by Pastor Cecil | Jun 20, 2018 | James
James 4:14
“ – – whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
As you walk out the front door of the chapel where we conduct our Sunday services you see a WalMart store just across the street. For the past thirteen years we have met at this same location and thought nothing of it.
That all changed at about 5 pm Sunday. A man began shooting in the parking lot and attempted to hijack a motorist. An armed citizen used deadly force and the offender was killed. All of this happened just yards from where we had worshipped only six hours earlier. We never know what will happen do we?
As I have thought about this I have concluded that it does not matter what I know or don’t know will happen in this life — it is what I KNOW is going to happen when I leave this life that matters. Praise God I know where I am going!
I have no idea when I will be leaving this world or even by what means I will be making my departure, but I certainly know my ultimate destination! My desire is to insure that as many as possible will hear the good news that we can know where we will spend eternity. If we have been born again we will go to be with the Lord. If we refuse God’s offer of salvation, a devil’s hell awaits us. Our DESTINATION IS KNOWN!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 25, 2018 | James
James 1:2-3
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
You are either in the midst of a painful trial, getting over one or there is one in your future. Every person on the face of this earth has to face the reality of ordeal. I do not want to sound morbid, but if we do not realize the fact that we will pass through times of trial, we may be stunned when they come. Troubles may be the loss of a loved one, financial reversal, a disturbing medical diagnosis or any number of other issues.
How is the believer to respond to the adversities of life? James says that we are to consider it pure joy. That is impossible to do in our own strength. Only with the help of the Lord are we able to look beyond the trials and see our eternal reward.
You may have heard the expression; “That person is so heavenly minded that they are no earthly use.” While I do not agree with the idea that we are no earthly use, I agree that we should be heavenly minded.
We know that the things of this world will all pass away. The trials and tribulations of our present life will pale and fade when we slip the bonds of this earth and are with the Lord. What a day that will be!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 3, 2018 | James
James 5:7-8
“You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
Have you noticed how impatient people are these days? Drivers become speed demons trying to get in front of other drivers. They accelerate at traffic lights to get through the amber light that has strangely turned red … “I’m sorry, Officer, it was green when I started into the intersection” … you get the point.
We are living in an instant-everything age. We have instant cash machines, instant check-out counters in grocery stores, instant income tax refunds, even instant foods and coffee. So many things in our modern world are designed to give instant results and yet we still do not have time for God.
The answer lies in the Word of God. Many Bible heroes such as Job, Joseph, David, just to mention a few, did not have instant answers. In many cases it was years before God’s plan was revealed.
We need to learn the discipline of patience. With our hectic, fast-paced schedule we are so busy making things happen that we leave no room for that all important “quiet time” of waiting to see what God wants to teach us or how He wants to use us. Patience is relaxing in the Lord and letting Him direct our paths! It is time to get rid of instant spirituality and operate on God’s timing. Try it!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 10, 2017 | James
James 4:8
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
As I write the words of this Daily-E-Votional, my mind reflects back to the memory of my precious Dad. I cherished every moment I spent with my Dad. He was an encourager and was always there to insure that I was striving to be the man God wanted me to be. He stressed that after he was gone I would hold fast to the gospel and point people in the direction of the cross. I yearn for the day when I will see my Dad once again, but even more so I yearn for the day I will meet my Savior face to face.
In the early years of the 20th Century there was an outbreak of diphtheria in the U.S. that claimed many lives. In 1903, Cleland McAfee was chaplain and choir director at Park College in Parkville, Missouri. As the epidemic swept the area, two of his nieces died from the dread disease and the others in the house were quarantined. In Cleland’s hour of grief he wrote the hymn NEAR TO THE HEART OF GOD and had the college choir sing outside the house.
If you are passing through the valley of the shadow of death right now (I know that each of us do at some time in our life), let these words bring that quiet assurance we need.
Near to the Heart of God
There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.
Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God.
Hold us who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of comfort sweet,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where we our Savior meet,
Near to the heart of God.
Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God.
Hold us who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of full release,
Near to the heart of God
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God.
Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God.
Hold us who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
To access Near to the Heart of God, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/neartotheheartofgod 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 | Jul 27, 2017 | James
James 5:8
“You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
We are living in such an “instant” age that the mere mention of patience flies in the face of our way of life. We have instant cash machines, instant check-out counters, instant income tax refunds, instant coffee … tea … pudding … mashed potatoes … (I was going to continue, but the mere mention of instant mashed potatoes made me sick to my stomach).
In the face of all the short-cuts to achieve our end result, we find that we have even less time for the important things in life than ever before. Not only that, the labor-saving devices we use find us so tired and exhausted at the end of the day that we walk and talk like robots. Our “time-saving” gadgets and gizmos have us running at a break-neck pace to get from appointment to appointment. What has happened?
The answer lies in the Word of God. In all of our efforts we have totally failed to develop the proper discipline of patience. We do not want to wait or slow down for anything. In the midst of our hectic, fast-paced schedules we are so busy making things happen that we leave no room for that all important “quiet time” of waiting to see what God is going to bring into being. Slow down and wait for God!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions and your patience!!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 5, 2017 | James
James 4:8
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
It is often scary to go where others have never gone before. I recall sitting with my wife and both sets of our parents on July 20, 1969, watching a black and white television screen and witnessing the first steps Neil Armstrong took on the moon.
There are many pioneers who have been the first to step out into the unknown. Sometimes it is in the physical world, but often it is in the spiritual realm. To obey God when others around us are walking in disobedience requires both faith and courage.
At our church service this past Sunday we were challenged by the testimony of a man who prays to be used of God in sharing his faith. This man has led over twenty people to the Lord at local coffee shops. He fervently prays that God will give him the words to share with people and then follows through.
We need to draw nearer to the Lord each passing day in order to be able to hear as He speaks to us. Like Neil Armstrong stepping onto the surface of the moon, it may be like stepping into uncharted territory for us, but as we bow before our Master, He will purify us for His service. GO FIRST!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
