by Pastor Cecil | Sep 22, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 51:10-12
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Some people seem to have the idea that children are born innocent, perfect, and with sinless little hearts — before they have children of their own and experience the temper tantrums which occur when the little ones are hungry, wet, sleepy or just out of sorts. It simply confirms the reality that we are born of the sinful seed of our first parents, Adam and Eve.
I can recall some of the gigantic arguments my siblings and I would get into. Each one wanted to be the boss of the others, so we would be barking orders that nobody seemed to want to heed. There was one expression which stands out in my mind as a true indication of rebellion: MAKE ME! Those two words very often preceded a scuffle.
I hadn’t thought much about those words until recently. I don’t know why, but I have been struck by the words we use in many of our prayers: “Lord, make me . . . !” It makes me wonder if we do much thinking before we phrase our prayers. Does praying “Lord, make me . . . ” imply that God should do to and for us what He tells us to do in obedience?
Let me think for a minute here. (That is hard for me to do, so please be patient.) When I pray “Lord, make me loving,” does that mean that the Lord is to override my unloving behavior and suddenly make me loving? When I pray “Lord, make me a blessing to others,” does that mean unless God sends a bolt of lightening from heaven to open my eyes to see the needs of others, I can remain indifferent to their plight?
I hate it when I ask these types of questions. It always gives me the feeling that I am talking to myself and I start squirming! But that is what we all need to do. We should constantly evaluate our words and actions, being guided by the Holy Spirit to show us our inner motives.
There’s a portion of a poem I recall by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. I think it was in a work called “To A Louse.” Here are the words: “O wad some power the gifie gie us to see oursels as ithers see us! It wad frae mony a blunder free us, An’ foolish notion!” Cecil’s interpretation: Oh would some power the gift giver (God) give us to see ourselves as others see us! It would from many a blunder and foolish notion free us!”
My desire is that my prayers be so transparent and open that there is no hint of pride and pretense. Yes, that is what I said. It is very possible that even our prayers are areas in which too much self shows through. You may want to go back to Luke 18:10-14 and read Jesus’s parable of the Pharisee and Publican. Both prayed in the temple—the Pharisee with great boasting words of his spirituality, but the Publican only looked within and saw his sinful condition and asked for God’s mercy.
What does this all mean? I think what I am trying to get across is that we need to go beyond our words. It is not enough to merely pray that God will “MAKE US” into what we desire, but that we will act in obedience to what He says in His Word. God always wants us to be more like Him in all ways. It is not so much asking Him for what He says we are to be, but in obeying His commands . . . which will transform us into who He wants us to be.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 19, 2014 | Genesis
Genesis 9:16
Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.
Years ago my wife Joyce and I were once driving along the beautiful Columbia River gorge in Oregon. A rain shower had recently swept across the area, and now bright sunlight flooded the area. As we drove, a rainbow kept pace beside the car. I know it was just a refraction of the sunlight, but what an awe inspiring sight.
There are two requirements to produce a rainbow, rain and sun. Without rain there could be no rainbow. Without sun there would be no rainbow. In the rainy times of our life, God’s tender care for us brings His rainbow of blessing. God’s covenant of love did not say that we would be free of rain, but He is always with us in the storms of life.
Back in 1879 Rev. J. K. Alwood was equally moved as he observed a rainbow in the western sky late one evening as he was traveling home. When he arrived at his home, he immediately composed the hymn for this week; The Unclouded Day.
The Unclouded Day
O they tell me of a home far beyond the skies,
O they tell me of a home far away;
O they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O they tell me of a home where my friends have gone,
O they tell me of that land far away;
Where the tree of life in eternal bloom
Sheds its fragrance thru the unclouded day.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O they tell me of the King in His beauty there,
And they tell me that mine eyes shall behold,
Where He sits on the throne that is whiter than snow,
In the city that is made of gold.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O they tell me that he smiles on His children there,
And his smile drives their sorrows all away;
And they tell me that no tears ever come again,
In that lovely land of unclouded day.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
Enjoy this week’s free inspirational video The Unclouded Day, from GloryScapes™ Christian Hymns.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 18, 2014 | Acts
Acts 26:20
But made known openly first of all to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the whole land of Judea, and also among the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works and live lives consistent with and worthy of their repentance. (The Amplified Bible)
I was saved when I was nine or ten years old — so long ago now that I cannot remember my exact age. It is not essential to know my age, I just knew that I was not a Christian and the only way to become one was to confess my sins and invite Jesus into my heart.
