by Pastor Cecil | Nov 12, 2008 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 10:11-13
“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
What is that which is common to man? TEMPTATION! Back in the 50’s there was a popular song—it may have been recorded by Frankie Laine. As I recall the final line went something like this: “You are temptation and I am yours!” The picture is of a man besotted with lust and with no means of escaping. Believe me, that is not Scriptural.
Frequently we hear of people, some in VERY high and sensitive positions, who have been guilty of various sins or indiscretions. Sad to say, it all too often occurs in churches and religious institutions.
If we are honest, I think most of us would confess to clucking our tongues and making comments about the fall of this or that sinner. Perhaps we do not gloat, but it is close to it. Watch out!
Paul cautions us to be careful, for temptation is “common to man.” As I started the quotation today, it mentions, “These things happened – – .” What were “these things”? Paul reflects back to the Exodus from Egypt and specifically mentions that the people found fault with God in the food He had provided—they grumbled and complained, and they also engaged in sexual immorality.
Interestingly, Paul stresses that each and every one of us may be tempted in the very areas that we are the most critical about. Pride goes before a fall!
If Paul would have left it at that, it would sure have been depressing. It would leave us with a sense of inevitable collapse ourselves. That was not his intention.
Paul was demonstrating here that God is not to blame for our sin. It is tragic how many people blame God for their personal sinful responses to situations. This should not be! Paul indicates that we all are subject to temptation, but God always provides a means of escape. We need to stay close to the escape hatch.
I think most of us have seen pictures of huge floating oil platforms which are scattered all around the oceans of our world. Drilling for oil means that there is always a critical danger of fire. The personnel on the platforms cannot simply run down the street to escape the fire.
Before the oil rig personnel can be assigned, they must go through rigorous training in fighting the possible fire, and more importantly, how to escape. There are lifeboats on the platforms, but if the personnel do not know how to get in and lower themselves to the water, they will be in danger.
God’s Word gives us His escape from the temptations that confront us. We will never be free from temptation, but we have God’s lifeboat. As long as we stay near God’s lifeboat, and keep proficient in its use, we can escape.
Can I let you in on a tragic secret? Many people do not want to escape Satan’s temptation. It is a willful act to walk away from God’s escape hatch and into the danger and peril which temptation offers. Before they know it, they are ensnared and fall into the bitterness of sin. How sad!
God’s escape plan is Jesus! Our Savior gave Himself to save us. He sent the blessed Holy Spirit to be our life preserver. We are never without means of escape. Choose life!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 6, 2008 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 15:31-34
“I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’ Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God–I say this to your shame.”
There is a very old story about a pig and a chicken who wanted to do something special for their friends. After a prolonged discussion, they decided to have a breakfast. The pig suggested that the chicken provide the eggs for the breakfast. The chicken—you’ve heard this before I am sure—the chicken said that the pig should provide the bacon. The pig was outraged at the suggestion. He gave these notable words: “With you it is just an offering, with me it is total commitment!”
We live in a world where people are more interested in involvement than they are in commitment. It appears that Paul was writing to the people in Corinth who demonstrated much the same traits. He even intimates that they had deviated from Scripture so far that some of them no longer believed in the life hereafter. He is almost verbally shaking them from their lethargy and calling them back to the place of total commitment.
We can be involved in religious things and never have a personal experience with Jesus Christ. It scares the living daylights out of me when I talk with people about the Lord who feel they are ready for heaven, because they were baptized as a baby or that they live a good life. That is not what Scripture says. You will recall the visit of Nicodemus to Jesus one night. In John chapter three, we read that Jesus impressed upon Nicodemus that you must be born again. Not simply be involved in some good activities, but a new creature in place of the old. That is still the requirement today!
I feel that because of the compromise and lack of commitment which we have witnessed over the past fifty years, we are now reaping the horrible crop of destruction. Timothy McVeigh kills 162 innocent people in Oklahoma City, and when asked about the infants and children who also died, he passed it off as just collateral damage. How sick we have become because of our involvement without commitment.
