by Pastor Cecil | Dec 3, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 26:43
“And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.”
It was on this date in 1941 that Japanese carrier-based planes bombed Pearl Harbor and catapulted the U.S. into World War II. Some have commented that the attitude of complacency that the U.S. demonstrated was like being asleep at the wheel!
Back when I was working as a city police officer, a patrolman that I worked with related an embarrassing moment. He was working the graveyard shift (11 p.m. – 7 a.m.) and he was exhausted. As he approached an intersection where the traffic light was red, he decided to put his car in park and close his heavy eyes for a few seconds. He was not sure how long those few seconds were, but he was rudely awakened by a paper boy who timidly said, “Sir, the light is green now!” Wow! We laughed ourselves silly thinking about it.
Spiritually we all too frequently find ourselves much like the disciples of Jesus. He left them to go pray, but they fell asleep. Before we become too critical of those dozing disciples, how often have we dozed instead of remaining faithfully awake in our service to the One who gave His everything for us? I for one want to renew my commitment to be more faithful.
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 4, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 11:13
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
It is sad when we shut our ears to the very things that we should be listening to. God makes every effort to speak to us, but we fill our lives with such clutter and confusion that His voice goes unrecognized and unheard.
I recall a young professional man who signed up for one of our Bible classes where the format was to pass out question sheets for each student to answer before the next class. This particular young man was in a class being taught by his manager. As he attempted to complete the question sheet, he could not find any of the answers. Amused, he could hardly wait for the class to start to see how his manager would react to this oversight.
To the young man’s shock, however, every question had been answered by the other class members. He was confused as to why he, a college graduate, could not answer questions that the other members had answered? About three weeks later this young man went into his manager’s office and expressed an emptiness he felt. Ultimately, he received Jesus into his heart.
Do you have ears to hear? You may be a born again child of God, but do you have the spiritual ears to hear as God speaks to you? Matthew 6:6: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 21, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
One Sunday, following our evening service, a man in the congregation asked if he might come to the parsonage and talk with me. I was delighted to meet with him. When he arrived for our appointment we shared a light lunch before going into my office. Suddenly, out of the clear blue, came 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 indication of a conflict between us, so his blunt statement was a blow. With my mind reeling, I prayed silently for God’s wisdom and strength. With as much sincerity as possible I answered, “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:
- Rely on God’s wisdom in dealing with the person.
- Realize that these unlovable people need love—perhaps more than others.
- Remember how unlovable our sins are in God’s sight.
- Rejoice that we are counted worthy to encounter persecution.
- Respond with love rather than retaliate with resentment.
What transpired on that Sunday evening so long ago? The two of us 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!” Wow! What a dramatic change from the comments he had made earlier. God is so good!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 20, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 10:29-31
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Many times we face uncertainty and loss. The things or people we counted upon for our support are not there when we need them. Even when we pray, we feel that the Lord is far from us and does not hear our supplications.
When looking back over the years of my life, I discover that in those times when I felt like I was abandoned and alone, God was the nearest to me. It was not so important that I felt Him, but that I just kept on doing what His Word said; eventually I found that these times of quietness were preparing me for increased service.
The more I search the pages of Scripture, the more I find that God’s people have not been immune to the dark days of disappointment. Joseph, for instance, was treated cruelly by his own brothers. Instead of sulking and feeling sorry for himself, he learned the Egyptian language and became the most valuable servant in Potiphar’s house and also later in the prison. Even as Prime Minister in Egypt he was cut off from his home and family.
When the opportunity finally came for him to bestow vengeance upon his brothers who had sold him into slavery, Joseph realized that his time of tribulation was all God’s plan. All he had to do was live one day at a time. That is easy to say, but hard to do. I want to always practice having Godly courage in my own life!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 1, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
I think it would be safe to say that most of us are whiners rather than winners. We cry like babies when someone steps on our spiritual toes. The words Jesus speaks in the Beatitudes stand as a sharp contrast to that way of thinking.
To be honest, none of us enjoy painful experiences. We do everything we can to negate the pangs of pain, but let’s face it — there are times when pain is unavoidable and we have to deal with it. That is when spiritual living becomes real.
Jesus says that we are to consider times of reviling, persecution, and false accusations for standing strong for His sake as blessings. Wow! What a revolutionary thought! It is a clarion call to true discipleship. Amazingly, Jesus tells us to REJOICE!
The spiritual justification Jesus gives for this revolutionary reaction is that our reward is not necessarily on this earth, but awaits us in heaven. Secondly, it helps us to identify with the prophets of old who endured with courage and determination. It says to me that we are to EMBRACE PERSECUTION when it comes our way!
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 8, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 6:20
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Over the years I have seen many people experience an unexpected financial collapse. Retirement accounts that seem to be adequate for the golden years can suddenly melt like a snowman in 90-degree weather! Those who possess the least, however, seem to be the least concerned.
Over the years I have heard excuses from people who fail to honor God with their giving. They say that they want to wait until the house sells … get a raise … receive their inheritance … or income tax refund … and on it goes. They reason that when one (or all) of these events takes place they will then have more to give to the work of the Lord.
Do you recall the incident when Jesus was in the temple courts? He saw rich people putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a widow put in a very small amount. Jesus commented that the woman had given more than all of the others because they gave out of their surplus, but she gave out of what little she had to live on. Read about it in Luke 21:1-4. It is a tragedy that many people (even some churches) place more confidence in the treasures of this world that will pass away than in heavenly treasures that will last forever and forever.
It is time for a heart examination: What treasures mean the most to you? Where are your treasures being stored? One second into eternity, which treasures will have the most value?
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