There were about ten or fifteen other kids kneeling at that altar at the same time. The Pastor had told us to stand when we knew that Jesus had become our Savior and Lord. When I poured out my sins to the Lord and prayed for Him to come in, I knew that something had happened. When I stood and saw that all of the other kids were on their feet, I felt confused. But I knew what had just happened was real. I was now born again!
Did that mean that I could live any way I wanted? NO! Did it mean that I had to begin the process of spiritual growth? Absolutely! Spiritual growth can never precede spiritual birth. Just as I had a lot of physical maturing ahead of me, I also had a lot of spiritual maturing to do.
There are some who have the sequence wrong. They hold to the view that we must do works to merit our salvation. Beep! Not according to my Bible. Isaiah 64:6 says: “For we have all become like one who is unclean [ceremonially, like a leper], and all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment; we all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away [far from God’s favor, hurrying us toward destruction].” (The Amplified Bible)
That does not sound like we can do anything to be justified by our good deeds or righteous actions. Spiritual birth must precede spiritual growth. It is only then that we begin to learn and practice what it means to be a faithful born-again believer. The right sequence!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 17, 2014 | Isaiah
Isaiah 34:15
The owl will nest there and lay eggs, she will hatch them, and care for her young under the shadow of her wings; there also the falcons will gather, each with its mate.
One day Joyce and I were driving along when a Killdeer Plover suddenly flew across the road ahead of our car. Immediately we were reminded of the amazing antics we had previously observed killdeers demonstrate. We once owned a house and had not yet planted grass. It was flat with very little vegetation. We noticed that a mother killdeer had made a nest in a very shallow depression, which seemed foolish since the eggs would be so vulnerable. It was then that we witnessed the remarkable defensive tactics of this bird.
Anytime a threat approached the nest—man, bird, or beast—the mother killdeer would suddenly go into a remarkable bit of acting. She would begin to flutter and flop as if wounded. When the intruder began to follow the “wounded” bird, she flopped further and further away from the nest while making the characteristic call that gives this bird its name, “Kill-deer, kill-deer, kill-deer.” Once the threat had been lured far away from the nest, the “wounded” killdeer would suddenly take wing and fly away to safety. When everything was safe, she would return to continue the task of hatching her eggs.
It is wonderful to realize that God has created these seemingly defenseless killdeer with such unique instinctive methods of protecting their eggs. He also has unique ways of defending us. When we place our trust in Him, He will care for us. In Matthew 6, where we read the prayer our Lord taught His disciples to pray, we find these wonderful words of promise in verse 13: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” He will answer our prayer!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 16, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 25:10-13
But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘Open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
More and more people are being killed and injured in highway accidents because they were using their cell phones. Just today I heard of a young woman who was texting and driving. A car in front of her signaled and slowed to make a left turn, the woman who was texting struck her car at full speed. The innocent driver of the car that was turning was killed. WATCH OUT!
When we are wide awake and alert it is much easier to react quickly and appropriately. When we become preoccupied with other things we lose focus and the result can be catastrophic. WATCH OUT!
In our spiritual walk we never know when the enemy will mount an attack. We can almost be certain that this attack will occur when we are weary, worn, and inattentive to the things that are really vital. WATCH OUT!
If we have not spent the time in self examination, prayer, and Bible study, we will be very vulnerable to the attack. There is one thing we can be sure about—we will meet our Lord face to face. It may be at the moment our eyes close in death or it may be when the trumpet sounds and we are called up to meet the Lord in the air. Either way, we must be on the alert with our lamps burning bright. WATCH OUT!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
