by Pastor Cecil | Jan 10, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 91:1-2
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
A certain husband once came to my office for marital counseling. His wife had been in earlier and they were requesting that I assist them to restore peace and harmony in their marriage.
The husband was very vocal in blaming his wife as the cause of the problems they were having. He proceeded to share the things he had said and her adverse reactions. He said that he felt she was being unreasonable.
He had just left my office when there was a knock on my door. It was this same husband. He said that as he was leaving he realized that he had left the wrong impression. The words that he had spoken to his wife were accurate, but the inflection he used as he spoke to her gave an entirely different meaning. He confessed that he was wrong. It was soon after the husband’s recognition of his guilt that their marriage became stronger than before.
When you speak and interact with others are you using an inflection that says more than the words themselves? Could you imagine Jesus speaking with the same inflection in His voice?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 9, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 91:1-2
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’”
I cannot even count the times I have read Psalm 91, but each time I read it a new insight grabs my attention. Actually, there are two words that capture my interest: “dwell” and “trust.”
In the past few years there have been television programs that follow a lone individual as he is dropped into a remote area of the globe and left to survive on his own resources for one week. He is not provided food or water and must make his way on what he can glean from the land in which he has been thrust.
Water is the first essential to be obtained, closely followed by starting a fire and preparing a shelter to protect him from the elements. It is surprising how ingenious these men are in erecting a shelter from the rain, cold, or in some desert areas, the sun. While these make-shift covers may be a place to pause, they are not a place to dwell and rest.
It is tragic that many people go through this life erecting “shelters” that they hope will satisfy. Some of these may even cost millions of dollars, but like every other thing in this world, they are destined to pass away.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 8, 2018 | 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.”
How many times have we said something that caused us embarrassment? We immediately had the urge to yank the words back into our mouth, but it was too late and the damage was done.
Insulting words leave lasting impressions on others who hear them. Words spoken in anger or resentment will last for a long time in the minds of those who are the recipients of our thoughtless outburst. Are you feeling a little uncomfortable right now? It does little good to say we are sorry after we have used words in a way that causes pain to another.
During WWII there was a slogan that was prominently displayed everywhere: LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS! The meaning was that spies might be listening for information that might be passed on to the enemy and used to cause harm and even loss of life.
In like manner we need to make Psalm 19:14 a regular part of our prayer life. The words we speak will be a reflection of the time we spend with the Lord in prayer and meditation upon His Word.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 5, 2018 | Proverbs
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
When we graduated from high school in 1952 our class voted this hymn to be our class hymn to take with us. My dear wife Joyce always would brighten up when she heard the hymn and remind me it was our class hymn.
I did not know the story behind the hymn until I did a little investigation for this week’s hymn. The words were composed by Civilia Martin and the music by her husband W. Stillman Martin. One Sunday afternoon Civilia was ill and her husband was on a preaching assignment. She composed the words and when her husband returned he immediately sat at his organ and wrote the music.
This song is credited for transforming the life of James Cash Penney, founder of the American department store chain J. C. Penney. He heard it one morning in the chapel of the Kellogg Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan, where he had been hospitalized with a severe case of shingles, as well as exhaustion and depression.
“GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!”
- Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you.
Refrain: God will take care of you,
Through every day, over all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
- Through days of toil when heart doth fail, God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you.
Refrain: God will take care of you,
Through every day, over all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
- All you may need He will provide, God will take care of you;
Nothing you ask will be denied, God will take care of you.
Refrain: God will take care of you,
Through every day, over all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
- No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast, God will take care of you.
Refrain: God will take care of you,
Through every day, over all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
There is no video for this week. For other videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 4, 2018 | Matthew
Matthew 6:14
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Forgiveness is something that is much easier to talk about than to put into practice. Each of us is perfect, and it is so hard to forgive those who take advantage of our perfection. (RIGHT! Give me a break!) We are not perfect and much of the time we have done something that created the situation that caused the other person to hurt us … or take advantage of us … or not meet our needs — well, you get the idea.
Think about our own lives and the many ways we have failed the Lord, and yet He forgives us fully when we come to Him and confess our sins. 1 John 1:9 reads: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
It is interesting to compare Matthew 6:14 and 1 John 1:9. Jesus says that we are to forgive all who sin against us. All means all. It is not optional — it is a command that carries a dire penalty if we fail to forgive; we ourselves will not have our sins forgiven. It is a terrible thing to not be forgiven.
TRUE FORGIVENESS IS ONLY POSSIBLE WHEN THE PERSON BEING FORGIVEN DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE FORGIVEN!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
