by Pastor Cecil | Mar 24, 2009 | Job
Job 42:12-15
“The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.”
From time to time someone who has not seen me for awhile will ask me how I am enjoying retirement. This is a natural question considering I have just celebrated my 75th birthday.
The truth is that my ministry has increased in the past five years and seems to be growing on a consistent basis. I have never experienced more strength for the task of ministering for the Lord than in these days.
Okay, that is enough of my testimony! The lesson today is about the matter of serving the Lord. All too often people work a lifetime aiming for retirement so they can do nothing. That is a sure indication that they have little if anything to live for.
I have been encouraged by speaking with a dear brother-in-Christ who lives in Florida. He and his family have devoted themselves to reach adults and juveniles in prison. They spend their own money to purchase Bibles and gospel materials to give to the prisoners.
Do you know the results of their ministry? Many men, women and juveniles have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and repented of their sins. They have broken the bondage of their addictions and are now living for Jesus.
To me, that is what it is all about. No such thing as retirement—just remaining faithful to do the work the Lord has placed before us. Just remember that little is much when God is in it! It may seem small to us, but what is the worth of a human soul?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 23, 2009 | Luke
Luke 12:6-7
“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows”
Whenever I read Luke 12:7, I am always prone to ask if the hairs of our head are numbered before or after we lose most of them? That is meant to be humorous, but I know that the words are intended to show just how intimately the Lord knows us.
Joyce and I have a bright yellow canary we have named, Buddy. Buddy has one particular wild bird buddy that comes to a feeder outside the window from his cage. The two seem to have bonded and appear happy when they see each other through the window.
It always bothers me when I hear Christians speak as if the Lord was not aware of the details of their life. I think of how Ananias in Acts 9:10-17, tried to tell the Lord about Saul when he was ordered by the Lord to go and lay hands on Saul so his sight would be restored.
Perhaps our problem is that we lack a proper understanding of God’s Word. From Genesis to Revelation we read of God’s intimate knowledge of us and our surroundings. In Psalm 139 we read: “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.”
The next time you are tempted to feel alone and abandoned by the Lord, start looking around for the nearest sparrow (or any other bird). The Lord knows that bird by name and cares for it. If He does that, be assured that He will also take care of you.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 20, 2009 | Hebrews
Hebrews 11:16
“Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”
The words to the hymn, “The Sweet By and By!” were written by Sanford Bennett and the music by Joseph Webster. Here is how it came to be written. Like many musicians, Joseph Webster was of an exceeding nervous and sensitive nature, and subject to periods of depression. Bennett found that he could usually raise his mood by giving him a new song on which to work.
One day he came into Bennett’s store in a depressed mood. He turned his back on Bennett without even speaking. Bennett was at his desk and turned toward Webster and said, “Webster, what is the matter now?”
“It’s no matter,” he replied, “it will be all right by and by.”
The idea came to Bennett like a flash of sunlight. He replied, “The Sweet By and By! Why would not that make a good hymn?”
“Maybe it would,” grumped Webster with an indifferent air.
Turning to his desk, Bennett penned the words as fast as he could write. He handed the words to Webster. As he read, his eyes kindled, and stepping to the desk, he began writing the notes.
Taking his violin, he played the melody and then jotted down the notes of the chorus. In less than thirty minutes from the time Bennett started to write the words, the two friends were singing the hymn.
“THE SWEET BY AND BY“
There’s a land that is fairer than day,
and by faith we can see it afar,
For the Father waits over the way
to prepare us a dwelling place there.
refrain:
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
We shall sing on that beautiful shore
the melodious songs of the blest;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more –
not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
To our bountiful Father above
we will offer our tribute of praise,
For the glorious gift of His love
and the blessings that hallow our days.
To access Sweet By and By, this week’s free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/sweetbyandby in your browser or click on the image below.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 19, 2009 | John
John 3:30-31
“He must become greater; I must become less. The One who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all.”
The human heart is filled with every type of wickedness. While all sin is repulsive, perhaps the most distasteful is the sin of pride. To see someone swagger and strut is not a pretty sight.
