by Pastor Cecil | Jan 15, 2018 | Galatians
Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
A minister had just preached a dynamic message on being totally committed to God and empty of self. As the congregants shook the pastor’s hand after the service, a woman approached him and said, “Pastor, please pray that God will make me nothing.”
Being a courageous and faithful servant, he looked her straight in the eye and replied, “Madam, take it by faith, you are nothing!” Her reaction revealed that she did not take well to his suggestion!
I can understand what he was saying. It was not to put her down, but rather to show that without Christ we are indeed nothing. Does that end the matter? Absolutely not! As a matter of fact, it is just the start. When our pride and self-sufficiency get out of the way, Christ is able to do His work in and through us.
Are you wearing yourself out trying to please the Lord? I implore you to give up trying to earn your salvation. Listen to Him—then do what He asks you to do. God’s work done God’s way will have God’s power!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 12, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 33:1-3
“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”
Fanny J. Crosby was a tiny woman. She stood under five feet and weighed less than 100 pounds. Because of being maltreated for an eye infection when she was only a few months old, she spent the remainder of her 95 years totally blind.
This tiny dynamo wrote over 8,000 poems and hymns during her lifetime. She composed her poems and hymns entirely in her mind and then dictated them to a stenographer. She was said to be able to work on as many as twelve hymns at once before dictating them all out.
Fanny felt that it was a special gift from God that she should be blind all of her life, and she thanked Him for that gift. She felt that when she arrived in heaven, the first face she desired to gladden her sight would be her precious Savior. It was in 1896 that she wrote the hymn selected for this week.
Praise Him! Praise Him!
1. Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! Hail Him! Highest archangels in glory;
strength and honor give to His holy name!
Like a shepherd Jesus will guard His children,
in His arms He carries them all day long:
Refrain: Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness; praise him! Praise him ever in joyful song!
2. Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
For our sins he suffered, and bled and died;
He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
Hail Him! Hail Him! Jesus the Crucified.
Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows,
love unbounded, wonderful deep and strong:
Refrain: Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness; praise Him! Praise Him ever in joyful song!
3. Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Heavenly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever;
crown Him! crown Him! Prophet and Priest and King!
Christ is coming! over the world victorious,
power and glory unto the Lord belong.
Refrain: Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness; praise Him! Praise Him ever in joyful song!
To access the free inspirational video for this weeks, as well as other videos, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/praisehimpraisehim
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 11, 2018 | Matthew
Matthew 6:10
“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Recently I found myself being convicted of some words I had spoken to certain members of our congregation. You see, they are considering a move across the country to be near their daughter and grandchildren. Not to mention, it would also be much warmer.
To think of them leaving has been extremely hard for me. They and their family have been members of my congregation for many years. The wife’s parents were also members of my congregation and I officiated at each of their funerals.
The problem is that I have been allowing my wishes to take precedence in the matter. My dear friends have laughingly forgiven me for my desire to keep them here, but I have learned a lesson — LET GOD DO THE LEADING!
I am sure that there are many areas of my life where I have stepped out ahead of the Lord’s leadership. I want to become increasingly sensitive in encouraging people to seek the guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit instead of the well meaning family and friends looking out for their own interests. We need to encourage each other to pray and let God be God!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 10, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 91:1-2
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
A certain husband once came to my office for marital counseling. His wife had been in earlier and they were requesting that I assist them to restore peace and harmony in their marriage.
The husband was very vocal in blaming his wife as the cause of the problems they were having. He proceeded to share the things he had said and her adverse reactions. He said that he felt she was being unreasonable.
He had just left my office when there was a knock on my door. It was this same husband. He said that as he was leaving he realized that he had left the wrong impression. The words that he had spoken to his wife were accurate, but the inflection he used as he spoke to her gave an entirely different meaning. He confessed that he was wrong. It was soon after the husband’s recognition of his guilt that their marriage became stronger than before.
When you speak and interact with others are you using an inflection that says more than the words themselves? Could you imagine Jesus speaking with the same inflection in His voice?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 9, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 91:1-2
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’”
I cannot even count the times I have read Psalm 91, but each time I read it a new insight grabs my attention. Actually, there are two words that capture my interest: “dwell” and “trust.”
In the past few years there have been television programs that follow a lone individual as he is dropped into a remote area of the globe and left to survive on his own resources for one week. He is not provided food or water and must make his way on what he can glean from the land in which he has been thrust.
Water is the first essential to be obtained, closely followed by starting a fire and preparing a shelter to protect him from the elements. It is surprising how ingenious these men are in erecting a shelter from the rain, cold, or in some desert areas, the sun. While these make-shift covers may be a place to pause, they are not a place to dwell and rest.
It is tragic that many people go through this life erecting “shelters” that they hope will satisfy. Some of these may even cost millions of dollars, but like every other thing in this world, they are destined to pass away.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
