by Pastor Cecil | Oct 30, 2015 | 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 | Oct 29, 2015 | Psalm
Psalm 5:11
“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.”
I love to praise the Lord. Many times when I awake at night I will recite verses that I have memorized and praise the Lord for the way He has been with me all through my life. I rejoice and take joy in all that He does for me. It grieves me when I see other Christians that are so dismally sad. There is no rejoicing evident in them.
When we read the words of today’s Scripture we see that the psalmist David calls all of us to rejoice and find joy in the Lord. Not only does he call us to be joyful and rejoice, he also gives a reason for it. We find the reason in the middle of this verse: “…because You defend them.”
The Lord is our strength and He always does what is right. There are times when we may not see His hand at work in our life, but believe me, He is there!
We may never fully understand the ways and works of the Lord on this side of eternity. Our job is not to seek out the reason why, but to rejoice in the knowledge that God knows not only our todays but all of our tomorrows as well. Faith in God means trusting Him completely with joy in our hearts.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 28, 2015 | 2 Timothy
2 Timothy 4:8
“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
It may come as a surprise to you but I have never received a crown! I have had other honors bestowed, such as my Bachelor of Arts Degree, Master of Arts Degree, Gold Bars as a Commissioned Officer, and Ministerial Ordination, just to name a few. But no crown…as yet!
Paul was writing to his son in the faith, Timothy, in today’s Scripture. Paul was assured that he was going to receive a crown of righteousness. When we think of all that Paul had endured for the sake of Christ, it would be understandable that he would receive a crown of righteousness.
Notice that he says this crown is laid up for him at the appearing of our Lord. I hope you are as excited as I am as I read this to see that there is also a crown for each and every one of us who have loved His appearing.
We do not have to do anything to receive this crown other than to love the appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am so excited about the appearing of our Savior. I have no idea when that will be, but until He comes I want to live in constant anticipation of His appearing. I can hardly wait!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 27, 2015 | Romans
Romans 14:8-9
“For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.”
You may have heard or even use this expression: “I’m just dying to try that!” — or “I’m just dying to go there!” When we stop and think about it, we know that the things of this earth will never be achieved by dying. On the other hand, heaven or hell can be accessed only through death.
I do not want to start this issue of “Blessings From the Heart” with a discussion about death, but about life! Many of us live in areas where it becomes very easy to live for Christ. In other parts of the world, however, to even name the name of Christ carries with it a death sentence.
I have heard stories about individuals that had a lackadaisical attitude toward spiritual values until they were confronted with a choice of either denying Christ in order to live — or dying for Him. I think of the first martyr, Stephen, who chose the latter.
We may not be confronted with a life or death situation, but we all are challenged to live for Christ each and every moment. As you sincerely evaluate your life, are you living for Christ or are you living for self? I want to live for Christ!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 26, 2015 | 1 Timothy
1 Timothy 6:6-7
“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”
“If I only had that job I would be content!” “If I was good looking and talented like her I would be popular and have no problems!” “If I was young and full of energy I would be able to conquer the world!” “If I was older and more mature I would have no problems!”— If I had something more I would be content! All too often people feel that just to gain something more will satisfy that lack in their life.
Learning to be contented with what we possess is frequently a difficult task. We live in a world that is exposed to new and enticing things. What we once felt satisfied with becomes dated when new things appear.
The Apostle Paul experienced many ups and downs in his life and ministry. He suffered many things from his persecutors, but also had periods of plenty. In Philippians 4:12-13, Paul has this to share with believers of all ages: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
Are you content? Do you find satisfaction with what the Lord has chosen to bless you with? Can you sincerely agree with what Paul wrote in today’s Scripture?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
