by Pastor Cecil | Nov 21, 2008 | Job
Job 10:8
“Your hands shaped me and made me. Will You now turn and destroy me? Remember that You molded me like clay. Will You now turn me to dust again?”
A few years ago I was called upon to officiate at the funeral service of a young man in his late teens. The funeral chapel was full and people were standing. Many of those in attendance were teenagers.
As I watched one after the other arrive it was like I was watching a school of guppies. They all seemed to look alike. They wore the same style of clothing, the same hair styles and had the same expression on their faces.
Before we become too critical, dig out an old photo album and look at some of your old pictures. Other than the fact you have aged, notice the old fashioned way you wore your hair and the style of your dress. Would you like to appear that way today?
Isn’t that strange—if not tragic—that we are more concerned about what others think about us than what God thinks? Remember that God made us just the way we are—warts and all. We are not an accident! We have been shaped and molded by God to fulfill His plan and purpose.
You may possibly remember a wonderful old prayer chorus called “Spirit of the Living God.” It goes something like this: “Spirit of the Living God, fall a-fresh on me. Spirit if the Living God, fall a-fresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the Living God, fall a-fresh on me.” May that ever be our prayer!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 20, 2008 | Daily-E-Votionals
Exodus 3:4-5
“When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called from within the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’ ‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.'”
There is little concern in our day and age for the sacred things of God. Sloppiness, indifference and a casual approach to the Word of God is of great concern. It almost seems as if many have created a God of their own making which allows or permits people to come into the presence of the King of kings and have no regard for His holiness.
I am not necessarily speaking of worship services, but that would certainly apply. What I am picturing is the contact we have with the Lord. I fear that much of the time we are so preoccupied with what is going on around us that we fail to see and experience the awesome holiness of God. Have we encountered the burning bush in our life?
Following the encounter with the “Burning Bush” Moses was empowered to become God’s instrument in leading the children of Israel from the bondage of slavery. Following his encounter with the “Commander of the Lord’s army”—Joshua led the Israelites to supernatural victory over Jericho and the other cities in Canaan. Are you experiencing victories in your spiritual life?
Today’s Scripture comes from the famous “Burning Bush” encounter in the life of Moses. It was the place where God encountered Moses and commissioned him to lead the Israelites out of bondage. After Moses died, the Israelites, under the leadership of Joshua, were nearing Jericho. Joshua saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword. This was to be Joshua’s “Burning Bush” experience.
Joshua asked the man if he was for Israel or against them. Joshua 5:14-15; “Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’ The Commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.”
If you must confess that your spiritual life is without victory, the answer may be that you lack a crisis with God’s “Burning Bush.” Following the Day of Pentecost we have new access to the presence of God that those in the Old Testament lacked. We have the blessed Holy Spirit who becomes our “Burning Bush.” He is able to go before us and lead us in becoming all that God wants us to be.
In our personal burning bush we make our altar before the Lord. Let us fall on our face before the Spirit of God. In this holy place we need to recognize that we are in the presence of the God who knows our every thought. It is not a place for us to boast or brag about what we have done, but a place where we acknowledge that without Him we are nothing. Praise Him and adore Him. He is our all in all!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 19, 2008 | 2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 34:14, 21
“While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been given to Moses.” —(King Joash ordered) “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found.”
As a young boy of eight, Josiah became king. He began to do right and cleanse the land of detestable idols and practices. He raised money in order to restore the Temple, which had fallen into disrepair. In the process of bringing out the money which had been collected in the temple, the priest Hilkiah found the Word of God!
Most of the kings of Israel and Judah had been wicked in the sight of God. They failed to obey God’s laws and decrees which had been given to Moses on Mount Horeb. Across the centuries, God’s judgment had fallen on Israel and Judah because of their refusal to follow the commands of the Lord. Even the priests and Levites were far from God.
Stop and think about that for a few minutes. These were God’s chosen people. He had revealed Himself to them repeatedly, yet they had turned their back on Him. So complete was their spiritual neglect, they did not even know the Law existed in the temple.
The question arises as to where the priests had been. They must not have been in the practice of going into the temple or they would have known of the existence of the Law of the Lord.
Once the Law was found, Josiah summoned all the people, from the least to the greatest, and read the entire Book of the Covenant in their hearing. He then made a covenant to follow and obey all of the Lord’s commands, regulations and decrees with all of his heart and soul. (I love Josiah!)
It may be that you may have misplaced God’s Word in your own life. In fact, it is possible that you have never even been aware of its existence. Your life may be so clouded by the thinking and ways of the world that the things of God have little or no meaning in your life. How tragic!
God has repeatedly said in His Word that He will honor and bless those who honor Him and call on His name. It is impossible to do that without spending time in God’s Word. You may try to argue that you are not a reader, so reading the Bible does not apply to you. Sorry Charlie! That is not going to cut it! Psalm 119:11 says; “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” Here is a news flash—you can’t hide God’s Word in your heart without reading His Word. It is an imperative.
