by Pastor Cecil | Jul 31, 2008 | Matthew
Matthew 21:28-31
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. ‘Which of the two did what his father wanted?’ ‘The first, they answered.’”
Today’s Scripture is a parable that Jesus told to the chief priests and elders of the people when they questioned His authority. It brings me back to the reality of doing the will of God, not simply talking about it.
I had a request from one of our readers for the following story. It has been around for many years so you may have seen it before—perhaps several times. Regardless of how many times we read it—there is a powerful message for us.
“There were once four brothers: Everyone, Someone, Anyone and Noone. They had a very important task to do. Everyone was sure that Someone would do it. Anyone could have done it, but Noone did it in the end. Someone was angry because it could have been Everyone‘s job. Everyone thought that Anyone could have done it, but Noone realized that Noone will do it in the end. In the end, Everyone was angry at Someone because Noone did what Anyone could’ve done.”
Does that sound familiar to you? Not this humorous vignette, but the reality of the situation it describes. We are prone to expect others to do the job that the Lord calls us to do. Even when we accept responsibility for doing God’s work, we put off and put off, sometimes so long that we leave the job undone.
What is God putting in your heart to accomplish for Him? If you see a ministry that needs to be performed and wonder why someone is not doing it, it may well be that you are the one for the task.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 30, 2008 | 2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 6:16-17
“What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.’ Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
Have you ever done something that was an embarrassment to you? Something like spilling a tray in a crowded cafeteria and having every eye in the place watch as you scooped the food off the floor and into the trash. (I have!)
But there was one incident that still comes to my mind from time to time. I was teaching a Bible class to a sharp group of professionals. We always had a lot of fun as we searched God’s Word for hidden meaning.
One Sunday morning I was in a hurry getting ready for church and my final task was to slip into my shoes as our family flew out of the door. The class session was in full swing when one of the young women raised her hand and asked, “Is there a lesson you want to demonstrate by wearing one brown shoe and one black shoe?”
I looked down, and sure enough, I had made an awkward blunder. The room erupted in goodhearted laughter at my expense. When they finally quieted down I remarked, “You are not going to believe this, but I have a pair of shoes at home just like this!”
Over the years I have thought about that day—and yes, there is a lesson to be learned. All too often we try to go through life with one foot in the world and the other foot in God’s kingdom.
Paul, in writing to the church at Corinth in today’s Scripture is making a strong point that we have no business mixing the two. We need to be God’s people at all times. God does not call us to be part-time disciples. He calls us to come away from those things of the world that once ensnared us and be His children.
Since that silly moment so long ago, I now always check my shoes before leaving the house. I examine my appearance to see if things match. In the same manner we need to take the time for a spiritual self-examination. Paul says that we are to come out from the world and be separate. Are we? Can we honestly say that our walk matches our talk? It must!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and become a real blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 29, 2008 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 3:8-9
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
It was the first Sunday on my new duty assignment at the 921st AC&W located at the northern tip of Newfoundland. On the way to the radar site where I would spend the next year, I noticed an attractive white church. With determination I walked the two miles to the church expecting to be there early for the service. There was just one problem—no people!
There was a house behind the church and I thought it may be the parsonage. I knocked on the door and was met by Carol Bailey, the pastor’s wife. She informed me that there would be no services that day, but if I hurried to the dock I could find her husband, Ross, who was going by boat to a small fishing village to hold services.
That day turned into a lifelong friendship with the Bailey’s and ignited my love for the Newfoundlanders. After the service that day we heard wonderful stories some of the fisherman had encountered at sea.
Following that assignment, I was stationed near Kansas City, Missouri. On the Christian radio station we had heard about Blue Ridge Bible Church. One Sunday we were able to attend the church. We arrived early for the Sunday evening service, only to find a crowd of people waiting for the doors to open.
Eagerly our family rushed to find seats—wondering what special event we had stumbled upon. I asked a college age person next to me if there was a special speaker or musical group that generated all the excitement. He looked at me as if I were from another planet. “No—it’s like this at every service. If we are too late we will have to stand.” Our family was treated to strong Bible teaching that evening and with a sense of relief that we had—“not been late for that very important date!”
I think it was my mom who instilled the habit of being early with me. She was always the first one to any event (and the first one who wanted to leave).
