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
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 19, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 8:34
“Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region.”
Rejection is one of the hardest things in life to deal with. In one way or another, it is an uninvited guest that will appear at the door of our life one time or another. You alone know what rejection or rejections you have encountered or are encountering at this moment.
Jesus and His disciples had just crossed the Sea of Galilee and met two demon possessed men who lived in the tombs. The demons cried out in recognition of Him and begged Him to be allowed to go into a herd of swine. Jesus allowed them to possess the beasts. The result of this action was that the swine rushed into the water and were drowned. It is interesting that two men, even though they were driven mad, tolerated the demons, but the pigs perished.
The town people had two choices. They could rejoice over the two demoniacs who had been set free, or they get ticked off about the pigs that were now floating on the water. They preferred the pigs! It does not make sense, but sin never does. They asked Jesus to leave their region. This is the Son of God! This is the Messiah who could heal and deliver and restore, but they had lost their pigs, and that was what was important to them.
Jesus left their region, but from that time on the people must have been reminded that they had chosen pigs over the Savior. What is your choice?
Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 14, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 6:19
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
At times it seems the entire world is on the verge of financial collapse. Retirement accounts that once seemed to be adequate for the golden years melt like a snowman in 80 degree weather! Those of us who possess the least seem to be the least concerned. Why is that? According to today’s Scripture, it has to do with where our heart is.
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 … they get a raise … they receive their inheritance … they receive their income tax refund … and on it goes. They claim that when their circumstances change they will have more to give to the work of the Lord.
Do you recall the incident when Jesus was in the temple courts? You can read about it in Luke 21:1-4. Jesus saw rich people putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a widow put in a very small amount. Jesus observed that the woman had put in more than all of the others. They gave out of their surplus, but she gave out of what little she had to live on.
It is a tragedy that many individuals (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. What is your greatest treasure?
Blessings dear hearts! May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 8, 2020 | Matthew
Matthew 5:12
“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
One of our church members had been going through difficult times for many years.She shared that she just had to keep reminding herself to go to the “Source” instead of worrying about her problems.
We laughed together as she elaborated that sometimes she would spend a few days focusing on the problem, until she had to slap herself into the reality that she needed to depend upon the “Source.”
We know the “Source” is Jesus and that He alone is our strength and our salvation, so why do we wait so long before calling out for His help? I guess it is our willful self wanting to do things our own way, even when our own way is what consistently gets us into trouble.
The Lord desires for us to be assured of His provision today just as He did when He spoke the words of the Beatitudes on his Sermon on the Mount. Our Source has always been the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Our problems may change, but our Source will always remain the same.
May God richly bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
