by Pastor Cecil | Jul 16, 2015 | Galatians
Galatians 6:1-3
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.”
All too frequently we are confronted by people who have fallen into deep sin. Immediately it seems that tongues begin to wag, fingers began to point, and lives are turned upside down. Sin is a tragic thing. It contaminates and destroys not only the one who has committed the sin but often those who are innocent victims.
Paul was certainly no stranger to people who said one thing and did another. Many of those who treated him with bitter hatred claimed to do so with spiritual intent. We still see that same vindictive attitude today. Instead of restoring the fallen we often parade there sinful activity in order to make ourselves appear righteous. We might call it a self-righteous attitude.
People who condemned quite often picture themselves as defenders of the faith. Unfortunately many times there is sin in their own life that has never been dealt with. Paul says that we are to restore the sinful person.
How do we restore someone who has sinned? It certainly is not by sharing their sin with other people. Our Scripture for today says that we are to restore them gently and help bear each other’s burdens. We need more burden bearers than tale tellers. Which are you?!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 9, 2015 | Galatians
Galatians 14:17-18
“For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
From time to time to time I have experienced computer problems. I’m sure that I am the only one who experiences this situation. I have to confess that after all these years of working with the computer there is more that I do not know about it than I do know about it.
I have discovered that people who can be trusted know far more than I do about my computer. Not only that there is a program (perhaps more than one), that allows a trusted technician to take remote control of my computer. One of the first questions that the program asks before transit burying control to a remote source is whether it is a trusted technician.
To suddenly see my cursor moving around and things being set to write is awesome. These talented technicians can do things and call upon resources that I will never be able to understand. But suddenly what seemed to be an insurmountable problem has been resolved and the control of the computer is returned to me.
It is difficult to turn our life over to someone else. But when that someone else is the Lord Jesus Christ He someone we can trust. Our part is to watch as he begins to do things in and through and with this that we would never be able to accomplish our self. Have you experienced that yet? If not I implore you to allow the Lord to do for you what He does best.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 29, 2014 | Galatians
Galatians 3:23-24
“Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.“
I must confess that it is humorous to be in a position in which someone who has been in authority over you now finds you are in that position.
Way back in 1953 I walked into an Air Force Recruiting Station and was met by Sgt. Swift. He told me of the positive features available if I enlisted. I trusted him and enlisted.
That is not the end of the story. About ten years later I had received my college degree and a commission in the Air Force. My first assignment was at the training base where I had attended Officers Training School. As I looked over the personnel that I now supervised, guess whose name I saw. Sgt. Swift! His first response was, “Oh no!” We had a good laugh about how things had changed and he was glad he had been honest.
I encountered another serendipity in my life. I was working for the Idaho State Law Enforcement Administration and had been in the northern part of the State. On my way back I was stopped by an officer who wrote out a ticket (I am sure he did so because he was sure I would not be able to appear in court.) His bad luck was that I had another meeting in that county in a week and the judge not only dismissed the ticket, but chided the officer for negligence. A few years later I was teaching a criminal Justice class at Boise State—you guessed it— my officer was now my student! His first response was, “Oh no!” (I was kind to him, but had him squirming for awhile.)
We will all appear before the Judge of the universe. Every single thought or deed will be revealed. I am sure Satan will try to bring up every sinful thing in our past, but when we have confessed our sins and received Jesus into our hearts, we need not fear. Jesus was born in Bethlehem to pay the price for our sins. He has done what we could never do! Praise the Lord!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 24, 2014 | Galatians
Galatians 6:14
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
We were having dinner with friends one evening when the husband began to brag about things he had accomplished. Just when we thought he was through, he would launch into another barrage. We thought the evening would never end! There is nothing as wearing as having to listen to someone boast about themselves.
Every time I read the book of Esther and come to chapter five, I am stunned that Haman called his friends and wife in order to boast of all he possessed. Can you imagine how bored they were?
Boasting is not only boring it is an affront to God. Pride is a sin and over and over the Bible condemns it. So what is the difference here? Paul is not boasting about himself and the things he has accomplished — he is boasting about Jesus.
He not only boasts about Jesus, but he focuses his boast on the cross. That says to me that in essence, Paul is saying it is only by the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross that gives us eternal life. It is not what we do that merits salvation, but what Jesus has done for us by His death and resurrection. Now that is something to boast about!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 23, 2013 | Galatians
Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
For years I have had various people bombard me with the idea that we could have anything and everything our heart desired if we only had enough faith. They claim that all sickness and poverty is of the devil, so all we have to do is have enough faith to name it and claim it! Foolishness!
There is a spiritual principle that overshadows all of the others; God is the ONE who is in control. We in no way can control God. It does not matter how many good things we accomplish or how righteous we may be, He is the Supreme Commander in Chief.
Having spent over twelve years in the military, I am very familiar with the Chain of Command. Briefly, it means that those who possess a higher rank must be obeyed and shown proper respect.
The problem we have today is that there are far too many leaders teaching that all can be healthy, wealthy, and wise. All you need to do is have faith. The reality is that God has chosen to lead some of His most faithful servants through the valley of the shadow of death. Thank God for the assurance in Psalm 23:4. Even though we go through the dark valleys of this old life, we need not fear for He is near and His rod and staff will protect and comfort. That is the wealth I desire!
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 7, 2013 | Galatians
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
A visiting minister had just preached a dynamic message on being totally committed to God and empty of self. Following the message, as people came by to speak with him, a woman approached and requested that he pray for her to become nothing. Being a courageous and faithful servant, the minister looked the woman straight in the eye and told her to take by faith the fact that she was nothing!
He gave her that answer, not to put her down, but rather to show that without Christ we are indeed nothing. When we get our pride and self-sufficiency out of the way, Christ is able to do His work in and through us.
I once heard Major Ian Thomas relate his own experience in this area. As a young man who had received Jesus as his personal Savior, he wanted to please the Lord . . . so he worked and worked, doing everything he could for the Lord. One Sunday evening, after finishing assisting in a week-long series of meetings, he had worked late into the night packing up books, Bibles, and other materials.
Finally returning to his hotel room, Thomas was exhausted and ready to abandon his calling to preach the Word of God. He expected the Lord to be disappointed in him for quitting, but just the opposite happened. It was as though the Lord told Thomas that he needed to get his ambition out of the way so He (God) could work through him.
Major Thomas went on to be a worthy servant of the Lord Jesus Christ around the world. Are you wearing yourself out trying to please the Lord? I implore you to give up trying to earn your salvation. Listen to Him, then do what He asks you to do.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
