by Pastor Cecil | May 31, 2021 | Psalm
Psalm 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
Years ago I heard a minister relate a heartbreaking story. It seems that a father had promised to take his son on a fishing trip. The boy was eagerly anticipating the time when just he and his father would be alone on a lake just teeming with fish. (Such lakes are more in the area of dreams than reality)
The day of the trip had arrived and the son was eagerly packing all of his gear into the car. It was just then that the phone rang. The father went back into the house to take the call. After a few minutes the son followed his dad just in time to hear him tell the caller that he had nothing important planned for the day and would be right there.
The long awaited trip was off. Not only was there to be no fishing trip with his dad, but the dad had thought so little of it that he told the caller that he had nothing important planned for the day. The relationship between father and son was torn asunder that day and sadly was never restored.
How many promises have we broken that seemed small to us, but significant to another person? But much more important, how have we grieved the heart of God by failing to keep our promises that we made to Him?
Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 28, 2021 | Psalm
Psalm 46:1-3
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
As you read the book of Psalms David mentions repeatedly the storms of life. He was attacked on all sides by his enemies who desired to take his life. Do you feel that way sometimes?
His predecessor, King Saul, was a demented king who imagined that David was attempting to take the kingdom from him. (Actually it was the Lord who had rejected Saul because of his wickedness and failing to keep the Lord in control of his life.)
In many of his Psalms, David cried out to the Lord for help and immediately praised the Him for giving him a safe place of refuge. That is the same with us today. We may be tossed and torn by the storms of life, but the Lord always gives us a haven of rest. That is the hymn for this week.
THE HAVEN OF REST
My soul in sad exile was out on life(s) sea,
So burdened with sin and distressed,
Till I heard a sweet voice, saying, (Make Me your choice)
And I entered the Haven of Rest!
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
I yielded myself to His tender embrace,
In faith taking hold of the Word,
My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul;
The Haven of Rest is my Lord.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blest,
Of Jesus, who will save whosoever will have
A home in the Haven of Rest.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
O come to the Savior, He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come, anchor your soul in the Haven of Rest,
And say, ‘My Beloved is mine.’
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
. . . . .
To access The Haven of Rest, free inspirational video, please go to: https://gloryscapes.com/thehavenofrest/
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 14, 2021 | Psalm
Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
When I was a boy our family would travel back to the Oklahoma panhandle to visit my mother’s family. It was hot and dry out there on the plains, but there was a concrete water tank for the cattle—and for a small boy to play near and get wet.
My mom would yell, but my grandma would laugh. (She always was on my side). My heart is sometimes heavy when I recall sinful things I did when I was a young boy. I know those things caused my parents no end of frustration, but now I know they grieved God as well.
Reflecting upon specific incidents from the days of my life, it was not that I was such a terrible person, but I wish I had made better decisions. I wish I had made my choices only after first spending time in prayer and waiting upon God.
Here in Psalm 139:23-24, the Psalmist is expressing his prayer for the searchlight of God’s presence to illuminate the dark areas of his life. I can echo that prayer for my own life. Here am I Lord – – “SEARCH ME–KNOW ME-LEAD ME!”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 9, 2021 | Psalm
Psalm 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
The Haven of Rest Quartet began singing in the year I was born, 1934. I can recall First Mate Bob introducing the program after a fog horn sounded. The quartet then would sing the words of this week’s hymn.
As we struggle through the storms of life it is a wonderful assurance that God provides a haven of rest where we can safely escape the wild waves of adversity. I thank God that many times in my life I have found God’s Haven of rest for my own soul. In the book of Psalms, David refers to the storms of life. He was attacked on all sides by his enemies who desired to take his life. Do you feel that way sometimes?
His predecessor, King Saul, was a demented king who imagined that David was attempting to take the kingdom from him. (Actually it was the Lord who had rejected Saul because of his wickedness and failing to keep the Lord in control of his life.)
In many of his Psalms, David cried out to the Lord for help and immediately praised Him for giving him a safe place of refuge. That is the same with us today. We may be tossed and torn by the storms of life, but the Lord always gives us a haven of rest. That is the hymn for this week.
THE HAVEN OF REST
My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea, So burdened with sin and distressed, Till I heard a sweet voice, saying, ‘Make Me your choice’ And I entered the Haven of Rest!
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
I yielded myself to His tender embrace, In faith taking hold of the Word, My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul; The Haven of Rest is my Lord.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole, Has been the old story so blest, Of Jesus, who will save whosoever will have A home in the Haven of Rest.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
How precious the thought that we all may recline, Like John, the beloved so blest, On Jesus strong arm, where no tempest can harm, Secure in the Haven of Rest.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
O come to the Savior, He patiently waits, To save by His power divine; Come, anchor your soul in the Haven of Rest, And say, ‘My Beloved is mine.’
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
To access The Haven of Rest, free inspirational video, please go to: https://gloryscapes.com/thehavenofrest/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 6, 2021 | Psalm
Psalm 51:10
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Some people seem to have the idea that children are born innocent, perfect, and with pure little hearts. Then they have children of their own and encounter temper tantrums and sinful behavior. It confirms the reality that we are born with the sinful seed of our first parents, Adam and Eve.
When I pray, “Lord create a pure heart within me,” does that mean that the Lord is to over-ride my unloving behavior and suddenly make me loving? Some people seem to teach that. The result of this false teaching is a feeling that more is required to reach the place where tribulations disappear. Beep!
The Psalmist prays that the Lord will lead him to a purified heart and then to guide him to a steadfast spirit. That means he will become an oak tree rather than a weak willow bush. This will enable us to first of all receive the Lord’s comfort for our discomfort; and second for us to comfort those around us who are in any trouble.
Two questions: 1. Are you receiving God’s comfort for your tribulations? 2. Are you comforting those around you who are experiencing tribulation? There is value for the true believer when we encounter tribulation!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 2, 2021 | Psalm
Psalm 33:1-3
“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”
Fanny J. Crosby was a tiny woman. She stood under five feet and weighed less than 100 pounds. Because of being maltreated for an eye infection when she was only a few months old, she spent the remainder of her 95 years totally blind.
This tiny dynamo wrote over 8,000 poems and hymns during her lifetime. She composed her poems and hymns entirely in her mind and then dictated them to a stenographer. She was said to be able to work on as many as twelve hymns at once before dictating them all out.
Fanny felt that it was a special gift from God that she should be blind all of her life, and she thanked Him for that gift. She felt that when she arrived in heaven, the first face she desired to gladden her sight would be her precious Savior. It was in 1896 that she wrote the hymn selected for this week.
PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM!
- Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! Sing O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim! Hail Him! Hail Him! Highest archangels in glory; strength and honor give to His holy name! Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children. In His arms He carries them all day long:
Refrain: Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness; praise Him! Praise Him, ever in joyful song!
- Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! For our sins He suffered and bled and died; He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation; Hail Him! Hail Him! Jesus the Crucified. Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows, love unbounded, wonderful deep and strong:
Refrain: Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness; praise Him! Praise Him, ever in joyful song!
- Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus our blessed Redeemer! Heavenly portals loud with hosannas ring! Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever; Crown Him! Crown Him! Prophet and Priest and King! Christ is coming! Over the world victorious, power and glory unto the Lord belong.
Refrain: Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness; praise Him! Praise Him, ever in joyful song!
To access the free inspirational video for this weeks, as well as other videos, please go to: https://gloryscapes.com/praisehimpraisehim/
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
