by Pastor Cecil | Nov 17, 2015 | Proverbs
Proverbs 27:14
“He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it will be counted a curse to him.”
I love reading the Bible. It is always alive and active; not only that, there are verses that are very humorous, but true. The Scripture for today is such a verse. Read it once again. What does it say? It is not that we are to refrain from blessing our friend, but there is a time and place.
I have been an early riser most of my life. My habit is to arise anywhere from 4:30 to 5:00 in the morning. It is quiet and without interruption and gives me the opportunity to read, study, and pray. The one thing that I do not like during these early morning hours is an interruption.
Picture the scene of someone sleeping when suddenly a friend rushes in and with a very loud voice begins to pronounce a blessing. I am sure it would be safe to say that the person receiving the blessing would not count it a blessing.
Sometimes we may be so committed to sharing a message that we run ahead of the Holy Spirit. We talk when we should listen. Morning, noon, or night, we need to be sensitive to the leadership of the Lord. He knows when the timing is right!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 16, 2015 | Luke
Luke 12:11-12
“Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
I am always interested in the current vernacular of the day. A few years ago it was very common to hear people continually use the word “like” many times in a single conversation, sometimes in a single sentence.
The recent buzzword seems to be “so.” I listen to people responding and prefacing their statements by saying; “so.” I have tried to wrap my mind around the reason. The best explanation I can come up with is that it gives the mind a chance to think before speaking.
A judge I used to work for used colorful expressions. One of his favorite expressions was to make the comment; “You can keep your mouth shut and look stupid, or you can open your mouth and remove all doubt!” It was cynical but oh how accurate it is in many cases.
Spiritually we never want to speak without having the Lord directed us. In those milliseconds before we speak it is well to ask for divine guidance. My desire is to live according to Psalm 19:14; “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 13, 2015 | Daily-E-Votionals
Galatians 6:7-8
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”
I have a dear friend, Mike Keller, who along his wife and sons have a prison ministry in Florida. I just spoke with Mike and he shared something that happened a few days ago. Mike and Suzette were at a women’s prison when almost 100 women showed up for their Bible study. This was far more than usually would be there.
As he usually does, Mike asked the question; “If you think you can be good enough to get to heaven raise your hand?” Most of the women raised their hands. Mike went on to explain that they had been deceived by such thinking. He was able to present a wonderful plan of salvation to the group to show them God’s plan of salvation. Many responded to receive Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord.
There is much deception in the world today. The things of the world are crowded in to the extent that the things of God are pushed out. That can happen even in the life of a Christian. When the things around us take a higher priority to the things of God we are in trouble.
It is time for an evaluation of our life. In what ways do you feel like the enemy of our souls deceives us? When we identify the deception it is time to come back to the cross and allow the Lord to be in control.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 12, 2015 | Isaiah
Isaiah 64:4
“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.”
Back in 1954 I was stationed in Rapid City, S.D. My wife Joyce and I would often travel around the area to see sights that boggled the mind. One of those sights was Devils Tower in the neighboring State of Wyoming. It is almost 1300 feet high, but the perspective is hard to grasp. It was only when you saw tiny specks on the vertical stone that you realized they were climbers. Perspective now revealed just how huge it really was.
I have tried to wrap my mind around the massive height of Mount Everest. As I fly on a commercial airliner I am stunned to realize that often our cruising altitude is near the elevation of Everest, over 29,000 feet. I lacked the perspective to grasp just how high it is.
In the spiritual realm I am even more baffled. How can even begin to comprehend the heaven that awaits those who have received Jesus Christ as personal Savior and who have had their names written in the Lamb’s Book of life. Heavens glorious delights are much greater than my mind can grasp. There is one thing I am certain of; God is preparing a place for us that will be far beyond our imagination or human perspective. I can hardly wait to get there!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 12, 2015 | Luke
Luke 24:2-6
“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!”
Alfred Ackley was a Baptist pastor who had two dramatic incidents in his life that led him to write our hymn for this week. He had been conducting an evangelistic service back in 1932 when a young Jewish man threw this question at him; “Why should I worship a dead Jew?”
Then early on Resurrection Sunday morning as he was preparing for the day he listened to the radio. A famous liberal preacher made this statement; “Good morning—it’s Easter! You know folks, it really doesn’t make any difference to me if Christ be risen or not. As far as I am concerned, His body could be dust in some Palestinian tomb. The main truth is His truth goes marching on!”
Alfred screamed out at the radio, “It’s a lie!” His wife was startled and wanted to know why he was so upset. Following the service that morning his wife prompted him to write a hymn and express his thoughts. He wrote this wonderful hymn.
HE LIVES!
I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today;
I know that He is living whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.
Refrain: He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.
In all the world around me I see His loving care,
And tho’ my heart grows weary I never will despair;
I know that He is leading thro’ all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing will come at last.
Refrain: He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind.
Refrain: He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.
Aren’t you glad we serve a risen Savior? Our God is not dead, HE LIVES!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
