by Pastor Cecil | Apr 22, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 116:15-16
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains.
There are many people who achieve to be faithful supervisors, faithful CEO’s, faithful entrepreneurs–just about anything besides being a faithful servant. It is interesting to note that those other pursuits appeal to pride in achievement, while being a servant places the focus on the one or ones being served.
In the Acts 6 and 7 we read of a servant by the name of Stephen. Heard of him before? He was the guy who was stoned to death, but not before he delivered a powerful gospel message and saw the heavens part just enough for him to see his Lord Jesus in the throne room of heaven seated beside His Father.
Stephen was one of the men chosen to distribute food to the widows of the Hellenistic Jews. He was full of God’s grace and power, and in addition to serving the widows, he performed great wonders and signs among the people. His first obligation was to be a servant of the Lord Jesus, whether it was on the food line or on the gospel firing line.
I have a primary goal in my spiritual life. That goal is to be a faithful servant for the Lord. I aim to do this by reading His Word and obeying what it says. I do not need men to tell me what is right or wrong; the Lord will lead me into truth so long as I remain His FAITHFUL SERVANT. I hope that this in some way encourages you to become a FAITHFUL SERVANT!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 21, 2014 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Recently our granddaughter and her husband were with a tour group in Paris. The guide alerted them to be careful with their possessions as the area they were about to enter was notorious for pickpockets.
Our granddaughter was extremely careful to be alert and protect her belongings. Suddenly a young woman tried to shove some sort of literature at her. She repeatedly said no, but the woman pressed in her face. While my granddaughter was trying to push the aggressive woman away, she felt her cell phone being taken from her jacket pocket. The thieves quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Things can happen so quickly that we often are not able to defend ourselves. We experienced a similar loss when we visited Hawaii. Joyce and I decided to go to the beach and chose to lock Joyce’s purse in the car trunk for safe keeping. (So we thought!) When we returned to our hotel and opened the trunk, the purse was gone. Thieves had pried open the door, ripped open the back seat and, in probably just a few seconds, the purse was in their possession.
As we read today’s Scripture, we are forewarned that the coming of the Lord will happen in a fraction of a second. The rapture of the church is drawing near and we cannot delay in preparing for eternity. Will you be a part of God’s people who will be snatched away to meet the Lord in the air?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 18, 2014 | Isaiah
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
Sometime ago I received an e-mail from one of our subscribers who passed on some information that I found interesting and inspirational. It has to do with the town of Reed City, Michigan. I visited Reed City’s website to check what Ed had shared with me. They have a museum there called the “Old Rugged Cross Museum.”
Back in 1913 a Salvation Armyofficer, George Bennard, passed through a trying experience which caused him to reflect seriously about the significance of the cross and, in particular, what the apostle Paul meant when he spoke of entering into the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. While contemplating on these truths, Bennard was convinced that the cross was not just a religious symbol, but rather the very heart of the gospel. He penned the words of this beloved hymn.
Bennard spent the last years of his life by the side of the road, a few miles north of Reed City, Michigan. At the age of 85, on October 9, 1968, he passed away. Near this home there still stands a twelve foot high cross with the words The Old Rugged Cross – Home of George Bennard, composer of this beloved hymn.
The Old Rugged Cross
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
In that old rugged cross,
stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
To access The Old Rugged Cross, this week’s inspirational video fromGloryScapes.com, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/theoldruggedcross/ 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 | Apr 17, 2014 | Luke
Luke 24:9-11
When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.
According to modern day dramas or musicals, the disciples were ecstatic over the news the women brought back from the empty tomb. They even reported that they had seen angels and one had even seen Jesus Himself.
The reaction to these reports was doubt. How utterly sad that after all Jesus had told them about what He was going to endure and conquer, they still doubted. Oh, yes, Peter and John left to go to the tomb, but that fact that the others failed to go shows their doubt.
Jesus repeatedly appeared to the disciples and as many as 500 at one time following His resurrection. The apostle Thomas was not the only one who expressed doubts. There were other doubters in the crowd. It reminds me that it is easier to doubt than to rest in the arms of faith.
Why did the disciples doubt? I think the basic reason was they did not listen to their Lord as He spoke in person. Why are we prone to doubt in today? I think it is the same reason. We fail to listen to what He says in His Word, the Bible!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 16, 2014 | Philippians
Philippians 3:13-14
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
I have often counseled couples to get over previous failures. The fact of the matter is that the past is past. Wow! That is rather profound even for me. THE PAST IS PAST! If we really believe that, why do we spend so much of our time wondering about our yesterdays.
Leaving that cheery thought aside, I would like to consider another aspect on the topic of WHAT IF? Those of us who have received Jesus Christ as our personal Savior know that He lives and that He waits in Heaven for us. Sadly there are those who deny God and live an atheistic existence. It breaks our heart when they reject our appeal for them to be saved.
But what if there were no God? (Believe me—I have no doubt in my mind), but what if there were no God. If that were the case I would feel more than content that I have had a contented life and have no regret.
But What if there is a God and a Jesus Christ who died on the cross for us and a Holy Spirit who beckons us? One split second into eternity that doubter would be faced with an eternity to deal with their stubborn rejection. Take the time to read Luke 16:19-31. It is the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Throughout eternity that rich man would live with the question—WHAT IF?!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
