by Pastor Cecil | May 17, 2012 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
One of the great joys of growing older is the blessing of observing the growth of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I was just thinking about how quickly they grow and mature. As babies they are encouraged to eat and gain weight as soon as possible. As we grow older we are told to slow down and get rid of some of that excess baggage. For some of us it is harder than for others.
Over the years my heart has been grieved when I meet people I have known in the past. The grief does not come because I see they’ve grown older, but that they have not grown spiritually. A conversation about the things of the Lord seems to produce a glazed look or even disinterest. They are still spiritual babes. Thank the Lord there are other people I meet who have grown deep in the things of the Lord and are eager to share a testimony of how God led and directed them in areas of service they could never have imagined. They grew!
In today’s Scripture, Paul urges us to grow—not merely physical growth, but the kind of growth that really matters . . . growth in grace and in the knowledge of our precious Lord and Savior. Someone has defined the word grace as God’s unmerited favor at Christ’s expense. In my mind we can never use mere knowledge as a measure of true spiritual growth. Facts and figures lack the life that produces growth. On the other hand, when we are immersed in God’s pure grace, it is like feeding on manna from on high. Let us grow,dear brothers and sisters!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 16, 2012 | Job
Job 42:16-17
After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years.
I love these transitional words or phrases that we find in the Bible. We read words such as, therefore, because, the next day, or as in today’s Scripture, after this. It is a note to us that we need to search what just preceded. In this case, it was the way God blessed Job after his terrible ordeal.
When I recently visited with my sister-in-law, she brought me up to date on some of the friends I had known in days gone by. It was a shock to hear that age had not been kind to many of them. Living a long life may be a terrible ordeal if a person has lost their health or mental faculties. It is quite common to hear people pray for long life and even make God promises if they are given extended years. It makes me shudder when people try to make deals with the Lord. I will trust in Him to give me the number of days that He has prepared for me to serve Him.
In the book of Job, we see suffering at a level that boggles the mind. Those of us who read the book know that God and Satan have differing views on the integrity of this righteous man named Job. If Job had crumbled under the pressure of his terrible ordeal, Satan would have claimed victory. Job knew enough about his God to rely on Him. His world had crumbled around him and there was no one to give him comfort. His friends became as much a part of his pain as the boils that covered him from head to toe. But in the end, Job prayed for his friends. What love!
Then it happens! After this God restored Job and made him an effective servant for the next 140 years. Wow! That is a long time to be blessed by the Lord and in turn to be a blessing to others. Short or long, I want to live that kind of life!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 15, 2012 | Hebrews
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
Today we hear young families who live in 2,000 square foot homes wanting something bigger. They have a new baby on the way and there is just not enough room in their present dwelling. Give me a break! Back in November 1954, I had just completed Technical School as a jet mechanic. My first assignment was in Rapid City, South Dakota. Joyce and I were very happy and looking forward to a new and exciting adventure.
We rented a few months before purchasing our first home. It was a 24-foot Terry travel trailer. That meant that we were living in less than 200 square feet. Within hours my precious wife had that little home on wheels looking like a castle.
I think most of us in the over-the-hill gang can remember living in a house with only one bathroom (if we were lucky), and we had to share a bedroom with brothers or sisters. The thought of moving into larger digs was never considered. We were just thankful that we had a place to call home.
Over the years since the 1950’s, we have lived in many fine homes and some not so fine. But our contentment has not come from the size or condition of our home—it is our love for the Lord Jesus Christ that has made us content.
The thought suddenly strikes me—the more our love for the Lord grows—the less importance we place on the stuff of life. All of this is going to pass away and we will find that only what we do for Christ will last.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 14, 2012 | Exodus
Exodus 3:4-5
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
There is little concern in our day and age for the sacred things of God. Sloppiness, indifference and a casual approach to the Word of God is of great concern. It almost seems as if many have created a God of their own making which allows or permits people to come into the presence of the King of kings and have no regard for His holiness.
I am not necessarily speaking of worship services, but that would certainly apply. What I am picturing is the contact we have with the Lord. I fear that much of the time we are so preoccupied with what is going on around us that we fail to see and experience the awesome holiness of God. Have we encountered the burning bush in our life?
Today’s Scripture comes from the famous “Burning Bush” encounter in the life of Moses. It was the place where God encountered Moses and commissioned him to lead the Israelites out of bondage.
Following the encounter with the Burning Bush, Moses was empowered to become God’s instrument in leading the children of Israel from the bondage of slavery. Are you experiencing victories in your spiritual life? Have you been walking close to God so He can present you with a burning bush?
Following the Day of Pentecost we have new access into the presence of God that those in the Old Testament lacked. We have the blessed Holy Spirit who becomes our “Burning Bush.” He is able to go before us and lead us in becoming all that God wants us to be.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 11, 2012 | Luke
Luke 18:35-38
As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ He called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’
Several years ago I was watching an episode of The First 48. This is a program that follows homicide detectives as they try to solve murder cases. The suspect in the homicide was a young woman with an extensive criminal history. As the detectives questioned her, she was defiant and bitter. She railed out at them because of her miserable life and denied any involvement in the murder.
It just so happened that her interrogation took place on Thanksgiving Day. There were many police officers who had to work that day and in order to show kindness, the department had brought in a complete buffet of tasty food.
After spending fruitless time interrogating the young woman, the detectives left her alone and went into the main office to get a plate of food. One of the detectives suddenly remembered the young woman and filled a plate for her and returned to the interrogation room.
The detective placed the plate of food in front of the young woman and said; Let’s thank the Lord for the food. He took her hand and the other detective’s hand. He prayed for each of them at that table and thanked the Lord for the food. Suddenly there was a heart-stopping transformation.
The young woman began to weep and poured out her need to get right with the Lord. She confessed the terrible crime she had committed and asked the Lord’s forgiveness for the horrendous crime she had committed. Wow! In that moment, this miserable girl cried out to the Lord to not pass her by, and He didn’t. It reminds me of the old hymn, Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.
Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior
Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Refrain:
Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief,
Kneeling there in deep contrition;
Help my unbelief.
Refrain:
Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.
Refrain:
Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
Thou the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in Heav’n but Thee?
Refrain:
Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
To access Pass Me Not, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/passmenot/ 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
