by Pastor Cecil | May 31, 2018 | Luke
Luke 11:1
“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.’”
True prayer is not presenting God with a long list of requests and hoping that at least one of them is answered! Rather, it is being in harmony with Him and speaking with Him in confident expectation.
In today’s Scripture, it is evident that John the Baptist had taught his disciples how to pray. Since John preached a message of repentance, it seems reasonable that his instructions for prayer focused on repentance. As the disciples of our Lord listened to His prayers, they must have detected a difference and wanted to know how they should pray. From their request we have the words which we have come to know as the “Lord’s Prayer,” but may be more accurately called the “Disciple’s Prayer.”
All too often people pray with selfish motives. They want to increase health, wealth or wisdom for their own benefit. On the other hand, God desires to meet our needs but also provide extra resources. These resources, however, are not intended for us to provide ourselves with lavish lifestyles. When God opens heaven’s floodgates, He will also open a door of opportunity for us to wisely invest in eternal matters.
“LORD, PLEASE TEACH ME TO PRAY IN FAITH, BELIEVING!”
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 30, 2018 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 34:1a
“Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land.”
Flying at night on a commuter airline is especially revealing. Washington is a fairly large state, but when climbing to a relatively low altitude, the lights of Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Portland, Tri-cities, Walla Walla, Yakima, Moses Lake, and Spokane are all clearly visible. What a view!
What about those who are blind? I am always in awe of the things that blind people can “see” without the aid of eyesight. Their perceptions are so keen that touch and sound enables them to “see” what sighted people may never see. What a view!
Isaiah was given keen spiritual sight when he wrote in Isaiah 64:4 — “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.”
Now that is the view God wants us to see! In the times of frustration and disappointment in this life, we need to recognize that the greatest views in this life are nothing. God has given us a new life that is in Him. We are new creations! We have been born again when we invite the Lord into our heart. WHAT A VIEW!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 29, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 115:5
“They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see.”
Recently I observed a driver making a right turn at an intersection. The traffic light was red for him and he was permitted to make a right turn, but only after coming to a complete stop and insuring that no on-coming traffic was approaching.
I was in an inside lane and watched as he narrowly missed the car having the right-of-way. It was then I noticed that he seemingly averted his eyes from the car he had cut in front of … as if by not looking at the other driver, his action was okay.
We once had a small dog named Perky. Perky loved to come to the table at meal time. He knew he was not supposed to, so he would turn his head away from the table as he drew near. Perky thought if he could not see us we could not see him.
Sometimes I think we treat God the same way. We fail to focus our attention on Him and thus feel that He cannot see us. That is totally false thinking. God knows us better than we will ever know ourselves, yet He still loves us enough to die on the cross for us. May God forgive us our blind eyes and allow us to see the reality of His love for us.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 28, 2018 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 4:5
“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.”
In today’s Scripture, Paul is speaking about how we often use our conscience as a guide to determine our actions. He is quick to point out that our conscience is not the guide we need; our conscience can be seared or warped so it is not always a reliable guide.
I am here to tell you that if you say “no” to the promptings of the Holy Spirit long enough, you will become hardened to His voice and will allow things in your life that at one time you would never do. We even have counselors who try to tell us that the most important thing is for us to think about ourselves and do what will make us feel good. BEEEP! Wrong answer.
As we again look at the Scripture from I Corinthians 4:5, we see that there will be a day of judgment. We will not answer to earthly counselors or earthly judges, but we will appear before the Lord Himself. Down here we can often fool those who observe our actions, but with God that is impossible. “The Lord knows!”
So how can we determine what is right and what is wrong with our actions? You’ve got it — by looking into God’s Word. If you feel guilty about your actions it is probably the Holy Spirit convicting you. Remember – God knows!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 25, 2018 | 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://www.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
