by Pastor Cecil | Nov 16, 2016 | Hebrews
Hebrews 4:16
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
In a world where many have been lured into credit card debt, it is hard to get a good grasp on saving. At the same time there are some who become obsessed with saving for a future they are not sure they will ever see.
In Luke 12, Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool. This rich man had such bountiful crops that he decided to build new barns to store all of the abundance of his fields. God thundered out that that very night the man would die and all of his planning would be for nothing.
Jesus was not advocating that we are not to make provision for the future, but that we must be careful to make the things of God our primary aim. “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
God’s grace is always available for anyone who will draw from His storehouse of grace. We can never stockpile God’s grace, but His abundant supply is always waiting for us at the time we need it. If you are facing an obstacle that seems to be more than you can bear, call out to God — He will supply grace as needed!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 15, 2016 | Isaiah
Isaiah 55:8
“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord.”
Many times grown people act like spoiled children. If they do not get their way they throw tantrums and make a scene. In the past week we have witnessed this happening in the streets of the US after Donald Trump was decisively elected.
It has been hard for many of us to get our head around the thought process of those people who wanted their candidate to win. The fact that the election was a clear voice of the majority does not deter their protests.
Before we get too carried away in condemning these protesters we need to look in the mirror and observe our own reactions when God does not answer our prayers. We can often act like spoiled children who do not get our way.
It is time for honesty. Are we willing to stop trying to tell God what to do and ask Him what He wants us to do? Are we willing to sacrifice our personal comfort in order to be used by Him? It is time for us to pray; “Not my way Lord, Your way!”
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 14, 2016 | Matthew
Matthew 5:12
“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
I attended a small high school. Like many high schools in the area, we were not large enough to field an eleven-man football squad, thus we had an eight-man football league. The rules were the same, but with fewer players.
Our team was very good in my senior year and we were winning all of our games. The final game of the season was played under the lights at the home field of our toughest competitor. They played hard, but my team won the game and the championship. As the final gun sounded, wild cheering surrounded and rose up all around us. We were rejoicing because we had been declared the winner.
In His “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus presented an unusual reason for rejoicing. I did not include the verse that precedes today’s topic Scripture because I wanted to stress the difference Jesus gave. Here is what He said in verse 11: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”
Wow! What a difference. Jesus calls us to rejoice when we experience severe opposition. But isn’t that when we usually whimper and whine? Jesus calls His believers to be different by exhibiting radiant joy when things are tough. Do we?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 11, 2016 | Hebrews
Hebrews 10:22
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
Those of us who have said farewell to beloved family and friends experience the pangs of separation. The pain of separation is eased with the assurance that there is a bright tomorrow waiting for us when we will be united with those who have died in the Lord.
Fanny J. Crosby was visiting the home of a friend, Phoebe Knapp. Phoebe was playing a new melody she had just composed and mentioned to Fanny that she called it Assurance. Fanny responded, “Blessed Assurance.”
Fanny returned home and quickly penned the words to the hymn that has become such a favorite since it was published way back in 1873. It is just as much a blessed assurance today as it was back then.
Blessed Assurance
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God.
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Refrain: This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angles descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Refrain: This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
Refrain: This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Enjoy this free inspirational video of, “Blessed Assurance” by going to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/blessedassurance/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 10, 2016 | Hebrews
Hebrews 8:6
“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”
There is a word in today’s Scripture that resonates with me. It is the word mediator, which is the Greek word mesitês. Here is the definition of that word: one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant.
When I was in graduate school, my final hurdle was to appear before a panel of my professors to defend my thesis and prove that I had the knowledge necessary for the degree.
I was very nervous since I had heard that previous students had been rejected several times before being recommended for the degree. My major Professor told me to relax and that he would mediate for me. In essence, he did all of the defending for the other professors and I only had to smile and try to look intelligent. Ha!
Jesus is our mediator before the Father. He knows us inside and out, and Jesus knows those who have been born again with their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I am so relieved that our Great Mediator will silence the accuser (Satan) when he tries to discredit us. Oh, what a relief it is!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
