by Pastor Cecil | May 7, 2020 | 1 Peter
1 Peter 2:2
“Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment.”
For many years I have enjoyed feeding wild birds outside my window. It has been especially interesting to observe when newborn babies arrive at the feeders. They cannot be identified by their size since most of the time they appear to be the same size as their parents, or even larger.
So how do they stand out as baby birds? They have “flutter wings.” They perch near the feeders and flutter their wings waiting for their mother to come and bring food to their open beak. Sometimes even other species will feed these hungry babes.
I think this is the picture of what the Lord desires for each of His children. It is His wish that we may seek from Him the life-giving spiritual nourishment that will cause us to grow strong in the faith.
Here is the important question: Are you fluttering your spiritual wings as you seek after the spiritual food to be found in the Bible. If not, I urge you to spend time on your knees to rekindle the flame of your first love.
Blessings dear hearts! May you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 6, 2020 | Psalm
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
Do you need a quiet place, a place far away from the stress and turmoil of life? This quiet place is more of a spiritual state of mind than a physical location. We can experience quietness and peace even in the battles of life. We know what our battlegrounds are — what we need is peace!
But what about our life right now? The Lord is anxious for us to enter into a blessed quietness with Him. It may require a commitment on our part to find the time and place where we can experience Him in serenity. We can hear the Lord call to us from today’s passage of Scripture: “Be still, and know that I am God.” If we fail to take the time to be alone with God, we will never experience the knowledge of His Lordship in our life. It will lead to our own efforts to work out our solutions.
The quiet, healing, intimate presence of God is to be found only as we consciously make an effort to be alone with Him. Ask the Lord to show you a time that you may be able to devote to be alone with Him. As you come to that quiet place, spend more time listening than speaking.
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 5, 2020 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 15:52
“It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.”
On May 18, 1980, Mt. St. Helens erupted. It had originally stood at an elevation of 9,677 feet. Following the eruption, 1,313 feet had been blown away and it now rises to 8,364 feet. Before that fateful day in 1980, geologists had warned that the eruption was going to happen. It was not a question as to if it would occur, but when it would happen. There were many who failed to heed the warning and on that Sunday morning of May 18, 1980, 57 people lost their lives.
Up until that fateful Sunday morning, people went about their normal activities with the realization that at any moment there would be an explosion of some kind on that mountain. It was not a matter of “if,” but “when.” In the same way, Jesus said that He would come again — it is not a matter of “if,” but “when.”
Across the centuries of time, doubters have scoffed at the idea of a literal return of our Lord, but it will happen! Many of those scoffers have died and are now aware of the reality of all things. Some entered eternity unprepared for the reality that God’s Word is true and faithful. IT WILL HAPPEN! BE PREPARED!
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 4, 2020 | Psalm
Psalm 65:5
“By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far-off seas.”
Once Jesus was surrounded by such a huge crowd of people so large that He got into a boat and sat in it and taught the people who were on the shore. That evening He told His disciples to take the boats to the other side of the lake.
In the boat Jesus went to sleep on a cushion and later a furious squall came up and threatened to capsize the vessel. Remember that many of these disciples were seasoned fishermen who had spent their lives out on this lake in all kinds of weather, but this particular storm threatened to overwhelm them. To the frightened disciples it seemed impossible that Jesus could sleep through such a storm, but He did.
The terrified men shook Jesus awake and announced they were about to drown. It is then that we read the quiet words of power in Mark 4:39: When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.
When we find ourselves in the midst of the storms of life we need to call on the One who is the Storm Calmer. We need to call on Jesus. He is the answer!
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 1, 2020 | Isaiah
Isaiah 26:2-3
“Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
Years ago I recall listening to a sermon tape by Donald Grey Barnhouse, a prominent pastor and teacher. Years earlier he had just completed an evangelistic meeting several hundred miles from his home in Philadelphia, when he was given a telegram. It informed him that his son had been in a serious accident and was near death.
His only way back to Philadelphia was by rail. As Dr. Barnhouse entered his sleeper, his spirit was greatly disturbed. He knew that it would be hours before his train arrived back home and that there was nothing he could do but leave his son in God’s hands.
As he prayed, he recalled a phrase from Isaiah 65:25, “- – – but dust will be the serpent’s food.” Using that passage he asked the Lord to feed the serpent dust, but to please grant him a good night’s rest. He fell fast asleep and the next thing he knew the porter was touching his shoulder to tell him that they were nearing Philadelphia.
The Lord had answered his prayer. His son lived and during his time of recuperation he committed his life to full time Christian service. If you have been having trouble getting to sleep at night, ask the Lord to give you His blessed rest and feed the serpent dust.
To You Before the Close of Day
To you before the close of day,
Creator of the world we pray!
Your grace and peace to us allow,
And be our guard and keeper now.
From evil dreams defend our sight,
From all the terrors of the night.
From all deluding thoughts that creep,
On heedless minds disarmed by sleep.
O Father, this we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Your only Son.
Who with the Holy Spirit and with You,
Shall live and reign all ages through. Amen.
To access this free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: https://gloryscapes.com/toyoubeforethecloseofday/
Blessings dear hearts!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
