by Pastor Cecil | Feb 22, 2016 | Romans
Romans 11:36
“For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
I think it was my spiritual mentor, Dr. John Hall, who first introduced me to a statement that I have kept in my heart for over fifty years now: “I Can’t—He can—That’s all I need to know—Let’s go!”
To live by that spiritual principle gives both purpose and direction. Too often we try to do things our way with our abilities only to ultimately find ourselves flat on our face. That is when another expression describes our condition: “Our get up and go, got up and went!”
Anytime I have experienced loss or failure in the fifty years since Dr. John shared this expression with me, I have recognized it is not my strength or knowledge that makes the difference. It is only to the degree that I place everything in God’s hands that I am able to get up and go.
The next time you feel that you are in over your head, or lack the ability to serve the Lord, just remember that it is God’s business to work in and through you to perform the things He wills and purposes. HE IS OUR EVERYTHING!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 18, 2016 | 2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 7:1
“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
A message of holiness is generally not popular in our modern world. I guess most people feel they are pretty good and have no need to hear a call to clean up our act and live holy lives.
In this feel-good society we place the stress on creature pleasures. Over and over I have heard people refuse to commit their life to Christ because they want to enjoy the pleasures of sin. They want to wait until they have fully satisfied their lusts and then they will be interested in getting right with God. BEEP!
Two thoughts always come to mind in response. First is the reality that these so-called pleasures are not all they are cracked up to be. The most miserable people I have ever met are victims of what they once called pleasure. Now their lives have become a living nightmare. Often they are too ashamed to turn to God.
The second observation is that none of us know how long we have to live. These human bodies of ours are absolutely amazing. Our critical organs can function over long periods of time, but just as true, they can experience catastrophic failure at a moment’s notice and we will be in eternity. I WANT TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 17, 2016 | 2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
It is fascinating to see an old abused item renewed and made whole once again. I recall a friend years ago who found an old derelict car that was so rusted out it seemed impossible to do anything with it.
I was wrong. Several years later I returned to the area and was invited to assist my friend in loading that old wreck into a truck to transport it to an auto show. I could not believe that he would want to take that hunk of junk anywhere but to the wrecking yard!
Then I saw it. Wow! What a transformation! It looked better than it did when it originally came off the assembly line. IT HAD BEEN RENEWED! My friend’s hands had created something beautiful! It was his handiwork.
In the same way, God wants to take the old wrecks of our lives and renew them into things of beauty that will show forth His handiwork.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 16, 2016 | Romans
Romans 12:19-22
“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore; ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
This morning as I drove around taking care of errands, I was listening to the radio. The opera, Il Trovatore, was about to start and the commentator was giving a synopsis. I was struck by the violence that the opera portrayed. Vengeance was graphic in which several characters, including infants, were burned to death.
I know this was just an opera based on fictional characters, but the demand for vengeance revealed the wickedness of the human heart. Even in our modern day, perhaps even more so than in times past, there is a loud demand for vengeance.
The Bible does speak about getting even. It appears in today’s passage of Scripture. In order to get even with someone who has become your adversary, here are the steps to take: Feed him and give him something to drink if he is thirsty.
And here is the result of treating your enemy this way: “ … you will heap coals of fire on his head.” That is getting even God’s way. Let God fight your battle for you. All you have to do is overcome evil with good!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 15, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 101:2
“I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.”
It seems as though I can still hear my mother telling me to behave. The very fact that she was speaking in a stern tone was a sure indication that I had been misbehaving. I wish I could say that I immediately obeyed, but the truth of the matter is that most times I continued doing what I had been doing.
It is one thing to misbehave in such a way as to disappoint our earthly parents, or even ourselves. Far greater is the misbehavior that disappoints God. His Spirit is with His children and He knows exactly what we are doing at all times. When we hear the voice of God speaking, our response should always be to immediately behave!
The Psalmist gives us a beautiful picture of a sincere prayer. In this prayer he is telling the Lord that he will behave wisely in a perfect way! When we behave in the way we should, we want the Lord to be near us. That is why the Psalmist pleads with God to come to him.
Let us make a new commitment to the Lord to walk in such a perfect way that we can truly behave as we should spiritually. That means searching the Scripture to determine the way we should walk and then walk that path.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
