by Pastor Cecil | Apr 9, 2019 | 1 Samuel
1 Samuel 30:6b
“But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
David and his fighting men had been away in battle, and when they returned they found their town destroyed and their families taken captives. His men were so wrought up that they talked of killing David. David, however, found strength in the Lord.
David did not crawl in bed, cover his head and wish he was dead. Instead, he turned to the Lord who is always our source of strength. That is what we are always to do when we encounter calamities in our life.
When David inquired of the Lord, he was given precise directions about what he was to do and was assured that the victory was his. He followed the Lord and the enemy was totally defeated and everything that had been plundered was recovered.
Who do you turn to when you experience tragic situations in your life? Do you blame others for not being able to protect you? Do you blame God for allowing terrible things to happen to good people like you? Do you sit in some corner and feel sorry for yourself?
Our source of strength must always be in the Lord. Ask Him to show you what lesson He wants you to learn in the school of hard knocks. “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.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 8, 2019 | Matthew
Matthew 22:39b
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
From time to time I have the opportunity to assist someone who is having some type of limitation. I once read of a woman who noticed a blind woman with her “seeing eye dog” enter a commuter train in a large city. There were no seats available and the woman was having difficulty keeping her balance as the train began to move. Sadly no able bodied person responded to the need.
The woman who was relating this incident became incensed that no one was responding to this obvious need. The Lord seemed to tap her on the shoulder and reminded her that she was the one who saw the need, so do the right thing!
Even though she was seven months pregnant she immediately rose and directed the blind woman to her seat. This seemed to trigger a young man as to his responsibility, so he rose and allowed the pregnant woman his seat.
Just remember that we are surrounded by OTHERS and God wants us to be ready and willing to reach out and show the love of Jesus by our response. Ask the Lord to give you a greater awareness to the needs of others and show the love of Jesus in thought, word and above all by your deeds.
Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 5, 2019 | 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: https://gloryscapes.com/whentherolliscalledupyonder
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 4, 2019 | John
John 16:33b
“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
It is easy to focus on the promises of good things such as prosperity and contentment. It is not so easy when we are confronted with promises of evil and difficulties. We certainly like to minimize those conditions.
It is encouraging to discover that God’s people have shown good cheer regardless of the circumstances they face. It reminds me of the humorous story about a man asking his friend, “How are you doing?” to which he replied, “Pretty well, under the circumstances.” The first man then asked his friend, “What are you doing under there?”
I think it is a good practice for us to evaluate our personal life to determine if we are living under the circumstances in defeat or above the circumstances in victory and good cheer.
I want to be like the victorious saints across the ages that have faced the tribulations of life with victory and good cheer. If God be for us who can be against us? Praise God for victory in Jesus and the good cheer He promises!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 3, 2019 | Luke
Luke 19:45
“Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it”
There have been a few times in my life when I was so dirty I looked like a dust ball. This was after spending hours on a mower or plow. It was a sheer delight to step into a shower and wash away the accumulated dirt and grime.
In the week of His crucifixion, Jesus exposed the sins of the leaders. The religious hierarchy had departed far from God’s demand for holiness. Jesus saw that they had violated the sanctity of the temple by allowing commercial enterprises to exist in a place they should have kept holy. They compromised in order to profit financially. They may have justified their actions by claiming that allowing peddlers in the temple was just to make it easy for the pilgrims to be able to sacrifice. Jesus was not deceived!
As I read today’s Scripture I am struck with the reality that anytime Jesus comes into our life, He wants to cleanse us. He will not tolerate our feeble excuses for allowing sin to contaminate us. He is the only One who can clean us completely.
How does Jesus go about cleansing the sin in our life? 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Is there sin in your life that needs to be cleansed? Read this verse and then obey it!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
