by Pastor Cecil | Nov 30, 2009 | Revelation
Revelation 3:1-2a
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”
There are times when sleep is necessary and appropriate, but there comes a time when it is time to wake up. Back in my days as a jet aircraft mechanic, I left for work early in the morning and spent an exhausting day at work. Many times I would lay down for a nap after dinner. Joyce had been alone all day and eagerly awaited to spend quality time together.
I rode to work each morning with my crew chief, Anthony Urban. If I slept in a little too late, Joyce would hurry me up by shouting; “Cec, Urban is here!” It came to be like an electric shock to stir me to action.
One evening as I was enjoying my sweet catnap, I heard those feared words; “Cec! Wake up! Urban is here!” In a panic I pulled on my work uniform and was heading for the door when I saw her rolling with laughter! It cured me of napping!
There is no doubt that we live in a world that is being pulled more and more into a sense of spiritual lethargy. There is little emphasis on personal evangelism and far less on discipling new believers. The result is lukewarm or dead churches.
Being loud and animated does nothing to cover the reality of spiritual death. Many of our modern churches have seemingly been more concerned with show than the substance of life. I think it is safe to say that a large percentage who whoop and yell in church fail to spend any quality time in prayer and Bible study.
The prophets of old, Jesus in His earthly ministry, and the apostles after Him have called for all true believers to wake up while there is still time. Will you hear and heed the call?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 27, 2009 | Hebrews
Hebrews 3:12-15
“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.'”
In the late 1800’s, revival swept across the Scandinavian countries. One of the great influences during this time of revival was Karolina Sandell. She had known much tragedy in her life, but did not allow it to destroy her faith.
Karolina was born in Sweden in 1832. Her father was a pastor whom she loved dearly. When she was twenty-six years of age, this devoted daughter accompanied him on a trip to Gothenburg. The ship lurched and Karolina watched in horror as her dear father drowned before her eyes.
In spite of her broken heart she began to write hymns that came directly from a heart that refused to be stilled by disaster. Her simple trust in a loving heavenly Father was felt in her hymns. One of these is this week’s hymn.
“Day By Day“
Day by day, and with each passing moment,
strength I find, to meet my trials here.
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
gives unto each day what He deems best—
lovingly, it’s part of pain and pleasure,
mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day, the Lord Himself is near me
with a special mercy for each hour;
all my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He Whose Name is Counselor and Power;
the protection of His child and treasure
is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
this the pledge to me He made.
Help me then in every tribulation,
so to trust Thy promises, O Lord.
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
offered me within Thy Holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
ever to take, as from a father’s hand.
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
till I reach the promised land.
To access Day By Day, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/daybyday 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 | Nov 26, 2009 | 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Being thankful is not, or at least it should not be a once a year thing. As members of God’s family we are to be thankful at all times. It is not our prerogative to choose what we will be thankful for.
In today’s Scripture, Paul admonishes the church at Thessalonica (as well as all of us) that we are to: “Be joyful always.” Do you frequently look as though you have been baptized in vinegar? That, my dear friend, is not being continually joyful.
Paul’s second admonition is that we are to: “Pray continually.” Here is another embarrassing question: How is your prayer life? Are you continually speaking to the Lord in prayer? It is a discipline that we need to pursue.
The last admonition is in line with today’s topic. Here is what the Lord expects of us: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Chew on that while you are munching on your sumptuous dinner. What if you had little or nothing to eat? Would you still give thanks? That is exactly the Lord’s will in any and every circumstance. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 25, 2009 | 2 Timothy
2 Timothy 3:13-14
“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
When God’s Word says our sins are forgiven, does that mean we are free or do we carry the terrible burden of sin with us? I fear that there are many who actually receive God’s forgiveness but fail to recognize that He not only forgives — He also cleanses. Read I John 1:9.
Let’s consider a sinner that was introduced in the book of Joshua. If we were to use an investigative technique, here is what we would find: Name: Rahab. Address: Jericho. Occupation: Prostitute. That is all of the information we know about this woman of the night.
How ironic that 40 years earlier after being freed from the bondage of slavery, Moses had sent out twelve spies. Only two had returned with a positive report and urged them to go in immediately to possess the land God had given them. One of the spies was Joshua, the other was Caleb. Now, 40 years later, Joshua sends out only two spies.
Rahab and her family were spared when Israel defeated Jericho. She did not look back on her sordid past . She took a risk to save the Israelites and God blessed her for it. In Hebrews 11:31 she is mentioned along with the faithful of the ages. In James 2:25 and 26 she is considered righteous in the eyes of God.
Now, that brings us to the practical aspects of the forgiveness of sins in our lives. When we confess our sins we can begin to live as new creatures. It is certainly not God who brings your sins of the past to your mind and causes you turmoil. If it is not the Lord, it is coming from the other side, and that means Satan.
In the same manner you can have victory over the sins in your past. If you have confessed and repented of them, you are made clean by the blood of the Lamb. Any time Satan brings them to your mind and wants you to feel defeated for what you did, or were, don’t believe him. Choose to praise the Lord for His cleansing
In the same manner, you can have victory over the sins in your past. If you have confessed and repented of them, you are made clean by the blood of the Lamb. Any time Satan brings them to your mind and wants you to feel defeated for what you did, or were, don’t believe him. Choose to praise the Lord for His cleansing power over sin and death. Give Him the glory and receive His grace that is sufficient to cover the sins that we have confessed.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 24, 2009 | Proverbs
Proverbs 18:24
“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Being alone is a sad and dismal position. We really do need each other and a friend is one of the greatest possessions we can have. It is a sad and poor man who has no friends. Friends are different than companions. Companions may be close by, but are not sufficiently close that we can share our deepest feelings.
Thinking back across the years of my life, I have had a wealth of friends. Some of those friends have gone on to be with the Lord, but some are still alive. Many years ago I received a plaque from a dear friend that has special meaning to me: “A friend is one who knows you as you are, understands where you’ve been, accepts who you’ve become, and still gently invites you to grow.” Thanks, Chris!
You may have a dear friend like Chris, but we have a friend who is even closer. Of course I am speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who is with us at all times. We are never really alone when others have departed, for He stays with us during the dark hours of the night. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is there beside us.
You may feel frustrated with life or feel hurt and depressed because of the way things are going. You may even question whether it even helps to pray. Hold it! That fatalistic view of life is myopic. It is like slamming the door in the face of our closest friend who has come to help us. Yet He patiently stands at the door and quietly knocks. Please open the door and allow Him to heal all of the hurts you feel right now.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
