by Pastor Cecil | Mar 10, 2014 | John
John 6:12-13
Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
Have you ever thought about the Israelite mother who packed a small lunch for her son before he left to see the miracle worker of Galilee? She had no idea that the five small barley loaves and two small fish would be transformed into a miracle. It was just a lunch from a concerned mother for her son.
Friday, my wife Joyce, was scheduled to have an MRI at 7:10 A.M. I was not allowed to go with her and had to wait in the car. It was fascinating to watch as the many employees at this large medical facility arrived at work. Almost all of them had lunches. Some were in plastic bags directly from stores while others had bags or pails. They were prepared for meal time.
In many other instances we observe individuals preparing for what lies ahead. It may not be for lunch, but it may well be for college, marriage, retirement, or some other thing that seems important to them.
The critical question is . . . Are we preparing for eternity? Eternity is a certainty for each and every one of us. Mortality is 100%. Each and every one of us will die unless we experience the rapture of the church. Is your heart right with God?!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 7, 2014 | Philippians
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
William Walford did not allow the fact that he was blind limit his service for his Lord. He was frequently called upon to preach in a small country church. He composed the sermons in his head and also was able to quote large portions of Scripture from memory. Some people thought he had memorized the entire Bible. He also composed verses as the Lord laid the words upon his heart. Above all—he was a man of prayer.
In the mid 1800’s, Thomas Salmon was visiting in England and became acquainted with Pastor Walford. As they were visiting one day the blind pastor quoted a few pieces he had composed. Since he had no one to write them down he had kept them treasured in the storehouse of his mind.
One of the verses he related to Mr. Salmon was, Sweet Hour of Prayer.Mr. Salmon eagerly scribbled the words down on a scrap of paper. When he returned to New York he sent the verses to the Observer and asked if they thought them worth preserving. The Observer did think them worthy and published them on September 13, 1845. The music was added by William Bradbury in 1861.
Sweet Hour of Prayer
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
‘Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!’
To access Sweet Hour of Prayer please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/sweethourofprayer 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 | Mar 6, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
The thing I have observed about shadows is that they appear larger than the actual object they are a shadow of. Any time you are out after dark and there is a full moon, the looming shadows you see will scare the daylights out of you.
Having worked as a police officer, I can testify that law enforcement officers are just as prone to fear as anyone else. You may be walking a beat in a dark alley when you see this huge animal ahead. Your mouth becomes dry as cotton as you try to determine which course of action to take. Just then you hear a cat’s meow and realize that the huge animal was only the shadow of a small kitten.
Spiritually speaking, we are just as susceptible to the fear of shadows. Instead of trusting in the Lord as we walk through our “valley of the shadow of death,” we try to trust in our own strengths. That is always the wrong thing to do. Without the Lord at our side, we become fearful and defeated.
What are the shadows in your life? Are there individuals that cast a huge shadow across your path? Do you have personality shadows that you are trying to deal with in your own strength? Does the shadow of a health problem cripple you? Let me leave you with the secret to defeating your shadows. Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 5, 2014 | Revelation
Revelation 3:3
Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
I do not think I could drive without rear view mirrors. They give a proper perspective about what is going on around you as you drive. Sometimes there are dangers from behind you that you need to consider.
As born-again believers, it is important that we look into our spiritual rear view mirror frequently. It will keep us from being rear-ended by situations that might otherwise overtake us.
It is important for us to remember that our enemy, Satan, prowls around like a roaring lion. If I am correct, lions hunt in groups called prides. Often the roar of one will cause the prey animal to panic and run into the waiting jaws of other members of the pride.
As we travel through this wonderful life that the Lord has given us, we need to do so with caution. It is not that we are to be paralyzed by fear, but we need to keep our eyes peeled in all directions. The safest route we can take is staying close to our Lord by reading His Word and conversing with Him in prayer all through the day and night.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 4, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 5:38-42
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
I can remember as a teenager being asked by my parents to do some small task. I hate to confess, but I just did the bare minimum to be able to say I had done the job, but inside I knew I had not really done my best or even what was expected of me.
I am wondering what we do when we feel the Lord prompting us to do something? Do we plunge in with great enthusiasm and accomplish the task, or do we simply go about the motions without really giving our best to the Master?
I am told that in Jesus’ day, the Roman soldiers could compel an Israelite to carry their burden for them. There was a restriction. They could only compel them to carry the load for one mile. Early believers were urged to demonstrate their faith by giving more of themselves than was required.
How do you stack up in this area? Are you and I giving more than required? When asked do something, do we go over and beyond what was required? Do we show the spirit of Jesus on a daily basis? Think on these things.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
