by Pastor Cecil | Feb 28, 2017 | Psalm
Psalm 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
Last week I was listening to a Christian radio station and heard a gospel quartet give a fantastic rendition of a song that had the words “WALK TALK” and “TALK TALK” in the lyrics. I am sad to say I have not been able to locate the song on the media, so I will just have to explain the concept.
The essence of the song’s message is that we have a “talk talk” that is all words that fail to match the walk we have with the Lord. I am sure you can think of individuals who say one thing and do just the opposite.
Thank the Lord there are other saints of God who live their talk. They claim the promises of the Lord as found in the Bible and put them into action. Their “walk talk” can be relied upon.
It is well to look deep within our personal life. Do we say one thing and do another? Are we a living example of a sold-out Believer that is willing to pay the price in order to be one who always WALKS OUR TALK?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 27, 2017 | Hebrews
Hebrews 11:1-2
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by IT the elders obtained a good testimony.”
Throughout Scripture we find the tiny word IT. To better understand the meaning, I took the time to look it up in a dictionary: Used to represent an inanimate thing understood, previously mentioned, about to be mentioned, or present in the immediate context.
In today’s Scripture the word it refers to faith. Faith is that attribute that steps forward on the basis of God’s Word rather than relying on our own understanding. There are many things that we will not be able to fully understand as we travel through this life.
We will experience fiery trials and tribulations from time to time, but IT will be able to hold us through. IT is that blessed assurance that Jesus knows what we need to see us through the difficult times by knowing that He is with us.
I desire to spend more time thinking about how the Lord is my all sufficiency. It is not necessary for me to know everything about what is going on around me. I only need to have the IT of faith. Teach me, Lord!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 24, 2017 | Isaiah
Isaiah 51:1-2
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat. Yes, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.”
Water, water everywhere…and not a drop to drink! Those words have probably been uttered many times by shipwreck victims stranded in the middle of the ocean. The salt-laden sea seems to mock them — there is so much water all around them, but it would be poison to their system to drink it.
Lucy Jane Rider Meyer wrote the words of today’s hymn. She was born on a Vermont farm in 1849. Lucy was a teacher and not only founded many high schools, but went on to teach chemistry at McKendree College, a school for freed blacks in North Carolina. She was one of the first female professors.
What a refreshing thought that a brilliant professor was able to use the Word of God to bring music to the thirsty human soul. Oh, that we had more brave educators who would be willing to put their reputations on the line for the things of God. I thirst for that!
Ho! Everyone Who Is Thirsty
Ho! Everyone that is thirsty in spirit,
Ho! Everyone that is weary and sad;
Come to the fountain, there’s fullness in Jesus,
All that you’re longing for; come and be glad!
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the world, are you tired of your bondage?
Weary of earth’s joys, so false, so untrue?
Thirsting for God and His fullness of blessing?
List’ to the promise, a message for you!
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the kingdom, be filled with the Spirit!
Nothing but “fullness” thy longing can meet;
‘Tis the enduement for life and for service;
Thine is the promise, so certain, so sweet.
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
To access Ho! Everyone Who Is Thirsty, this week’s inspirational video, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/hoeveryonewhoisthirsty/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 23, 2017 | Luke
Luke 10:35
“On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’”
I am committed to debt-free living. Be that as it may, there have been times in my life when I needed a helping hand. I thought of this a few days ago when I was watching an episode of Texas Country Reporter hosted by Bob Phillips and his wife Kelli.
In this episode they were visiting the General Store in the small town of Burgheim, Texas. It was fascinating to see the wide range of items that seemed to be useful to the customers in this small Texas town.
Then they showed something that struck a nostalgic note in my heart. There was a box with charge books. I recalled the times when Joyce and I were in the Air Force and had no money to buy groceries before payday at the end of the month. A sweet couple who owned a small grocery store placed a charge book in the box of customers who could charge groceries until the end of the month.
God has assured us that He has opened an account with our name on it. We only have to choose the blessings He offers. What a sweet assurance we have in knowing that not only do we have a charge book, but that He has paid our account in full!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 22, 2017 | James
James 1:19-20
“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
There is an expression I have often heard referring to someone who speaks without thinking: Open mouth and insert foot! Have you ever felt that you were in that position?
The book of James is a wonderful and practical guide to victorious Christian living. In today’s Scripture, James gives us three admonitions to follow that will lead us to find the righteousness of God.
The first admonition is to be swift to hear: That means we must take time to be alone with God and His Word in order to hear His voice. It will not happen if we are raging with anger. It means having a heart open to allow Him to speak to us.
The two negative admonitions are to be slow to speak and slow to wrath (anger): James goes on to stress that the wrath of man does not produce the righteous life God desires for His children.
As you honestly evaluate your life with the Lord, where do you find yourself? I want to be one that is always swift to hear His voice.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
