by Pastor Cecil | Mar 27, 2017 | Matthew
Matthew 5:16
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
I can recall way back when I was a small boy singing a sweet little song called “This Little Light of Mine.” As we sang the lyrics we would hold up one finger like it was a candle, protecting it to make sure that Satan could not blow it out and extinguish our light.
Our own children sang that same song, but I’m not sure if children today still sing it. If not, they should. Not only do the children need to sing it, but we adults need to sing that song as well. The darker the night of sin around us, the more important it is that we have the light of Jesus to penetrate the darkness.
Sometimes we feel like the sin surrounding us is so dark that our single light will not make a difference, which reminds me of a tour my family once took at Carlsbad Caverns. Once inside the cavern, our guide extinguished all the lights and we were suddenly enveloped by impenetrable darkness. As I recall, he turned on a single flashlight and it seemed as though the entire cavern was filled with light. Just one little flashlight transformed that thick darkness into light.
Each of us has the opportunity of bringing light to the dark world in which we live. It is a choice that we make whether we will allow our light to shine or whether we will be overcome by the darkness. We need to choose to live our life in such a way that our light will shine brightly. It may be small … but it can change the world!
Blessings dear hearts!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 24, 2017 | Isaiah
Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
Years ago I recall listening to a sermon tape by Donald Grey Barnhouse, a prominent pastor and teacher. He had just completed an evangelistic meeting several hundred miles from his home in Philadelphia, when he was given a telegram. It informed him that his son had been in a serious accident and was near death.
His only way back to Philadelphia was by rail. As Dr. Barnhouse entered his sleeper, his spirit was greatly disturbed. He knew that it would be hours before his train arrived back home and that there was nothing he could do but leave his son in God’s hands.
As he prayed, he recalled a phrase from Isaiah 65:25, “- – – but dust will be the serpent’s food.” Using that passage he asked the Lord to feed the serpent dust, but to please grant him a good night’s rest. He fell fast asleep and the next thing he knew the porter was touching his shoulder to tell him that they were nearing Philadelphia.
The Lord had answered his prayer. His son lived and during his time of recuperation he committed his life to full time Christian service. If you have been having trouble getting to sleep at night, ask the Lord to give you His blessed rest and feed the serpent dust.
To You Before the Close of Day
To you before the close of day,
Creator of the world we pray!
Your grace and peace to us allow,
And be our guard and keeper now.
From evil dreams defend our sight,
From all the terrors of the night.
From all deluding thoughts that creep,
On heedless minds disarmed by sleep.
O Father, this we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Your only Son.
Who with the Holy Spirit and with You,
Shall live and reign all ages through. Amen.
To access To You Before the Close of Day, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/toyoubeforethecloseofday in your browser or click on the image below.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 23, 2017 | Isaiah
Isaiah 65:24
“It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.”
God is never late! In fact we are the ones who delay responding to His calls on our behalf. The truth of the matter is that God has already answered our prayers and set things in motion to have His will and way done.
The problem is that we are often not aware of what He has done and is doing. Our prayers are many times answered in ways that we have not expected and so we fail to recognize what He is doing.
We might, in a manner of speaking, say that our prayers have already been answered … but we just have to trust in Him and keep our eyes open to discover how He has answered and if He has something for us to do.
Spend more time in prayer and meditation on the Word of God. Seek to discover the ways of God and fit our lives into those ways. We can rest assured that we serve a God who knows our tomorrows before they ever arrive. HE ANSWERS PRAYER!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 22, 2017 | Proverbs
Proverbs 18:8
“The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.”
It was many years ago when I was a pastor of a church with an active prayer chain that I received a call from a woman I did not know. She asked to see me and we arranged a time to meet at a local café where I often met with people for counsel.
Since I had never met this woman I was in the dark about what she wanted to discuss. She began our conversation by stating that she was “the other woman.” I was still at a loss. Then she asked if our prayer chain had not identified her as the woman who was having an affair with a certain man in our congregation. She had heard rumors that we named her as the guilty party that needed prayer. I assured her that she was not on our prayer chain and that we would never allow such requests.
That encounter reminded me that it is possible to indulge in sanctified gossip. It disguises itself as legitimate concern, while having an underlying prurient interest. Anytime we hear a prayer request that is met with “Really?!” get rid of it and pray for the Lord to cleanse our hearts of SANCTIFIED GOSSIP.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 21, 2017 | Romans
Romans 8:5
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
As a young man I was often faced with a choice: Go to the library and study OR go for a walk in the park with a beautiful girl I had fallen in love with (I usually chose the walk!).
I am always amazed at how simple the things of God are … and yet they are so difficult that it seems impossible to ever attain them. Paul expresses his own frustration with trying to fulfill God’s requirements when he agonizes, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). His answer was, and still is, Jesus.
What we set our minds to achieve are the things that become the magnet for giving direction to our life. We will find the direction from the Lord when we choose to follow after the Lord.
Paul sets before us two ways of behaving: God’s way OR the way of the flesh. When we are honest we know the ways of the flesh lead to death, here and for eternity. God’s way leads to eternal life. I choose God’s way!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
