by Pastor Cecil | Nov 8, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
I recently received an e-mail from one of our subscribers, Ed Thornhill, who passed on some information that I found interesting and inspirational. It has to do with the town of Reed City, Michigan. I visited Reed City’s website to check what Ed had shared with me. They have a museum there called the Old Rugged Cross Museu m.
Back in 1913 a Salvation Army officer, George Bennard, passed through a trying experience which caused him to reflect seriously about the significance of the cross and, in particular, what the apostle Paul meant when he spoke of entering into the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. While contemplating on these truths, Bennard was convinced that the cross was not just a religious symbol, but rather the very heart of the Gospel. He penned the words of this beloved hymn.
Bennard spent the last years of his life by the “side of the road,” a few miles north of Reed City, Michigan. At the age of 85, on October 9, 1968, he passed away. Near this home there still stands a twelve foot high cross with the words “The Old Rugged Cross—Home of George Bennard, composer of this beloved hymn.”
The Old Rugged Cross
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
In that old rugged cross,
stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
To access The Old Rugged Cross, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.glorysc apes.com/theoldruggedcross/ 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 7, 2013 | 2 Timothy
2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
“CAN GOD USE ME?” you ask. The answer is a resounding YES! Not only can He use you, He wants to use you. The only thing standing in the way (are you ready?) . . . is YOU!
As I allow my thoughts to wander across the years, I am reminded of those who have been able to minister under the direst of circumstances. A missionary I knew was rushed to a hospital with a ruptured appendix. While recuperating in a two-bed room, he was able to share his testimony with the patient in the other bed and lead him to the Lord.
During the cold war years there were many Christians who were imprisoned because of their belief in Jesus Christ. Rather than collapsing in a heap and feeling sorry for themselves, many used prison as an opportunity to preach the gospel.
In our own lives we have endured occasional tests and trials. As we surrendered each situation to the Lord, He opened doors of ministry that we could never have entered in any other way. It is not necessary for us to be perfect before He can use us—just forgiven. It is not necessary for us to complete a course of study to be used—just available. It is not necessary for us to be of a certain age to be used—just willing.
Many of you are enduring trials and tests right now. Please do not allow what you are experiencing to paralyze you from being used. Step forward and volunteer to serve in God’s army. Neither age nor physical limitations will disqualify. “God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.”
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 6, 2013 | Psalm
Psalm 96:11-12
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
The Psalmist is caught up in the ecstasy of praise. The Holy Spirit fills him with the realization that all of creation was created to bring praise to the Lord. It is by divine inspiration that the Psalmist informs his readers that everything is created to rejoice.
Watch a mighty storm approach and see the lightening flash across the heavens. It is followed by a roar of thunder that can even shake the ground. It may frighten some, but to my ear it is the voice of praise.
Sit beside a lovely mountain stream and you can almost hear the waters as they praise the Lord. Walk through a majestic forest and pause long enough to hear the breeze as it passes through the boughs. If you listen carefully you might be able to hear a symphony of praise to the God of the universe.
If all of creation is created for praise and adoration, where are you in that equation? I fear that it is easier for us to gripe and complain instead of praise and rejoice. I would like to challenge you to step out of your pity party and rejoice for all of the wonders of God’s great creation.
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 5, 2013 | Luke
Luke 18:9-10
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.’
Many of us are familiar with the parable Jesus told of the Pharisee and the tax collector who were praying in the temple. But do we really understand the meaning of the parable?
Humanity has always been deceived into thinking that if we are good enough, or if we perform some spiritual action, then God is obligated to pour out His blessings on our heads. Sorry, Folks, that is not the way it works. That is stuff Hollywood has dished out. It certainly is not the truth we discover in God’s Word.
The Pharisee in this parable used a prayer pattern that was given as a Babylonian Talmud Prayer. The focus was upon the self-righteous acts of the Pharisee who seemed to use prayer as an avenue of boasting. GOD HATES BOASTING!
Tucked away in a corner there was a tax collector. Tax collectors were despised by the people even more than the tax collectors in our day. This man recognized his sinful condition and cried out for the Lord to have mercy on him. Only one prayer reached the Throne of Grace. It was not the boastful prayer of the Pharisee, but the broken-hearted plea for mercy and forgiveness of the tax collector. What kind of prayers are you sending up to heaven?
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 4, 2013 | Joshua
Joshua 24:15
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
It seems like a lifetime ago that I was first called to make a stand for the Lord. As a matter of fact, it just about was a lifetime ago. My decision to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior was made when I was very young.
As a teenager, there came a time when I had to make a choice whether to stand firm for the Lord or go along with the crowd. There were activities that I knew to be against what the Bible says. My decision meant standing alone and facing ridicule from some of my friends, but I am so glad I chose to stand for the Lord.
On November 7, Billy Graham will be celebrating his 95th birthday. To honor this man of God, the Billy Graham Association is calling people to turn to the Lord . . . for Christians to stand firm for their faith and share the Gospel message with friends and family.
This should not just be an organized program, but it should become a wakeup call for all of us to choose to stand up for the Lord. It may result in ridicule and, in some cases, rejection. It may also be the door of salvation for someone you know!
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
