by Pastor Cecil | Mar 3, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in You sight, O, Lord my strength and my Redeemer.”
About five years ago I had triple by-pass heart surgery. In the recuperative period following the surgery, I had physical rehabilitation. Most of the exercises were good and acceptable. But one day an instructor came into our group that wanted us to close our eyes and clear our minds of every thought. OOPS! I immediately exited the session.
Any program that suggests clearing your mind of every thought leaves the door open for unclean spirits to enter. The enemy of our soul delights in having free access to the human mind. He is a master of deceit and any time there is an opportunity to mimic the work of the Lord, he does it.
Now I want to quickly point out that there is a true place for meditation in the mind of a true believer. It is not an emptying of all thoughts, but rather bathing ourselves in the Word of God and meditating about what it says.
Many years ago I was taught that any time we study the Bible we need to ask ourselves three questions: What does it say? What does it mean? And how does it apply to my life? That, dear hearts, is true spiritual meditation!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 2, 2016 | Daily-E-Votionals
Romans 8:36-37
“As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
You have no doubt heard the story of a man asking his friend, “How are you doing?” His friend responds, “Pretty good, under the circumstances.” The first man then asks, “What are you doing under there?”
It is safe to say that we are all going to be faced with the circumstances of life. It may be financial, social, physical, or any other type of circumstance. You may have already encountered adverse circumstances in the past, or they may be waiting for you in the future.
Please do not feel depressed or hopeless. We serve a God who not only knows our every pain, but He has suffered infinitely more than we will ever have to endure. Our hope is expressed in the last sentence of today’s Scripture: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.“
Look up, dear hearts … our redemption draws near! Trust in Him with all your heart and keep on praising Him for our eternal reward that awaits us in eternity!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 1, 2016 | Genesis
Genesis 1:3-4
“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.“
The vast majority of crimes and sinful activities are committed in the dark. Man has deceived himself into thinking that if others cannot see what he is doing, God cannot see what he is doing. Not only is that false, it is foolish!
God loves light! From the opening moments of creation God established light. The light God created has existed down through the ages. That light will continue until God establishes a new heaven and a new earth. We are told in the book of Revelation that in heaven there will be no need for the sun or the moon because God will be the light.
Since God is the light of the world, he desires for his children to be a light in a dark world. As a boy I can recall singing a song; “This little light of mine I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” I wonder how many kids who sang that song are letting their light shine today.
In what way are you a light in a dark world? Do you bring hope and light to those who are groping about in darkness? If you have a question about this I urge you to pray and go into God’s Word and find that light so you can light the way for others.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 29, 2016 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 30:19
“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”
Through the years I have sat across the table from grieving individuals who have just experienced the loss of a loved one. In a few instances I have even had to deliver the news of that loved one’s death to their family.
Sometimes I have heard statements to the effect a friend had mentioned that God needed another angel — and the deceased person was that angel. I am always compelled to debunk the false notion that we become angels when we die.
It always delights me to learn that the deceased person had received Jesus as their personal Savior. All too often, however, there is no indication that the deceased had ever received Christ as their personal Savior. Some have tried to paint a picture of salvation where there is no basis for that false hope.
In contrast to this false comfort are those who have made the choice to go God’s way. When believers close their eyes in death, they awaken to life everlasting. That is real comfort that is based upon the certainty of God’s Word.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 26, 2016 | 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18
“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”
Though an invalid for much of her life, Eliza Edmunds Hewitt was always active and enjoyed a long personal friendship with Fanny Crosby. These two women met often for fellowship and discussion of their new hymns. Eliza was a school teacher in Philadelphia and a Christian lay worker who was committed to write songs to teach children the basic truths of the gospel. This song was written for her own Sunday school class in Philadelphia.
Miss Hewitt often attended the Methodist camp meetings at Ocean Grove, New Jersey. It was here that she collaborated with Emily Wilson, the wife of a Methodist district superintendent in Philadelphia, in the writing of this triumphant gospel hymn–a favorite of young and old alike. “When We All Get to Heaven” was first published in 1898.
When We All Get to Heaven
1. Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessed
He’ll prepare for us a place.
Refrain: When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
2. While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.
Refrain: When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
3. Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
will the toils of life repay.
Refrain: When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
4. Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.
Refrain: When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
Enjoy this week’s free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com. To access “When We All Get to Heaven”, this week’s free inspirational video, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/whenweallgettoheaven/
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
