by Pastor Cecil | Oct 15, 2014 | Ephesians
Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Today I was listening to a local radio station that plays only music of the 30’s 40’s and 50’s. One of the songs was unfamiliar to me and I was struck by the message that it portrayed. The lyrics said that you have to live right to get to heaven. That false message has been around for generations. IT IS WRONG!
The stuff Hollywood has been dishing out for years is false. No bells ring and we do not become angels. We are a separate creation from the angels and God has graciously given us the opportunity to become the bride of Christ. I think it is natural for us to feel that we have to do something in order to earn our salvation, but it just is not so.
When I was in the US Air Force I served as a Minuteman Missile Launch Officer. There were weeks of schooling followed by hours spent in a simulator. Every step we took was under the scrutiny of our instructors. After successfully completing the required work we received our Missile Combat Officer’s pin. QUALIFIED!
There is no such requirement in the spiritual realm. There are no classes to take, tests to pass, or evaluations to be made. It is a sincere decision to confess that we sinners in need of a Savior and invite Jesus to come into our heart. From that very moment we are QUALIFIED! Growth follows, but we now wear His name!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 14, 2014 | 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
All of us need to feel the lift that we receive when someone encourages us. As a preacher, I have been encouraged by the expressions of affirmation when I share a truth.
Sometimes these affirmations may not be glowing comments of praise. It was over 50 years ago and I had been invited to preach at a small church not too far from our home. The pastor was a friend of ours (I am sure that was the only reason I had been invited to speak).
As I came into the church I noticed one of the most dynamic evangelists in our denomination was in the crowd. I have to confess that my delivery was not eloquent and I did a great deal of thrashing through my notes to make my points.
This precious evangelist was on crutches and after the service he laboriously made his way to speak with me. In a gentle and quiet voice he spoke in my ear; “Son, don’t get discouraged. I have found myself thrashing through those same bushes as I have preached. Just keep on telling about Jesus.” To me that was sincere encouragement. Have you taken the time recently to encourage someone?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 13, 2014 | Luke
Luke 8:23-25
As they sailed, He fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ‘Where is your faith?’ He asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.’
For a land lubber like me, a few wavelets cause me to head for shore. One day I was fishing with my dad on a lake in Idaho. His small aluminum boat was not meant for any sort of wave action. We were on the far side of the lake from our camp when the weather looked threatening. It was time to head for home!
About halfway across the lake the wind picked up and the water, which had been smooth and calm, now suddenly began to threaten. The waves grew to the point they were sloshing over the sides of our boat. We were fortunate to come under the protection of a piece of land that jutted out into the lake. We were saved! Yeah!
I make no apologies to the fact that I watch the Weather Channel. The reports are primarily focused on the US, but when major storms threaten other parts of the globe they report them as well. Currently there is a threat to Japan and India.
As I have mentioned before, we have encountered storms in our life. I can say with confidence that you also have encountered storms, are going through them right now, or you will face them in the future. As the disciples have always done—call for Jesus to calm the storm!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 10, 2014 | Philippians
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
William Walford did not allow the fact that he was blind limit his service for his Lord. He was frequently called upon to preach in a small country church. He composed the sermons in his head and also was able to quote large portions of Scripture from memory. Some people thought he had memorized the entire Bible. He also composed verses as the Lord laid the words upon his heart. Above all—he was a man of prayer.
In the mid 1800’s, Thomas Salmon was visiting in England and became acquainted with Pastor Walford. As they were visiting one day the blind pastor quoted a few pieces he had composed. Since he had no one to write them down he had kept them treasured in the storehouse of his mind.
One of the verses he related to Mr. Salmon was, Sweet Hour of Prayer.Mr. Salmon eagerly scribbled the words down on a scrap of paper. When he returned to New York he sent the verses to the Observerand asked if they thought them worth preserving. The Observer did think them worthy and published them on September 13, 1845. The music was added by William Bradbury in 1861.
Sweet Hour of Prayer
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
‘Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!’
To access Sweet Hour of Prayer please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/sweethourofprayer in your browser or click on the image below.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 9, 2014 | Jeremiah
Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.
In our kitchen we have a beautiful peppermill and salt shaker set. It is made of oak and has been turned to perfection. It is hard to calculate the hours it took to create this fantastic set. It was a gift from the man who made it and I recall the occasion when it was given.
There was a specialty auction and people had brought all sorts of items to be sold to raise funds for some church project. Nick-knacks that had been thrown together were bringing fairly high bids. When it came to these handcrafted works of love there were very few bids and all were small. In frustration the man who had made them won the bid himself. He commented that the price did not even cover the cost of materials. He gave them to Joyce and me as a gift. We have treasured them since that night.
Pride and boasting have always been a part of fallen man. The things we count as precious in our own eyes may are not necessarily the things that God desires. In today’s Scripture we are told that what counts as precious in God’s sight is for us seek and know more about His nature. That He exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness here on earth.
Have you found the secret of bringing delight to the Lord? Spend quality time looking for the wonders He has performed around us. Then share it with others. It is not what we have done for Him, but what He does for us. DELIGHT GOD!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
