by Pastor Cecil | Jul 17, 2018 | Luke
Luke 22:31-32
“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’”
The sifting process is a separation of the pure from the impure. The shaking and tossing can cause discomfort and pain, but the object is to have the grain separated from the chaff and husks. The wind (a picture of the Holy Spirit) blows away the “junk” of life and leaves the grain of spiritual truth.
There it is. We need never complain about the times of “sifting” which come into our life. In these times we can keep our eyes upon the Lord and seek to be conformed into His image. We can hasten the process by getting rid of those things in our life which are not the pure grain. We can even pray that God will show us those things which are not right and pure so we can get rid of them ourselves.
Here is a word for those who are being “sifted” at the present time. Do not be discouraged with a sense of failure. Draw near to the Lord and picture yourself as the prodigal son heading back home to the father after his time spent in the pig pens of the world. Just as his father eagerly welcomed the prodigal home, so will our heavenly Father meet us with open arms of love and acceptance.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 16, 2018 | Acts
Acts 4:13
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
“Being,“ is what produces “doing.“ People can “do” things all day long, and it will have no effect. The reason is they have not “become.“ The ordinary men of the early New Testament Church were great because they had been with Jesus and, as a result, they were becoming more and more like Jesus.
When skies are blue, no shades of gray; When words of praise, fall across our way; When birds sing sweet, and trees do sway; It is not hard to take our stand; To laugh, to smile, to kiss a hand.
BUT!
When clouds roll in, the going’s tough; When we’re the target, of the tempters stuff; When trees stand gaunt, their trunks so rough; When health gives way, and friends depart; When all our dreams, just fall apart;
THEN!
If we open wide, God’s Holy Book; We’ll find the way inside, because we look;
It’s hard and steep, the way Christ took. He calls us all to follow Him,
What’s done for Him will last; Our life will count, we’ll win the prize;
The secret is – – – we held Christ fast!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 13, 2018 | Revelation
Revelation 21:17
“But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”
In 1893, James Black was a Methodist Sunday school teacher in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. As he was calling roll one day for a youth meeting, young Bessie, daughter of a drunkard, did not show up, and he was disappointed at her failure to appear. He commented to a friend, “Well, I trust when the roll is called up yonder, she’ll be there.” He tried to find an appropriate song for the situation but could not find one in his song book.
Here is how Mr. Black describes how he came to write the hymn: “This lack of a fitting song caused me both sorrow and disappointment. An inner voice seemed to say, ‘Why don’t you write one?’ I put away the thought. As I opened the gate on my way home, the same thought came again so strongly that tears filled my eyes. I entered the house and sat down at the piano. The words came to me effortlessly…The tune came the same way—I dared not change a single note or word.”
When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder
(1) When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more, And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair; When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Refrain: When the roll, is called up yon-der, When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.
(2) On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise, And the glory of His resurrection share; When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Refrain: When the roll, is called up yon-der, When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.
(3) Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun, Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care; Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Refrain: When the roll, is called up yon-der, When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.
Enjoy this week’s free inspirational video from Gloryscapes.com. To access When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder, this week’s free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/whentherolliscalledupyonder
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 12, 2018 | James
James 4:8
“Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
If You Knew Suzie was a popular song in the 20’s or 30’s. I had never really paid attention to a particular line from that song, but it is spiritually revealing: She goes to church each Sunday, to sing and praise the Lord; but then come Monday she’s as busy as a Ford. I have no idea what “busy as a Ford” implies, but it evidently was something quite far removed from praising the Lord.
I believe that might be the pattern of many so-called Christians — act spiritual or righteous when around “church” people, but live like the world the rest of the time. We seem to deceive ourselves into thinking that we can compartmentalize our lives. It’s as if we call a “time out” to do our carnal thing, and then at our convenience return to being “nice.” I do not think that God is at all pleased with this double-mindedness.
The common practice of calling sin by some other name is unacceptable. Sin is sin and God hates sin. We are to confess our sin before Him and allow Him to bring forgiveness and cleansing. Then we are to turn from our former ways and follow Him. This is the only way to get rid of the double-mindedness that plagues the church of Jesus Christ.
James 4:7 seems to give the necessary steps in submitting to God and resisting the devil! When we resist the devil, James says he will flee from us. We resist the devil by submitting to and focusing on God! Let God deal with him!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 11, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 24:3
“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?”
Yesterday I shared that it would have been the 66th wedding anniversary for my precious wife and me. Today, July 11, is another very special and poignant day for me. It was 27 years ago today that our daughter Brenda went to be with the Lord. She had struggled long and hard, but she finally was ready to be with the Lord.
One thing that Brenda requested, in fact insisted upon, was that her grave marker, not indicate the date of her death, but instead the date she ascended. If you pass by her grave site today you will see that the marker indicates she was born May 24, 1956 and ascended July 11, 1991.
I only wish more of us could live our life in such a way that we would look forward to ascending to be with the Lord. For the believer it is a reward that is waiting for us and a goal to be gained.
What are you looking forward to when your life here on earth ends? Will you ascend to be with the Lord or will you sink into the lowest abyss? I want to ascend to be with my Lord and my loved ones for all eternity.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
