by Pastor Cecil | Apr 26, 2013 | Psalm
Psalm 145:9-12
“The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. All You have made will praise You, O LORD; Your saints will extol You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might, so that all men may know of Your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.”
The older I get (and I am getting up there), the more disturbed I am about senseless killing. This is true of attacks on other people, but also on killing animals just for the sport of it. In my hunting days I did shoot game, but it was for food not for sport. Now there are many that hunt for bragging rights, not for food. God meant for us to be keepers and protectors, not killers.
In 1225, when he was feeling ill and losing his sight, Francis of Assisi wrote about what was always on his heart: the praise of God. In All Creatures of Our God and King, Francis’ love for God and the world He made comes out very strongly.
Probably because he lived such a simple life, he “noticed” things that we, in our busy-ness, overlook. Francis believed that all earth’s creatures get their life from God and that we all depend on Him for our continual existence.
All Creatures of Our God and King
1. All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O, praise Him, Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
2. Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
Ye clouds that sail in heav?n along,
O, praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
3. Let all things their creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O, praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
4. And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O, praise Him! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
To access All Creatures of Our God and King, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/allcreaturesofourgodandking/ 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
360-570-0074
PastorCecil@Daily-E-Votional.com
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 25, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 1:15-16
When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil.
In the past several months I have had several people approach me with the problem of dealing with the issue of acceptance. Family or friends of these individuals made a point of criticizing the church for not accepting their life style.
In the counsel that I gave them I used the power of the Word of God as the authority. It is certainly not up to a church body to negate the specific commandments of the Word. We have become so namby-pamby concerning holding the line that many church bodies have assumed the right to approve what the Bible calls sin.
Acceptance, as I see it, is more incumbent upon the sincere believer to follow what the Bible says, than to listen to what others say. We can seek more truth and ask questions that may seem to be challenging, but when the aim is to discover what God desires for us then we are on solid ground.
There is an old song the children used to sing. It was good back then and I feel that it is still appropriate for us today. Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. There is power and acceptance in those words and that is the acceptance we should strive for.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 24, 2013 | Luke
Luke 15:20
And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
I am not an impatient person . . . it is just that I want things to be done without having to wait! You may feel much like that yourself. There are times in our life when we strongly desire for changes to be made immediately, but they just seem to take longer than expected.
As we read the parable of the Lost Son, or more commonly called the Prodigal Son, we are struck by the image of a father waiting and longing for a wayward son to come home. I visualize the father sitting on the front porch of his home, gazing down the long lane leading to the house. His heart is aching to see the familiar form of that son who has been gone for so long.
There is another picture that we do not commonly see in the parable. It is the one of the older brother who remained at home. He might have remained at home, but his wayward heart was in that far country with his younger brother. We see this later in the story as the brother has imagined his younger brother wasting his money with harlots. There is no way he could have known this, but he vicariously experienced it and his heart was not where it should have been.
The father had two sons who were gone, as it were. One son was lost in a far country and the other son was lost in his imagination. Only one son returned to the father . . . the younger son. The older boy refused to return to the house, even when his father begged him. Who is waiting for you today, or for whom are you waiting?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 23, 2013 | Ezekiel
Ezekiel 11:19-20
Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
Recently we have witnessed the heartless acts of terrorists who thought nothing of setting off blasts that killed and maimed innocent men, women and children. Following the tragic events we heard many ask how anyone could be so callous and cruel to do such an evil thing. The answer is that sin in the heart of a human being leads them to do the unthinkable.
It would be easy to become disheartened at these evil events. There are many who seem to feel that things are hopeless. That is what the enemy of our souls would like for us to think. If we were to look at things from a human point of view, it would give room for discouragement. But if we look at things spiritually we can see that these are all signs of the soon coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to welcome His church into our great reunion in the air.
For some of us it is clear that the rapture of the church may occur at any time. Praise God and even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. But it is a reality that the faithful believers have been looking for His return since he rose to be with His Father. The rapture has not occurred, but millions have been ushered into His presence the moment their eyes closed in death.
We need to take heart! Our focus of attention must never be upon the horrors perpetrated by the evil one, but on the Lord. Remember this: JESUS WINS! Never forget that dear heart. JESUS WINS. When you are disheartened and discouraged, take heart . . . JESUS WINS!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 22, 2013 | Proverbs
Proverbs 10:7
The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.
Saturday I took a trip down memory lane. Actually it was a trip to extend birthday greetings to a dear friend, near the church I had pastored for many years. As I was driving along a route I had once traveled daily, I was struck by memories that flooded my brain.
I glanced across a field and saw an attractive house. I recall the tragedy that took place in that spot as a young girl was crushed in a construction accident. Counseling seemed to ease some of the pain, but a divorce shattered a family.
Not far away and down a lane, a family had lived. They seemed to be happy and at church or the times when we visited, all seemed to be at peace. Then the relationship between husband and wife became strained and they eventually divorced.
I was feeling the sense of helplessness after trying to save these families. It was then that I passed a home that had been under construction for many years. It was a couple I had married and they had determined to live in their trailer until they could finish their house without debt. It was now finished. Yeah!
Then I pulled into the yard of our good friends. Kids galore greeted me with hugs and smiles. It was a sweet time of sharing the victories that Jesus gives. As I left I felt the joy in knowing that we can only do our best for the Lord and look for the good things that He promises to those who love and serve Him. The devil wants me to recall the bad things, but there are many more sweet memories that I want to enjoy! That is what the Lord wants me to remember!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
