by Pastor Cecil | Nov 28, 2014 | Luke
Luke 2:11-14
“‘Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.’”
Most of us have grown up singing the carols of Christmas. One of the most loved of all the carols is The First Noel. While the origin of the melody we sing today is uncertain, the lyrics date back to the 17th century. It is thought to originate in France as far back as the fifteenth century. We do know that the word Noel is a French word originating from Latin meaning “birthday.”
Think what it must have been like for those shepherds who were guarding their sheep on a quiet night when suddenly their lives were changed forever. Of all the people on the earth that could have received the announcement of the birth of the Messiah, it was to them! They reacted with awe, went to see the Baby, and then spread the wonderful word of His birth.
The First Noel
The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay tending their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.Refrain: Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
They lookèd up and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
Refrain: Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
And by the light of that same star
Three Wise Men came from country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.
Refrain: Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
Then entered in those Wise Men three,
Full reverently upon the knee,
And offered there, in His presence,
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Refrain: Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord;
That hath made Heaven and earth of naught,
And with His blood mankind hath bought.
Refrain: Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
WISE MEN (AND WOMEN, AND BOYS, AND GIRLS) STILL SEEK HIM!
To access The First Noel, this week’s inspirational video fromGloryScapes.com, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/thefirstnoel2/ in your browser or click on the image below.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 27, 2014 | 2 Corinthians, Psalm
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
For as long as I can remember I have been a positive person. Depression has never been an enemy that I had to encounter. When I tell people that I am doing great, they doubt it and seem to feel that I am not being honest with them. This has been the case with caring for a wife with dementia. We have had wonderful support from family and friends, but often it is just me and Joyce. These have been precious times that I cherish.
There have been several who want to protect me and have suggested that it is too much for us and that we need to consider placement in a care facility or bring in outside help to take some of the load.
This evening I was cleaning up in the kitchen and today’s Scripture came to me. When the Lord told Paul that His grace was sufficient for the thorn that Paul experienced, how did he respond? He did not call in the cavalry troops to help—he went right on doing what he was called to do in faith that God’s grace was sufficient.
I thank God that He has given me strength and guidance to keep on keeping on. I intend to do just that very thing and like Paul I do it with delight!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 26, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 136:1-4
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. To Him who alone does great wonders: His love endures forever.
Here in the United States we are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. It is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. When I was stationed with the US Air Force in St. Anthony, Newfoundland, Canada, I discovered that the Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. That year I celebrated with my Canadian friends on their Thanksgiving Day and in turn they celebrated with us.
As I allow my mind to wander through the years of my life I find that there is so much to be thankful for that I scarce know where to begin. I certainly rejoice in the 62 plus years that I have been married to the sweet girl I met back in 1947. Wow! I am so very thankful that we have always been there for each other.
These last few months have been more difficult as Joyce slips a little deeper into her dementia. Through it all we have been able to express such a sincere love with each other that words cannot express it. We are thankful for a love that has seen us through many adversities and will be with us to the end.
That love comes from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. We have committed our personal lives to Him and also our marriage. He has been the center of our home across these years and will be with us to the end. Our thanks to Jesus for giving His life that we may have eternal life will echo through the ages of time.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 25, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 103:1-2
“Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name! Bless (affectionately praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits” (Amplified Bible).
The concept of blessing has come to hold more meaning to me than ever before. We can either bless or curse with our spoken words. In recent articles I have written a lot about actions and how they speak louder than words, but that does not mean we are to be silent — rather we are to speak blessing into situations and then act in the manner that is consistent with our words.
In the wedding ceremonies that I perform, I present a challenge to first the groom and then the bride: “Will you listen to (her/his) inmost thoughts and be considerate and tender in your care of (her/him)?” That is very good as a challenge to a couple embarking on their life as husband and wife — it is also a good challenge for each of us. Listen to one’s inmost thoughts! Be considerate! (That means doing to others as you would have them do unto you — the Golden Rule). Be tender! Care for each other! Just think of the difference it would make if we all put those concepts into practice.
Many of us are familiar with the Sermon on the Mount. (Actually it was Teaching on the Slopes.) In Matthew 5-7, Jesus began His public ministry by teaching the basic principles of a godly lifestyle. The teaching begins in chapter five with the Beatitudes. Each of the Beatitudes begins with the phrase “Blessed are you….” The phrase sounds good, but do we really have an understanding of its meaning?
Where do you fit into the concept of blessing? I challenge you to begin blessing people in a meaningful manner. As for me, I will continue to sign my letters and correspondence with a blessing. My deepest desire is that you now will know what I mean when I bless you!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 24, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Where is your treasure? Some might say it’s the amount of money they have in the bank. Others might feel it is their real estate holdings. Still others may place their trust in their investments. Again I ask you: Where is your treasure?
The phone rang and I was notified that an extremely wealthy and prominent man in our community had died unexpectedly. He had lived in this area since the early days and was considered a founding father of the county.
As I sat and prayed for the members of his family, a smile crept across my face. This man’s family had been praying for his salvation for years. The older he got the less likely it seemed that he would accept Jesus as his Lord.
Less than two weeks before I received the phone call notifying me of his death, the man had asked to meet with me at the church. We talked about the reality of eternity and the necessity of being born again. He prayed that day and opened his heart to Jesus. He gave testimony to the fact and even shared an intimate Lord’s Supper with his wife in her room at a local nursing home. He had traded the treasures of this world for a home in glory. May I ask you one more time: WHERE IS YOUR TREASURE?!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
