by Pastor Cecil | Sep 30, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 46:1-3
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
The Haven of Rest Quartet began singing in the year I was born, 1934. I can recall First Mate Bob introducing the program after a fog horn sounded. The quartet then would sing the words of this week’s hymn.
As we struggle through the storms of life it is a wonderful assurance that God provides a haven of rest where we can safely escape the wild waves of adversity. I thank God that many times in my life I have found God’s haven of rest for my own soul. In the book of Psalms, David refers to the storms of life. He was attacked on all sides by his enemies who desired to take his life. Do you feel that way sometimes?
His predecessor, King Saul, was a demented king who imagined that David was attempting to take the kingdom from him. (Actually it was the Lord who had rejected Saul because of his wickedness and failing to keep the Lord in control of his life.)
In many of his Psalms, David cried out to the Lord for help and immediately praised Him for giving him a safe place of refuge. That is the same with us today. We may be tossed and torn by the storms of life, but the Lord always gives us a haven of rest. That is the hymn for this week.
The Haven of Rest
My soul in sad exile was out on life(s) sea,
So burdened with sin and distressed,
Till I heard a sweet voice, saying, (Make Me your choice)
And I entered the Haven of Rest!
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
I yielded myself to His tender embrace,
In faith taking hold of the Word,
My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul;
The Haven of Rest is my Lord.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blest,
Of Jesus, who will save whosoever will have
A home in the Haven of Rest.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
How precious the thought that we all may recline,
Like John, the beloved so blest,
On Jesus strong arm, where no tempest can harm,
Secure in the Haven of Rest.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
O come to the Savior, He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come, anchor your soul in the Haven of Rest,
And say, ‘My Beloved is mine.’
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
To access The Haven of Rest, this week’s inspirational video fromGloryScapes.com, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/thehavenofrest/ 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 | Sep 29, 2016 | Matthew
Matthew 6:8
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”
My wife was an amazing person. She was always neat and organized. It seemed to be one of her greatest delights in our home to insure that everything was in its proper place … and then there was me! I was the one who was clutter prone.
Over the 62 years of our marriage, Joyce tried everything to control my clutter. The number of boxes, baskets, and cubbies she bought to help keep my clutter out of sight, or at least manageable, was astounding.
During the last years of Joyce’s life, she was not as concerned about clutter. Since her death in 2015, I have been on my own to control the household clutter and have become aware of a new reality about it. Oftentimes I think I’ll need a particular article later, so I “store” it beside my chair, on my desk, on the floor … you get the picture. Before long I have a mess that needs attention. It’s then I discover that most of my clutter was unnecessary to keep.
There are areas of our lives that may have eternal value, but are they covered up by the clutter we allow to accumulate. When we make the Lord the focus of our life, He alone can bring order out of chaos. He knows what we need and when we will need it!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 28, 2016 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 1:19
“And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
Our family has made numerous road trips over the years. I think I developed the habit of starting very early in the morning from my dad. When I say “early in the morning,” I mean well before dawn. It just seems that the lack of traffic that early allows you to make much better time. It is almost like reducing the travel time.
I can recall on those trips watching the first hint that dawn was near. The eastern skyline gradually appeared out of the darkness and minute by minute it became more pronounced. Before long gorgeous colors began to emerge and you knew that dawn had arrived.
As we make our way through this sin-darkened world, it often seems as if we are being swallowed up in the inky blackness of depravity. It is during these times that we need to focus our attention on God’s eastern sky…dawn is about to break!
Keep your spirits up, dear hearts! In Psalm 30:5 we are reminded: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Never lose heart as you travel through these dark hours — dawn is very near.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 27, 2016 | Ephesians
Ephesians 6:13
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
I am sure that you have heard the expression: Well, that’s the last straw! We’ve probably all experienced a time when it felt like life’s pressures had become so great we could hardly go on when another discouraging issue suddenly arose. It was then that “the last straw” phrase was muttered.
There is certainly little doubt that we live in an evil day. Not only do we live in an evil day, but the evil seems to get worse with each passing day. Doing what is Godly and right is now seen as being wrong and evil.
Along with the reality of facing “the last straw,” we also come to the reality that it is time to stand for what is right. It is time for battle! Today’s Scripture passage indicates that we are to take on the full armor of God and stand firm in our defense of the Word of God.
In standing firm and sure for the Gospel, there may be casualties. I would much rather be wounded or even killed in defending the cause of Christ than going along with the masses who deny the faith. This is the last straw — what are we going to do about it? I, for one, am going to stand clad with God’s full armor. Join me?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 26, 2016 | Matthew
Matthew 11:28
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Back in 1954 my wife Joyce and I were stranded in a blinding snow storm in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We knew there was a town not too far away, but we grew weary and suffered with the cold.
When it seemed that we could hardly walk further we saw the lights of the small town. There was only one small hotel in the town and with joy and relief we were able to get a room for the night. Not only that, the wife of the hotel manager fixed us a bite to eat since there was no café open at that time of night.
There have been other times since then that I experienced weariness. Not all of them have been from physical exertion. Sometimes the emotional trials of life cause a deeper weariness. The loss of our loved ones creates a heaviness of heart that seems to drag us down.
It is in the weary times of life that we have the blessed assurance that the Lord Himself will carry our load. The only way that will happen is when we come to Him and cast our burden on Him. The longer we hold on to the things that weigh us down more weary and defeated we become. God promises us His rest, but we receive it only when we come to Him. Don’t carry your burden alone!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
