by Pastor Cecil | Jun 7, 2018 | John
John 3:14-15
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
When I read the book of Ruth, one of the remarkable things that strikes me is Ruth’s unshakeable devotion. Coming from Moab, she was an alien to Israel. The Moabites were from a nation founded by the son of an incestuous relationship between Lot and his oldest daughter. The Moabites had also refused to give food and assistance to the people of Israel during their exodus from Egypt.
In spite of these handicaps, Ruth threw herself upon the mercies of God and chose Him as her God. In Ruth 1:16 we read these beautiful words she spoke to her mother-in-law, Naomi: “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
The major theme of this wonderful book is the necessity for a kinsman-redeemer. Boaz became the kinsman-redeemer for Ruth, just as Jesus Christ is the Kinsman-Redeemer for all who come to Him. Ruth could not do anything to redeem herself and her mother-in-law. She threw herself upon the mercy of Boaz. How interesting that Boaz and Ruth had a son named Obed, who had a son named Jesse, who had a son named David.
Wow! What a woman of faith!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 6, 2018 | Hebrews
Hebrews 4:16
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
I have heard some people making prayer requests in a manner that sounded as though God was at their beck and call. They were so demanding that I shuddered at the effrontery or brashness of their approach. I react to them in much the same manner as weak-willed prayers.
How are we to approach this matter of confident praying? I truly believe that confidence is the appropriate word. We are to come to the Lord with a sense of expectation. Try visualizing a father who has told his dearly loved child to try a particular task. The father assures his child that he will stand nearby to help when needed.
Sometimes the father has his hands directly over the child’s hands. Sometimes he observes and does nothing. There are still other times he only gives specific instructions about what to do and observes his child. The important thing is that the child always has the confidence that his father is there. Confidence!
When our oldest grandson, Zane, was quite small, he used to follow my dad around like a shadow. He and his great grandfather had a close relationship. If something was broken, Zane would confidently say, “Papa fitz it!” THAT’S CONFIDENCE!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 5, 2018 | 2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 10:12
“For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
In the human heart there seems to be a strong tendency to boast. This tendency is graphically demonstrated at sporting events. The prancing and preening following a scoring play on the field is so alarming that penalties have been assessed to control it.
As children grow they often like to see the evidence that they really are getting taller. Many times parents will place a yardstick on a wall or in a doorway so they can measure their child’s growth progress year by year. The family takes great delight at each growth jump and will proudly boast about it.
Sadly, we frequently observe such unwise boasting in the church. Individuals, as well as congregations, display so much pride that it becomes troubling. Musicians posture to a distressing degree while the pastor/preacher often acts as if he were the star attraction strutting back and forth across the stage.
I think this attitude of pride is exactly what Paul is writing about in today’s Scripture. He strongly condemns personal boasting in 2 Corinthians 10:17-18: “But, let him who boasts boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 4, 2018 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 2:12
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
It is a tragic fact that many in our world are living in deception — the deception that doing more good things than bad things, or simply knowing about God, is enough to qualify them for heaven. Beep! Wrong answer!
In Deuteronomy 30:19 Moses proclaims the words the Lord had given to him for the people: “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you today life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life that you and your children may live.”
God does not desire that anyone should perish, so much so that He sent His only Son to die on a cross and be raised in victory over death in order that we may have life, and to have it in great abundance. God offers us eternal life, but we must make it personal by confessing our sinful nature and receiving Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.
Paul gives specific instruction of how to become “born again” in Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” I urge you, MAKE IT PERSONAL!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 1, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 46:1-3
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
The Haven of Rest Quartet began singing in the year I was born, 1934. I can recall First Mate Bob introducing the program after a fog horn sounded. The quartet then would sing the words of this week’s hymn.
As we struggle through the storms of life it is a wonderful assurance that God provides a haven of rest where we can safely escape the wild waves of adversity. I thank God that many times in my life I have found God’s haven of rest for my own soul. In the book of Psalms, David refers to the storms of life. He was attacked on all sides by his enemies who desired to take his life. Do you feel that way sometimes?
His predecessor, King Saul, was a demented king who imagined that David was attempting to take the kingdom from him. (Actually it was the Lord who had rejected Saul because of his wickedness and failing to keep the Lord in control of his life.)
In many of his Psalms, David cried out to the Lord for help and immediately praised Him for giving him a safe place of refuge. That is the same with us today. We may be tossed and torn by the storms of life, but the Lord always gives us a haven of rest. That is the hymn for this week.
The Haven of Rest
My soul in sad exile was out on life(s) sea,
So burdened with sin and distressed,
Till I heard a sweet voice, saying, (Make Me your choice)
And I entered the Haven of Rest!
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
I yielded myself to His tender embrace,
In faith taking hold of the Word,
My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul;
The Haven of Rest is my Lord.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blest,
Of Jesus, who will save whosoever will have
A home in the Haven of Rest.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
How precious the thought that we all may recline,
Like John, the beloved so blest,
On Jesus strong arm, where no tempest can harm,
Secure in the Haven of Rest.
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
O come to the Savior, He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come, anchor your soul in the Haven of Rest,
And say, ‘My Beloved is mine.’
Refrain: I have anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest; I will sail the wide seas no more; The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, In Jesus I am safe evermore.
To access The Haven of Rest, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/thehavenofrest/ in your browser or click on the image below.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