Even when a person does not strut his or her stuff, pride can slither in and create a horrible scene. Pride on the one hand and jealousy on the other can rear their ugly heads when someone new assumes leadership. Sadly, this is often found to be the case in our churches as well.
John the Baptist had been filled with the Holy Spirit and became a mighty man of God to bring a message of repentance to the people in Israel. People flocked out to hear him and respond to his message and be baptized.
You might think that John would be jealous of his territory and his reputation. His entire life had been devoted to serving the Lord in unwavering obedience. Now Jesus had appeared to begin His earthly ministry.
How would John react? Would he jealously hold tight to his ministry and reject the ministry of Jesus? The answer was “No!” The words that John spoke in today’s Scripture should be our attitude as well: “He must become greater; I must become less.”
Wow! That is so profound and unexpected. Later the disciples of Jesus would argue about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. But here is John turning his back on personal gain.
When John’s disciples reported that many of his followers were now following after Jesus, he did not express resentment or bitterness. He knew that it was essential for him to fade into the background and allow His Lord to increase and accomplish His task.
Are you willing to surrender your pride and self-centeredness? I pray you are!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 18, 2009 | Matthew
Matthew 9:2
“Some men brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart son, your sins are forgiven.'”
The New Testament book of Matthew is a fantastic introduction to the ministry of our precious Lord. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were more interested in keeping the people in bondage to the law than in allowing the law to set them free. When Jesus introduced forgiveness, it was not popular with these religious tyrants. The topic of forgiveness bears as much emphasis as we can give it. I am convinced that much of our depression, defeat and illness may be the result of not accepting God’s forgiveness, or in living it out in our own lives.
It is interesting in reading about this incident, where Jesus was impressed by the faith of the men who had brought the man who was paralyzed, and no doubt the paralytic himself. Faith was always a key that Jesus was looking for in those who came to Him for healing. You can see that He was moved to compassion when he encouraged the man who was about to be healed with the words, “Take heart son.” He was going to restore the man’s ability to walk, but with these words, Jesus first encouraged the man’s heart.
Jesus has promised that we have healing of our sins through Him. When Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, as recorded in John 3:16, he was told that to experience the new birth, he had to believe in Him: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This act of forgiving sins is one of the greatest needs that we humans have. It is our sins that have paralyzed us and imprisoned us until we are helpless and in need of a healing touch from the Lord.
After Jesus told the man that his sins were forgiven, the man just lay there. During the time that Jesus confronted the sin of the teachers of the law the paralytic still remained on his mat. He was free of the sins that had restricted him, but just lay there on his miserable mat. It was only when Jesus told him to get up and take his mat and go home that he was stirred to action.
What happens in our life when we are forgiven? We may come by faith to Jesus and confess our sins, but just continue to languish away on our pitiful mats. It almost seems as if we have the attitude that we do not deserve to be set free. We fail to act as if we were set free.
We know that the Word says we are set free, but because of the depth of our sin we feel it is just too deep and horrible to be forgiven. There is no such thing as our being too deep or too bad to be forgiven! Anytime we come to the Lord and confess our need, He has promised that He will forgive and never charge that sin to us again. If God forgives, why are we bringing it up again? All we need to do is to praise Him for burying it in His great sea of forgiveness.
It is interesting to note that the paralytic was healed, but the teachers of the law— who were guilty of the sin of condemnation—went away unforgiven. They even accused the Son of God of being a blasphemer. They considered themselves to be righteous and yet they were so guilty. God loves a humble and contrite spirit. We need to keep close accounts with Him and allow His healing to transform us into the person He wants us to be. That means one who has victory in Jesus!
I probably could say more, but I will not do that. Please use the Word of God as your pattern for life and wholeness. Reject the temptation to collapse in on yourself and continue to berate yourself for your sins. If you have confessed them and Christ has forgiven them — keep them in God’s hands and do not take them back. Be forgiven! Roll up your mat and get on with your life!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
