by Pastor Cecil | Mar 10, 2020 | Psalm
Psalm 37:3
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.”
The word trust as used here in Psalm 37:3 is the Hebrew word batach which means to trust in, to be confident of, to be bold, and or to be secure in. When we place our trust in somebody or some thing, we need to have the confident assurance that our action is well placed.
The determining factor is in what, or in whom we place our trust. Many of us have experienced the heartbreak of having people we trust fail us, and in so doing cause us heartache. That is never the case with the Lord. He is always close to us, even when we are not close to Him. He has not moved — we have!
Not only does the psalmist tell us to trust in the Lord, but we are to evidence that by doing good. Doing good requires us to constantly be looking for opportunities to show forth the spirit of Christ by serving others.
Trusting in the Lord also means that we are to feed on His faithfulness. We do that by spending time with Him by reading and studying the Word of God and in communing with Him in prayer. Are you able to honestly say you are fully trusting in the Lord?
Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 9, 2020 | Psalm
Psalm 37:1-2
“Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”
Some born-again believers live their lives in defeat and disappointment. The first two verses of Psalm 37 remind us of what we are NOT to do. In the following days this week we will see how God calls us to respond to life’s trying situations.
STOP FRETTING! We may also describe this as worrying about things that others are doing around us. I recall hearing Dr. Donald Barnhouse tell of his wife perplexing him with all the things she worried about. He suggested she write down the things that worried her and they would discuss them once a week. Each week they began to realize that the things she actually worried about never transpired, and the bad things occurred without warning so she could not worry about them in advance. Sound familiar?
The Psalmist says we are to quit fretting about those who do evil and also to never envy those who seem have it better. We need to view the world around us from God’s perspective and remind ourselves that there is an eternity waiting for all of mankind. Our great reward is beyond the bonds of this sin-sick life.
There is a call for each of us to work while we have the time to snatch the unsaved from an eternity in the lake of fire. Stop fretting and start spreading the gospel!
Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 4, 2020 | Psalm
Psalm 37:1-2
“Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”
Stop and think of the way you react when you see the godless, unscrupulous people who live in mansions and drive luxury cars. All too often we wish we had some of the luxuries they are enjoying. That, my precious friend, is envy!
We see the bad guys getting neat toys and we pout and get in a snit because they have what we want. Envy is always a waste of time. The things of this world will all pass away, so why should we place so much emphasis on them.
Someone has done a survey of people who unexpectedly came into large sums of money. They asked the question, “Were you happier before winning, or now?” It was almost unanimous that they were much more content before than after.
Psalms is so up to date. Just look at the words in the passage I have cited above. It is like reading today’s newspaper, yet it was written about 3,000 years ago. Evil men were as common then as they are now. Both rich and poor have passed into eternity. Only those, rich or poor, who accepted the Lord have a reward that will last for eternity. We need to keep our eyes on the prize that is eternal and a gift from God to those who have invited Him into their heart. Are your eyes on the prize?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 3, 2020 | Psalm
Psalm 34:14
“Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
I am frequently stunned by the wisdom to be found in the Word of God. The wisdom of man is often fickle and prone to error. This is not so with the truth of the Bible. It is the rock upon which we build our faith.
In the eleven words of Psalm 34:14 we find four things that we are to do that will bring about success in our life. First and perhaps the most important is to depart from evil. We are told that we are born in sin and in need of a new and spiritual rebirth. That is the first step we must take. We must be born again!
After our new birth we must commit to do good. That means seeking to know and then to do the will of the Lord. WWJD – What would Jesus do?
We are told in today’s Scripture that we are also to seek peace and pursue it. That means we are to constantly seek peaceful solutions to stressful situations. Once we think of a way to bring about a peaceful solution, we need to pursue it. That means we are to devote our efforts to think of others more than ourselves. That is what Jesus did and He is to be our constant example.
God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 28, 2020 | Psalm
Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
It seems that each week I receive word that another friend or family member has slipped into eternity. Even though these loved ones are no longer close to us, they are now experiencing a closer walk with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
Death often casts a huge shadow, but it should hold no fear for the child of God. In 2 Corinthians 5:8 the Apostle Paul reminds us that “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Death is our doorway into eternity. How fantastic!
As we consider the words of this song we should make it our prayer request. It should be our desire to walk closer to the Lord than ever before. It should not be just one time, but it should be our fervent desire to walk closer to Him with each passing day.
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long, as I walk,
let me walk close to Thee.
Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee,
grant it Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Through this world of toil and snares,
if I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee,
grant it Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
When my feeble life is o’er,
time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er,
to Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee,
grant it Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
To access the free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: https://gloryscapes.com/justacloserwalkwiththee/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 7, 2020 | 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
