by Pastor Cecil | Apr 25, 2016 | Numbers
Numbers 31:8
“They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.”
Today’s Scripture may seem a little strange to you. As the children of Israel began to possess the land promised them by the Lord, the various kings were killed in battle. Along with the kings mentioned here is the name of a man named Balaam. Do you remember him? Balaam was hired by Balak to curse Israel. But God took control of his tongue and instead of cursing Israel, he blessed them.
Balak was so angry at Balaam that he refused to pay him. Balaam then said he was returning to his own country, which was several hundred miles away. So what was Balaam doing back here in Moab? I think we see that this renegade prophet had compromised and sold himself out. He had said he was leaving to return to his country, but either he failed to leave or he came back later.
In Revelation 2:14 the Lord says this to the church at Pergamos: “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.”
When we are convicted of our sins we are called to turn away from those sins completely. There is no going back! Do not find yourself falling into the pattern of Balaam who died in a place he should not have been.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 22, 2016 | Isaiah
Isaiah 51:1-2
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat. Yes, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.”
Water, water everywhere . . . and not a drop to drink! Those words have probably been uttered many times by shipwreck victims stranded in the middle of the ocean. The salt-laden sea seems to mock them — there is so much water all around them, but it would be poison to their system to drink it.
Lucy Jane Rider Meyer wrote the words of today’s hymn. She was born on a Vermont farm in 1849. Lucy was a teacher and not only founded many high schools, but went on to teach chemistry atMcKendree College, a school for freed blacks in North Carolina. She was one of the first female professors.
What a refreshing thought that a brilliant professor was able to use the Word of God to bring music to the thirsty human soul. Oh, that we had more brave educators who would be willing to put their reputations on the line for the things of God. I thirst for that!
Ho! Everyone Who Is Thirsty
Ho! Everyone that is thirsty in spirit,
Ho! Everyone that is weary and sad;
Come to the fountain, there’s fullness in Jesus,
All that you’re longing for; come and be glad!
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the world, are you tired of your bondage?
Weary of earth’s joys, so false, so untrue?
Thirsting for God and His fullness of blessing?
List’ to the promise, a message for you!
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the kingdom, be filled with the Spirit!
Nothing but “fullness” thy longing can meet;
‘Tis the enduement for life and for service;
Thine is the promise, so certain, so sweet.
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
To access Ho! Everyone Who Is Thirsty, this week’s inspirational video, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/hoeveryonewhoisthirsty/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 21, 2016 | 2 Kings
2 Kings 5:2-3
“Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.’”
Yesterday I wrote about the faithfulness of a young slave girl who demonstrated love for her captors by suggesting a prophet in Israel who could heal a proud Syrian general of his leprosy. It is a disease that damages the nerve endings and eventually can lead to the loss of fingers or even limbs. Swallowing his pride, the general acted on the suggestion of this unknown maiden of Israel and journeyed to Samaria to be healed.
Naaman not only suffered with leprosy, but also with pride. The prophet Elisha did not even come out to meet him but sent his servant out to Naaman with directions in order to receive his healing.
At first the general balked at the idea of dipping in the Jordan seven times. It was only at his servant’s urging that he agreed to follow Elisha’s direction and humbled himself. When he emerged from the water after the seventh dipping, his skin was like a baby’s.
Sometimes we insist on doing things our own way instead of listening to the Lord. Pride is more devastating than leprosy. It causes us to lose the spiritual nerve endings by which we can be led by the Lord. God wants us to deal with the ugliness of our sin. Don’t give up. It may take being abased before we can abound.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 20, 2016 | 2 Kings
2 Kings 5:2-3
“And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, ‘If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.’”
What are we to do when we are caught in a situation that enslaves us? The right answer is that we are to remain faithful. In today’s Scripture we read about an unknown young girl that was taken captive from Israel and exiled to a foreign nation where she served the wife of a Syrian general who had leprosy. She demonstrated kindness by suggesting the general go to Samaria where a prophet would heal him.
It is interesting to recall that other captives showed kindness to their captors. I think of Daniel and Nehemiah, to name only two others. This young girl had never seen the prophet Elisha heal someone with leprosy, but she had faith that he could and would.
The general believed her, so the Syrian king sent Naaman with gifts and a letter to the king of Israel. The king was terrified, thinking it was a trap. You see, he had no faith like the young servant girl. Elisha heard about the king’s dilemma and asked that Naaman be sent to him.
There was a miracle about to take place that would show the power of God doing what the political powers were unable to do. There is a God in heaven who is able to do more than we can ever think or conceive.
Tomorrow we will continue to explore this topic.
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 19, 2016 | 2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 7:14
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Over the years I have sat before several interview boards that were in the process of interviewing me for a particular position or promotion. They were the ones who were placing before me the conditions that were to be expected. I was the one who would be expected to comply.
Many times we read about those individuals who have a “foxhole commitment.” They try to place conditions on the Lord, promising to follow Him IF He will get them out of their current predicament. (That “commitment” is not always restricted to wartime battle conditions. We are prone to pray that type of prayer in all sorts of situations.)
In an election year we are frequently promised that things will be perfect IF we elect certain candidates. I am sorry to break the sad news, but that is not what we read in the pages of Scripture.
We see that today’s Scripture is addressed to believers. Oh, and might I add that it has a conditional clause attached to it. We are God’s people and we are the ones who must humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face and turn from our wicked ways. I pray we will respond to God’s CONDITIONAL CLAUSE!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
