot of grief when determining to do them. Matthew 10 is primarily to the disciples that Jesus had hand-picked. The context of the passages is about these men who were to reach the Jews. They were warned ahead of time and that it would not be an easy task to tell others what they had learned from Christ. Although it was addressed to the disciples reaching the people of Israel, there is much that they faced, that if we try to live and do right, we also expect to encounter. This may include persecution and ...

Daily Nugget: “But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matthew 9:12-13 Sometimes the sick do not even know that they need a physician. That was my condition for over 36 years. I was spiritually sin-sick because of my iniquities. I was religious, but lost, and did not even realize I was unsaved and not bound for Heaven. For many years I had gone to church and knew about God. I knew that Jesus Christ had come to Earth and died on the Cross for my sins. In spite of all that knowledge, I was not born again. I was not saved. I was not trusting the price Jesus paid for my “illness,” but was relying on my good works and deeds. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 “For ...

Daily Nugget: “And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.” Matthew 8:23-26 The disciples had witnessed many of the healings and casting out of demons that Jesus had done. They realized that such miracles could only have been done by God. Yet, with all they had seen and heard, they were still men and had weaknesses. In Matthew 8:23-26, it is seen that Jesus’ disciples experienced a terrible storm at sea while the Son of God was on board. Still, they feared perishing from the overpowering weather, although the Master of the seas, earth, and planets was not far away from them. All their spiritual victories and ob...

Daily Nugget: One of the verses most used against a Christian trying to tell another what the Bible says about a subject is Matthew 7:1. As soon as the listener hears that what he believes or is doing is contrary to biblical teachings, the “Judge not, or you will be judged” is whipped out as a defense. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matthew 7:1-2 Although the verse is often misquoted, it usually does the job to silence one that is telling another what the Bible teaches about a topic. The one explaining what the Word of God teaches becomes silent, as he does not want to be judged by a Holy God. None of us are perfect. We should not judge another, but there are several matters we must discern, to protect ourselves from wrong situations and influences. Here is what the rest of the chapter teaches about judging. We are to: Discern who should be given spirit...

Daily Nugget: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 Much of the world, especially in prosperous countries, is confused with what is important. People’s desires and priorities have made the “things” in their lives paramount. However, all one’s money, big houses, boats, social status, education, and possessions will not matter one tiny bit in eternity that all will one-day face. As Matthew 6:19-21 makes clear, accumulations in this life will not last. The moths can destroy even the finest clothing hanging in the closest. Rust will one-day claim one’s car as it will eventually end upside down in a scrap yard. Shiny treasures that cost so much time and resources to gain may even be...

Daily Nugget: In Matthew 5 is one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, the Sermon on the Mount, and its teachings, the “Beatitudes.” Many preachers and Sunday school teachers dive right in and relate all of its teachings to today. They are often wrong. Not all of what Christ taught here should be applied to today. I know this statement may be as popular as a screen door on a submarine, but I believe it to be true. Let us examine what is taught here, rather than what makes good preaching. Understand who is telling the story — Matthew, a devoted Jew. He was talking to Jews. The Jews were waiting for the Messiah to rule and reign on this earth. Although Jesus’ reign may have happened if the Jews had accepted Christ (Mat. 3:2), they did not. Christ will one day rule this earth for 1,000 years, the millennial reign. Verse three makes it clear what most of this chapter is talking about: the “kingdom of heaven.” This chapter talks much, but not all, about the time when Jesus rules over this ea...

Daily Nugget: Matthew 4 contains the famous account of Jesus’ temptations. In this chapter, the enemy, Satan, came to Jesus and attempted to get Jesus to sin. Although we usually are not a spiritual threat to rate Satan’s personal attention to get us to fall, we can relate to Jesus’ temptations when our flesh tempts us. We all can learn from Jesus’ account with Satan, where our Saviour was enticed to do evil: Jesus was tempted when He was physically weak. He fasted for 40 days and nights. Although His body was more vulnerable without having eaten, His spiritual relationship with God was strong. He had previously spent a lot of time in fellowship with God. Our bodies can also be weak from exhaustion, sickness, or trials, but we can still be spiritually resilient, as was the Saviour. Temptation came to Jesus. He did not look for it. Although no one desires trials and tests, they will come to us as they did to God’s Son. In all of Jesus’ three temptations, He fought off the enemy ...

