by Pastor Cecil | May 31, 2016 | Romans
Romans 12:10
“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.”
Across the years I have counseled hundreds of individuals and couples. (That may not be due to my popularity as much as my age — I have been around a long time!) Regardless, I have met very bitter people who seemed devoid of kindly affection. In fact, they have not been kind at all.
Yesterday I used Romans 12:9 to direct our thoughts. Today and tomorrow I will continue an examination of this passage. Romans 12:9-12 is filled with descriptions of what love should be. I know 1st Corinthians 13 is frequently referred to as the Bible’s “love” chapter, but in a way, I think the Roman’s passage is equally descriptive.
We show our true Christian love by being kind to each other. Being kind means that we devote ourselves to discovering what the other person needs and then doing our best to help them fulfill their needs. It brings us back to the process of thinking of others more than ourselves.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 30, 2016 | Romans
Romans 12:9
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”
Many people give speeches about love, write poems about love, and create stories about love. So why do we have such a lack of love? I think it is because we fail to properly understand the God-given pattern for love.
What is often defined as love is how it makes ME feel. The emphasis is on our own feelings. It is what makes ME feel warm and fuzzy. It is what makes ME feel nurtured and admired. That, my dear friend, is hypocritical love!
Many of us have heard the humorous anecdote about the suitor who writes a note to his sweetheart professing how deep his love is for her … he would climb the highest mountain for her … he would swim the widest river for her, etc. Then the arduous suitor concludes his love note by saying that he would see his true love on Saturday … IF it doesn’t rain. Ooops! That is hypocritical love.
The writer of Romans says to have love that is not selfish or self-seeking. He urges us to abhor what is evil and cling to what is good. When we follow that pattern in our love relationships, we will begin to discover TRUE LOVE!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 27, 2016 | John
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
We seem to be constantly bombarded with the talk of peace. As a young boy I recall pictures of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain waving a document in his hand and saying he had just met with Adolf Hitler and had secured a promise of peace. His words were, “I have returned from Germany with peace for our time.”
The sad reality was that the world was soon to be exposed to the horrible reality of a war waged by a mad man who intentionally tried to exterminate Jews and other ethnic groups. There was no peace then or now!
From the day that Adam and Eve sinned and were evicted from the garden there has been strife, conflicts and wars. For all of the rhetoric about attaining peace we are no closer to world peace, nor will we ever be until Jesus comes again. What a fantastic day it will be when there is eternal peace — Wonderful Peace.
Wonderful Peace
Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight
Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
In celestial strains it unceasingly falls
O’er my soul like an infinite calm.
Refrain: Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above!
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
In fathomless billows of love!
What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,
Buried deep in the heart of my soul,
So secure that no power can mine it away,
While the years of eternity roll!
Refrain
I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,
Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control;
For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day,
And His glory is flooding my soul!
Refrain
And I think when I rise to that city of peace,
Where the Anchor of peace I shall see,
That one strain of the song which the ransomed will sing
In that heavenly kingdom will be:
Refrain
Ah, soul! are you here without comfort and rest,
Marching down the rough pathway of time?
Make Jesus your Friend ere the shadows grow dark;
O accept of this peace so sublime!
Refrain
To access “Wonderful Peace,” this week’s free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/wonderfulpeace/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 26, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 119:116-117
“Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope. Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and I shall observe Your statutes continually.”
When I hear the word “safe” I often imagine a baseball game where the runner slides into home plate while the umpire stands ready to render the verdict as to whether the runner was tagged “out” or was called “safe.”
There are other thoughts that crowd into my mind about being safe. If you have ever been in a small boat on a rough body of water and finally enter a sheltered cove, you would know that you were now safe from the waves.
There are many more circumstances of life when we escape a dangerous episode to a safe place. I guess we could say that this life that we live is a series of dangerous events that threaten us. We need a safe haven, don’t we?
The Psalmist assures us that our safe haven is the Word of God. When we live our life in accordance with His word, we can know that special peace and safety that surpasses human understanding. Praise the Lord for that PEACE!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 25, 2016 | Hebrews
Hebrews 4:15
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
A few minutes ago I received a phone call from a dear friend who had his big toe amputated about a year ago. He now has a sore developing on the same foot near the area of the amputation.
A few days ago I spoke with another friend who just lost his wife of 66 years. I lost my Joyce after 62 years of marriage and could feel some of the pangs of separation Floyd is now experiencing.
Try as I might, I cannot truly know how these two brothers are feeling. Even if I have experienced the same significant losses in my life, I cannot begin to know what their hearts are feeling right now.
But I want to tell you that there is a Savior in heaven who knows what they are feeling. He experienced each and every pang, pain, or sense of loss that we will ever encounter. I am so glad that in the time of our need, we have the assurance that our Lord feels what we feel and more than that! He is able to comfort us with more than mere words — He can heal our hurting heart.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
