by Pastor Cecil | Nov 7, 2014 | Ephesians
Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
I suppose many of us have heard humorous stories about someone approaching the gates of heaven and being required to prove that their actions on earth merited entry into God’s heavenly kingdom. Beep! Wrong answer!
A person may do amazingly good works here on earth and still miss heaven. It is not what we do for God that determines where we will spend eternity—it is what He has done for us. When we repent of our sins and accept Him as Savior and Lord then—and only then—is our name is written down in glory.
The writer of this week’s hymn, Charlotte Elliot, was offended when someone asked her if she was a Christian. She told him to mind his own business. Later as she was contemplating his question, she began to wonder what it took to become a Christian. She called him and he explained to her the plan of salvation which she accepted. It was then that she wrote this hymn, “Just As I Am.”
Just As I Am
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
To access Just As I Am, this week’s inspirational video fromGloryScapes.com, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/justasiam 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 | Nov 6, 2014 | Romans
Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
Several years ago I read a newspaper article about a popular baseball player who had a very ill daughter. Her condition was extremely critical and immediate care was necessary. This loving father held his daughter in his arms as the technicians attempted to start an IV.
They tried one arm but could not get a vein. They tried the other arm with the same negative results. As a last resort they started one of her feet. The pain was terrible for both the little girl and her father. She looked up at him as if to ask why he was allowing them to hurt me like this.
The father was John Olerud. As a dedicated Christian he gave a profoundly wise and spiritual comment. “She had to trust me. It’s the same situation we’re in with God. We have to trust what we don’t understand, and even if He explained it, we might not understand. Our plan was to have healthy kids. God planned something else.”
It is inevitable that we will go through painful ordeals in this life. All too often when we pass through these times of pain, we waste our energies attempting to understand why. Listen! If God wants us to know why, He will let us know. Until then, let’s just keep on fully trusting God!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 5, 2014 | Titus
Titus 3:3
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
From time to time I recall some of the deceptions I have been involved in. No, they were not malicious, just pranks. There was the time when several couples of us decided to put a little excitement in the community.
It was a sleepy Sunday afternoon in Nampa, Idaho. We had a record player tuned up with lively music. We called various people in the church and had them stand by because they had been selected for an on-air contest sponsored by the Grow-Pup Dog Food Company (I am not sure one even existed).
Momentarily we would blast the music and a ficticious host would ask the big question. It did not matter what they answered, they were always told that it was wrong, but thanks for being on the program.
That night at church it was hilarious as people shared the exciting news that they had been on a radio program and might have won a big prize. Before long it became apparent that it was a deception. We confessed and everyone laughed.
The enemy of our souls (Satan) is the master of deception and it is no game. It started in the Garden of Eden and continues to the present day. He tries to question the nature of God and infer that God cannot be trusted. Remember, it is not a game and the way to evade the deception is to rely on the Word of God.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 4, 2014 | Romans
Romans 5:17
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
My wife, Joyce, once worked as a Legislative Aide for the Washington House of Representatives. One day another Aide brought her grandson to the office so that her co-workers could meet him. (Isn’t it strange how grandmothers seem to be proud of their grandchildren?!)
Joyce wanted to give the little boy a treat and rummaged through her purse (which, by the way, has a bottomless pit!) until she found a small package of peanuts left over from an airline flight. From that day on, every time the little boy came with his grandmother for a visit, he would shyly slip up to Joyce’s desk and ask if she had any more peanuts. On one visit he said he was not feeling well. When Joyce expressed sympathy, he told her that he thought some peanuts would help.
Brenda, our oldest daughter, died when she was 35. Our youngest daughter, Lori, was facing death with a failed kidney and pancreas. The kidney was graciously donated by our granddaughter Jenna, and the pancreas from a cadaver.
Lori was given the ultimate gift of life, but she received a far more precious gift when she accepted Jesus Christ into her heart. We can give and receive gifts in this world, but we need to remember that the ULTIMATE GIFT was provided by Jesus when He died on the cross to give us eternal life!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 3, 2014 | Hebrews
Hebrews 11:1-3
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Faith! What is it? How can you put into words a concept like faith? The entire eleventh chapter of Hebrews may be described as the Faith Chapter in the Bible. In much the same way that 1 Corinthians 13, is described as the Love Chapter in the Bible. When you read the passage given above, it almost defies logic. It is as though it doubles back on itself, and leaves us gasping for true understanding.
How do we go about to grasp the meaning to the beautiful concept of grace? Most would immediately began to recite Hebrews 11:1 from the King James Version: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
To get some grasp about faith I think it is useful to use word pictures. We have to visualize what we have faith in as has already become reality. Imagine that it is 100 degrees outside and you and I are going to our favorite ice cream store to buy a cone. When do we start to enjoy that luscious cold treat? That’s right, it is the time we visualize having that delicious cone in our hand.
That is the word picture that we need to paint of believing in those things that we have not yet seen. It is based upon the Living Word of God. God says it, and we begin to visualize God being faithful to what He has promised!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