Daily Nugget: There have been and is much unbiblical teaching and practices regarding baptism. Some sprinkle babies with water and call it “baptism.” Some believe baptism, however it is done, washes away sin. Others’ practice includes getting baptized after each time one sins, and others even get baptized for other people. The scripture in Matthew 3, if followed, should dispel many of those false teachings. Here is what this chapter reveals about baptism: Even Jesus humbled Himself to be baptized. Many get saved but are too proud or embarrassed to stand before others and be baptized. If Jesus got baptized, surely we should, if we are saved.  Jesus was baptized. He was without sin, so the baptismal waters could not possibly wash away sins. If it were true that they did wash away sins, we would be cleansed from sin every time we went into the river or were drenched by rains. The waters are not “magical.” It is only a step of obedience for a believer, and a picture of Jesus’ de...

Daily Nugget: Many in the world celebrate Christmas. People’s ideas of what happened at Jesus’ birth are often derived from artists’ renderings of the event or of opinions and not what the Bible says. In Matthew 2, we see four areas where people, who do not read the Bible for themselves, err when they compare their knowledge of Christ’s birth to the biblical account: It was the wise men that followed the star to find where the young child lay, not the shepherds. “Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.” Matthew 2:7 “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.” Matthew 2:9 Jesus was a “young child” when the wise men visited Him, not a “babe” (Luke 2). “… till it came and stood over where the young child was.” Mat. 2:9 The wise men visited Jesus in the “house,” not in the manager. When they s...

Daily Nugget: Many get discouraged when they start reading the New Testament because they encounter so many “begat”s. When reading Matthew, the family tree in chapter one is avoided “because of the boring stuff” and a more “exciting” part is found and read. The genealogy of Jesus is there for a reason. Skipping over it is missing essential information that Jesus was not just another baby. His birth was long prophesied. Matthew 1:1 starts the Gospels out with a vital announcement. ”The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Jesus’ birth was the fulfillment of a prophecy that “all the nations of the earth” shall be blessed from the offspring of Abraham. This announcement came around 1870 years before Christ was born (Gen. 22:18). Also, in this verse is a second fulfilled prophecy that Jesus would be born from the seed of King David (Jeremiah 23:5-6). That promise was made about 590 B. C. and fulfilled when Jesus was born. See what happens...

Everyone goes through trials, including health problems, for different reasons. No one is exempt from health problems, even Christians!  No one leaves this world healthy!  Man can curse and blame God for his problems and trials, but God often has another reason for allowing different tribulations to occur in one's life. Here are the health problems different biblical characters faced and how they were benefited: Paul had an unspecified health problem so he would have to trust God for His help to get through the difficulty. “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.” II Cor. 12:9 Read also: I Peter 5:10. Job went through many trials and tribulations, including health problems.  God allowed Satan to inflict Job with health problems, so that Satan would see Job was faithful to God; not just because God blesse...

Dear Liberal Friend, I am so sorry about how our friendship has turned out. I was so excited when I first learned that you were a Christian. Fellowship and relationships with others of like faith are very important to me. However, I quickly learned that your definition and my definition of being a “Christian” are completely different. When one says they are a “Christian,” I assume their thinking and lifestyle would be aligned with the Bible. Your “Christianity” is not what is described in the Bible. As a matter of fact, most of the time, you did not want to discuss the Bible. When the conversation did lead to spiritual things, you quickly went on the defense and accused me of judging or argued the doctrine. We have spent more time discussing “what the Bible really means,” as you keep saying, rather than agreeing on the things of God. My other friendships with Christians have never been this strained. It has always been easy and perfectly natural for my other friends and me to tal...

I remember clearly how we would laugh about going to Hell. “Yeah, we’ll be together in Hell. We’ll have a good time partying,” I laughed. “Sure,” my friend scoffed as he guzzled down another beer. “Yea, just one big party — forever and forever!” Years went by. After heartaches, learning the hard way, and a lot of God’s grace and mercy, I got saved. I accepted Christ as my Saviour and tried to live for Him. My friends could tell there was something different about me. I did not want to party with them anymore. They got more uncomfortable around me as I had a burden to share with them what I had learned from the Bible. Soon we grew apart and seldom spent time together. As I grew in the Lord and studied the Bible, I learned more about the reality of Hell. All the things that I had heard as a child about the place of torment were true. It was a place where the fire would never stop burning one’s flesh, and a place of eternal loneliness What a horrible, terrible place. It was a place...