REDEEMED!

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit. “

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In 1969 the U.S. Embassy in Iran was overpowered and the Americans inside were held hostage for 444 days. They lived in terror for over a year not knowing if they would live to see another day, be it prisoner or free. They were finally redeemed and allowed to go free, but what scars they carried with them into freedom!

Forgetting that particular incident and thinking of our redemption from sin, what is the worth of the human soul? The Lord Jesus paid the price for our redemption, and I am so grateful that we have been set free from the penalty of sin!

The writer of this hymn, Fanny Crosby, was eagerly looking forward to that day when her Redeemer would appear and her blinded eyes would be opened and she would behold the most beautiful sight she could ever imagine—Jesus!

Redeemed

(1) Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! 
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy, 
His child and forever I am.

REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed, 
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.

(2) Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence,
With me doth continually dwell.

REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.

(3) I think of my blessed Redeemer, 
I think of Him all the day long:
I sing, for I cannot be silent; 
His love is the theme of my song.

REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.

(4) I know I shall see in His beauty, 
The King in whose law I delight;
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps, 
And giveth me songs in the night.

REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed, 
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.

(5) I know there’s a crown that is waiting, 
In yonder bright mansion for me, 
And soon, with the spirits made perfect, 
At home with the Lord I shall be.

REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.

Enjoy this free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com. To access Redeemed, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/redeemed/

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Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!

—Pastor Cecil

ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Being thankful is not (or at least it should not be) something that we need to be reminded to do. As members of God’s family we are to be thankful at all times. It is not our prerogative to choose what we will be thankful for — it is a choice that needs to be as natural to the believer as breathing.

In today’s Scripture, Paul admonishes the church at Thessalonica (as well as all of us) that we are to: “Rejoice always.”  Do you frequently look as though you have been baptized in vinegar? That, my dear friend, is not having an attitude of always rejoicing.

Paul’s second admonition is that we are to: “Pray without ceasing.” Here is another embarrassing question: How is your prayer life? Are you continually speaking to the Lord in prayer? It is a discipline that we need to pursue.

The last admonition is in line with today’s topic. Here is what the Lord expects of us: “In everything give thanks.” Chew on that while you are munching on your next sumptuous dinner.  What if you had little or nothing to eat? Would you still give thanks? That is exactly the Lord’s will for us in every circumstance.  Make sure you adjust your attitude to conform to God’s standard for believers.

Blessings dear hearts.  May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

GOD CLEANSES!

Philippians 3:13

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind I reach forward to those things which are ahead.”

How ironic that 40 years earlier, after being freed from the bondage of slavery, Moses sent out twelve spies. Only two returned with a positive report and urged them to go in immediately to possess the land God had given them.  One of those two spies was Joshua, the other was Caleb. Upon Moses’s death Joshua assumes leadership and sends out only two spies to Jericho.

Let’s consider a sinner that is introduced in the book of Joshua. If we were to use an investigative technique, here is what we would find: Name:Rahab.  Address: Jericho.  Occupation: Prostitute.
That is basically all we know about this “woman of the night.”

Rahab and her family were spared when Israel defeated Jericho. She did not look back on her sordid past.  She took a risk to save the Israelites and God blessed her for it. In Hebrews 11:31 she is mentioned along with the faithful of the ages. In James 2:25-26 she is considered righteous in the eyes of God.

When God’s Word says our sins are forgiven, does that mean we are free or do we carry the terrible burden of sin with us? I fear that there are many who actually receive God’s forgiveness but fail to recognize that He also cleanses (I John 1:9).

Blessings dear hearts.  May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

 – – – Pastor Cecil

A REAL FRIEND!

Proverbs 18:24

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Being alone is a sad and dismal position. We really do need each other and a friend is one of the greatest possessions we can have. It is a sad and poor man who has no friends.

Thinking back across the years of my life, I have had a wealth of friends. Some of those friends have gone on to be with the Lord, but some are still alive. Many years ago I received a plaque from a dear friend that has special meaning to me: “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.”  

You may have dear friends but we have a friend who is even closer. Of course I am speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the One who is with us at all times.  He is there beside us.

You may feel frustrated with life or feel hurt and depressed because of the way things are going.  You may even question whether it even helps to pray. He patiently stands at the door and quietly knocks.  Please open the door and allow Him to heal all of the hurts you feel right now.

Blessings dear hearts.  May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

A NEW HOME!

John 14:2

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

One of the benefits while serving in the US Air Force was base housing. It was nice to know that when you arrived at your new assignment, you would have a nice place to live. Each base had different styles, but they were always adequate.

We were reminded that they did not belong to us and were only for us to use while we were assigned to that particular base. We were required to leave the units spotless when we left so the new officer’s family would feel welcome.

In civilian life we were in a far different frame of mind. The things that we wanted in our own home were often beyond what we could afford. Then there was the maintenance issue. Even in the finest home, there were things that needed to be repaired from time to time.

In today’s Scripture, Jesus describes a home that will be our final home. It will be a mansion of beauty that is beyond our imagination. God knows us inside and out and knows what will satisfy us completely.

As a born again Christian we are part of God’s family and the mansion is now being prepared for us. Not only that, we are going to have resurrected bodies that will be able to enjoy our new home to the fullest. Spend time thinking about it!

Blessings dear hearts.  May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

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