by Pastor Cecil | Apr 30, 2009 | 1 Kings
1 Kings 18:20-21
“So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word.”
Are you fish or fowl? What do I mean by that question? I am really interested in knowing whether you have repented of your sins, trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ with all of your heart and had your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
There are many who know about Jesus and His saving work—even had faith that He is the Savior of the World—but have you been born again? To be born again is much more than believing about Jesus, it is inviting Him to be the Lord (the Boss) of your life.
Elijah was a faithful prophet of the Lord. He had the gumption to stand up against the wicked King Ahab and the 450 prophets of Baal. He challenged the people before he challenged the prophets of Baal. He wanted to know whether they stood for God or against Him.
In Matthew 12:30 and Luke 11:23, we read the words of Jesus as He challenged the people of His day: “He that is not with Me is against Me.” That leaves no middle ground for a namby-pamby relationship. If Jesus required a committed relationship then, He still requires it today!
In response to Elijah’s challenge the people remained silent. Their silence answered the question. In the same way our silence to the call to come to Jesus and be born again signifies our refusal to follow. If we desire to be counted as one of His own and have our lives transformed, we must stand up and be counted.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 29, 2009 | Luke
Luke 12:35-36
“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.”
This past weekend we had a long visit with good friends we had not seen for many years. Both Stewart and I had worked with US Air Force programs that were designed to protect our nation from attack.
One of the major elements in defending against aggression is being on alert at all times. I can still recall the long night hours when I was on alert for any sign of threat to our nation. Thankfully we were never attacked, but there were many simulated threats to insure our readiness to react.
When you are wide awake and expectant it is much easier to react quickly and appropriately. When the night hours slip by and your eyes feel like they are filled with sand, it is necessary to react in a professional manner that comes from long hours of training.
In our spiritual walk we never know when the enemy will mount an attack. We can almost be certain that this attack will occur when we are weary and worn. If we have not spent the time in self examination, prayer, and Bible study, we will be very vulnerable to the attack.
There is one thing we can be sure about—we will meet our Lord face to face. It may be at the moment our eyes close in death or it may be when the trumpet sounds and we are called up to meet the Lord in the air. Either way, we must be on the alert with our lamps burning bright. Are you on the alert?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 28, 2009 | Isaiah
Isaiah 40:31
“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
Each time I look on the wall above my desk, I can read the words of today’s Scripture. It is done in counted cross stitch, and has a very special place in my heart. You see, it was presented to me by our daughter, Brenda, back in 1991.
Brenda had been working on it for my birthday in March. She was desperately ill, which slowed down her work. But Brenda said she that even though she had not finished it for my birthday, she was determined to complete it before she went to be with the Lord. Brenda presented her gift to me just a few days before her death.
Each time I glance up to that framed scripture of Isaiah 40:31 on the wall, I remember Brenda’s labor of love. It means so much more to know that she was thinking of her Dad as she made each stitch.
This fantastic verse reminds us of one of God’s most precious promises: When we wait on the Lord, He will renew our strength. We get into trouble when we attempt to develop our own strength instead of waiting for Him.
It is noteworthy to read in God’s Word that anytime people run ahead of God and rely upon their own strength, they get into trouble. On the other hand, when people inquire of the Lord and wait for Him to lead, they are rewarded with His power.
The thought I want to leave with us today is that we need to spend our time in fellowship with the Lord. Reading His Word, speaking with Him in prayer and listening patiently for His still small voice to guide us. Not running ahead of Him or lagging behind Him, but walking close at His side.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 27, 2009 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 32:10
“As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings, so the LORD alone led him, and there was no foreign god with him.”
Just recently I was introduced to a web camera focused on an eagle’s nest in Sydney B.C., Canada. It is my understanding that these same eagles have used this nest for several years. This year there are three eaglets in the nest.
A few days ago there was a marauder, another eagle, who swept down on the nest, and in a second had made off with the remains of a seagull that the mother eagle had been shredding in order to feed her hungry brood.
As I watched a video replay of the attack, I was amazed at how quickly it happened. The mother seemed to be aware that the intruder was near, and was more concerned for the safety of her chicks than for the scraps of seagull.
Prior to the attack she had laboriously herded the chicks under the safety of her wings. The oldest and largest was especially difficult to corral. He kept trying to get out from under her and do his own thing, unaware of the danger to his life.
How very much we are like that willful chick. We want to do our own thing with little or no thought of the consequences of our actions. The Lord desires to cover us with His protective wings, but we fight with all of our might to escape. Then we fall into the clutches of our enemy and wonder why God is not there to protect us.
The time to come under the protective wings of the Lord is before the marauder strikes. The Lord loves us and covers us with His protective wings. Whatever is happening in your life at the present time—realize that His wings are there to cover and protect you.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 24, 2009 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 1:2-4
“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”
How long has it been since someone treated you with brotherly kindness? How long has it been since you treated others with brotherly kindness? In this dog-eat-dog world we live in, kindness is often considered weakness.
Our Scripture adds more to the equation. We are to follow-up brotherly kindness with love. This is not self-serving love, but a love that transcends this world and becomes an offering to the Lord.
In 1856, Elizabeth Prentiss was experiencing an extended period of illness. During her long period of debilitation she penned the words to the hymn, More Love to Thee. The words were meant for her own worship. She did not even share them with her husband for about thirteen years. He encouraged her to publish them. Howard Doane saw the pamphlet Elizabeth published and wrote the music.
“More Love to Thee“
More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!
Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!
Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!
Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!
To access More Love to Thee, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/morelovetothee 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
