by Pastor Cecil | Mar 31, 2020 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 30:19
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”
We all make choices. Sometimes those choices are insignificant, but other times they are the difference between life and death. While dangerous decisions may result in physical death, a far more serious consequence awaits those who fail to choose the eternal life that is available through the shed blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
The book of Deuteronomy is Moses addressing the children of Israel at the end of their 40-year wilderness wandering. It was not God’s choice for them to wander for forty years, but it was a consequence of their failure to trust in Him.
Today we are also called to make a choice. We can either choose to accept the gift of eternal salvation and be assured of an eternity with the Lord, or we can do nothing and be lost for eternity.
Even after receiving Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we can choose His life flowing through us or we can continue to operate in our own strength and be defeated over and over again. Personally, I choose Life and will follow after Him!
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 30, 2020 | Psalm
Psalm 143:8
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You.”
Sometimes, when we are so caught up in the storms of life, it seems as if all our reference points are lost and we cannot see a clear-cut direction for our life. As I consider that particular loss of direction, I can see that our modern culture is so polluted with sin and an erasure of moral absolutes that we are left with mis-direction or no direction.
So how do we find a reliable source of navigation in our life? Again, we fall back upon the Word of God. Today’s Scripture speaks of morning. I think it is essential that we call upon the Lord as early in the day as possible. We need the Great Navigator of all creation to have control of our life. The longer we wait, the more off course we become.
It also speaks of God bringing us His Word. I am sure that almost everyone has heard that old cliché: “A day without God’s Word makes one weak!” We need Him not just daily but each moment throughout the day to give direction and meaning to our life.
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 27, 2020 | 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18
“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”
Though an invalid for much of her life, Eliza Edmunds Hewitt was always active and enjoyed a long personal friendship with Fanny Crosby. These two women met often for fellowship and discussion of their new hymns. Eliza was a school teacher in Philadelphia and a Christian lay worker who was committed to write songs to teach children the basic truths of the gospel. This song was written for her own Sunday school class in Philadelphia.
Miss Hewitt often attended the Methodist camp meetings at Ocean Grove, New Jersey. It was here that she collaborated with Emily Wilson, the wife of a Methodist district superintendent in Philadelphia, in the writing of this triumphant gospel hymn–a favorite of young and old alike. “When We All Get to Heaven” was first published in 1898.
When We All Get to Heaven
1. Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing His mercy and His grace. In the mansions bright and blessed He’ll prepare for us a place.
Refrain: When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
2. While we walk the pilgrim pathway, Clouds will overspread the sky; But when traveling days are over, Not a shadow, not a sigh.
Refrain: When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
3. Let us then be true and faithful, Trusting, serving every day; Just one glimpse of Him in glory will the toils of life repay.
Refrain: When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
4. Onward to the prize before us! Soon His beauty we’ll behold; Soon the pearly gates will open; We shall tread the streets of gold.
Refrain: When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
Enjoy this week’s free inspirational video, “When We All Get To Heaven” from GloryScapes.com. by going to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/whenweallgettoheaven/
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 26, 2020 | Proverbs
Proverbs 11:30
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”
The days of our life are brief and uncertain. There are some who spend much of their time striving to be healed of some physical ailment. I am not opposed to healing, but I hate to break it to you —all healing is temporary! We all are going to die unless we are caught up to meet the Lord in the Rapture of the Church.
Please understand that I do not want to rain on our parade, but I want for us as believers to be prepared to share the real life that is available to those who have been born again.
Those fruit growers who maintain orchards know that at times it is necessary to prune back their trees. Branches are lopped off and their trees frequently look like there are more branches on the ground than on the tree. If the tree could talk it might complain that it is being killed. Just the opposite is true. It is being prepared to produce a better crop!
When we experience painful losses in our life we might react by spending our energy blaming God or others. We might use all of our energy to correct things that cannot be corrected. What we need to do is yield to our Master Gardener and allow Him to prepare us to bear much fruit!
Blessings dear hearts! Trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 25, 2020 | Psalm
Psalm 23:4
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
It is interesting that the Psalmist does not say he walks through the valley of death; but the valley of the shadow of death. While the word death appears in both expressions, one is the reality of death while the other is only a shadow of death. I want to express a truth I have shared many times: SHADOWS ARE ALWAYS LARGER THAN THE ACTUAL OBJECT!
At my age, I have gone through both the valley of death and the valley of the shadow of death. I have walked the dark and dismal path through the shadow of death and I want you to know that it is a daunting experience. As I think about it I am sure that I shed more tears through the valley of the shadow of death.
As I try to make sense of this I am reminded that in the dark and foreboding shadows that intrude on our pathway, the Lord has promised that He will be with us and that He will bring us comfort.
If you are facing a valley right now, look up to the Lord and know that He is there beside you and will give you the comfort that you need to keep on going!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
