by Pastor Cecil | Dec 5, 2013 | Job
Job 1:20-22
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
This week we’ve been discussing some of the perils we face in life. In Tuesday’s E-votional I wrote about the peril of popularity; yesterday we considered the peril of pain; and today we’ll look at the peril of presumption. They do not necessarily follow in that order, nor is this an exhaustive list of perils. It is certain that each of us will be confronted with perils of one sort or another—and more than one!
I once owned and operated a Christian Counseling Center. From time to time pastors would refer their members to come to me to help resolve their problems from a biblical perspective. One time a local pastor referred a couple to me and informed me that their problem was finances—they did not know how to manage them!
When I met with this couple, I almost fell into the trap of presuming that I knew what their problem was. At the prompting of the Holy Spirit, however, I asked them to tell me why they were having problems. Surprisingly, it was something entirely different than finances, and when we dealt with that issue, the financial problem resolved itself.
In the spiritual realm, we often presume to know what God’s plans are for us. That is His business, and we must learn to watch and wait. It is a hard thing to do, but it is necessary. It means that we rest in His direction for our life and trust Him completely. NO PRESUMING ALLOWED ON THE PREMISES!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 22, 2013 | Job
Job 10:8
Your hands shaped me and made me. Will You now turn and destroy me? Remember that You molded me like clay. Will You now turn me to dust again?
Several years ago I was called upon to officiate at the funeral service of a young man in his late teens. The funeral chapel was full and people were standing. Many of those in attendance were teenagers.
As I watched one after the other arrive it was like I was watching a school of guppies. They all seemed to look alike. They wore the same style of clothing, the same hair styles and had the same expression on their faces.
Before we become too critical, dig out an old photo album and look at some of your old pictures. Other than the fact you have aged, notice the old fashioned way you wore your hair and the style of your dress. Would you like to appear that way today?
Isn’t that strange—if not tragic—we are more concerned about what others think about us than what God thinks? Remember that God made us just the way we are—warts and all. We are not an accident! We have been shaped and molded by God to fulfill His plan and purpose.
You may possibly remember a wonderful old prayer chorus called Spirit of the Living God. It goes something like this: “Spirit of the Living God, fall a-fresh on me. Spirit if the Living God, fall a-fresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the Living God, fall a-fresh on me.” May that ever be our prayer!
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 26, 2013 | Job
Job 19:25-27
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Many times it seems that people (me included) have a preoccupation with holding on to this life. It does not matter how much pain or how many trials we encounter, we act as if this vale of tears is the only thing that matters to us.
In the midst of his suffering and misery, Job was surrounded by men who had come to comfort him. A fat lot of comfort they afforded him. They erroneously concluded that if he was suffering the calamities that had befallen him, it must be the result of some secret sin in his life. His(friends) made it their goal to try and break through and have him confess his terrible secret sin.
Here in the middle of the book that bears his name, Job gives us words of confident assurance. It would be well for us to read these words in Job 19 on a regular basis and apply them to our own life.
As the Apostle Paul wrote in the first chapter of Philippians, it would be far better for him to be in heaven with Christ than to remain here on earth. It gave him the desire to live what time he had here on earth serving others by showing forth the spirit of the Lord. I desire to have that same purpose in my own life. If I remain alive, it is to serve Christ. If I die, it is to be with Christ. Either way, Christ is the focus of my life.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 19, 2013 | Job
Job 23:12
I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
It is hard to believe some of the inane commercials on television these days. However, there are a few exceptions from time to time, like the one currently showing for a popular soup company. Their standing format is a chef in a commercial kitchen stirring a large pot of soup. Then a customer calls in by using an empty can with string attached. (You may have tried that as a kid. It always required a straight line and not too much distance. But, hey, this is a commercial!)
In this particular commercial a man reads the soup label that claims the soup is able to improve his health, and he wants to know how to achieve this. So he calls the chef to ask the question — and her answer is to “just eat the soup.” The man studiously writes this instruction on his notepad: EAT THE SOUP!
How do we go about achieving a closer walk with the Lord that will promote our spiritual health? Just eat the soup! To clarify, spend quality time with your nose in your Bible with a notepad beside you to make notes as you discover the treasures inside.
It has been my experience across the years that reading the same passage many times over days, weeks, months, or years will reveal new and exciting truths. I urge you to discover a deeper walk with the Lord. EAT THE SOUP OF HIS WORD!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 13, 2013 | Job
Job 19:25-27
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Recently I had the opportunity to see photographs of a person who was young healthy and full of vitality. You could visualize that they were full of fun and excitement. They were the kind of person you would like to know and have as a friend. Included was another photograph showing the same person following a catastrophic accident. The once attractive features were now twisted and swollen.
Accidents or severe illness can so alter the appearance of an individual that it is hard to imagine that it was the same person. Although not as dramatic, the aging process also has the same effect. It is safe to conclude that our outward appearance can and does change, whether quickly or gradually.
Having a background in Law Enforcement, I have been shocked to compare mug shots that are taken of a person who has been arrested. Those who are repeat offenders and especially those addicted to alcohol or drugs change in appearance in a relatively short period of time—and always for the worse.
What does this all mean? I believe that it reminds us that our outward appearance is destined to change. No amount of cosmetic surgery will help. The vital thing is what is taking place within our heart and soul. When we are born again our new life in Christ begins. We have started the wonderful journey to eternity that assures us of a new and eternal body that will never grow old. Wow! The ultimate make-over!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 10, 2012 | Job
Job 31:1-4
I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high? Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong? Does He not see my ways and count my every step?
Sensuality has become so prevalent in our modern world that those who dress and behave in a modest manner are considered abnormal. I am convinced that many of sexual assaults and other related crimes are the result of making the abnormal seem to be normal.
It is almost impossible not to be bombarded with sexually explicit sights all around us. A trip to the grocery store ends with the check-out line where magazine after magazine shows images that would have been considered pornography only a few years ago.
I was watching an episode of 19 Kids and Counting a few years ago. Some of the older kids were walking down the street and one of the older girls called out, “Shoes!” The boys looked down at their feet as if a shoelace was untied. The call was actually to alert the boys that females were approaching that were dressed in an immodest manner. I just checked with one of the family and she said they now say, “Nike!” or use some other brand name.
The important thing is that we need to make a commitment to the Lord to not view those things that would lead to temptation. That is what Job is referring to in today’s Scripture. It is his covenant with the Lord to control what his eyes view.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
