by Pastor Cecil | May 2, 2013 | James
James 1:2-4
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
I once heard a story of a new pastor of a small congregation. One day he decided that the piano belonged on the opposite side of the church, so he moved it. This caused such a stir that he had to leave the church, and the piano was moved back into its original location.
Sometime later the pastor visited his former church and, to his amazement, the piano was sitting where he had wanted to place it. When he asked the new pastor how he had accomplished the task, he was informed that . . . All it took was an inch a week.
There was a time in my life when I wondered if I had what it took to stay focused over a long period of time. Looking back over the past thirteen years I realize that the task of writing well over three thousand Daily-E-Votionals, just boils down to doing it one day at a time.
My prayer is that each of us will realize that God does not call us to be spectacular in our service for Him. He does, however, call us to persevere day by day. The way we do this is by keeping our eyes on Him and allowing Him to direct our life. If you want to make a difference in the world . . . PERSEVERE!!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 9, 2013 | James
James 1:26-27
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one(s) religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we purpose to deceive. Those words were penned in 1808 by Sir Walter Scott in his poem, Marmion. His words have frequently been attributed to William Shakespeare, which adds credence to the way tangled webs of truth and fiction can produce error.
In this fast-paced world where wrong is held out to be right and right is more and more considered erroneous, tangled reality is the pattern of the day. Sadly, as time goes along, I feel that this upside down logic will become the standard.
It is bad enough to become ensnared in the tangled web of deception concerning other people, but it is also possible to deceive our own selves. We start the web tangling by listening and acting to worldly wisdom rather than relying upon the infallible Word of God.
This is the time for self examination. Is our conduct of life based upon the wisdom of the world or what God has said? Do we seek to reinterpret the Bible to suit our own behavior? Confession and obedience to what God says will clear the webs of deceit that entangle us.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 15, 2013 | James
James 1:22 & 25
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
Luther Bridgers attended Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. He began preaching at age 17, and was ordained a Methodist minister. He served as an evangelist in the American South and in mission work in Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and Russia. He pastored in Georgia and North Carolina before retiring in 1945 in Gainesville, Georgia.
We sing it with joy and happiness, but it was written with a heavy heart. Bridgers wrote this song after a tragic fire killed his wife and three sons. He wanted those who sang this song to know that Jesus brings a song, even when our hearts are crushed.
HE KEEPS ME SINGING!
1. There(s) within my heart a melody Jesus whispers sweet and low,
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still, in all of life’s ebb and flow.
Refrain: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest Name I know, Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
2. All my life was wrecked by sin and strife, Discord filled my heart with pain,
Jesus swept across the broken strings, Stirred the slumbering chords again.
Refrain: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest Name I know, Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
3. Feasting on the riches of His grace, Resting -neath His sheltering wing,
Always looking on His smiling face, That is why I shout and sing
Refrain: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest Name I know, Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
4. Though sometimes He leads through waters deep, Trials fall across the way,
Though sometimes the path seems rough and steep, See His footprints all the way.
Refrain: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest Name I know, Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
5. Soon He(s) coming back to welcome me, Far beyond the starry sky;
I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown, I shall reign with Him on high.
Refrain: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest Name I know, Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 11, 2013 | James
James 1:22 & 25
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does.
I love to watch mallard ducks flying low over our house. There is a whistle to their wings as they fly and they are extremely graceful in flight. On the ground is another matter. They waddle in an awkward manner. In an odd way it is the same with penguins. They waddle as they walk, but in water they swim like – – – fish. The difference is that these creatures were created by God to be more at home in their natural element. Ducks in flight—penguins in water.
It is not difficult to determine what the pattern of this world is. Observe any form of modern media and we will immediately discover the pattern of this world. Simply stated, it is that which is not in complete harmony with the plan the Lord has for us. God has designed us to soar with Him in obedience.
Any time we conform to the pattern God gives us, we will be seen as different. In a way that is what we are meant to be, different. We are called to be children of the King and as such we are not to be conformed to the ways that define the ways of the world. Instead we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. It is like the waddling ducks lifting into the sky.
We are meant to fly—not waddle. I hope you understand what I mean. We are to approve what God has planned for us. It is not enough to test the Word to discover His ways—we are also to approve His will. By approving God’s will, we are to get in step with His will. This means doing and approving what others are doing to fulfill the will of Him who has given us new life. Stop waddling and start soaring!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 25, 2013 | James
James 5:7-8
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Sir Isaac Newton was a very brilliant man. He set forth the Laws of Motion. The first law is: A body in motion tends to remain in motion until acted upon by some outside force. The second law has sometimes been called the law of inertia. It states that: A body at rest tends to remain at rest unless impelled by some external force. The third law is: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Alright, boys and girls, that is your physics lesson for today!
Leaving such principles of the universe without spiritual comment is tragic. The God of the universe who created and designed these forces is that same God who desires a personal relationship in our life.
Just as there are physical laws that are in control of the universe, there are spiritual laws that are designed to draw us close to the Lord. The first spiritual law of motion is: A soul that moves toward the Lord will tend to continue moving toward Him. The problem is that the devil is trying to draw our attention away from the Lord and if we are not careful our momentum will be stopped. There is a second spiritual law of motion is: A soul that is at rest concerning God will fail to move toward Him. The third spiritual law of motion is: For every spiritual action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Where do you find yourself in relation to the spiritual laws of motion? Have you made promises to make the Lord a priority in your life, but then failed to act upon it?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 30, 2013 | James
James 1:5-8
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Several years ago I received an e-mail requesting prayer for a prayer worrier. I am sure the writer meant prayer warrior—but (as I have done so many times) the writer had misspelled the word and thus changed the meaning.
I have been thinking about the difference between the two, so I went to the dictionary and found this definition for warrior: One who is engaged in or experienced in battle. One who is engaged aggressively or energetically in an activity, cause, or conflict. That sounds like someone you would like on your side, right?
Here is the definition for worrier: One who thinks about unfortunate things that might happen. Whoops! That is certainly not the person I would feel confident to have in my corner as a prayer partner.
Where would you find yourself as it relates to prayer? Are you a mighty warrior who eagerly brings matters before the Lord or are you a worrier who tosses and turns fretting over the worst thing that might happen.
Here is the way the Amplified Bible describes the doubter in the Scripture for today: [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]. Be a WARRIOR, not a worrier for the Lord!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
