by Pastor Cecil | Apr 23, 2014 | John
John 6:33-35
For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘always give us this bread.’ Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.’
The aroma of freshly baked bread is so appealing that it draws people from far and near to sample some of it. I often think of the disciples who had been out fishing all night with no luck. As they approached the shore they must have been struck by the aroma of baked bread and roasted fish. It was Jesus who waited there by the fire, and the One who had prepared it. What a meal it must have been!
Jesus was born in the small village of Bethlehem. The meaning of “Bethlehem” is “house of bread.” Isn’t it interesting that the Bread of Life was born into this world in a town with that meaning?
When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, the first temptation was to turn stones into bread. After 40 days without food or water, His body must have been crying out for nourishment, and bread would have met that need. But it would have meant yielding to Satan’s tempting offer.
Now is the time to make an application to our own lives. Do we take the time to stop and inhale the sweet aroma of the One who is the Bread of Life? The alternative is to listen to the siren call of the enemy who tries to feed us on his bread that will never satisfy and will lead us to destruction. I choose the Living Bread of Life!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 22, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 116:15-16
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains.
There are many people who achieve to be faithful supervisors, faithful CEO’s, faithful entrepreneurs–just about anything besides being a faithful servant. It is interesting to note that those other pursuits appeal to pride in achievement, while being a servant places the focus on the one or ones being served.
In the Acts 6 and 7 we read of a servant by the name of Stephen. Heard of him before? He was the guy who was stoned to death, but not before he delivered a powerful gospel message and saw the heavens part just enough for him to see his Lord Jesus in the throne room of heaven seated beside His Father.
Stephen was one of the men chosen to distribute food to the widows of the Hellenistic Jews. He was full of God’s grace and power, and in addition to serving the widows, he performed great wonders and signs among the people. His first obligation was to be a servant of the Lord Jesus, whether it was on the food line or on the gospel firing line.
I have a primary goal in my spiritual life. That goal is to be a faithful servant for the Lord. I aim to do this by reading His Word and obeying what it says. I do not need men to tell me what is right or wrong; the Lord will lead me into truth so long as I remain His FAITHFUL SERVANT. I hope that this in some way encourages you to become a FAITHFUL SERVANT!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 21, 2014 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Recently our granddaughter and her husband were with a tour group in Paris. The guide alerted them to be careful with their possessions as the area they were about to enter was notorious for pickpockets.
Our granddaughter was extremely careful to be alert and protect her belongings. Suddenly a young woman tried to shove some sort of literature at her. She repeatedly said no, but the woman pressed in her face. While my granddaughter was trying to push the aggressive woman away, she felt her cell phone being taken from her jacket pocket. The thieves quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Things can happen so quickly that we often are not able to defend ourselves. We experienced a similar loss when we visited Hawaii. Joyce and I decided to go to the beach and chose to lock Joyce’s purse in the car trunk for safe keeping. (So we thought!) When we returned to our hotel and opened the trunk, the purse was gone. Thieves had pried open the door, ripped open the back seat and, in probably just a few seconds, the purse was in their possession.
As we read today’s Scripture, we are forewarned that the coming of the Lord will happen in a fraction of a second. The rapture of the church is drawing near and we cannot delay in preparing for eternity. Will you be a part of God’s people who will be snatched away to meet the Lord in the air?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 18, 2014 | 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.
Sometime ago I received an e-mail from one of our subscribers 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 Museum.”
Back in 1913 a Salvation Armyofficer, 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 fromGloryScapes.com, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.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 | Apr 17, 2014 | Luke
Luke 24:9-11
When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.
According to modern day dramas or musicals, the disciples were ecstatic over the news the women brought back from the empty tomb. They even reported that they had seen angels and one had even seen Jesus Himself.
The reaction to these reports was doubt. How utterly sad that after all Jesus had told them about what He was going to endure and conquer, they still doubted. Oh, yes, Peter and John left to go to the tomb, but that fact that the others failed to go shows their doubt.
Jesus repeatedly appeared to the disciples and as many as 500 at one time following His resurrection. The apostle Thomas was not the only one who expressed doubts. There were other doubters in the crowd. It reminds me that it is easier to doubt than to rest in the arms of faith.
Why did the disciples doubt? I think the basic reason was they did not listen to their Lord as He spoke in person. Why are we prone to doubt in today? I think it is the same reason. We fail to listen to what He says in His Word, the Bible!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
