by Pastor Cecil | Mar 8, 2016 | Hebrews
Hebrews 10:12-14
“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”
Do you remember those children’s stories that always ended with “And they lived happily ever after”? Then we got older and realized that those stories were merely fairy tales and that it is impossible to live happily ever after. Right? Wrong!
We serve a Lord and Savior who promises us the most spectacular “ever after” that could ever be imagined. Sometimes in Scripture we are given glimpses into that wonderful eternity that God has prepared for those who choose Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
In those children’s fables that we read here on earth there comes a place where all of the problems and trials are ended and everything in the future is going to be perfect. We know that is just not true. We live in the reality of a sin-wrecked world that is filled with suffering and strife.
Let me quickly offer the hope that we find in the Bible: This world is not our eternal home — we are here for such a brief time that it is hard to measure in Eternity Standard Time. There will be a HAPPILY EVER AFTER for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to live HAPPILY EVER AFTER!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 7, 2016 | Philippians
Philippians 3:13-14
“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
If we do not have a goal we will never know if we achieved it or not. It will be like going around and around in a circle, but never reaching a destination. I think of cyclists in a cage that have sufficient speed to remain glued to the screen wall. They travel parallel to the ground, but because of their momentum, they do not fall. The other reality is that they never get anywhere.
NASCAR drivers, on the other hand, drive around and around in a circle, but they achieve a reward for the order in which they finish the race. Jeff Gordon, who retired from racing last year, established a record of starting in 796 races. He only won 93 of those races but is considered a champion.
You see, it is not necessary for us to win every race to be considered a champion. We need to have a goal in mind and strive to reach that goal. Paul tells us that he does not worry about calling himself a champion — he keeps his eye on the prize of pleasing his Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. That is the goal I want to strive to achieve!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 4, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 18:2
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Ira Sankey was a singer and song writer who ministered alongside evangelist D. L. Moody. He had experienced and extended time of trial and tears in his own personal life. He cried out to the Lord to be able to receive a renewing of his own spirit so he could in turn minister to others. It was during this time of agonizing prayer that the song Hiding In Thee was born. I am so thankful that the Lord heard and answered his prayer.
About twenty years later, Sergei Rachmaninoff was experiencing many problems in his life. He had a mental block, could not write and felt useless. After several years of emptiness he broke out of his doldrums and composed his second piano concerto. It is a joy to feature a blending of both works this week. ENJOY!
Hiding in Thee
O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be;
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour,
In times when temptation casts o’er me its power,
In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
I have fled to my refuge and breathed out my woe;
How often, when trials like sea billows roll,
Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
To access Hiding In Thee, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please 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 | Mar 3, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in You sight, O, Lord my strength and my Redeemer.”
About five years ago I had triple by-pass heart surgery. In the recuperative period following the surgery, I had physical rehabilitation. Most of the exercises were good and acceptable. But one day an instructor came into our group that wanted us to close our eyes and clear our minds of every thought. OOPS! I immediately exited the session.
Any program that suggests clearing your mind of every thought leaves the door open for unclean spirits to enter. The enemy of our soul delights in having free access to the human mind. He is a master of deceit and any time there is an opportunity to mimic the work of the Lord, he does it.
Now I want to quickly point out that there is a true place for meditation in the mind of a true believer. It is not an emptying of all thoughts, but rather bathing ourselves in the Word of God and meditating about what it says.
Many years ago I was taught that any time we study the Bible we need to ask ourselves three questions: What does it say? What does it mean? And how does it apply to my life? That, dear hearts, is true spiritual meditation!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 2, 2016 | Daily-E-Votionals
Romans 8:36-37
“As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
You have no doubt heard the story of a man asking his friend, “How are you doing?” His friend responds, “Pretty good, under the circumstances.” The first man then asks, “What are you doing under there?”
It is safe to say that we are all going to be faced with the circumstances of life. It may be financial, social, physical, or any other type of circumstance. You may have already encountered adverse circumstances in the past, or they may be waiting for you in the future.
Please do not feel depressed or hopeless. We serve a God who not only knows our every pain, but He has suffered infinitely more than we will ever have to endure. Our hope is expressed in the last sentence of today’s Scripture: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.“
Look up, dear hearts … our redemption draws near! Trust in Him with all your heart and keep on praising Him for our eternal reward that awaits us in eternity!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
