by Pastor Cecil | May 30, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Ira Sankey was a singer and song writer who ministered alongside evangelist D. L. Moody. He had experienced and extended time of trial and tears in his own personal life. He cried out to the Lord to be able to receive a renewing of his own spirit so he could in turn minister to others. It was during this time of agonizing prayer that the song Hiding In Theewas born. I am so thankful that the Lord heard and answered his prayer.
About twenty years later, Sergei Rachmaninoff was experiencing many problems in his life. He had a mental block, could not write and felt useless. After several years of emptiness he broke out of his doldrums and composed his second piano concerto. It is a joy to feature a blending of both works this week. ENJOY!
Hiding in Thee
O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be;
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour,
In times when temptation casts o’er me its power,
In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
I have fled to my refuge and breathed out my woe;
How often, when trials like sea billows roll,
Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
To access Hiding In Thee, this week’s inspirational video fromGloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please 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 | May 29, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 50:14-16
Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me. But to the wicked person, God says: ‘What right have you to recite My laws or take Me covenant on your lips?’
We have just celebrated Memorial Day and truly it is a time to honor those brave souls who have paid the price for us. In like manner there are many saints of God who paid the price by dedicating their lives for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
During war time and in the heat of battle many soldiers huddled down as low as possible not knowing if the next enemy shell would land close enough to obliterate them. It was in those moments that some prayed a foxhole prayer. (By the way it is not essential to be in a foxhole or even in physical battles to pray such a prayer.)
I would define most foxhole prayers as bargaining with God. We ask the Lord to get us out of the situation we are in and if He does then we will serve Him. I love the faith of the three Hebrew children facing the firey furnace if they refused to bow down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
I think their proclamation of faith rings across the centuries of time as an example for all of us. They said they knew their God was able to deliver them, but even if He did not, they would not bow down. That is the gut level faith that goes beyond the selfish foxhole prayer that only seeks immediate relief. May we all place our lives into the hands of a mighty God who does all things well.
God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 28, 2014 | Philippians
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
I have a confession to make. The words that I write down five days each week for this E-Votional do not come easily. My mind is always searching for an inspiration from the Lord as to what to write. Many times (if not most of the time) my inspiration comes from a passage of Scripture I have read; other times it springs from a memory of things long past, and still others come from observation of events that happen around me.
Do you know what the hardest part is? Simply to GET STARTED! There are always so many distractions and demands on my time that it is easy to put off the more essential tasks. (I am sure you have never had that problem. Cough! Cough!) If by chance you have suffered the same malady, there is hope for all of us.
I see at least two things that Paul urges us to do in order to get started in our walk with the Lord. The first is to forget. Amazing isn’t it? He wants us to forget the things that are past. I think that is because we cannot relive them, and to spend time dwelling on them will only take our minds off our spiritual objective: to please the Lord.
The second thing Paul urges is for us to strain for what is ahead. In your mind you can visualize a runner straining to reach the goal line, his body leaning forward to be able to cross the finish line victoriously. GET STARTED!
God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 27, 2014 | 1 John
1 John 1:5-7
This is the message we have heard from Him and declare unto you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.
I have a great fear that we have given people the wrong message concerning salvation. We have propounded the idea that you are able to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and go on living a godless lifestyle. That is totally wrong. I find none of that thinking in Scripture. In fact it is just the opposite. This passage is just one of many that indicate our walk must match our talk.
Jesus consistently told those who had been set free from sin and disease to turn away from it and begin to walk a different walk. Now if Jesus said that to people in His day, it still applies today. It seems that somewhere along the line, we have adopted the notion that we can live like the devil and still be a child of the King. BEEP! WRONG!!
It is inventory time. We need to answer a set of questions that may well determine our eternal destiny. That means we cannot take them lightly. Ready?
- Can you recall when you prayed to ask the Lord to forgive your sins and come into your life?
- Were you sincere in praying that prayer?
- Do you have the assurance that Christ is your Savior and Lord at this very moment?
- In what manner has your way of life changed since you received Christ into your life? Have you turned away from the sins of your past?
- Are you disciplining yourself daily to read God’s Word?
- Do you have a meaningful prayer time each day? (Not just before meals or “Now I lay me down to sleep”)
- Do other people know you are a Christian by your spiritual walk with the Lord?
- When you sin, does your conscience convict you and lead you to confess the sin?
- If you were to appear before God right now, would He be pleased with the way you are living?
These are just a few questions that will hopefully reveal what your walk is like. It may be a wakeup call to re-establish your relationship with God. It is so easy to get caught up with the things of the world and ignore the Lord who has promised us eternal life. We never know when something very sudden and unexpected could end our life on this earth. The few questions above will be nothing compared to the questions we will give about every deed done in the flesh. Are you ready? I urge you to do it now while there is still time.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 23, 2014 | 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!’
One of our favorite movies is Return To Me. We do not like some of the language, but we are fascinated by the new life that donors provide. Transplant patients often wait for long periods of time hoping and praying that they will be chosen to receive a vital organ.
Our oldest daughter, Brenda, was gravely ill and her best hope for living was both a heart and lung transplant. She did not receive her required transplants, but she received something even better—a peace that passes all understanding as she enterered the Paradise God had prepared for her. Our youngest daughter, Lori, received both a kidney and pancreas transplant. Ironically the donor for the kidney transplant was Brenda’s daughter, Jenna!
Like it or not, these bodies of ours are destined to the grave. The spirit of man within us will live forever, either in heaven with the Lord or in hell with Satan. That it is why is so important to cry out for the Lord to not pass us by. Enjoy that old hymn, Pass Me Not.
Pass Me Not
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 fromGloryScapes.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
