by Pastor Cecil | Oct 24, 2014 | 1 Peter
1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
There have been times in my life when I felt isolated and alone. It seemed that I was alone and could not sense the nearness of God in my life. When I experienced these times of spiritual drought, I was prone to wonder if Jesus really cared, even though I am usually happy and optimistic. It has been in these times that I have felt the enemy of my soul attack. I rush to God’s Word for comfort.
Frank E. Graeff was known as the “sunshine minister.” He had a cheery disposition, a winsome personality, spiritual optimist, and was a great friend of children. He was known to have a child-like faith. That being said, he did pass through times of deep trials. It was then that he turned to the Scriptures as his guide in the darkness.
As I read the words of this hymn that he wrote, I can see the change from gloom and despair to hope and victory. That is what I want in my life.
Does Jesus Care?
Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress
And the way grows weary and long?
Refrain: Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.
Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night shades,
Does He care enough to be near?
Refrain: Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.
Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed
To resist some temptation strong;
When for my deep grief there is no relief,
Though my tears flow all the night long?
Refrain: Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.
Does Jesus care when I’ve said “goodbye”
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks,
Is it aught to Him? Does He see?
Refrain: Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.
To view the GloryScapes inspirational video Does Jesus Care? please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/doesjesuscare/ 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 | Oct 23, 2014 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 1:2-4
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
It has been a long time, but I can remember some of the games the kids in our neighborhood played. Hide and Seek, Kick the Can, Stick Ball, and many others, until we heard the call from our moms to come in the house. I can never remember our choosing up sides and playing a rousing game of—Perseverance.
I especially like the way Thayer’s Lexicon interprets the word Perseverance: “The characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and suffering.”
That is powerful! It is far too easy to seek an escape from trial and testing instead of inquiring of the Lord as to His purpose in what we are going through. Some seem to feel that Christians should not go through the trials of life. Oh, really?!
Read what the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27: Five times he received 39 lashes, three times he was beaten with rods, once he was stoned, three times he was shipwrecked, and spent a day and a night in the ocean. He describes his life as being filled with suffering and pain. That is true perseverance that leads to godliness. So what is godliness? Reverence, respect and piety toward God. It is saying: Not my will, but Your will be done! I want that kind of life!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 22, 2014 | John
John 16:33
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Last week there were reports of a major hurricane bearing down on the small island of Bermuda. The chances of the hurricane striking the Island were minimal. The odds that it would be a direct strike were almost out of sight. At first there was hope that it would miss, but as time passed it was certain that Bermuda was in the crosshairs of the massive storm.
The first winds to strike came from the east. They were well over 100 miles per hour and lasted for over one hour. Then the eye of the hurricane arrived — from raging winds there came an eerie calm with virtually not even a breeze. That is when the tree frogs began to sing.
Actually it was more like a high-pitched chirp, much like a pager. The sound was so loud that even on the television you could hear the “singing” as it filled the air. But the storm was only half over. Now the winds came from the west and caused as much or more damage.
In our lives we may be encountering the storms of life. It may be from one direction or the other. It may even be possible that we are going through the calm eye of life. I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but the storm is not over. It may come from a different direction than we have experienced before. The important thing is that we have the Lord and can sing like the frogs.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 21, 2014 | 2 Peter, Daily-E-Votionals
2 Peter 1:3-4
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For years I have carried a small coin purse in my pocket. It is only 2 ¼ inches across and at most, 1 inch high. I try to carry 3 quarters, 2 dimes, 1 nickel, and 4 pennies. With this change I can escape having to use a dollar at the checkout stand.
I carry a few other things in my coin purse. There is a house key, a small knife, and a tiny foldout can opener. In fifty plus years of carrying that can opener I have used it once or twice, but the times I needed it, I really needed it!
As a boy I was taught to memorize Scripture verses. When I was young it was relatively easy to memorize. As I got older it became much more difficult. I have shared with many people the secret of writing portions of Scripture on 3X5 cards and carrying them around so that they could refer to them during a free moment. One college student who was failing his college classes began to use this method during the college summer break. In the fall he raised his grades to a B average.
How are you equipping yourself to be used by the Lord? Preparation entails a lot of perspiration (the stuff that flows through your pores when you work hard). I will continue to carry my coin purse in my pocket, but I will also carry His Word in my heart!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 20, 2014 | Jeremiah
Jeremiah 33:1-3
While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time: ‘This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is His name: Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
Years ago when I worked in the criminal justice system I was attending a training session for behavior professionals. At the get acquainted hour a few of the leaders privately spoke with selected attendees. We were given some inside information that later in the session revealed how vital it was to know things that others didn’t. It was just an exercise, but it gave me a whole new understanding of how important it is to have God’s wisdom.
Back when Solomon was chosen to be the second king of Israel, the Lord came to him in a dream and asked him what he desired as a king. II Chronicles 1:10 is a real eye opener: “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
If God appeared to you and offered your heart’s desire, what would you ask for? I fear that many would ask for the things of this world rather than true wisdom to be of benefit to others.
Even while locked in a dusty prison, Jeremiah was given wisdom that went far beyond the trinkets of this world and saw the things of eternal value. God does offer wisdom to us the requirement is that we call out to Him.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
