by Pastor Cecil | Jan 21, 2014 | John
John 4:34-36
‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.’
It must have been 50+ years ago, while visiting friends in Oklahoma City, that I watched a pastor being interviewed by the local television station. The reporter was asking the pastor about his day-to-day activities in addition to his Sunday preaching responsibilities.
I am not sure how the question arose, but in some way the reporter asked the pastor about his vacations. After all of these years, I can still vividly recall the pastor telling the reporter that he did not take vacations. He shared that his enjoyment in the ministry was such that he never felt the need to get away from it.
At the time, I found it hard to believe what that pastor said those many years ago. But as I look back over the years of my ministry, I have come full circle. I can honestly report that it has been so long since I took a vacation that I cannot remember when it was. Not only that, I feel more energized than when I used to take vacations.
I feel that the secret is resting constantly in Him, and allowing Him to do His work through me. I in no way feel the need to get away . . . only to get closer to Him!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 10, 2013 | John
John 14:6-7
Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.’
When I was in high school, I worked part-time for a local dairy. My dad and brother both worked there, so it was a family affair. Since I was just working when the need arose, I never knew where they would assign me.
That was back in the days when milk was delivered to the door. That was long before Global Positioning Systems (GPS). We had a route book that gave each household where we were to deliver milk and cream and in what quantities, but I wondered how I would be able to find my way through the various neighborhoods.
The driver who was training me had me read the strange numbers and letters before each address: x2-tr-x3-tl 2nd on left. The address was then given. The x marks indicated the number of streets to cross, tr meant to turn right and of course tl meant turn left. Those silly symbols insured that you would be able to find your way to the desired goal.
Jesus is our road map to our eternal home. If we get our eyes focused on the wrong things such as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes or the pride of life, we will find ourselves on a dead end street. He is the way the truth and the life!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 2, 2013 | John
John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’
I have stood before congregations of family and friends to officiate at the funeral services of first, our daughter…then years later, my mother . . . and several more years later, my brother. If there was no certainty of a heaven with the Lord, I would have not been able to accomplish those duties.
What is it about the Christian life that gives us the hope of life beyond the grave? The answer is the life that Jesus lived, the sacrificial death He endured on the cross, and His victorious resurrection from the grave! Now that, my dear friend, is worth getting excited about!
I recently read a book by Stuart Briscoe. He quoted a conversation between a Christian and an avowed atheist where the believer suggested that the two of them had widely differing views of the hereafter. If the atheist was right and there was nothing after this life, he would lose nothing. If the Christian was correct in trusting in the Lord, then the atheist would lose everything and spend eternity in hell paying for his error.
We are surrounded by people who either are professing atheists or are simply failing to respond to the message of salvation. It is time for us to be used of God to share the life-giving message of eternal salvation before it is too late. Either way, we will never die!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 29, 2013 | John
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
We have a liberal college in our community and from time to time we see bumper stickers from this group that read, World Peace. Some jokesters have made a play on this sticker by coming up with one of their own;Whirled Peas. I suppose the second sticker is much more easily achieved.
From the day that Adam and Eve sinned and were evicted from the garden there has been strife, conflicts and wars. For all of the rhetoric about attaining peace we are no closer to world peace, nor will we ever be until Jesus comes again to establish His Wonderful Peace over all the earth. What a fantastic day it will be when there is eternal peace. The featured hymn this week from GloryScapes, is Wonderful Peace.
Wonderful Peace
Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight
Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
In celestial strains it unceasingly falls
O’er my soul like an infinite calm.
Refrain: Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above!
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
In fathomless billows of love!
What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,
Buried deep in the heart of my soul,
So secure that no power can mine it away,
While the years of eternity roll!
Refrain
I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,
Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control;
For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day,
And His glory is flooding my soul!
Refrain
And I think when I rise to that city of peace,
Where the Anchor of peace I shall see,
That one strain of the song which the ransomed will sing
In that heavenly kingdom will be:
Refrain
Ah, soul! are you here without comfort and rest,
Marching down the rough pathway of time?
Make Jesus your Friend ere the shadows grow dark;
O accept of this peace so sublime!
Refrain
To access Wonderful Peace, this week’s inspirational video fromGloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/wonderfulpeace/ in your browser or click on the image below.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 12, 2013 | John
John 13:34-35
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
In police work, one of the first things an officer will do when pulling over a speeder is to check for the identification of the driver. If things do not seem to be quite right, the identification of the passengers will also be checked. In this manner it is often possible to capture individuals with outstanding arrest warrants.
At most sporting events you will see large numbers on the players’ jerseys. On a team where everyone is dressed alike, this is how individual players are identified, as well as the positions they are playing.
Christians do not carry cards that identify themselves as born-again believers. They do not have numbers on their clothing to indicate that they are playing some vital role as a member of the “Jesus team.”
Jesus gave all true believers a command—not a suggestion, but a command. We are to love each other. Our manifestation of love for our brothers and sisters in Christ must be just as identifiable as carrying an ID card. Can you be identified as a loving member of the body of Christ?
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 18, 2013 | John
John 13:34-35
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
For those of you who have asked about the welfare of my precious wife, Joyce, I am pleased to let you know that the bumps, bruises, and laceration are healing quite nicely. That is easy for me to say, since it is Joyce who has the injuries. HA!
During these past few days I have been given one of the greatest gifts the Lord has in store for all of us husbands: To love our wife in the same way that Jesus loved the church and gave Himself up for her.
It is very easy to have a selfish love that is interested in what benefit it will produce. For instance we might be willing to rub another person’s back if they promise to rub ours. But what if the other person is not able to reciprocate? It is at this time we are gifted to be able to love sacrificially.
Rather than being disturbed and perturbed when a loved one becomes incapacitated, we need to thank the Lord that we have been given the true GIFT OF LOVE. We can ask the Lord for special strength, but we need to have an attitude of gratitude instead of a groaning complaint. Thank you Lord!
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
