by Pastor Cecil | Nov 24, 2020 | Proverbs
Proverbs 16:18
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”
With a subscriber base that reaches around the globe, each day I receive reports of trials and persecution that the saints of God are experiencing. It is easy to feel true sympathy for these people.
As I pray and meditate about those who are experiencing persecution, I am immediately aware that we are to rejoice with these people. In today’s Scripture the Greek word for “blessed” is “makarios.” It means to be happy to the point of rejoicing.
Why on earth would someone who is experiencing lies, persecution, and insults rejoice? The reason we encounter harsh treatment is to demonstrate our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
It is essential to examine our persecution to determine if the cause is the result of faith in Jesus Christ or because of some type of our misconduct on our part. We cannot claim to be persecuted for Christ’s sake if we are guilty of doing something wrong.
Here is the bottom line—if we encounter ordeals in our life that are not the result of our sinful actions, we are blessed. We are told to count it joy and even to rejoice in our trials. We don’t need to pity, we need to praise!
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 23, 2020 | Proverbs
Proverbs 16:18
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
It is not necessary for us to deal with our own pride. God allows situations into our lives that make us realize we have nothing to be proud about. There are many embarrassing moments in my life. One that stands out in my memory happened years ago when I was teaching a class of young professionals. The class seemed to be very interested in everything I was saying, that is until I noticed that they all were looking down at my feet.
Finally one of the young women raised her hand and asked if there was a reason I was wearing one black shoe and one brown shoe? I dreaded looking down, knowing that in my haste earlier that morning I had made a blunder. The class exploded in laughter at my expense. After recovering from my initial embarrassment, I sheepishly told them, “As strange as it may seem, I have another pair at home just like this pair!”
One of the things I have learned from these “red-faced” situations is that pride needs to be dealt a blow. It is hard to act proud and aloof when you have on one brown shoe and one black shoe.
I earnestly pray that the Lord will continue to bring the “shoes” into my life any time I start to think more of myself than I ought. NOT ME—BUT CHRIST ONLY!
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 16, 2020 | Proverbs
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”
As a boy I used to cherish the times I got to spend alone with my dad. He once worked as a driver for the Washington Motor Coach Company and I got to ride along on his route a few times. The bus may have carried twenty or thirty passengers, but only my dad was the driver. Our lives were in his hands. You might say (and rightly so), we were just along for the ride!
Sometimes, when we would make a scheduled stop, my dad would ask me to perform a small task for him. I did so joyfully. But it was only when he asked that my tasks accomplished the purpose of serving him.
Our problem is that we are doing things our way rather than doing things God’s way. He never desires us to run ourselves ragged in order to please Him or to merit salvation. In today’s Scripture we see that what God wants us to do is to place our trust in Him.
I hope you get the spiritual implication. The Lord calls us to ride along with Him and enjoy the scenery until He calls us to do His bidding. Wait expectantly for Him — it is worth the wait!
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 28, 2020 | Proverbs
Proverbs 29:25
“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”
Joyce and I used to enjoy watching a cooking show called “Cooks Country.” The program’s intro was a particular favorite part. It was a scene of a tiny Vermont village where church chimes pealed out the tune to “Safe Am I.”
As I recall, the lyrics were something like this: Safe am I in the hollow of His hands. No foe can harm me, no fear alarm me, for He keeps both day and night. Those may not be the precise words, but I think they are pretty close.
There have been times in my life when I felt threatened. There was one moment when a car was careening toward my car and it could have been a fatal accident. Suddenly the other car swerved back into its own lane ending the threat.
I know that if the impact had occurred and my life would have ended, eternity with the Lord would have begun. It gives me wonderful assurance to know that whether I live or die, I am kept safely in the hollow of His hands.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 14, 2020 | Proverbs
Proverbs 14:34
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
It is quite depressing to wake up each morning and be struck with the reality that we live in the midst of a sinful and unrighteous day and age. The writer of Proverbs states without equivocation that a nation is exalted when it is characterized by righteousness. That virtue is hardly to be found these days!
The writer also states that sin is a reproach to any people. The word reproach as used in this verse in the Hebrew word chesed, which in this context means a wicked thing. That is certainly an apt description of the effect sin has on our society.
What should be our response to the sinful condition of our world? We find the answer in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Many revivals in the past have been started by a few believers who were willing to humble themselves and pray until they touched the hem of His garment. It is time to evaluate our commitment to obey God.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 4, 2020 | Proverbs
Proverbs 14:5
“A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness will utter lies.”
Years ago, in the middle of the night while my wife Joyce was awake feeding our baby son, she happened to spot a small mouse out for a leisurely stroll. Now to me this seemed to be normal and proper behavior for a mouse. To Joyce it was a national crisis. With a scream she fled into our bedroom and issued this ultimatum: “You will be getting up with the kids in the middle of the night until that mouse is gone!”
Well, needless to say, that got my attention! Traps were immediately set at every logical location. After a week the traps were still empty and I was on permanent night duty. It was then I came up with a remarkable plan (although not necessarily an honest one). I walked into the kitchen and got down on my knees to look under the refrigerator. I pulled out the empty trap and called in my best fake happy voice, “Honey, do you want to see it?”
In a way it was one of my finest hours—but in reality is was pure and simple deception. I have already confessed it to the Lord and to Joyce, so do not hammer me about dealing with the issue. Joyce squealed and said, “Just get it out of here!” I walked outside and made noises as if I was throwing it in the garbage can. Remember, it was all just a farce—there was no mouse. I did not actually say there was, but I had lied by intimation.
Do you have any “mice” in your life? Are there things that you say and do in order to lead to a conclusion that is not true? Do you lead people to believe you are a dedicated Christian when, in fact, you are hiding sin in your life? Confess!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
