by Pastor Cecil | Oct 24, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 84:10
“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
Back in the 1960’s while serving in the Air Force, I was stationed in Shreveport, Louisiana. It was during this time that our family was introduced to the Bible Memory Association. All five of us memorized faithfully and recited each week.
As a culmination of memorizing for an entire year, the young people were rewarded with a week at camp held in Ringgold, Louisiana. One of the unique features of the camp was the Order of Whitefoot. This honor was only given to BMA campers who had memorized for at least two years and had attended camp.
Additionally, only those who had received the Order of Whitefoot were given the special privilege of serving. Only the Whitefeet were allowed to scrub floors and empty trash. Only they were permitted to do the menial tasks that are usually dreaded.
The story is told of the world famous evangelist D.L. Moody who had invited a large number of ministers for a conference. He noticed that many had placed their shoes outside their doors to have them shined. Not wanting to embarrass them, Moody shined the shoes himself. The guests were abashed when they discovered their presumption.
I want to be more like Moody and the Order of Whitefoot and serve others.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 21, 2016 | Matthew
Matthew 28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”
I was born in 1934 to a humble working class family in the United States. One hundred years earlier, Katherine Hankey was born to a wealthy family in England. Katherine found great joy in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. She conducted Bible studies all over the city of London.
At age 30, Katherine experienced medical problems that prevented her from leading her Bible studies for one year. It was during that year of rehabilitation that she wrote a long poem about her Jesus. The last part of her poem contains the words of this week’s hymn. The music was composed by William Fisher.
I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY
I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love;
I love to tell the story, because I know ‘tis true.,
It satisfies my longing as nothing else can do.
Refrain:
I love to tell the story, ‘Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, more wonderful it seems,
Than all the golden fancies, of all our golden dreams;
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me,
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.
Refrain:
I love to tell the story, ‘Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, ‘tis pleasant to repeat,
What seems each time I tell it more wonderfully sweet;
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard,
The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.
Refrain:
I love to tell the story, ‘Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, for those who know it best,
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest;
And when in scenes of glory I sing the new, new song,
‘Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.
Refrain:
I love to tell the story, ‘Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story, of Jesus and His love.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 20, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 119:18
“Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.”
One of the things that I dislike the most about having my eyes examined is when the optometrist adjusts the machine until it’s out of focus and then wants me to say when it comes back into focus. It seems to me that the examiner should be able to tell me what is in focus rather than me being required to do it. Oh, well, life is hard!
Spiritually we are called to keep our focus on the Lord. It is far too easy for us to allow our vision to be distorted by the things of the world to the extent that we are not able to properly see things that God wants us to see.
In a world that is increasingly perverted, it becomes more and more likely that people get out of focus. What God’s Word says is wrong is now deemed to be right and what is right according to the Word is seen as out of step, if not biased.
God’s children have often times been required to pay with their lives because they were committed to keeping the right spiritual focus. I pray that we never have to suffer for Christ, but if we do I pray we will be strong and never distort the Gospel.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 19, 2016 | Isaiah
Isaiah 41:10
“Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
What are you afraid of? I have met people who fear such things as snakes, spiders, birds, germs, or some other thing. If we do not have a fear of any of these things, we are prone to laugh at the fear others feel so deeply.
Fear almost always paralyzes. The paralysis may be very temporary or it may last for an extended period of time. Regardless of what it is, fear is a debilitating condition that afflicts and limits one’s effectiveness.
The enemy of our soul delights when we are struck with fear. He knows that we are sidelined from being on the front line of God’s army when we allow fear to take hold and dominate us.
The answer to fear is found in God’s word. There is absolute assurance that what God says is true. The answer to our fear is to read what He says: (1) He is our God. (2) He will strengthen us. (3) He will help us. (4) He will uphold us with His righteous right hand. To me that is dynamite assurance that He will make us fearless.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 18, 2016 | Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 5:2
“Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven and you on earth; therefore let your words be few.”
As a Christian Counselor I was frequently confronted with adults that still carried the trauma of their early years. My precious wife carried some of those scars. She mentioned one boy who treated her very cruelly. Ironically, when I became a pastor in Burns, Oregon, that same boy, now an adult, was a member of our church.
Joyce had a difficult time overcoming the memories of the things he had said and the way he had mistreated her. One of the things that perplexed her was that he did not recall his harmful actions and acted nonchalant about it.
I am also aware of the ones who do not actually say the hurtful words, but laugh when another person belittles someone. Their laugh has the effect of bringing that person into the area of guilt. We might say guilt by association.
God calls each of us to speak words of blessing and praise. Look for things to lift up the downhearted or brow beaten. Look for God-given opportunities to show forth the love of Jesus to hurting hearts we meet.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
