by Pastor Cecil | May 16, 2017 | 2 Timothy
2 Timothy 3:7
“Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
There are mean spirited bullies all around us. As I mentioned yesterday, I do not like bullying of any sort. Within the halls of academia there is a great deal of bullying. Those who possess advanced degrees often lord it over those who have not had the opportunity or ability to earn comparable degrees.
I am stunned by the arrogance that many academicians exhibit toward those they don’t consider their academic equals. They bully their way into positions that seem designed more to put others down rather than to be of benefit. They are scholarly bullies!
Many years ago I was close friends with a professor who had his PhD. in the field of physics. He was the opposite of a scholarly bully. In fact, he shared that he had trouble carrying on an intelligent conversation with many of his associates. He said he found more wisdom among the maintenance men at the college than among the professors. That astute observation brought a smile to my heart since my dad was a maintenance man at the college.
Regardless of our formal education, we should never allow others to feel that we are being a scholarly bully by making them feel inferior. Instead, we should be like my friend with the doctor’s degree who spent time talking with those who only had an 8th grade education. They had much to teach him. Are we listening?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 26, 2016 | 2 Timothy
2 Timothy 2:16
“But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.”
If you were writing a letter to your son or daughter and knew that it might be the last words you would ever share with them, what would you say? What would you want them to remember above everything else?
I can recall one of the last conversations I had with my dad. He had been my hero throughout my life and I cherished his wise counsel. He said; “Son when I am gone I want you to remember to tell everyone that I love the Lord and when He is ready to take me home, I am ready to go.”
Dad was never one to spend his time in useless arguments. He had a focus on things that were eternal. He only had an 8th grade education, but his wisdom was far beyond many who had advanced degrees.
The “profane and idle babblings” that Paul mentions are things that can occupy our time and attention and lead us away from God rather than a closer walk with Him. I want to avoid these arguments and debates in order to stay close to the Lord.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 14, 2016 | 2 Timothy
2 Timothy 4:7-8
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Yesterday I received a call from my brother-in-law, Harold. He asked if I was familiar with Ellsworth Air Force Base. I said I sure did since I was once stationed there. That was when I was a jet mechanic. He laughed and said he knew.
Harold had called to tell me that a Delta A380 passenger airliner had landed at Ellsworth instead at the Rapid City Regional Airport. Oops! I can only imagine the difficulty the pilot of that aircraft is now facing.
There are many people flying through life thinking they know their proper destination. The problem is that they may end up at the “wrong airport.” What a tragic realization will face people when they open their eyes in death to find they face an eternity in hell when they could have landed in heaven!
God has provided us with a “flight plan” that will insure that we are on the right course to arrive safely and securely at our eternal home in glory. That flight plan is the BIBLE. We must follow it closely to insure a safe landing.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 24, 2016 | 2 Timothy
2 Timothy 2:15
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
I wish there was some way I could go back in time and start the first grade again. For some reason I never was able to grasp the basic concepts of study until very late in my life. Study always had a negative connotation for me because I associated it with my failure in school.
So with that background, why should I write about studying the Bible, the Word of God? It is because it is essential to our spiritual growth. There are many out there who have the same problem when it comes to effectively studying the Bible. I hope I can help you.
Years ago I was in a seminar that shared principles to effectively handle the Word of God. I will never forget a simple rule that we were taught. After reading a portion of the Bible, ask three questions: WHAT DOES IT SAY? WHAT DOES IT MEAN? HOW DO I APPLY IT TO MY OWN LIFE?
I hope those three questions will mean as much to you as they have meant to me. Give it a try. Now is the time to STUDY!!!
Blessings dear hearts!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 19, 2016 | 2 Timothy
2 Timothy 4:7-8
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Satisfaction! There are many things that bring feelings of satisfaction. I can recall one incident when I was a teenager that brought great satisfaction. I had been hired to dig a ditch for a couple. It was 50 feet long and about 3 feet deep.
As I started the task I realized that the soil was mostly topsoil which made for easy digging. In very little time I was down to the 3 feet depth and the width that was required. I then tried to see how fast I could dig. I was amazed at in a very short period of time I had completed the task.
When I knocked on the door and told the owners that I was completed they could not believe it. They are paying me by the hour and felt that I earned more than they had agreed upon and paid me a special bonus. I left with a sigh of satisfaction!
What type of satisfaction do we gain doing the things that God calls us to do? At the end of the day can we go to sleep knowing that we have served the Lord to the best of our abilities? Can we slip into slumber with a sigh of satisfaction?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 28, 2015 | 2 Timothy
2 Timothy 4:8
“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
It may come as a surprise to you but I have never received a crown! I have had other honors bestowed, such as my Bachelor of Arts Degree, Master of Arts Degree, Gold Bars as a Commissioned Officer, and Ministerial Ordination, just to name a few. But no crown…as yet!
Paul was writing to his son in the faith, Timothy, in today’s Scripture. Paul was assured that he was going to receive a crown of righteousness. When we think of all that Paul had endured for the sake of Christ, it would be understandable that he would receive a crown of righteousness.
Notice that he says this crown is laid up for him at the appearing of our Lord. I hope you are as excited as I am as I read this to see that there is also a crown for each and every one of us who have loved His appearing.
We do not have to do anything to receive this crown other than to love the appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am so excited about the appearing of our Savior. I have no idea when that will be, but until He comes I want to live in constant anticipation of His appearing. I can hardly wait!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
