by Pastor Cecil | Mar 23, 2016 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 12:13-14
“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.”
God’s Word is true regardless of how many people try to deny it. Since it is a fact that it is God’s message to each and every one of us, it is important that we listen to what is written and then obey.
Paul is writing to the church at Corinth in today’s Scripture. He calls for us to be united in serving the Lord. He speaks of the church as being a body. I like that. A body is made up of many parts. Each part has a different function, but all working together make the body function effectively. Try hitting your thumb with a hammer and, once you wrap it up, notice how hard it is to function with just one thumb injured.
God does not intend us to compromise with the fundamentals of the faith. There is only one way to heaven and that is through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. But it is tragic that divisions have existed between true believers just on the basis of race or social status. THAT MUST NOT BE!
The FACT of God’s plan for His church is love for the brothers and sisters. We need to stop the competition and show love for others. We need to pray for one another and assist for the furtherance of the Kingdom!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 22, 2016 | 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!
To access How Firm a Foundation, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes Hymn Music Videos, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/howfirmafoundation/ 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 | Dec 7, 2015 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 15:56-58
“The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
People like to be on the winning side. I have yet to hear people cheer when their team is losing. For those applying for a position it is a cause for celebration when they win over other applicants.
In this old sin-sick world it may seem that believers are on the losing side. The forces of evil seem to become stronger and more violent with each passing day. It may even seem that God is not concerned when we encounter suffering and loss.
When we read the Scripture for today we discover that we are on the winning side. It is not because of what we do, but what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us. It may be compared with relaxing in the stands while your team struggles on the field. When your team wins you stand and cheer; WE WON! You may have done nothing more than eating a bag of popcorn, but you share in the victory.
As believers we have been assured of victory. It is not because of anything we have done to merit the victory other than trusting in Jesus for salvation. Victory!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 24, 2015 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 2:9
“But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’”
It is amazing how many times we hear people mention heaven. Some of these people do not even believe in God, but they are heard to make comparative comments about heaven. Have you heard them?
“This apple pie tastes heavenly!” “That music is just heavenly!” “I love that perfume; it smells like heaven!” You get the idea and you no doubt could add a few other similar comments.
We are permitted very few glimpses into the home God has prepared for us in heaven, but it is safe to say that our senses of sight, taste, smell, or sound can never begin to grasp the scope of heaven.
I have determined to live each day of my life as if it were the last day I have on this side of eternity. I know that what God has prepared for us in our heavenly home will be just . . . heavenly!! What more can I say? I can hardly wait to get there!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 16, 2015 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 13:13
“Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
For the previous two days I have shared thoughts about the qualities of FAITH and HOPE. That brings us to the last of these — LOVE. I was blessed to have discovered my precious life partner when I was just a boy of 14. Joyce and I knew the joy of walking together, finally holding hands, the first kiss, and the consummation of our love on our wedding night. (I wish couples would depart from the liberal idea that sex before marriage is the norm.)
Our love continued to grow across the years as we experienced the birth of our three children and the establishment of a Christian home. It was easy to love my wife and my children. It was also easy to love my friends and neighbors — but what about others who were not lovable?
That’s where the rub comes, doesn’t it? We can be self satisfied that we are being the loving Christians that God wants us to be as long as we love the lovable people in our life. Think of the people that are near to you that are totally obnoxious. Can you show true Christian love to them?
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said we are to love those who are hard to love. Listen to His words in Luke 6:35: “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.” That, my dear friend, is true love! I want that for my life.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 15, 2015 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 13:11-13
“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Yesterday I wrote about hope. As I was meditating about today’s topic, I immediately thought of today’s Scripture. FAITH-HOPE-LOVE seem to be a trio of attributes the Lord Jesus would like to see in every believer.
Faith is described in Strong’s Concordance this way: persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:—assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity. In my words it would be this: If God says it, I believe it!
When we take our eyes off of ourselves, or trying to please others, we gain a new perspective. Rather than being self-oriented or others-oriented, we need to commit ourselves to be God oriented. We can only do that by reading His Word and spending time with Him in prayer.
What is the level of your faith? You may feel that your situation is absolutely hopeless, but that is never the case. Have faith
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
