by Pastor Cecil | Dec 7, 2016 | Luke
Luke 2:36-38
“Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”
I have come to realize that faithfulness does not depend upon signs in the sky or voices in the night. We have the Word of God and that should be enough to draw us to faithful expectation.
Anna was a fantastic pattern of what faithful service should look like. Yes, she was eagerly waiting for the promised Messiah, but look what she did in the meantime: She “did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.”
She believed the prophecies of a coming Messiah and devoted her life to serve until He was revealed. When Joseph and Mary had presented the infant Jesus at the Temple to fulfill the customs of the Law, Anna entered where they were and immediately knew that this was the One she had faithfully waited for. Her faithfulness had been rewarded. She saw HIM!
How would you measure your faithful expectation of the soon return of our Lord?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 6, 2016 | Isaiah
Isaiah 42:4
“He will not grow dim or be crushed before establishing justice on the earth; the coast lands will wait in anticipation for his decrees.”
As I reflect back upon the days of my life I recall times when I was in such anticipation that I could hardly sleep. The night before our wedding I worked an extra shift at the dairy where I was employed. I kept thinking that in just a few hours my precious Joyce would become my wife.
The birth of each of our three children was equally filled with anticipation. I was on duty as a police officer when our son was born. I was allowed in the birthing room in full uniform and with my side arm. When the doctor delivered our baby boy he remarked that he was relieved it was a boy since I was armed and had told him we wanted a boy this time.
These events pale as I anticipate the return of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. In spite of the anticipation I know we must be busy about the work God has called us to perform. We need to work while there is still time.
Are you in anticipation of what the Lord wants to do in your life? There is always work to be done for Him and we need to feel the excitement of opportunities to serve. We need to feel the thrill of anticipating what He has in store for us.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 5, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 71:5
“For You have been my hope, Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.”
Many times we are instructed to have confidence in ourselves. To a degree that may have some merit, but the fact of the matter is that we, more often than not, have more problems with pride than lack of confidence.
The word “confidence” comes from the Hebrew word mibtach. There are three aspects in the definition that grab my attention and resonate in my mind: TRUST – REFUGE – SECURITY.
To hear or read the word trust makes me think of Proverbs 3:5-6: “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.”
In the wicked and perverse generation in which we find ourselves, it is vital that our confidence be invested in the right place. That place is the Sovereign Lord who is in all and over all. Humans may fail us and disappoint us, but our God is an awesome God who is worthy of our Trust, Refuge, and Security!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 2, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 98:4
“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.”
Throughout Scripture we are called upon to make a joyful noise before the Lord. In Psalm 98, all of creation is called upon to make a joyful noise before God. All around us we see the hand of a loving God who cared enough about us to send His own dear Son into the world to provide us with salvation.
This beautiful hymn was written by Isaac Watts. As we read and listen to the words of this moving Christmas hymn, we need to stop and ask ourselves if we are making a joyful noise before the Lord or just noise.
Joy to the World
Joy to the world! The Lord is come.
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart Prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing;
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and heaven and angels sing
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods; rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy;
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, Repeat, the sounding joy
No more will sins and sorrows grow;
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow;
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace;
And makes the nations prove,
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love;
And wonders of His love;
And wonders, wonders of His love.
Enjoy this week’s free inspirational video, “Joy To the World” from GloryScapes.com by going to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/joytotheworld/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 1, 2016 | Revelation
Revelation 21:4
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
At this time of the year I experience the pangs of separation from my precious wife even more than ever. I recall special holidays where we laughed and gave thanks that we shared a love that many others could not imagine.
There was one Christmas where we were separated. It was the Christmas of 1966. I was on an unaccompanied assignment with the U.S. Air Force at St. Anthony, Newfoundland, Canada. During that time there was a Christmas song that is still a favorite — “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” One line especially echoed my sentiments: I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams. I was blessed to spend the next 48 Christmas celebrations with my dear Joyce.
As I contemplate another Christmas without her, I recall how excited I was to be reunited with Joyce and our three children after that remote military assignment. I know that I will see my precious wife, our daughter Brenda, and all of our loved ones once again, and when I see them, there will never again be the pain of separation. Until then … “I CAN HARDLY WAIT!”
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
