by Pastor Cecil | Jul 29, 2016 | Titus
Titus 3:4-5
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
One night, 1886, in group of Christians were singing in a down-and-out part of a large city. A distraught young woman questioned if it would be possible for a sinner like her to be saved. Listening to her heart-cry for salvation, she was taken back to the mission and left with the ladies in charge. The young, wayward woman was brought to Christ that night.
A situation was secured for her in a minister’s family. Sometime later she became ill and had to be taken to a hospital. She rapidly failed and it became evident that she would not be long on earth. One of the gentlemen, whom she had met on that night on the street, was visiting her in the ward. After quoting a few suitable verses of Scripture, he repeated her favorite hymn, “All to Christ I owe.” Two hours afterward she passed away.
Of course the greatest payment in our behalf is the gift of eternal life. It cost the horrible death of our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He paid what we could not pay. He went to the cross voluntarily because He knew we would never be able to pay the cost.
Jesus Paid It All
I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small!
Child of weakness watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”
Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow.
For nothing good have I,
whereby Thy grace to claim
I will wash my garments white,
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.
Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow.
And when before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down,
All down at Jesus’ feet.
Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow.
To access Jesus Paid It All, this week’s inspirational video fromGloryScapes.com, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/jesuspaiditall/ 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 | Jul 28, 2016 | John
John 1:8-9
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
It seems that every day we hear of tragedies of every kind. There are natural disasters, but also there are violent attacks that leave scores dead and badly injured. Just when it seems that things could not get worse, they seem to do just that.
What should be our reaction to the violence and chaos around us? I think we have at least two choices. We can look around us and become increasingly depressed or look up and see that God is the Blessed Controller of all things.
In today’s Scripture Jesus is listing the things that will precede His return and the end of the age. He does not want us to be burdened with the evil that He prophecies, but to see the glory that waits for the redeemed of the Lord.
In other words Jesus is instructing us to focus our attention on what is waiting for us. That means we are to LOOK UP! I frequently have to remind myself to focus my attention in the right direction. I do what I can to fulfill the command of the Lord, and then I LOOK UP and worship the One whom I serve. Where are you looking?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 27, 2016 | Luke
Luke 21:28
“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
It seems that every day we hear of tragedies of every kind. There are natural disasters, but also there are violent attacks that leave scores dead and badly injured. Just when it seems that things could not get worse, they seem to do just that.
What should be our reaction to the violence and chaos around us? I think we have at least two choices: We can look around us and become increasingly depressed, or we can look up and see that God is the Blessed Controller of all things.
In today’s Scripture, Jesus is listing the things that will precede His return and the end of the age. He does not want us to be burdened with the evil that He foretells, but to see the glory that waits for the redeemed of the Lord.
In other words, Jesus is instructing us to focus our attention on what is waiting for us. That means we are to LOOK UP! I frequently have to remind myself to focus my attention in the right direction. I do what I can to fulfill the command of the Lord, and then I LOOK UP and worship the One whom I serve. Where are you looking?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 26, 2016 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 3:18
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”
I have never been much of a model of physical fitness. Yes, I recall my high school days (almost) when I was on the starting football team. I was in shape then, but for the most part I have always battled with a weight problem and, more often than not, I have lost that battle!
Therefore, I love it when Paul tells Timothy that bodily exercise “profits a little.” I am sure he wasn’t implying that we are not to exercise, but that is never to be our primary focus in life. If it is, we will be faced with dismay when the accumulated years begin to prevent strenuous activity.
So what, pray tell, is Paul saying? I feel that he is making a strong argument that if we place our emphasis on temporal things, we are wrong. I recall many of my classmates who were in much better physical condition than I ever was, but they have preceded me in death. (They have just reached heaven before me). In view of eternity, the things that really matter are the spiritual decisions we make.
As we look down the road of our life, we have no idea how long we have to live. Each of us is only one heart beat from eternity. Paul is saying that Godliness is always profitable for us. It is time for each of us to SHAPE UP spiritually!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 22, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 90:1-2
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
This week’s hymn by Isaac Watts is a paraphrase of Psalm 90. It originally consisted of nine stanzas. In present day usage, however, the hymn is usually limited to stanzas; one, two, three, five, and nine.
The hymn was originally part of; The Psalms of David Imitated in the language of the New Testament, published by Watts in 1719.
It has often been sung for special occasions in England. For instance it was sung in 1941, at a religious service on board HMS Prince of Wales, attended by Sir Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt as part of the conference creating the Atlantic Charter. It was also sung at the Funeral service for Winston Churchill in 1965.
O God, Our Help In Ages Past
Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in following years.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guide while troubles last,
And our eternal home.
To enjoy this free inspirational video: O God, Our Help in Ages Past, go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/ogodourhelpinagespast/
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
