by Pastor Cecil | Aug 17, 2009 | Isaiah
Isaiah 55:8-9
“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’”
I do not know if you would call me a “bird brain” or not, but I do love watching birds. For years now I have maintained bird feeders in our yard as well as a supply of good clean water for them.
Earlier this year we purchased a beautiful yellow canary to brighten our home with his sweet singing. We placed his cage a few inches from several of the outside bird feeders. It has been delightful to watch him as he interacts with the wild birds. Some of them seem to be his special friends and gaze through the window pane at our Buddy.
Just recently I have been thinking about the scope of Buddy’s world. It does not extend very far—perhaps ten feet to the shrubs and not much more than that on either side. When he turns around he has our 11×14 feet family room and a portion of the kitchen beyond. This is Buddy’s view of the world.
If there were some way for Buddy to communicate to us about the size of his world, do you think he has any concept of what lies beyond? I don’t think so! Buddy’s world is limited to a few square feet.
Let’s apply that same concept spiritually. We are like Buddy. Our view is so drastically limited that we cannot even grasp the ways of God. That is why it is always necessary to pray that His will be done. His knowledge reaches into the tomorrows of our life and only He can always be there for us. Thank you Jesus!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 14, 2009 | Philippians
Philippians 1:21
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
During a time that history calls the “Dark Ages” the church was in confusion. Christianity had become degenerate and corrupt. Moral standards of the people were a disgrace and shame. But God always has for Himself a remnant of true believers. One of those was Bernard of Clairvaux of the Cistercian monastic order.
He was still guilty of many of the errors of his day, having played a prominent role in the Second Crusade. But even Luther said of him, “Bernard is superior to all the doctors in his sermons even to Augustine himself, because he preaches Christ most excellently.”
It was this man that God used to pen the words to some devotional poems that have become some of our finest hymns, “O Sacred Head Now Wounded;” “Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hears;” and today’s hymn “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee.”
“Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee“
Jesus! the very thought of Thee
with sweetness fills my breast:
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
and in Thy presence rest.
No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
nor can the mem’ry find
A sweeter sound than Jesus name,
the Savior of mankind.
O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who ask, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!
But what to those who find?
Ah! this nor tongue nor pen can show,
The love of Jesus, what it is,
none but His loved ones know.
Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
as Thou our prize will be;
Jesus be Thou our glory now,
and through eternity.
O Jesus, light of all below,
thou fount of living fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
and all we can desire.
Jesus, may all confess Thy name,
Thy wondrous love adore,
And, seeking Thee, themselves inflame
to seek Thee more and more.
Abide with us, and let Thy light shine,
Lord, on every heart;
Dispel the darkness of our night;
and joy to all impart.
To access Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/jesustheverythoughtofthee 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 | Aug 13, 2009 | Ephesians
Ephesians 2:8-10
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Modern day media has done a good job of warping the concept of eternity. It has led many people to believe that entrance into heaven is determined by how good we are on earth. It is like a giant scale with good deeds on one side and bad deeds on the other. The side that is heaviest determines heaven or hell.
Today’s Scripture makes it crystal clear about the difference between faith and works. Good works are involved, but understanding the sequence is vital. The only thing we can do in order to be born anew is to confess our sin and need of Jesus, then invite Him into our heart and life.
For years I have been blessed as I have read about the mighty revival that swept through Wales in the early 1900’s. There was a young coal miner who was totally sold out for Jesus. His name was Evan Roberts.
Not only Evan Roberts, but several other lay men and women confessed their sin of lethargy and pride. They began to spend time crying out to the Lord to search them and show what was lacking in total commitment.
When Evan Roberts was given an opportunity to preach he kept his messages simple and direct. I want to encourage you to consider these steps as a means to bring revival to our land. Evan Roberts challenged his audience with these four imperatives:
- You must confess every known sin to God;
- You must remove every doubtful habit from your life;
- You must obey the Holy Spirit’s prompting; and
- You must go public with your witness for Christ.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 12, 2009 | James
James 4:1-2
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.”
This week marks the 150th anniversary of a memorable (if not humorous) incident that occurred here in the State of Washington. The “Pig War” is the name commonly given to the 13-year standoff between the American Army and British Royal Navy on San Juan Island that began in the summer of 1859 after an American settler shot a British pig on the island that both nations claimed.
The “war” is celebrated because it was ultimately resolved by negotiation and compromise instead of by guns and force, and there were no casualties except the pig. The confrontation and its resolution are also significant in Washington history because the award of the San Juans (San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, Shaw, and many smaller islands) to the United States instead of Great Britain led to the creation of Washington’s San Juan County and finalized the borders of the state that exist today.
Thirteen years of uncertainty and an uneasy peace kept the Islanders on their toes and the military men of both nations in a state of readiness. All for the appetite of a greedy hog that had a taste or spuds!
Perhaps there have been more insignificant reasons than this for nation to go to war with another nation. The real cause is the result of our original sin. When Adam sinned, the result is still felt today.
In Matthew 24, Jesus prophesied that one of the signs of His return would be an increase in wars and rumors of wars. All it takes is a quick scan of any newspaper to see that hundreds of groups are at war with each other right now. Only Jesus can bring lasting peace. Praise the Lord for His sweet peace!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 11, 2009 | Isaiah
Isaiah 41:10
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Here are two straightforward questions for you to consider: “What can fear do for you in your hour of greatest need?” “How can fear contribute to resolving problems that seem insurmountable?”
The most common trait of fear is paralysis. Perhaps most of us have encountered driving in the dark and suddenly seeing a deer frozen in fear at the sight of our headlights. The expression; “Like a deer in the headlights” has come to express a person’s reaction to fear.
Military planners have been aware of this paralyzing effect. Before the battle, in fact as the initiation into military service, basic training is designed to teach reaction to what has been taught rather than giving in to fear.
The enemy of our souls tries to scare the living daylights out of us, knowing that if he succeeds, we will react like a deer in the headlights and be of little value to the Lord.
So how do we go about overcoming our fear? The answer is to trust the Lord completely. He is the One who knows us and who is able to be with us at all times. Today’s Scripture assures us that He is our God and is with us to provide the strength we need for what lies ahead.
In addition to today’s Scripture, Psalm 23 tells us that even though we pass through the valley of the shadow of death, He is with us and His Rod and Staff will protect us. What a sense of comfort that gives! Don’t be afraid!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
