by Pastor Cecil | Jan 24, 2020 | Psalm
Psalm 18:2
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
We are told that the persecution of believers around the world is increasing. Many are tortured for their faith and some killed. It has been estimated that there are over 100,000 deaths each year at the hands of the enemies of the cross.
Ira Sankey was a singer and song writer who ministered alongside evangelist D. L. Moody. He had experienced an extended time of trial and tears in his own personal life. It was during this time of agonizing prayer that the song Hiding In Thee was born. I am so thankful that the Lord heard and answered his prayer. It has ministered to many people across the years.
About twenty years after Sankey wrote his beautiful piece, Sergei Rachmaninoff was experiencing many problems in his life. He had a mental block, could not write, and felt useless. After several years of emptiness he broke out of his doldrums and composed his Second Piano Concerto. It is a joy to feature a blending of both works this week. ENJOY!
Hiding in Thee
O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be;
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour,
In times when temptation casts o’er me its power,
In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
I have fled to my refuge and breathed out my woe;
How often, when trials like sea billows roll,
Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
To access this week’s free inspirational video, please go to: https://gloryscapes.com/hidinginthee/
God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 23, 2020 | Genesis
Genesis 37:31
“So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood.”
What is the definition of a lie? It may not necessarily be just words, but it may be the intentional misleading of another person to come to a false conclusion. Most (if not all) of us have at one time or another stretched the truth to the point that it became a lie. In the case of Joseph’s brothers, they allowed their father to assume that his favored son had been killed by some wild animal.
They did not actually tell the lie, but they presented Joseph’s bloody tunic and acted as if they had simply found it. Then they let their father believe a completely false scenario of his own imagination. I can only imagine the guilt they must have felt each time they heard their father’s weeping over a son he believed had been so violently killed.
I think it would be worthwhile for each of us to stop and consider if we have been guilty of leading someone else to believe something that is not true. Remember those devious brothers of Joseph and examine our own actions to determine if we are guilty of a prelude to a lie.
We may justify ourselves in that we did not actually tell a lie, but did we lead others to believe something that was false?
May God richly bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 22, 2020 | Proverbs
Proverbs 14:12
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
I recently came across a newspaper headline announcing that some educator had designed a system in which there are no wrong answers. I confess that my initial reaction was one of disgust as I refuse to spend time with such foolishness.
It did cause me to pause and contemplate how the unregenerate (unsaved) person stands against the truth that each of us “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Do we really need some ridiculous notion that we need to coddle young minds into believing that there are no wrong answers in life? Read any newspaper and you will discover that our society is flooded with wrong answers!
The truth be told, there is a correct answer to the reality of life. That correct answer is the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who came into the world and provided us with the eternally correct answer to the problem of sin in our life. It is only when we choose to bow before Him and receive His eternal salvation that we will find that He is eager to receive us into His glorious kingdom.
May God richly bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 21, 2020 | James
James 4:14
“Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
Each of us are living one heartbeat away from eternity. We never know when something internally will malfunction or when some accident will occur which will hurtle us into our eternal destiny. One thing of which we can all be certain, this life is but a mist that quickly passes away! Eternity is a certainty! It is only the, when and how which is hidden from us.
But there is another question. What should we be doing while we are still here? The simple answer is that we must be doing the will of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. He told all of his disciples (that includes us) that we are to go and make disciples of all nations. We are told that we are to lead them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and then to teach them everything that He has commanded. What is your life?
The most critical decision we have to make in this life, is either accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, or to continue as we are. To not accept Christ is to make the decision to refuse Him. Once we do receive Him, we are given the command to share Him with others. It may be a husband, wife, child, parent, relative, or a stranger. When the Lord opens the door of opportunity, we must be ready to offer others the gift of eternal life. What is your life?
May God richly bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 20, 2020 | Proverbs
Proverbs 4:5
“Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.”
There always seems to be someone who claims to have all of the answers. There are those who claim to have the ability to know the future and advise the unwary of how to profit from this so-called special counsel that can be obtained for a low, low price – – – but only if you act now! Sound familiar?
God gives us His wise counsel in the Bible. We read in Hebrews 4:13; “He knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing can be hidden from him to whom we must explain all that we have done.”
There is only one true source of truly wise counsel and that is God. We need to increasingly spend time in His Word and hide it in our heart. If you want to know what is absolute truth go to God in prayer and then spend time in His Word.
It is tragic that many Christians never read their Bible. Sadly there are some who do not even know where they have left theirs. At best some carry it to church, but the rest of the time it is neglected. If you need WISE COUNSEL, go to the source .
May God richly bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
