by Pastor Cecil | Apr 7, 2015 | Matthew
Matthew 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Over the years I have experienced rejection . . . not very often, I am happy to say, but it has occurred. In the instances where the offended person identified what I had done to offend them I felt more or less able to deal with it.
The real problem arises when a friend or family member throws you a body blow of rejection and offers no explanation as to the reason. Sometimes they even refuse to speak with you, so you are left to struggle alone trying to understand what caused their resentment.
In these instances I have found that the answer is to be found in God’s Word. I go into the pages and strive to see what God says about how to deal with the believer who rejects you without giving a reason.
You know what I have found? It is in these times of unreasonable rejection that I am drawn closer to the Lord and find my comfort in Him. The one or ones who reject me are not the ones I am responsible to; but the Lord who controls my life is the One who sees all and desires that I rest in Him. As He works in me, He will also work on the one who has rejected me. GROWTH HURTS!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 16, 2015 | Matthew
Matthew 5:46-47
“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”
Every time I think about self-centeredness, I recall Dan, a young man who asked me for advice on how to deal with his work situation. He felt like he was the low man on the totem pole and his efforts were not appreciated by his superiors. It was just a seasonal job processing potatoes, but he still believed that he deserved better.
I asked him, “What is the worst job in the processing plant?” Without hesitating he said, “Cleaning up the spoiled potatoes at the end of the processing belt. They rot and smell terrible. They are a disgusting mess to clean up.”
With a smile I told Dan that I would like for him to volunteer for that job. Not only that, I suggested that he find joy in the task. It would give him an opportunity to memorize Scripture and talk with God since no one wanted to be near the smell of rotting potatoes.
Dan found great joy in that position and, as a result, he was noticed by the managers. He had shown that he was not looking for the easier jobs, but was willing to do the task that everyone else avoided. I could see Dan grow spiritually in a dramatic way, showing humility in serving rather than being served. I pray that each of us will strive to have a servant spirit.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 20, 2015 | Matthew
Matthew 14:22-23
“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.”
When I was a teenager (believe me, that was a long time ago) most church services had a time that was devoted to testimonies. I have to confess that many of the testimonies were repeats service after service, but I still loved to hear the words of victory from the saints of God who had fought the battles of life.
One Wednesday evening I went to midweek service and decided to sit in the balcony. The teens usually sat up there, but on this night I was all alone. As the pastor called for testimonies, I recognized many of the voices coming from the main floor below even though I could not see their faces.
I felt that God had been working in my life and I wanted to share it. As I stood to my feet, Pastor John Riley pointed at me and said, “Cecil Thompson, way up there in the balcony all alone, what is God doing in your life?”
At this moment, with the recent passing of my precious wife, I feel much the same way as I did way back then. God is good and His mercies endure for all generations, but it seems strange to find myself alone. There are beloved family and friends supporting me, but part of me is missing. I yearn for heaven even more than I ever have before. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 2, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 11:28, 19:14 & John 7:37
“Come unto Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
“- – Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these“ (Matthew 19:14).
“- – If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37).
What do each of these verses have in common? The answer is pretty obvious (since I have underlined the answer in each verse). It is the invitation of Jesus to come unto Him. While there may be many other groups that Jesus invites to come to Him, there are three in these verses.
Those who are “Weary and burdened.” Do you fall into that category? Do you carry heavy loads that the Lord never asks you to bear? Do you do things in your own strength trying to please Him? When we come to Him, He promises rest!
Then Jesus says, “Let the little children come to Me.” It is not necessary to be adult and educated before we can come to Him. He wants us to approach Him with a child-like faith. He says it, I believe it, that’s good enough for me!
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. I once heard someone’s response to the adage “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” His wise answer was “NO, BUT YOU CAN SALT HIS OATS!” It is my desire to present the truth of God’s Word in such a way that it will be like salted oats that will lead people to drink deeply from the life-giving stream.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 24, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Where is your treasure? Some might say it’s the amount of money they have in the bank. Others might feel it is their real estate holdings. Still others may place their trust in their investments. Again I ask you: Where is your treasure?
The phone rang and I was notified that an extremely wealthy and prominent man in our community had died unexpectedly. He had lived in this area since the early days and was considered a founding father of the county.
As I sat and prayed for the members of his family, a smile crept across my face. This man’s family had been praying for his salvation for years. The older he got the less likely it seemed that he would accept Jesus as his Lord.
Less than two weeks before I received the phone call notifying me of his death, the man had asked to meet with me at the church. We talked about the reality of eternity and the necessity of being born again. He prayed that day and opened his heart to Jesus. He gave testimony to the fact and even shared an intimate Lord’s Supper with his wife in her room at a local nursing home. He had traded the treasures of this world for a home in glory. May I ask you one more time: WHERE IS YOUR TREASURE?!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 21, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 6:27
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
True Christian character is certainly seen in our biblical heroes, but it may often be seen in those of more recent times. Hope is a character quality that looks beyond our immediate circumstances and shows what we as believers have waiting for us.
In the Sweet By and By is one of the most enduring songs written after the Civil War. It was composed by Sanford Bennett who was the owner of a drugstore in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. He had just returned from the war. A friend, Joseph Webster, a gifted musician trained formally in composition, came to the store each day to talk and play chess. Often Webster would be depressed and down.
When asked what was wrong, Webster would often reply; “It will be alright by and by.” That idea hit Bennett like a flash of sunlight! As Bennett later described the incident, he took out a pen and it was all over in thirty minutes. A new hymn was born. In short order he was singing the words along with Webster and two other friends. That hymn was perfect for the post-Civil War era because it conveyed pathos with a mixture of comforting warmth. It came to typify the virtues of spiritual hope.
Sweet By And By
There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way,
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
We shall sing on that beautiful shore,
The melodious songs of the blest;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise,
For the glorious gift of His love,
And the blessings that hallow our days.
Chorus: In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
To access Sweet By And By, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/sweetbyandby 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