Some time ago I was sent an e-mail that attributed the following words to a high school girl who attended Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. I am not sure if she wrote it or not, but the words are so true and profound regardless of who wrote them:
“The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but less solutions; more medicine, but less wellness. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life; we’ve added years to life, not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space; we’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice. We have higher incomes, but lower morals; we’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are the times of tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare, more leisure, less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes. It is when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom.”
Isn’t that profound? We live in a time when technology can bring volumes of information that we choose to use or totally ignore. Too many of us are involved without being committed. There is a cost to be paid for total commitment, but the reward is worth it all!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 25, 2008 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
Confession is always good for the soul. Joyce and I were enjoying a cup of coffee this morning when we happened to think of the episode of—“THE MOUSE!” Not just any mouse, mind you, but “THE MOUSE!”
In a way it was one of my finest hours—but in reality is was pure and simple deception. I have already confessed it to the Lord and to Joyce, so do not hammer me about dealing with the issue.
It all happened one evening in Vancouver, Washington. In the middle of the night, Joyce was awake, feeding our baby son. She happened to see a small mouse out for a leisurely stroll. Now to me this seemed to be normal and proper behavior for a mouse. To Joyce it was a national crisis. With a scream she fled into our bedroom and issued this ultimatum: “You will be getting up with the kids in the middle of the night until that mouse is gone!” That got my immediate attention!
Traps were set at every logical location. After a week the traps were still empty and I was on permanent night duty. It was then I came up with a remarkable plan. The next evening I walked into the kitchen and got down on my knees to look under the refrigerator. I pulled out the empty trap and called in a happy voice, “Honey do you want to see it?”
Joyce squealed and said, “Just get it out of here!” I walked outside and made noise as if I had thrown it in the garbage can. Remember, it was all just a farce, there was no mouse. I did not say there was, but I had lied by intimation.
Do you have any mice in your life? Are there things that you say and do in order to lead people to believe something that is not true? Let me be a little more specific—do you lead people to believe you are a dedicated Christian when, in fact, you are living a sham?
Integrity is a quality that is becoming increasingly rare, in our families, our communities, our nation—but sadly even in our churches. That is a tragedy. Above all else, we need to be authentic.
I am not setting a mouse trap here. I challenge each of us to examine our hearts to see if there are things hidden there that have been disguised as something else. This may be a painful exercise, but it will free us of a heavy burden of guilt. That is real love!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 19, 2008 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 13:11-12
“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
Have you ever wondered about these so-called psychics who supposedly are able to foretell the future? I have often wondered, if they are so good at telling the future, why they are not able to profit from the stock market or other endeavors where foreknowledge would insure great gain.
Christians must stay far, far away from any sort of contact with the practice of divination or contacting the dead. Moses gave God’s command in Deuteronomy 18: 10-11; “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.”
What are we to do about the things that occur in our life that are impossible to understand—that we have no answers for? Is it possible for us to deal with loss and disappointment with confidence in the Lord?
I was listening to a Christian radio station Saturday and heard an old song that was sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford. I had not heard the song for years. It was the answer to how we are to deal with life’s unanswered questions. “Farther Along.”
Farther Along
Tempted and tried, we’re oft made to wonder,
why it should be thus all the day long;
while there are others living about us,
never molested, though in the wrong.
Refrain:
Farther along we’ll know more about it,
Farther along we’ll understand why;
Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,
We’ll understand it all by and by.
Sometimes I wonder why I must suffer,
go in the rain, the cold, and the snow,
when there are many living in comfort,
giving no heed to all I can do.
Tempted and tried, how often we
question why we must suffer year after year,
being accused by those of our loved ones,
e’en though we’ve walked in God’s holy fear.
Often when death has taken our loved ones,
leaving our home so lone and so drear,
then do we wonder why others prosper,
living so wicked year after year.
“Faithful till death,” saith our loving Master;
short is our time to labor and wait;
then will our toiling seem to be nothing,
when we shall pass the heavenly gate.
Soon we will see our dear, loving Savior,
Hear the last trumpet sound through the sky;
then we will meet those gone on before us,
then we shall know and understand why.”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing to others!
— Pastor Cecil
