by Pastor Cecil | Aug 24, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 5:11
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.”
I once had a man from my congregation make an appointment to talk with me. He came to our home and we enjoyed a light lunch before going into my office. Out of the clear blue I heard these words: “I hate your guts!” Wow! You could have knocked me over with a feather. Prior to this there did not seem to be any sort of conflict between us, so his statement was an unexpected blow.
With my mind reeling, I prayed silently for God’s wisdom and strength. With as much sincerity as possible I said, “I am so glad that you feel free to share your feelings with me.” From that incident I would like to suggest a few ways to respond to and love the unlovable:
(1) Rely on God’s wisdom in dealing with the person.
(2) Realize that these unlovable people need love—perhaps more than others.
(3) Remember how unlovable our sins are in God’s sight.
(4) Rejoice that we are counted worthy to encounter persecution.
(5) Respond with love rather than retaliate with resentment.
What happened on that Sunday evening so long ago? We spent time together as he poured out his heart. As he was leaving he looked me directly in the eye and said, “Pastor, I love you so much!” Double Wow! That was certainly a dramatic change from the statement he had declared earlier. God is so good!
May God richly bless you by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 7, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 6:27
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
True Christian character is certainly seen in our biblical heroes, but it may often be seen in those of more recent times. Hope is a character quality that looks beyond our immediate circumstances and shows what we as believers have waiting for us.
In the Sweet By and By is one of the most enduring songs written after the Civil War. It was composed by Sanford Bennett who was the owner of a drugstore in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. He had just returned from the war. A friend, Joseph Webster, a gifted musician trained formally in composition, came to the store each day to talk and play chess. Often Webster would be depressed and down.
When asked what was wrong, Webster would often reply; “It will be alright by and by.” That idea hit Bennett like a flash of sunlight! As Bennett later described the incident, he took out a pen and it was all over in thirty minutes. A new hymn was born. In short order he was singing the words along with Webster and two other friends. That hymn was perfect for the post-Civil War era because it conveyed pathos with a mixture of comforting warmth. It came to typify the virtues of spiritual hope.
Sweet By and By
- There is a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way,
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by;
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
- We shall sing on that beautiful shore,
The melodious songs of the blest;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by;
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
- To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise,
For the glorious gift of His love,
And the blessings that hallow our days.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by;
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
Enjoy this free inspirational video from Gloryscapes.com by going to: https://gloryscapes.com/sweetbyandby/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 27, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 14:29-30
“So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’”
Many people have been critical of the Apostle Peter because he started to sink as he was walking on the water toward Jesus. Let me ask you a few questions: How many other disciples got out of the boat to take a single step? How many people since that day have walked on water (not counting ice)?
What invitation or invitations has the Lord extended to you and me that require getting out of our “boat of comfort” in order to walk along beside Him? When we do respond to the Lord’s call, how often do we take our eyes off of Him?
The Lord calls us to come to Him, and as long as we obey and keep our eyes on Him as we walk, all will be well. The moment we take our eyes off of the Lord and focus on the threatening waves around us we will start to sink.
God calls us to simply come to Him and abide with Him one step at a time. The important thing is not the size of the waves around us, but the power of our Savior and Lord who is the Master of all of our storms of life.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 30, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 5:11
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.”
I once had a man from my congregation make an appointment to talk with me. He came to our home and we enjoyed a light lunch before going into my office. Out of the clear blue I heard these words: “I hate your guts!” Wow! You could have knocked me over with a feather. Prior to this there did not seem to be any sort of conflict between us, so his statement was an unexpected blow.
With my mind reeling, I prayed silently for God’s wisdom and strength. With as much sincerity as possible I said, “I am so glad that you feel free to share your feelings with me.” From that incident I would like to suggest a few ways to respond to and love the unlovable:
(1) Rely on God’s wisdom in dealing with the person.
(2) Realize that these unlovable people need love—perhaps more than others.
(3) Remember how unlovable our sins are in God’s sight.
(4) Rejoice that we are counted worthy to encounter persecution.
(5) Respond with love rather than retaliate with resentment.
What happened on that Sunday evening so long ago? We spent time together as he poured out his heart. As he was leaving he looked me directly in the eye and said, “Pastor, I love you so much!” Double Wow! That was certainly a dramatic change from the statement he had declared earlier. God is so good!
May God richly bless you by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 4, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 5:44
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”
I once noticed a car with a prominent bumper sticker that simply stated: OTHERS. As I sat there waiting for the light to change, I reflected on just what that word means to people. I have heard sermons preached and lessons given on reaching out to others, but the words often did not match the lives of the hearers or even of those propounding the message of concern for others.
There is no secret about the fact that we live in a self-absorbed world. People are so focused on what is best for themselves that they tend to be blind to the plight of others around them.
In the 25th chapter of Matthew, Jesus speaks about the final judgment. To the righteous He gives commendation for feeding, clothing, and ministering to Him. To the unrighteous He condemns them for failing to do those same things for Him. In both instances the people had no idea their actions were considered as unto the Lord. It was then that He stunned both groups by proclaiming that when they took care of (or ignored) people’s needs, they were doing it for and to Him. That, my friend, is being OTHERS minded! Are you?
Blessings dear hearts! May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 20, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 6:27
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
True Christian character is certainly seen in our biblical heroes, but it may often be seen in those of more recent times. Hope is a character quality that looks beyond our immediate circumstances and shows what we as believers have waiting for us.
In the Sweet By and By is one of the most enduring songs written after the Civil War. It was composed by Sanford Bennett who was the owner of a drugstore in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. He had just returned from the war. A friend, Joseph Webster, a gifted musician trained formally in composition, came to the store each day to talk and play chess. Often Webster would be depressed and down.
When asked what was wrong, Webster would often reply; “It will be alright by and by.” That idea hit Bennett like a flash of sunlight! As Bennett later described the incident, he took out a pen and it was all over in thirty minutes. A new hymn was born. In short order he was singing the words along with Webster and two other friends. That hymn was perfect for the post-Civil War era because it conveyed pathos with a mixture of comforting warmth. It came to typify the virtues of spiritual hope.
Sweet By and By
- There is a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way,
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by;
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
- We shall sing on that beautiful shore,
The melodious songs of the blest;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
- To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise,
For the glorious gift of His love,
And the blessings that hallow our days.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
Enjoy this free inspirational video from Gloryscapes.com by going to: http://gloryscapes.com/sweetbyandby/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
