by Pastor Cecil | Jul 4, 2020 | Philippians
Philippians 2:3
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
If your kids are anything like our kids, they went through a stage of independence. They wanted to do things themselves, even when they were not able to accomplish the task they were attempting. Kids are not alone in acting independently.
I once went golfing with my father-in-law and two of his regular golfing mates. I had never been on the links before, but since I was far younger than the others, I felt that I could hold my own. I stood at the first tee and gave a mighty swing! I missed the ball completely! On the next mighty swing I struck the ball, only to have it dribble a few feet from the tee. It was a very long and humiliating day. The others enjoyed the day as I was providing them with great entertainment.
On this day, July 4th, we celebrate Independence Day. While we may rejoice in the freedoms that our forefathers fought to assure us, it is vital that we remember that we never are to live independently. WE NEED EACH OTHER!
Not only do we need each other, we must have the Lord in control of our lives. Acts 17:28 reminds us that In Him we live and move and have our being. Our independent attitude ends with our total dependence on Him. HAPPY DEPENDENCE DAY
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 3, 2020 | Ruth
Ruth 2:8
“Then Boaz said to Ruth, ‘You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women.’”
It is hard to make a list of beloved hymns without encountering Fanny J. Crosby. This blind little lady composed well over 8,000 hymns and poems in her life. It is sad that many churches never sing these songs anymore. They are the losers!
As I think about the life of Fanny J. Crosby I am humbled. With her physical limitations she expressed her longing to be more and more like the Master she served. This hymn seems to highlight her aim to draw closer to Him.
In today’s Scripture, Boaz instructed Ruth to stay near the women who worked for him. He was her kinsman redeemer even though she did not know it. Christ is our Kinsman Redeemer and we know it because the Bible tells us so. Are we like Fanny J. Crosby having a desire to be closer to Him?
CLOSE TO THEE
- Thou my everlasting portion,
More than friend or life to me,
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with Thee.
Refrain: Close to Thee, close to Thee,
Close to Thee, close to Thee;
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with Thee.
- Not for ease or worldly pleasure,
Nor for fame my prayer shall be;
Gladly will I toil and suffer,
Only let me walk with Thee.
Refrain: Close to Thee, close to Thee,
Close to Thee, close to Thee;
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with Thee.
- Lead me through the vale of shadows,
Bear me o’er life’s fitful sea;
Then the gate of life eternal
May I enter, Lord, with Thee.
Refrain: Close to Thee, close to Thee,
Close to Thee, close to Thee;
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with Thee.
Enjoy this free inspirational video of, “Close to Thee” by going to: https://gloryscapes.com/closetothee/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 2, 2020 | Philippians
Philippians 4:6-7
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
At times it seems the chief goal of nations is to find a path to peace. That search continues until one nation becomes stronger than others and then adopts an attitude of dominance rather than seeking peace. To that nation, peace would come as other nations yield to its dominant position.
In all their efforts, neither nations nor individuals find peace in achieving rank or position. In fact, the search for peace more often than not leads to conflict and frustration. More never seems to be enough!
Looking at God’s pattern for attaining peace we find the solution in today’s scripture. It begins with ridding ourselves of anxiety. How do we do that? By bringing all of our requests to the Lord and allowing Him to answer our needs.
We find the path to peace when we thank the Lord for His provisions before we ever receive them. That is why we can honestly and sincerely pray that His will be done —not ours. He alone knows what we really need. He is our path to peace!
May God richly bless you by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 1, 2020 | 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:17
“For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we are going to experience periods of suffering in our days here on earth. There are some teachers and preachers who try to convince their listeners that only good things come to those who trust (and send in a generous offering).
Jesus prayed for all of His disciples (including us) that His Father not take us out of the world, but be with us in the world. All of His disciples suffered terribly here on earth, but oh, what peace and comfort awaited them as they were welcomed into paradise.
Suffering in and of itself is not worthy of praise. We can be the source of our own suffering and it certainly is not worthy of praise. We might truthfully say that we can endure suffering and be a blessing, or we can cause suffering and be a pain!
The question arises then, what are we suffering for? Are we the cause of our own suffering, or is the Lord allowing us to shine forth as bright lights in the midst of our suffering? I want to be on God’s side suffering for the right reason!
May God richly bless you by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
