by Pastor Cecil | Feb 14, 2017 | Isaiah
Isaiah 28:10
“For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”
For anyone who has spent time in the criminal justice system, it seems like we see the same people very frequently. In a manner of speaking many individuals have developed a habit of breaking the law. In corrections the term recidivism is used to describe repeat offenders.
Just as there are bad habits that lead to negative consequences, so are there habits that lead to positive rewards. There are spiritual principles that can be gained by repeating them over and over.
Scripture memory is aided by repetition. The older I get the harder it becomes to imprint verses into my memory bank. I have often commented that my forgetter is better than my rememberer. Those may be strange words but you get my point.
What kind of habits are we developing in our personal life? Are we forming patterns of godly conduct and thinking that will be a blessing to ourselves and others? I pray that we will habitually strive to please God.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 13, 2017 | Exodus
Exodus 3:11
“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’”
I recall listening to a sermon tape of Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse in which he related an incident following a message he had preached on the subject of humility. A lady approached him after the message and requested that he would pray for her to be “nothing” in the Lord’s sight. With holy boldness he replied, “Madam, take it by faith … you are nothing!”
It is not so much who we are that matters, but who the God we serve is. In today’s culture we tend to exalt ourselves over the majestic God we serve (2 Timothy 3:2-3). But He alone is the power of salvation unto a lost world.
In a world where there is increasing emphasis on thinking that we are something special, we need to temper that with the ultimate truth that the One who created the world is our Savior and Lord. He and He alone knows us and has offered us eternal life because of what He has done, not what we do to deserve it.
In response to the question WHO AM I?, we need to respond that we are His children. That being the case we need to do everything we can to please Him!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 10, 2017 | Psalm
Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Someone has observed that shadows are often larger than the real object. When I was a police officer there were a few times when I was scared out of my wits by a huge shadow…only to discover it was a small cat walking in front of the headlights of my patrol car.
Death often casts a huge shadow, but it should hold no fear for the child of God. In 2 Corinthians 5:8 the Apostle Paul reminds us that “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Death is our doorway into eternity. How fantastic!
As we consider the words of this song we should make it our prayer request. It should be our desire to walk closer to the Lord than ever before. It should not be just one time, but it should be our fervent desire to walk closer to Him with each passing day.
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long, as I walk,
let me walk close to Thee.
Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee,
grant it Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Through this world of toil and snares,
if I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee,
grant it Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
When my feeble life is o’er,
time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er,
to Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee,
grant it Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
To access the free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/justacloserwalkwiththee/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 9, 2017 | Luke
Luke 15:30
“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.’”
I love the parables of Jesus. They have taught me so much. Jesus did not spend His earthly ministry teaching the spiritually elite, although He amazed them when he was in the Temple at twelve years of age. His ministry was to share the good news of hope with the common people.
It seems to be very evident that His parable of the Prodigal Son was given to encourage those who had lost their way that there was a Father waiting to welcome them home with rejoicing.
I know that the Lord is waiting with open arms to receive the discouraged and down-hearted prodigal. It makes me want to shout; What a mighty God we serve! I mean that with all my heart and soul.
It is my desire to always strive to be used by our Heavenly Father to cheerfully welcome home those who wake up and realize that they would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 8, 2017 | Luke
Luke 15:30
“But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.”
I once encountered a brother and sister that had been hostile toward each other for years. Even their children held deep hostility toward their cousins because of their parent’s anger toward each other. Prior to the funeral of the feuding siblings’s mother I met with the families and, with God’s help and Scripture, we restored their relationship.
In our parable of the prodigal it is interesting to note that when the younger brother received his inheritance, his older brother received his as well. In that culture the first-born child received a double portion of the inheritance. In this case the oldest would have received two-thirds and the youngest one-third. While the younger brother departed for a far land, it appears the elder brother departed for a far field of envy and resentment. He had no idea what his younger brother was doing, but he accused him of spending his money on harlots.
Sometimes our false accusations reveal what our own temptations are. This older brother had also received his inheritance but evidently did not enjoy it. He seethed with anger and jealousy that his younger brother was welcomed home with a joyous celebration.
His refusal to join the feast reveals the condition of his heart. While his wayward brother had been willing to become a servant, this older brother rejected his father’s plea to come home. Which sibling describes you?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
