by Pastor Cecil | Apr 30, 2014 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 12:21-24a
The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.
When I was a boy my mother would sometimes comment; “You can’t go out looking like that. You have to look presentable!” I wonder what she would say if she could see the way some people look today when they go out into public?
A great deal of emphasis is placed upon the latest fashions, regardless of how silly they may be. I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fad of wearing jeans with holes in the knees. In my day that would indicate you were too poor to wear decent pants.
While I am on the subject I would like to comment on the way people dress when they attend worship services. Often they look like a rag tag conglomerate of sloppy dressers that just wander in off the street because it was a place to get warm (or cool if it is summer).
I happen to think that we come together to meet with the King of the universe. I would certainly dress appropriately if I had an audience with the Queen of England. How much more should I be presentable to meet the King of kings and Lord of lords. What about our hearts? Are they presentable?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 29, 2014 | Ephesians
Ephesians 2:8-10
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We are fortunate to have a radio station in our area that plays old time music. It is hard for me to say “old time” since it seems so many of these songs are fresh in my mind even though they are from the “dark ages.”
The other day I heard a song that I had not thought about for years — a song that many recording artists had sung back in the day — “Ghost Riders In the Sky.” As I listened, I was struck by one line that had never impacted me before.
Here is the line: “As the riders loped on by him, he heard one call his name, ‘if you wanna save your soul from hell a-ridin on our range, then, Cowboy, change your ways today or with us you will ride, tryin to catch the devil’s herd across these endless skies.’”
We have been deceived into believing that we merit entrance into God’s heaven by the good life we live here on earth. There is absolutely no way this cowboy or any other can change our ways and get into heaven. Today’s Scripture gives us the one and only way. Be sure to let others know the secret to salvation!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 28, 2014 | Mark
Mark 12:30-31
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.
Recently our daughter told us she had seen a report of a couple who had been married 72 years. They were still so much in love that they held hands like a couple of newlyweds. They could not bear the thought of being apart for even short periods of time. The wife became ill and when she died her sweetheart husband told the children that he would be joining her very shortly. He died about fifteen hours later.
The great artist, Vincent Van Gogh once made this comment; “There is nothing more artistic than to love people.” If we were to paint an image of love it would be something going outward to others, rather than inward. It grieves me that we live in a time when love is measured by what satisfies us rather than how we give of ourselves to others.
On a very personal note, for the past several years I have had the blessing of serving my wife as she has increasingly lost the strength to do things for herself. Perhaps some would throw up their hands and refuse to do the menial tasks, but I have gained so much from this expression of love.
I find new meaning when I read in Ephesians 5 that the husband is to love the wife in the same way that Christ loved the church. Christ demonstrated love for us by dying for us. I want to die to myself for my wife as well as others I serve.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 25, 2014 | 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.
Sweet By and By is one of the most enduring songs written after the Civil War. It was composed by Sanford Bennett who was the owner of a drugstore in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. He had just returned from the war. A friend, Joseph Webster, a gifted musician trained formally in composition, came to the store each day to talk and play chess. Often Webster would be depressed and down.
When asked what was wrong, Webster would often reply; It will be alright by and by. That idea hit Bennett like a flash of sunlight! 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. 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 is 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 fromGloryScapes.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 | Apr 24, 2014 | John
John 4:14
Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
I have read that the human need for water is far greater than the need for bread. Just try going for one day without water and you will find yourself yearning for just a sip to ease the burning thirst.
I just watched an interview that featured Olympic Gold medalist Apolo Ohno. He is now training to compete in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. The race is a triathlon: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, ending with a 26.2 mile marathon. (I am exhausted just typing it!)
One of the things that Apolo mentioned was the critical need of water. Before, during, and following the race, it is essential for the competitors to keep hydrated. I am sure that many of us have watched marathon races or bike races where the athletes’ supporters stood along the race route passing out bottles of water to the passing racers.
As we run the race for Christ, it is vital that we keep spiritually hydrated. Our physical bodies may be doing fine, but we may be withering spiritually. The Lord has promised us that He is always with us and beside us. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised that the Holy Spirit would come to be with us. As we open God’s Word and ask the Spirit to guide our eyes, we will begin to feel the cool, refreshing, and satisfying water of Truth. Stay hydrated, my friend!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
