by Pastor Cecil | Aug 17, 2017 | Ephesians
Ephesians 3:20-21
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
I have two cousins who are expert marksmen. In speaking to one of them I discovered that each of us have a dominant eye that may not be the same as whether we are left or right handed. For example, both cousins are right handed, but shoot by sighting with their left eye.
The Bible repeatedly calls us to look to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith. In today’s Scripture Paul admonishes his readers to focus their attention TO HIM. That means making the rational decision to take careful aim at the target of our faith.
In a world that is increasingly cluttered with things that draw our attention away from the spiritual realm, it is vital that we stop and take careful aim at the things that will matter for eternity. We know that the things of this world grow strangely dim as we focus on His glory and grace.
What are you aiming at? If you have no target in mind, you will find yourself lost in the frustrating confusion of life. If you direct your attention TO HIM, you will find that He is worthy of all of your efforts. TO HIM!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 16, 2017 | Psalm
Psalm 53:2
“God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.”
I recall one of my grade school teachers who seemed to have eyes in the back of her head. Not that I was a problem of course, but every time I did something I was not suppose to do … she saw me. I did kind of live in constant fear of her.
Unfortunately, we tend to carry over that attitude toward God. We picture Him as always watching out of the portals of heaven in order to catch us when we do something that is wrong. That is an inaccurate picture of God.
In today’s scripture we see that God is always watching. It is not so much that He is trying to catch us in our sin, but rather He desires to discover those who have a spiritual understanding of God and who are actively seeking to find Him in all of His glory.
When God watches you does He see a person who is actively seeking to do His will or their own will? It should be our heart’s desire to understand more about the nature of God each day. The Father gives us the Word – the Son gives us the Way – the Spirit gives us the Witness. We only have to become aware!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 15, 2017 | Proverbs
Proverbs 18:24
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Thinking back across the years of my life, I have been blessed with a wealth of friends. Some of those friends have gone on to be with the Lord, but some are still alive. One of my friends once gave me a plaque that reads, “A friend is one who knows you as you are, understands where you’ve been, accepts who you’ve become, and still gently invites you to grow. Cecil, Thanks for being that friend. Chris.”
As close as our dearest friend or friends may be, we have a friend who is still closer. Of course I am speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who is with us at all times. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is there beside us. When we receive devastating news, He is there to provide the comfort and solace to ease the pain. When we receive news that calls for rejoicing, He makes it even better for we have One who rejoices with us.
I know that it is possible to become frustrated with life. We may feel hurt or depressed because of the way things are going. We are prone to question whether it even helps to pray. Things are going to happen regardless of what we do. Wait just a minute! That fatalistic view of life is myopic. It is like slamming the door in the face of our closest friend and huddling in the corner of a closet while He patiently stands at the door and quietly knocks. Please open the door and welcome Him to come in once again and heal all of the hurts you feel right now.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 14, 2017 | 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 1:6
“For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.”
I confess that I am not a deep theologian who has profound knowledge of the writings of learned biblical scholars. I simply believe that the Lord has called me to take the truths that are written in the precious Word of God and study, think, and pray until they become real to me. Then, and only then, I try to present them in a manner that is simple, real, and true to the Word.
When I was in the USAF stationed in Missouri, I talked quite often with a dear pastor, Rev. Frank Meyers in Warrensburg, Missouri. He shared that his first pastorate was in St. Joseph, Missouri, near a large meat packing company. One of the workers there was a member of his congregation. This elderly meat packer had at best a third-grade education. Each day he got off work at 3:00 p.m. and would head for the pastor’s study. Frank said that old man with a limited education taught him more about the true Word of God than all of his highly educated professors in college and seminary. I want to be like that old unknown meat packer!
Just remember that it is the Lord taking this poor preacher’s ramblings to show you that God loves you, knows exactly what you feel, and has a plan for your good and His glory. I encourage you to read the book of 1 Thessalonians. If you can, read it all the way through at one sitting. It will bless you!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 11, 2017 | Philippians
Philippians 4:4-6
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. “
William Walford did not allow the fact that he was blind limit his service for his Lord. He was frequently called upon to preach in a small country church. He composed the sermons in his head and also was able to quote large portions of Scripture from memory. Some people thought he had memorized the entire Bible. He also composed verses as the Lord laid the words upon his heart. Above all—he was a man of prayer.
In the mid 1800’s, Thomas Salmon was visiting in England and became acquainted with Pastor Walford. As they were visiting one day the blind pastor quoted a few pieces he had composed. Since he had no one to write them down he had kept them treasured in the storehouse of his mind.
One of the verses he related to Mr. Salmon was, Sweet Hour of Prayer. Mr. Salmon eagerly scribbled the words down on a scrap of paper. When he returned to New York he sent the verses to the Observer and asked if they thought them worth preserving. The Observer did think them worthy and published them on September 13, 1845. The music was added by William Bradbury in 1861.
Sweet Hour of Prayer
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
‘Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!’
To access Sweet Hour of Prayer please go to:http://gloryscapes.com/sweethourofprayer in your browser or click on the image below.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