Your life might be like Judah in today’s Scripture. Things are in a big mess. You may have chaos and ruin all around you. It is at this time that you need to slip back into the house of the Lord and discover His Word once again. That is the key—the living Word. If you attend a church where the Word is not proclaimed from beginning to end—keep searching!
There are some churches where a Scripture may be read, but then it is nothing more than theories or lessons that are based upon the ideas of men rather than from God’s Word.
Paul charged Timothy, his son in the faith, about how to preach. In Second Timothy 4:2 he says: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
I pray that you will discover God’s Word and covenant to do what it tells you to do.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 18, 2008 | Isaiah
Isaiah 2:2-5
“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s Temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills and all the nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”
Mountains are wondrous things. Here in the Puget Sound region, we are struck by the absolute grandeur of several peaks. Saturday evening I was officiating at a memorial service. Before the service I stepped outside and was greeted with a glorious sight. To the east I observed Mt. Rainier that was a vivid shade of pink, coral and beautiful as the sun was setting. To the south I saw the dark shape of Mt. St. Helens.
I hope I never become indifferent to the magnificent views that our mountain peaks provide. I want to always bask in the sight and thank God for the beauty of His creation. Looking from the valley to the mountains is breathtaking, but there are also fantastic views from the mountains looking at the valleys below.
I hope that this has not confused you too much. There is a reason for spending this time to point out the different views we have. The perspective we have on the world around us must always be based upon the Word of God.
It is interesting that a portion of the Scripture for today, “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks”—is found above the entryway to the United Nations.
At first glance, this may appear to be a wonderful undertaking on the part of the UN. But as we go back to Scripture, it is not a governing body which will be the source of peace and harmony, but the Lord Himself.
There is a view we have of God from the perspective of His Word. It contains prophecy of a time in which there will be peace on earth. What a beautiful sight that is. It gives us hope and a purpose. We long with eager anticipation for that time when people will stream to God’s holy Temple and bow before Him in adoration.
But there is also God’s view. This is the view from His holy mountain to where we are. It is the view which God has at all times, but He invites us to share that view with Him. He wants us to see the world through His eyes. He wants our heart to be broken for the sin and strife which clouds the world.
There will be a day when all people will come to worship the Lord! Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord, to the glory of God. For some, it will be too late. They will have put off the decision to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and will be on their knees in a bitter realization of their lost condition.
Others of us who have been born again will be caught up in rapture and adoration as we realize that our eternity with our precious Lord is endless, joyous, and full of meaning. We are invited to begin sharing this view with the Lord right now. Just as we can look toward the Mountain of the Lord and be struck by its beauty, so we can soar onto the mountain, and see things from God’s vantage point. What a view!
Even when we must return to the place where we are called to minister, we can remember the view from the mountain. It will give us the encouragement we need to remain faithful until He calls us to be with Him forever and forever! What a view that will be!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 17, 2008 | Genesis
Genesis 3:1-3
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
Do you recall hearing the story of a pastor who was assigned to a new church? He had only been there a few weeks when he decided to move the piano from one side of the church to the other.
The following Sunday as people gathered, they were in shock! “Why was the piano moved—by whom—and by what authority?” The pastor explained that he was the guilty party and had done so to improve access to the platform. The incident created such a stir that the pastor was asked to resign.
About a year later this pastor was traveling through the area and stopped by to visit with the new pastor who was a friend of his. He was shocked to notice that the piano had been moved to the exact location he had moved it that started the fuss.
In utter amazement he asked his replacement how he had been able to carry off the coup. The wise, older pastor just smiled and stroked his chin and replied with a sly grin; “A few inches a week!”
There are harmless things such as this that may be laughed at, but the tragedy is that all too often we are confronted with situations that should never be compromised. God’s Word is the same yesterday, today and forever.
There is no justification for individuals, church assemblies or political groups to compromise with the absolutes of the Word of God. God does not change and His Word is our sure foundation.
Compromise is a dangerous concept when we are dealing with spiritual truths. Consider two aspects of the definition of the word: (1) To expose or make liable to danger, suspicion, or disrepute. (2) Settlement of a disagreement in which each side agrees to give up part of its demands.
Read those two definitions once again. Can you even imagine that God would ever be pleased for us to violate His inerrant Word and thus expose ourselves to liable, suspicion or disrepute? Nor do I!
What happened in the Garden of Eden? Satan incited Adam and Eve to make a compromise with God’s command. He convinced them that God was not to be trusted and that they could make their own decisions about what was right and wrong.
Satan wanted to be like God and his strategy has always been to put within the heart of fallen mankind the same desire. The next time you are tempted to make a compromise with God’s absolutes, you can rest assured that it is the enemy’s work.
1 Corinthians 15:58; “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
