by Pastor Cecil | Dec 4, 2009 | Luke
Luke 2:10-11
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.'”
Carol of the Bells is also known as the Ukrainian Bell Carol composed by Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych. It was first performed in December 1916 by students at Kiev University. In the United States the song was first performed on October 5, 1921 at Carnegie Hall.
The original Ukrainian song is based on an old Slavic legend that every bell in the world rang in honor of Jesus on the night of his birth.
“Carol of the Bells“
Hark! How the bells,
Sweet silver bells,
all seem to say,
“Throw cares away.”
Christmas is here,
bringing good cheer,
to young and old,
meek and the bold.
Ding, dong, ding, dong.
That is their song,
with joyful ring,
all caroling
one seems to hear,
words of good cheer,
from ev’rywhere,
filling the air,
oh how they pound,
raising the sound,
o’er hill and dale,
telling their tale.
Gaily they ring,
while people sing,
songs of good cheer,
Christmas is here.
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
On, on they send.
On without end,
their joyful tone,
to ev’ry home;
Ding, dong, ding, dong.
To access Carol the Bells, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/carolofthebells 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 | Dec 3, 2009 | 2 Corinthians, Daily-E-Votionals
2 Corinthians 2:15-16
“We are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?”
Back in the 1940’s our family had just moved from the State of Washington to the State of Idaho. It was a dramatic change from the lush green vegetation along the Columbia River to the dry, and often sagebrush covered, Boise Valley.
One thing that stands out in my mind is gathering onions in the late summer. The farmers in our county grew onions for seeds. They would then dig up the onion bulbs and truck them out and dump them in the desert. You located the free bounty by smell. Onions may have an odor to some people, but to our family they have always had beautiful aroma.
As I started writing this, I had no idea where it would lead me, but now I know. Just as onions may be either an odor or an aroma—depending on one’s point of view—so does our Christian witness.
The important thing for us to carefully consider is how the Lord considers us. Are we a sweet smelling aroma of vibrant life to Him, or an odor of dead flesh?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 2, 2009 | Luke
Luke 10:2a-3
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.”
Is it just human nature to want to stay in our warm and snug comfort zone, or is it the method Satan uses to keep us from doing God’s will and working in His harvest fields?
Regardless of how we answer that question, the fact is that God wants us to move out of our comfort zone. Inside our zone of comfort we focus most, if not all of our energy on ourselves, and neglect the needs of those around us.
The harvest fields that Jesus speaks about in this passage are the lost and dying all around us. You know, there are different types of harvest fields. When wheat or barley is harvested, all of the grain is gathered at one time.
In a field of strawberries, only those berries that are ripe are picked. It requires many subsequent trips to complete the harvest. It is the same way with the souls of men and women. Some may be gathered all at once in a mass crusade, while others must be picked one at a time.
As we move out to the harvest field we must stop and consider when the crop is ready. It is not our comfort zone that is important, but the harvest. Are you ready?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 1, 2009 | Psalm
Psalm 139:7-10
“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.”
Over the years I have had the privilege of experiencing a variety of professions. One of the most enjoyable was working as a County Juvenile Officer. I had come into the position directly from serving as a city police officer, so I was well acquainted with the patrol officers who worked the night shift.
I frequently rode around with one of the officers as he made his rounds. From time to time I would spot a juvenile who was part of my caseload. I would note the time, location and who else was present. Many times the probationer was on a court ordered curfew.
The next time that individual came in to report I would ask if they were adhering to their curfew. The response was usually that they were. I would then ask about the day and time I had observed them. The look of astonishment was priceless. I would then proceed to take the necessary action that was merited. It wasn’t long before they felt like I was everywhere and they had better keep on the straight and narrow.
In today’s Scripture we see that the Lord is everywhere and He knows all about us. There are no time-outs when it comes to living for the Lord. He knows each and everything about us. That is not a bad thing, but a constant reminder that He is always there when we call. Praise the Lord!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
