by Pastor Cecil | Jun 18, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 91:1-2
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’”
I cannot even count the times I have read Psalm 91 … but as I read it once again, two words have captured my interest: “dwell” and “rest.”
For the past few years there have been television programs that follow an individual after he is dropped into a remote area of the globe to survive on his own resourcefulness for one week. The survivalist has no food or water and must make his way on what he can glean from the land in which he has been thrust.
Water is the first essential to be obtained, followed by starting a fire, and then preparing a place to protect him from the elements. It is surprising how ingenious these men are in erecting a shelter from the rain, cold, and even the sun in some desert areas. While these make-shift covers may be a place to pause, they are not a place to dwell and rest.
It is tragic that many people go through this life erecting “shelters” that they hope will satisfy. Some of them may even cost millions of dollars. But like every other thing in this world, they are destined to pass away.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 15, 2018 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 3:10-11
“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Back during my high school days, I worked weekends and summers for a concrete contractor. Believe me when I tell you that things were different back then. There was very little pre-mixed concrete that was delivered by large rotating carriers. We were the mixers! We had a pile of sand, another of gravel and sacks of concrete that we had to combine shovel by shovel and bag by bag, water was then added.
In order to get the sloppy concrete into the foundation, we had to deliver it by manual labor. We had large wheelbarrows that we filled then pushed to the point of delivery. In the building process a solid foundation was essential. A weakened foundation could lead to the building falling.
As we travel through this life we often see people that have not laid a foundation that will withstand the storms of life. Sadly when storms strike, their foundations fail. It is during the storms that we need the solid foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ to keep us safe. John Rippon published this hymn in 1787.
How Firm a Foundation
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace all-sufficient shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!
Enjoy this free inspirational video of, “How Firm A Foundation” by going to: http://gloryscapes.com/howfirmafoundation/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 14, 2018 | Jeremiah
Jeremiah 29:13
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
I have many fond memories of playing the childhood game of “hide and seek” with the other kids in our neighborhood. I may be getting old, but I can still recall some of the pleasures of childhood (without the spankings, of course)!
We can never accuse God of hiding from us. It is the other way around. From the earliest days in the Garden of Eden, mankind has hidden from God — He is the One who comes seeking us.
As you honestly evaluate your life at this moment, are you seeking to find God with all your heart … or do you find yourself hiding from Him? Remember, He is the One who loved you enough to come into the world to seek and find those who were lost.
Now is not the time for kid’s games. We are dealing with eternity here. We need to insure that we have accepted Him into our heart as our personal Savior and are preparing ourselves to spend eternity with Him in glory. Don’t play hide and seek with God!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 13, 2018 | Jeremiah
Jeremiah 29:11
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
I hope you are as thrilled as I am at the realization that God has “special plans” for each one of us, and at the same time a “promise” that is available to all who call upon His name. The efforts we exert to achieve our goals always involve “doing it ourselves,” rather than “resting in God and allowing Him to do His work in us.”
All of our human attempts at self-improvement leave us with an empty feeling as we begin a new search for the next thing to make us feel completed. This only leads to further frustration and walking out of His will.
We were created with a “God-shaped” emptiness inside of us. Those who have received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior know that only Hecan fill that particular void. Old things have passed away and all things have become new. Eternity is in our hearts and we have passed from death into life. Ah! The sweet peace it brings!
By resting in the Lord, we are able to simply be led by His Spirit to accomplish His purposes. That is so much better than getting caught up in the flurry of doing “in the flesh” what God desires to accomplish in us through His Spirit. It takes PRIOR PLANNING!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 12, 2018 | 2 Kings
2 Kings 6:17
“And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
The beginning and ending of vision rests with God! That is essential to keep in mind at all times. In fact, God is always with us, even as we experience the death of our original vision. Why is it necessary to experience the death of a vision? So that we may observe that it is the power of God working in and through us, and not what we ourselves are accomplishing.
Elisha saw what his servant could not see. His vision was spiritual and inspired faith. The servant saw only the enemy that spelled defeat and death. Elisha saw that God was in and over all, and that spelled victory and life! What is your vision? Are you looking at the situation or to God who controls all situations?
It is so easy to get focused on a vision or a promise, and get our eyes off of the God who is the giver of visions and promises. It is then that the Lord puts His children to the test, not necessarily to punish, but rather to prove one’s commitment. It is well to recall the insight of Proverbs 3:11-12: “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent His rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” The God who brings each of us a vision which is eternal is the eternal God. The vision He gives will last through all eternity. That is a vision we all can receive!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
