by Pastor Cecil | Mar 13, 2017 | Matthew
Matthew 5:16
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Bumper stickers may or may not provide an accurate description. For instance, a car suddenly swerves in front of you, narrowly avoiding an accident. You slam on your brakes, which causes a chain reaction of fender benders behind you. In that split second you catch a glimpse of the reckless driver’s bumper sticker as he speeds by you: ALWAYS DRIVE WITH CARE!
I once heard of a bumper sticker that was on the back of a truck from a casket manufacturing company. The message was humorous but at the same time presented a serious truth: DRIVE CAREFULLY – YOUR CASKET MAY BE ON BOARD!
In His sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke a truth that has existed across the ages: The only way we can let our light shine is by the way we live. When we live the way He tells us to live, we will be a shining light. As men see our good works it will draw them to glorify our Father in heaven.
If there was a bumper sticker for your life what would it say? Would people be inclined to feel that you are a living example of what it means to be a faithful and true Believer? I pray that we may live in such a way that our life’s bumper sticker would be worthy of our Heavenly Father.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 25, 2017 | Matthew
Matthew 16:2-3
“He replied, ‘When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.’”
It was Snoopy, the dog in the “Peanuts” comic strip, who was always trying to write the great American novel. As Snoopy pecked away on his typewriter, imagining himself to be a world-famous author, his opening line never changed … It was a dark and stormy night.
I recall a dark but not stormy night as far as the weather was concerned, but stormy as in a dangerous situation. Our car had over-turned while being towed behind a wrecker. Our son was badly injured and the tow truck driver took the rest of the family to the hospital, leaving me behind with our wrecked automobile.
In the darkness I only had a flashlight to warn on-coming traffic that they were approaching an accident scene. It was just a short time later when two shady looking characters stopped — not to assist me, but to help themselves. As they circled around the damaged vehicle, I overheard one say that there was nothing of value to them. They went back to their car and quickly drove off into the night.
I am convinced that the Lord was watching out for me on that dark and potentially stormy night. He has always been there when I needed Him. Thanks, Lord!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 16, 2017 | Matthew
Matthew 6:33
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
We live in a world that is obsessed with THINGS! Throughout my life and ministry I have witnessed many situations where people seem devoted to achieving the sensual pleasures of life. In most cases, I believe it’s safe to say that those things people obsess over have nothing to do with the essentials of life, but are the toys of human pleasure and pride.
There may be times when we experience periods of hunger or thirst, but it is in these times that we can receive sustenance through the gifts of God’s servants. This gives us the opportunity to see the Lord providing for our needs, and it also allows fellow believers the opportunity to be used to meet the needs of others.
As believers, we are encouraged to make seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness the top priority in our life. When we do that we can be sure that the Lord will use us as givers or receivers. Either way, we will be doing His will.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 22, 2016 | Matthew
Matthew 1:23
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us.’”
There are many religions that strive to please the man-made gods that they have created out of wood, stone, or metal. These objects are nothing more than human attempts to worship a god of their own making.
I am so thankful that we serve a God that is not made with human hands. As a matter of fact, we are to serve the God of the universe who created everything … including us.
God did not simply create us — He gave us the greatest gift imaginable by sending His precious Son, Jesus, as a tiny baby. From the very outset, Satan was irate at the birth of this precious gift to the people of earth. He tried to destroy the infant Jesus, and as a result many babies were slain near Bethlehem. God saved His Son from the anger of Satan until the time was fulfilled and Jesus, as a grown man, willingly died on the cross (Matthew 27 & 28).
God came to be with us for the purpose of extending the offer of eternal life for those who would accept the gift by grace through faith. It is the most precious gift that has ever been given. If you have never accepted this precious gift, I implore you to do so right now.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 14, 2016 | Matthew
Matthew 5:12
“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
I attended a small high school. Like many high schools in the area, we were not large enough to field an eleven-man football squad, thus we had an eight-man football league. The rules were the same, but with fewer players.
Our team was very good in my senior year and we were winning all of our games. The final game of the season was played under the lights at the home field of our toughest competitor. They played hard, but my team won the game and the championship. As the final gun sounded, wild cheering surrounded and rose up all around us. We were rejoicing because we had been declared the winner.
In His “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus presented an unusual reason for rejoicing. I did not include the verse that precedes today’s topic Scripture because I wanted to stress the difference Jesus gave. Here is what He said in verse 11: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”
Wow! What a difference. Jesus calls us to rejoice when we experience severe opposition. But isn’t that when we usually whimper and whine? Jesus calls His believers to be different by exhibiting radiant joy when things are tough. Do we?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 21, 2016 | Matthew
Matthew 28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”
I was born in 1934 to a humble working class family in the United States. One hundred years earlier, Katherine Hankey was born to a wealthy family in England. Katherine found great joy in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. She conducted Bible studies all over the city of London.
At age 30, Katherine experienced medical problems that prevented her from leading her Bible studies for one year. It was during that year of rehabilitation that she wrote a long poem about her Jesus. The last part of her poem contains the words of this week’s hymn. The music was composed by William Fisher.
I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY
I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love;
I love to tell the story, because I know ‘tis true.,
It satisfies my longing as nothing else can do.
Refrain:
I love to tell the story, ‘Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, more wonderful it seems,
Than all the golden fancies, of all our golden dreams;
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me,
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.
Refrain:
I love to tell the story, ‘Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, ‘tis pleasant to repeat,
What seems each time I tell it more wonderfully sweet;
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard,
The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.
Refrain:
I love to tell the story, ‘Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, for those who know it best,
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest;
And when in scenes of glory I sing the new, new song,
‘Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.
Refrain:
I love to tell the story, ‘Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story, of Jesus and His love.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
