by Pastor Cecil | Apr 21, 2014 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Recently our granddaughter and her husband were with a tour group in Paris. The guide alerted them to be careful with their possessions as the area they were about to enter was notorious for pickpockets.
Our granddaughter was extremely careful to be alert and protect her belongings. Suddenly a young woman tried to shove some sort of literature at her. She repeatedly said no, but the woman pressed in her face. While my granddaughter was trying to push the aggressive woman away, she felt her cell phone being taken from her jacket pocket. The thieves quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Things can happen so quickly that we often are not able to defend ourselves. We experienced a similar loss when we visited Hawaii. Joyce and I decided to go to the beach and chose to lock Joyce’s purse in the car trunk for safe keeping. (So we thought!) When we returned to our hotel and opened the trunk, the purse was gone. Thieves had pried open the door, ripped open the back seat and, in probably just a few seconds, the purse was in their possession.
As we read today’s Scripture, we are forewarned that the coming of the Lord will happen in a fraction of a second. The rapture of the church is drawing near and we cannot delay in preparing for eternity. Will you be a part of God’s people who will be snatched away to meet the Lord in the air?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 15, 2013 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit. “
In recent years piracy on the high seas has increased dramatically. Huge oil tankers or cargo carriers have been boarded and the ship and crew have been held hostage until the price for their release has been met. THEY HAVE TO BE REDEEMED IN ORDER TO BE SET FREE!
The fact that Fanny J. Crosby wrote thousands of poems, many of which became favorite hymns is amazing. The fact that she was totally blind is even more remarkable. Our hymn this week is Redeemed.
Redeemed
(1) Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.
REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.
(2) Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence,
With me doth continually dwell.
REFRAIN:
(3) I think of my blessed Redeemer,
I think of Him all the day long:
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song.
REFRAIN:
(4) I know I shall see in His beauty,
The King in whose law I delight;
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps,
And giveth me songs in the night.
REFRAIN:
(5) I know there’s a crown that is waiting,
In yonder bright mansion for me,
And soon, with the spirits made perfect,
At home with the Lord I shall be.
REFRAIN:
Notice verse four. It strikes me that Fanny Crosby was eagerly looking forward to that day when her Redeemer would appear and her blinded eyes would be opened and she would behold the most beautiful sight she could ever imagine—Jesus!
To access Redeemed, this week’s inspirational video fromGloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/redeemed/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 | Oct 21, 2013 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see only a 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.
Several years ago I was Pastor of a church that was ideal for weddings. It became a ministry to meet, counsel, and perform the ceremony for many couples. But there was a little problem that frustrated me for several years. Before the ceremony, when the groom and I were waiting in my office, it was impossible to see when we were to make our entrance without opening the door a crack.
One day I was pondering the problem as I looked at the door from the sanctuary side. There was a carved piece on the door that precluded installing a traditional peek hole. I wondered what would happen if I simply drilled a small hole through the carving on the door in such a way that it would not disturb the carving. I drilled a ¼ inch hole through and bingo! I could see most of the sanctuary–not all of it, but part of it.
There is no way we can completely know what heaven will look like. We are given a few glimpses, such as the first five verses of Revelation 5, but that is such a brief view that it just whets our appetite to see even more.
While our view of our heavenly home is limited, it gives us a goal to reach for. All we need to know is that we have our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, waiting to welcome us to our new home forever and forever! Wow! It makes me homesick!
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 30, 2013 | 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 fromGloryScapes 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 | Jun 20, 2013 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
There has been so much greedy preaching about tithing and giving that I seldom write about it. I have witnessed religious hucksters who promote spiritual causes that often tend only to increase their own standard of living. I fail to understand how those ministers can justify owning million-dollar estates and still beg for money to assist the needy.
Leaving all of the shallow teaching and high living behind, what does the Word of God say about how we are to give? Some have noticed that the tithe (giving 10%) is only mentioned in the Old Testament. That is true; however, in the New Testament we are told to give as God has prospered us.
Jesus repeatedly taught that a true believer must recognize that everything belongs to the Lord. That being the case, we must always stop and ask the Lord what He would have us do with the money He has entrusted to us.
Receiving and giving in the name of the Lord is an exciting way to live. It frees us of the burden of the riches of this old world. It takes our eyes off things and shows us the value of our relationship with Him and investing in things of eternal value.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 29, 2013 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 14:7-8
Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
I must confess that I do not like confrontation. There have been far too many times in my life when I have been called upon to take a stand and speak forth the truth regardless of the discomfort it has caused me.
Brothers and sisters, we are involved in a struggle that demands a trumpet call to battle! The enemy of our soul has so deceived the general population that to live a life of holiness is considered to be criminal. It is permissible for godless people to accuse the righteous of bigotry, but if any mention is made about their conduct, it is tantamount to violation of their rights.
While there is still time, we need to sound the alarm and call upon all believers to bombard the gates of heaven, and at the same time, call other believers to return to the righteous life that God demands.
It is foolish for religious bodies to presume they have the right to amend the Word of God and allow things that are strictly forbidden. Perhaps the reason they have been allowed this latitude is that the members have failed to search the Scriptures for themselves and discover the God-given truth. We must sound the battle cry while there is still time!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
