by Pastor Cecil | Aug 20, 2008 | James
James 3:3-5
“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.”
Late Sunday evening I stumbled on a program about American Airlines. I only watched for a few minutes, but since then I have been thinking about what was being presented.
A former astronaut had been hired by American Airlines to assist in reducing their costs of operations. This man began to analyze the effect of weight on the amount of fuel used by the planes. Reducing weight conserves fuel. It seems that instead of going to the heavier items he started with rather small things.
He interviewed the Flight attendants about how often the passengers seemed to read the company magazine that was placed in each seat pocket. They said the magazines were almost never read.
The magazines averaged about 50 pounds per plane. It seemed like such a tiny amount that it would not make a difference. Not so! Removing the magazines from all of the planes in the American Airlines fleet saved about $1 million dollars annually. That is a significant figure!
There were other items removed, but that was the one that stood out in my mind. It made me realize that many of the things in our life that seem small and petty can result in major consequences.
Let’s consider a small stretching of the truth. Okay, let’s be honest and call it a little lie. (Personally I do not think that there is any such thing as a “little” lie).
Let’s imagine that I oversleep and realize that I am going to be late for work. I call the office and make up an excuse that I have a flat tire and it is taking me longer to fix it because my spare tire is also flat. (That is more than a little lie, it is a bold faced lie—but I couldn’t think of another example).
Now imagine that a co-worker decides to come to my rescue. They have the same make and model vehicle as mine so they know their spare tire will fit. On the way to assist me they are involved in an accident that lands them in the hospital. Now how big is my “small” lie?
There are positive things that also seem small. We may say that we have a terrible memory and are unable to memorize Scripture. However we covenant to memorize and meditate on one verse each week.
Is that a small thing? At the end of the year we bow before the Lord and use the verses we have hidden in our heart to glorify His name. How many verses can we use? If my math and my calendar are correct, it will be 52. Isn’t that amazing!
What are the “SMALL” THINGS IN YOUR LIFE?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing to others!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 14, 2008 | James
James 1:22-25
“But prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effective doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.”
I had a terrible shock not long ago. I looked in the mirror and saw this old man looking back at me. I wanted to report it to the authorities before I realized that it was me! Ah, where have the years gone?
In today’s Scripture, James uses an illustration of a mirror. As I read this passage for the umpteenth time, I suddenly saw something I had never seen before. It is only as we look into God’s mirror that we see ourselves as God sees us.
Imagine placing a dab of healing ointment on a sore spot on your face and then covering it with a Band-Aid—just until you leave the house. You meant to take it off before you left the house, but guess what? You forgot to remove it! People looked in a questioning way, but after wearing the Band-Aid for awhile it had become a part of you and you forgot it was there!
There is an old gospel song that quartets used to like to sing (some still do). It was about the valley of dry bones which the prophet Ezekiel saw. The groups used to make a big production over attaching one bone to the other, and finally they would have the skeleton attached and ready to come to life when God breathed life into them. Go back to the book of Ezekiel 37:1-10, and read all of the details of this prophecy that was given to Ezekiel.
That is the picture that came to me. If you go out into public, you may well encounter snickers and fingers being pointed your way. How much more tragic it is for those who have looked into God’s Holy Word, fully intending to act upon it, but never get around to doing it. Sad, sad, the bitter wail, almost, but lost.
I want to tell you that God is near and knows what we need. Even when we deny Him, or turn our back on him, He never forsakes us, but is always there to hear our cry for salvation.
I once received an e-mail from some friends which spoke of God’s nearness to us:
THAT’S GOD
“Have you ever been just sitting there and all of a sudden you feel like doing something nice for someone you care for…THAT’S GOD … He talks to you through the Holy Spirit.
Have you ever been down and out and nobody seems to be around for you to talk to…THAT’S GOD… He wants you to talk to him.
Have you ever been thinking about somebody that you haven’t seen in a long time and then next thing you know you see them or receive a phone call from them…THAT’S GOD…there is no such thing as ‘coincidence.’
Have you ever received something wonderful that you didn’t even ask for, like money in the mail, a debt that had mysteriously been cleared, or a coupon to a department store where you had just seen something you wanted, but couldn’t afford… THAT’S GOD…he knows the desires of your heart…
Have you ever been in a situation and you had no clue how it is going to get better, but now you look back on it…THAT’S GOD…he passes us through tribulation to see a brighter day…”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing to others!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 23, 2008 | James
James 4:7-10
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
Have you ever listened to your own prayers to God? If you are like me it will be a sobering experience. Over and over I hear myself asking God to do things that I should be doing myself! Don’t act so pious, I am sure you just as guilty as me!
There are many passages of Scripture that demonstrate our part and God’s part in having a closer walk. I think of the parable that Jesus told in Luke 15:11-24. It was the son who made the move to return to the father. The father did not send out a search party for the son. (This is a hard truth for parents whose hearts are being broken by wayward children). God uses circumstances to bring rebels to their knees, but it still remains their choice to rise and return.
Think of the many times you have prayed for the Lord to make you do something: “Make me love You better.” “Make me pray more.” “Make me have a better attitude.” “Make me _______.” You get the picture.
Look at today’s Scripture. There are three things mentioned that I think most of us desire in our life: The devil to flee from us, the Lord to be near to us and the Lord to lift us up.
That is all well and good, but what are we told to do? What steps of action are we to take?
1. Submit yourselves, then, to God. (Not my will but Thine!)
2. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Say no!)
3. Come near to God (Make a choice to go God’s way)
4. Wash your hands, you sinners (Confess your sins)
5. Purify your hearts, you double-minded. (Bathe yourself in God’s Word)
6. Grieve, mourn and wail. (Experience brokenness for the lost)
7. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. (Recognize that this world will pass and eternity is waiting)
8. Humble yourselves before the Lord (Turn everything over to God and rest in His provision for your life)
The next time you pray for God to do something for you, stop and ask yourself if you have been obedient to do the things He calls each of us, as His disciples, to do for Him. Perhaps it would be better to pray: “Lord show me what You want me to do or be”, not just “What I want You to do for me.”
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
