by Pastor Cecil | Mar 24, 2017 | Isaiah
Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
Years ago I recall listening to a sermon tape by Donald Grey Barnhouse, a prominent pastor and teacher. He had just completed an evangelistic meeting several hundred miles from his home in Philadelphia, when he was given a telegram. It informed him that his son had been in a serious accident and was near death.
His only way back to Philadelphia was by rail. As Dr. Barnhouse entered his sleeper, his spirit was greatly disturbed. He knew that it would be hours before his train arrived back home and that there was nothing he could do but leave his son in God’s hands.
As he prayed, he recalled a phrase from Isaiah 65:25, “- – – but dust will be the serpent’s food.” Using that passage he asked the Lord to feed the serpent dust, but to please grant him a good night’s rest. He fell fast asleep and the next thing he knew the porter was touching his shoulder to tell him that they were nearing Philadelphia.
The Lord had answered his prayer. His son lived and during his time of recuperation he committed his life to full time Christian service. If you have been having trouble getting to sleep at night, ask the Lord to give you His blessed rest and feed the serpent dust.
To You Before the Close of Day
To you before the close of day,
Creator of the world we pray!
Your grace and peace to us allow,
And be our guard and keeper now.
From evil dreams defend our sight,
From all the terrors of the night.
From all deluding thoughts that creep,
On heedless minds disarmed by sleep.
O Father, this we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Your only Son.
Who with the Holy Spirit and with You,
Shall live and reign all ages through. Amen.
To access To You Before the Close of Day, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/toyoubeforethecloseofday in your browser or click on the image below.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 23, 2017 | Isaiah
Isaiah 65:24
“It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.”
God is never late! In fact we are the ones who delay responding to His calls on our behalf. The truth of the matter is that God has already answered our prayers and set things in motion to have His will and way done.
The problem is that we are often not aware of what He has done and is doing. Our prayers are many times answered in ways that we have not expected and so we fail to recognize what He is doing.
We might, in a manner of speaking, say that our prayers have already been answered … but we just have to trust in Him and keep our eyes open to discover how He has answered and if He has something for us to do.
Spend more time in prayer and meditation on the Word of God. Seek to discover the ways of God and fit our lives into those ways. We can rest assured that we serve a God who knows our tomorrows before they ever arrive. HE ANSWERS PRAYER!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 24, 2017 | Isaiah
Isaiah 51:1-2
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat. Yes, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.”
Water, water everywhere…and not a drop to drink! Those words have probably been uttered many times by shipwreck victims stranded in the middle of the ocean. The salt-laden sea seems to mock them — there is so much water all around them, but it would be poison to their system to drink it.
Lucy Jane Rider Meyer wrote the words of today’s hymn. She was born on a Vermont farm in 1849. Lucy was a teacher and not only founded many high schools, but went on to teach chemistry at McKendree College, a school for freed blacks in North Carolina. She was one of the first female professors.
What a refreshing thought that a brilliant professor was able to use the Word of God to bring music to the thirsty human soul. Oh, that we had more brave educators who would be willing to put their reputations on the line for the things of God. I thirst for that!
Ho! Everyone Who Is Thirsty
Ho! Everyone that is thirsty in spirit,
Ho! Everyone that is weary and sad;
Come to the fountain, there’s fullness in Jesus,
All that you’re longing for; come and be glad!
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the world, are you tired of your bondage?
Weary of earth’s joys, so false, so untrue?
Thirsting for God and His fullness of blessing?
List’ to the promise, a message for you!
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the kingdom, be filled with the Spirit!
Nothing but “fullness” thy longing can meet;
‘Tis the enduement for life and for service;
Thine is the promise, so certain, so sweet.
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
To access Ho! Everyone Who Is Thirsty, this week’s inspirational video, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/hoeveryonewhoisthirsty/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 21, 2017 | Isaiah
Isaiah 64:4
“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.”
Eye witness reports are often very suspect. Perhaps the two most famous (or infamous) sightings are Bigfoot and UFO’s. It does little to confirm that they really exist simply on the basis of so-called personal observations.
A few years ago I was watching a documentary on human behavior as it relates to pre-conceived suggestions. A group of participants were gathered to observe potential aliens from outer space. The test was conducted near Roswell, New Mexico, where the first reports of strange appearances took place.
The participants were told to carefully record everything they personally observed and describe it in detail. The path was so designed that they would have no visual clues. While on the tour they were subjected to strange and eerie sounds. At the end of the test almost all of the participants described in detail what they had seen. Remember, they had actually seen nothing!
God has chosen to reveal His will and way to us through His Spirit. We can truthfully say we have “seen” Him because we walk and talk with Him!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 16, 2017 | Isaiah
Isaiah 41:10
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
One summer when I was a young boy, we were challenged to memorize key verses in Scripture. One of those verses was Isaiah 41:10. I cannot begin to tell you how many times across the years this verse has been with me.
In today’s world of GPS (Global Positioning System) technology, there is a voice that gives instructions of where to turn and how far to go before giving the next instruction of where to turn and how far to go. I have known drivers that turn their GPS off just to silence that voice.
I come from a day and age where we learned to read maps. When I worked as a milk man it was necessary to use a code to tell how many intersections to cross, when to turn left or right and which house was to receive the home delivery (I am a very old man!).
God gives us assurance that His voice will always strengthen, help, and uphold us as we obediently follow His word and His way. All we need to do is to … FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Do not silence His voice.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 14, 2017 | Isaiah
Isaiah 28:10
“For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”
For anyone who has spent time in the criminal justice system, it seems like we see the same people very frequently. In a manner of speaking many individuals have developed a habit of breaking the law. In corrections the term recidivism is used to describe repeat offenders.
Just as there are bad habits that lead to negative consequences, so are there habits that lead to positive rewards. There are spiritual principles that can be gained by repeating them over and over.
Scripture memory is aided by repetition. The older I get the harder it becomes to imprint verses into my memory bank. I have often commented that my forgetter is better than my rememberer. Those may be strange words but you get my point.
What kind of habits are we developing in our personal life? Are we forming patterns of godly conduct and thinking that will be a blessing to ourselves and others? I pray that we will habitually strive to please God.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
