by Pastor Cecil | Aug 2, 2013 | Matthew
Matthew 6:27
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.“
True Christian character is certainly seen in our biblical heroes, but it may often be seen in those of more recent times. Hope is a character quality that looks beyond our immediate circumstances and shows what we as believers have waiting for us.
In the Sweet By and By is one of the most enduring songs written after the Civil War. It was composed by Sanford Bennett who was the owner of a drugstore in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. He had just returned from the war. A friend, Joseph Webster, a gifted musician trained formally in composition, came to the store each day to talk and play chess. Often Webster would be depressed and down.
When asked what was wrong, Webster would often reply; It will be alright by and by. That idea hit Bennett like a flash of sunlight! As Bennett later described the incident, he took out a pen and it was all over in thirty minutes. A new hymn was born. In short order he was singing the words along with Webster and two other friends. That hymn was perfect for the post-Civil War era because it conveyed pathos with a mixture of comforting warmth. It came to typify the virtues of spiritual hope.
Sweet By And By
There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way,
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
We shall sing on that beautiful shore,
The melodious songs of the blest;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise,
For the glorious gift of His love,
And the blessings that hallow our days.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
To access Sweet By And By, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/sweetbyandby/ 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 | Aug 1, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 30:20-21
Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it.
While I was in the US Air Force, stationed at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, I attended Central Missouri State to receive a Master’s Degree in Sociology. In addition to writing a thesis, I had to appear before all of the professors in the department for an oral examination.
I was apprehensive about what questions they may ask and how I would respond. If I failed the orals, I would have to repeat much of the work I had completed. Many of the professors in the department had areas of specialization and would be grilling me in these areas.
My major professor had spent many hours with me during my preparation. He coached me on some of the questions that may be asked and told me to follow his questions carefully during the oral examination. I did and was able to pass and receive my degree.
God has given us His precious promises to lead and guide us through all of the pitfalls that line the pathway of life. We can ignore His directions and find ourselves hopelessly lost, or we can choose to listen and stay on the path. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15b).
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 31, 2013 | Romans
Romans 5:6-7
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.
One of the men from our church family had major surgery today. I have spoken with his wife several times following the successful surgery to get updates on his progress. Recovering from major surgery is a mess! I think it may be harder on the family who watch than the patient who recovers.
I have had several major surgeries in my life, but one stands out in my mind. It was at a hospital in Boise, Idaho. For some reason I regained awareness in the operating room. I felt no pain, but I was fully aware of the conversations and being wheeled down the hall to the intensive care unit.
They had a breathing apparatus taped to my face and some type of petroleum jelly in my eyes. I had absolutely no way of communicating with others, but I was fully aware of my surroundings.
Joyce and my mom came into the recovery room and almost passed out. It was such a shock to them that they were certain I was done for! I can still remember my sweet wife reading passages from the Book of Psalms to me. She was not sure I was going to last much longer. Thankfully one of our friends was a surgeon. When he came in and saw her concern, he apologized that they had not explained the recovery process.
There are times in our life (many of them) when we are powerless. One of the most significant comes in being born into the family of God. We are powerless to earn our salvation. It is only by grace through faith. Thank God that our blessed Jesus came into the world and paid the price. It is only by His shed blood that we are saved! We might be powerless, but He is all powerful!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 30, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 34:15
The owl will nest there and lay eggs, she will hatch them, and care for her young under the shadow of her wings; there also the falcons will gather, each with its mate.
There is a very unique bird called a Killdeer. It seldom flies, but spends most of the time on the ground. We once owned a house that overlooked a flat piece of ground with very little vegetation. (Actually, it was our yard that had not yet been planted with grass.)
We noticed that a mother Killdeer had made a nest in a very shallow depression, which seemed foolish since the eggs would be so vulnerable. It was then that the remarkable antics of this bird were observed.
Anytime a threat approached the nest, the mother bird would suddenly go into an extraordinary bit of acting, fluttering and flopping as if she was wounded. When the intruder began to follow the apparently wounded bird, she moved further and further away from the nest calling out the characteristic, Killdeer, killdeer, killdeer, from which derives its name.
Once the threat had been lured far away from the nest, the Killdeer would suddenly take wing and fly away to safety. When everything was safe, it would return to continue the task of hatching its eggs.
It is wonderful to realize that God has created these seemingly defenseless Killdeer with such unique methods of protecting their eggs. He also has unique ways of defending us. When we place our trust in Him, He will care for us. In Matthew 6:13 the prayer Our Lord taught His disciples to pray these wonderful words of promise: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. He will answer our prayer!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 29, 2013 | John
John 13:34-35
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
When was the last time you told the Lord that you loved Him? In this and other scriptures I discover that we are to be lovers. It starts with loving the Lord with all of our heart. According to our Lord Jesus, that is the first and greatest commandment. He goes on to add that the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves.
I once heard a Christian Counselor share about his experience in trying to restore a marriage that was near the breaking point. The wife had shared that her husband never told her that he loved her. The husband fired back that he told her he loved her when they were married 35 years ago and he had not rescinded his declaration. It was still in effect!
Wow! That is a hard nut to crack! It may sound reasonable to that husband, but it did not sound reasonable to his wife and it does not sound reasonable to me. Love is a precious thing and it must be demonstrated and expressed as often as possible.
As people grow older they lose the physical abilities they once possessed. This gives us opportunities to show our love. It may be a brother, sister, husband or wife who has a need. We may feel inadequate, but at least we can show our love by doing what we can, even smile while as we show our love. By loving others we demonstrate our love for the Lord!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
