by Pastor Cecil | Dec 5, 2019 | 1 John
1 John 3:18
“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
I once conducted a Committal Service for a decorated navy veteran. My wife Joyce accompanied me on the trip and I parked the car where she could observe the service. She was also able to view behind the decorated retaining wall.
It was inspiring to have four military personnel standing at parade rest while I recited Scripture and made spiritual application about the reality of eternity. The military concluded their portion of the service by presenting the flag to the widow, and then marched in unison behind a wall.
As Joyce and I drove away, she reflected on what she had seen from her vantage point. The military detail had been so polished and regimented during the ceremony, but after they went behind the wall, a change took place. She watched as the stiff formality dissolved into casual laughter and gestures of relief.
Before we say anything about these brave, young service personnel, let us stop and consider our spiritual behavior. How many times have we put on a facade of piousness that was not exactly true? If we face ourselves in God’s mirror of truth—the Bible—what would we see? There are always people watching the way we live!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 24, 2019 | 1 John
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Increasingly we live in a world that calls righteousness evil and evil righteous. If we as believers speak out against the perverse actions around us we are accused of being judgmental and narrow minded. In fact, much of the time we are called even much more derogatory terms.
Much of the human behavior that the Bible terms perverse has become acceptable in our modern world. If any believer has the audacity to speak out against so-called “alternative lifestyles” they become the targets of those engaged in such abhorrent behavior. But many times other people also attack a righteous view of such behavior.
I sometimes feel we attack such sins as homosexuality while accepting sex outside of marriage as normal. That is not the way God views it. We need to spend more time in the Bible and see that sins may go far beyond sexual sins.
Paul gives us a wide view of what God calls sin in Galatians 5:19-21: “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.” It is time for us to confess!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 21, 2019 | 1 John
1 John 1:8-9
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
It is amazing that when we see other people doing bad things we call them sins. When we do the same type of things we justify them as “errors in judgment” or simply “mistakes.” BEEP!
In the eighth chapter of the Gospel of John, John relates an incident when the Pharisees brought forth a woman caught in the act of adultery. They eagerly pointed out that the Law prescribed that the penalty for such an act was stoning. (The accusers conveniently failed to produce her partner in the sinful act. I wonder if it was one of them?)
Jesus did not justify her sinfulness, but simply wrote with his finger in the dust and asked for the one without sin to cast the first stone. It suddenly became very quiet as each of the accusers turned and left Jesus alone with the accused woman.
Jesus did not condone her sinfulness; He simply refused to condemn her and told her to go and sin no more. He does the same thing today. He forgives our sins, but He wants us to live a life of holiness. It begins with confessing our sins!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 6, 2019 | 1 John
1 John 1:9-10
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”
Sin has been – is now – and will continue to be a problem until Jesus comes. Sin is not a subject that we generally choose up sides and talk about. It is more commonly committed and dealt with in an improper way by ignoring it or calling it something other than sin.
All too often we use flawed logic by try to convince our self that: SIN IS WHAT YOU DO! BUT ERROR IN JUDGMENT IS WHAT I DO! That my precious friend is the maggot’s nest of a judgmental attitude, a denial of personal sin, and a sure way to appear to the world as a first class hypocrite!
In John chapter eight, John relates the incident of the woman caught in the act of adultery. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought the woman to Jesus to see how Jesus would respond to this obvious violation of the law and the consequence or penalty for such a sinful act.
As you recall this incident, Jesus simply bent down and wrote on the sand and finally said; “If any of you are without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” They all left and it was only Jesus and the woman left standing there. She was guilty. There is no question about that. She was a sinner and in violation of God’s law. She deserved death, as we all do. Jesus’ final words to her were; “Then neither do I condemn you, go now and leave your life of sin.” ONE CROSS, PLUS THREE NAILS, EQUALS 4-GIVEN!
Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 26, 2018 | 1 John
1 John 5:13
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”
There is always a danger of forgetting the vital truths from the Word of God. John, who liked to think of himself as the beloved disciple, wants us to always remember the truth of his teaching. He was an eye witness to the ministry of Jesus and shared the gospel message with passion and power. Recall John 3:16
Prior to the celebration of Christmas there were messages and pageants that portrayed the birth of our Lord. We must never forget the truth of His birth to an humble maid servant and the announcement to lowly shepherds.
But … there is more!
We must always keep in mind that Jesus came to die in order that anyone who trusts in Him can inherit eternal life. That is the greatest news we can share with a sick and dying world while there is still time.
Christmas day 2018 may be gone, but the reality of the gospel message must never be forgotten. We need to make it a priority to share the good news of salvation as often as the Holy Spirit opens the door for us. Keep your eyes open!
Blessings dear hearts! May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 20, 2018 | 1 John
1 John 2:17
“And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
In Matthew 19:18-22 we read a sad story. A young man approached Jesus and asked what good thing he needed to do to inherit eternal life. In questioning him it was determined that this young man was obedient to the Law of Moses and he even loved his neighbor as himself.
In verse 21, Jesus gave him an invitation that could have changed his life: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Here was an obedient and observant man who prided himself on doing even more than the Law required, yet he went away from Jesus with a sad and heavy heart. Why? Because he had great wealth! His love of worldly possessions robbed him of the blessed opportunity of being a follower of our Lord.
One has to wonder how long it was before he realized that the puny wealth of worldly goods amount to nothing. It is a question we must ask ourselves and especially in connection with today’s Scripture. Where is our heart of love?
Blessings dear hearts. May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
