by Pastor Cecil | Feb 22, 2010 | Luke
Luke 18:14
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
I am sure you recall this story I have used before. A pastor had just finished delivering a message on the subject of humility. He waxed eloquent and seemingly the congregation was moved by his words. Following the service, as he was greeting people at the door, a little lady shook his hand with exuberance and said; “Thank you for that message pastor. You know I have very few talents or abilities, but the one thing I can take pride in is my humility!” (I think the pastor went home in tears!)
Humility is a choice, just as pride is a choice. I once was counseling a young college student who outwardly appeared timid and withdrawn. She spoke only in meek and mild tones. After several weeks of counseling she seemed to be getting no closer to finding peace.
Before one of her appointments I was praying for the Lord to give me guidance. Suddenly the Lord revealed that her problem was pride. I was stunned at the idea and wondered how she would respond when I confronted her. To my astonishment she began to sob and confessed that her heart was proud even though she disguised it by acting shy and withdrawn. We prayed as she confessed. Healing followed!
There are many Bible characters that come to mind that are examples of God’s humble servants. Job was a prime example of true humility. In Exodus 12 we read that Moses was the most humble man on earth. The lives of Joseph and Daniel give us pictures of sincere humility and dependence on God. There are many more.
What defines true humility? I believe that it is trusting God without having to be the one who makes it happen. It is recognizing that others are just as important in doing God’s work as we are. It is having the attitude ― I can’t, He can, that’s all I need to know, let’s go!
Are you a humble servant of the Lord? Have you surrendered your own reputation and prestige to His ultimate control? If not I urge you to have an unconditional surrender ceremony and sign over control of your life to the Lord.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 19, 2010 | Matthew
Matthew 6:27
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
True Christian character is certainly seen in our biblical heroes, but it may often be seen in those of more recent times. Hope is a character quality that looks beyond our immediate circumstances and shows what we as believers have waiting for us.
One of the most enduring songs written after the Civil War was by Sanford Bennett entitled, “In the Sweet By and By.” Bennett was the owner of a drugstore in Elkhorn, Wisconsin who had just returned from the war. A friend, Joseph Webster, a gifted musician trained formally in composition, came to Bennett’s store each day to talk and play chess. Often Webster would come in depressed and down.
When asked what was wrong, Webster would often reply, “It’s no matter. It will be alright by and by.” That idea hit Bennett like a flash of sunlight! It was at that moment that he demonstrated hope to a friend who needed it at that moment.
As Bennett later described the incident, he took out a pen and it was all over in thirty minutes. A new hymn was born. In short order he was singing the words along with Webster and two other friends.
Bennett continued to manage his drugstore while Webster went on pursuing a composer’s career, writing over a thousand musical compositions and compiling the very popular Sunday school hymnal “The Signet Ring.” However he would not have the same success as with “The Sweet By and By.” That hymn was perfect for the post-Civil War era because it conveyed pathos with a mixture of comforting warmth. It came to typify the virtues of spiritual hope.
“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.
Chorus: 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.
Chorus: 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.
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.
Chorus: 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.
To access Sweet By And By, this week’s 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 | Feb 18, 2010 | Esther
Esther 2:8
“Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.”
I have a gigantic problem in my study of God’s precious Word ― I can’t decide who is my favorite Bible hero. I guess it often becomes the one I happen to be reading about at the moment. Over the past few weeks I have come to greatly admire Mordecai.
We know little about him except that he was part of the exile from Judah, and that he had stepped forward to raise his orphaned cousin, Esther, as his own daughter. When we get to heaven it will be interesting to find out if Mordecai had other children and, if so, were they equally as spiritually well equipped as Esther.
As I read this second chapter of the book of Esther, I am struck by the godly wisdom of this righteous man, Mordecai. Wisdom is certainly a godly character quality. The wisdom that we read about in chapter 2 illustrates that it is often wise to remain silent. In verse 10 he advises Esther to remain silent about her nationality. It was not that she was ashamed, but the timing for her revelation would be in God’s timing.
Not only did Mordecai demonstrate the character quality of wisdom, but he had also trained Esther the wisdom of obedience to this father figure. In Proverbs 22:6 we read: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” How sweet it is to observe this promise in action here in the book of Esther. The result will be the saving of the Jews in the kingdom who Haman had marked for extermination.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 17, 2010 | Matthew
Matthew 16:26
“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”
I have often been called a character. For those of you who are not familiar with the expression, “You’re a real character,” it means someone who does something unexpected and humorous. That has been me for a good part of my life. It is amazing how, at 75, I will meet someone for the first time and within minutes they will call me a character. Perhaps it’s the twinkle in my eye ― you will have to ask them.
Saying all of that, I do not want to write about being that type of character. My desire is to focus on the character qualities that truly identify a man or woman. Some of these qualities are godly, while some are worldly and sinful.
In our church services I have been working through the book of Esther. Last Sunday I passed out study sheets to look for the character qualities of three of the main characters: Esther, Mordecai and Haman. One of our members mentioned the character qualities that Bill Gothard introduced in his advanced seminars.
After much prayer, I have purposed to begin a series in the Daily-E-Votionals that will highlight a different character quality each day. I will strive to develop that quality in my own Christian walk and will encourage you to join me. Until tomorrow I will bless you in the Lord!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 16, 2010 | Isaiah
Isaiah 55:2
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.”
Someone just sent me a picture of homeless people in Haiti. Not only had they lost their home and all of their possessions, but some of their loved ones had suffered injuries with no way to treat them. Think of how little it would take to give them satisfaction.
I can recall some of the small houses we lived in when I was a boy. We were very satisfied with a house with good utilities and a roof over our head. As people moved into better and better houses, our family also upgraded our home.
Across the years I have associated with people who possessed the things of this world that they had paid a dear price for in the attempt to find true satisfaction. Do you want to know something? The material things of this world never brought the satisfaction they were seeking ― it never will!
The Lord calls us to dine at His table and find what will satisfy completely. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means “House of Bread.” How appropriate that He is the One who satisfies the hungering soul completely.
Here is what Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Be satisfied today!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