There is a problem with this habit of being early—we tend to expect others to be as prompt as we are! It is a source of frustration to have people rush in at the last possible moment or to make a practice of being late. GRRRRR!
Over the years I have seen the look of relief on the face of wedding coordinators, brides, church staff, funeral directors or others who may be left in a lurch if the minister failed to show up for the service.
Being prompt or early has many benefits, but it also has problems. The greatest problem is our attitude toward the Lord. We want Him to operate on our schedule, rather than doing things on His schedule.
God knows what He is doing! He caused Abraham and Sarah to wait long after the normal child bearing years before the birth of Isaac. He allowed Moses to spend 40 years in the hot desert before sending him to lead God’s people out of bondage. He stood by when Job encountered unbelievable pain before He restored him.
Why does God do this? There are no doubt many answers, but I think one of the most apparent is that God wants us to realize that it is not our own efforts that save us—But His mighty hand of deliverance. HE IS NEVER LATE!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 28, 2008 | Romans
Romans 1:18-20
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
I once heard the story of a young girl who came running into the house clutching her stomach. Her concerned parents rushed to her side and knelt down to comfort her. When the tears had subsided a bit, she was able to tell them that her brother, Johnny, had kicked her in the stomach.
With the look resembling that of an angel of vengeance the father descended on his son who was playing in the sand box with little concern. “Did you kick your sister in the stomach?” His father boomed.
“Yes, but it was her own fault.” replied his innocent appearing son. “How could it be her fault?” His father asked. Johnny’s reply? “SHE TURNED AROUND TOO QUICK!”
From the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve shifted the blame from each other, to the serpent, and even to God, we have been people who seem to have excuses for everything.
If you took the same excuses that people use for not obeying God and applied them to other important areas of life, you’d realize how inconsistent we can be in our logic. For example:
TEN REASONS NOT TO WASH:
1. I was forced to as a child.
2. People who make soap are only after your money.
3. I wash on special occasions like Christmas and Easter.
4. People who wash are hypocrites — they think they are cleaner than everyone else.
5. There are so many different kinds of soap I can’t decide which one I should use.
6. I used to wash, but it got boring so I stopped.
7. None of my friends wash.
8. The bathroom is never warm enough in the winter or cool enough in the summer.
9. I’ll start washing when I get older and dirtier.
10. I can’t spare the time.
It sounds so silly when we read these excuses, doesn’t it? How do you think some of our excuses sound to the Lord? My prayer is that I will examine myself—my intentions and motives before creating excuses. I am still working on it, so be patient with me.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and become a real blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 25, 2008 | Romans
Romans 1:18-20
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
Yesterday I quoted from Isaiah chapter six where Isaiah heard the Lord’s call for someone to go for Him. It made me think of my own life and the way the Lord called me from a career in the criminal justice field to share the gospel as a minister of the gospel.
I have worked as a police officer, a juvenile probation officer, a criminal justice planner and college professor of criminal justice courses. I still like to watch those reality television programs that show real cases.
It is interesting that even though a person is charged with a crime as a result of eye witnesses, video surveillance and DNA evidence, there is a statement like this that appears on the scene: “_______, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”
Years ago (the 1950’s) I was a police officer. There was a Municipal Court Judge who had lost an arm when he was in his teens. It was the result of a collision with a man under the influence of alcohol. As a result he had very little sympathy for drunk drivers that appeared before him.
This judge would often come into our police department and ride around in a patrol car with one of our officers. From time to time the officer would follow a car that was weaving back and forth across the road. After the officer stopped the car and administered a field sobriety test, the Judge observed that the man could barely stand up to follow the instructions that were given to him.
When that person appeared in Police Court to answer the charges against him, he would often plead his innocence and say that he had been wrongfully arrested. The Judge would look down sternly and ask this question: “What would you say if I told you that I was riding in that police car and observed the whole thing?” The offender almost always changed his plea to guilty.
We have a mighty Judge of the entire universe who knows not only what we do wrong, but every thought. Consider Psalm 139:2-4; “You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O LORD.”
There is no presumption of innocence with the Lord. He knows everything about us. If there is no way we can deceive the Lord, what is the solution? Throw ourselves on the mercy of the Court!
God has made provision for us. He has paid the price with His own blood! In 1st John 1:9 He shows us the way to release; “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
