by Pastor Cecil | Jul 3, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
What constitutes weariness? If we enter an exercise regimen, the first days will seem like pure agony. Muscles will throb that we never even knew existed. So it is not the amount of excursion we expend, but being prepared to deal the demands of life.
When I was in high school I played football. In the first days of practice we didn’t even see a football. All we were exposed to was calisthenics. This is a harsh word that means to torture your body until it screams! Strange as it seems, after a few days we were able to breeze through the routines and were now prepared to run through the plays that would make us successful in the games that lay ahead.
I have often wished I knew more about farming. My limited association is to grasp the idea that you had to get up at sunrise and work until the sun went down. There is a lot more to it. Take the term yoke. In modern practices it is seldom used. It is when two dray animals (often oxen) have a wooden yoke placed across their shoulders and as they walk they pull the load.
For a young animal this seems cruel to yoke them in with a much larger animal. I am told however, that this is for training purposes only. The larger animal carries the burden and the youngster only walks along beside. That is what Jesus calls us to do. When we are weary and burdened with the cares of life, we slip His yoke over our shoulders and walk beside Him. DO NOT BE WEARY!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 13, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 24:10-13
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Jesus is coming soon! Read Matthew 24 from start to finish and you will see the signs of His coming all around us. One of the prophecies concerning His return concerns the rise of false prophets and even those who claim to be Messiah.
Since 1891, when the blind hymn writer, Fanny Crosby wrote this week’s hymn, there have many false leaders who claimed to be the promised Messiah. Each of these charlatans lacked the required proof— the prints of the nails in his hands! Carefully read the words of this old hymn.
My Savior First of All
When my lifework is ended,
and I cross the swelling tide,
When the bright and glorious morning I shall see;
I shall know my Redeemer
when I reach the other side,
And His smile will be the first to welcome me.
Refrain: I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand.
Oh, the soul-thrilling rapture
when I view His blessed face,
And the luster of His kindly beaming eye;
How my full heart will praise Him
for the mercy, love and grace,
That prepare for me a mansion in the sky.
Refrain: I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand.
Oh, the dear ones in glory,
how they beckon me to come,
And our parting at the river I recall;
To the sweet vales of Eden
they will sing my welcome home;
But I long to meet my Savior first of all.
Refrain: I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand.
Through the gates to the city
in a robe of spotless white,
He will lead me where no tears will ever fall;
In the glad song of ages
I shall mingle with delight;
But I long to meet my Savior first of all.
Refrain: I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand.
To access My Savior First of All, this week’s inspirational video fromGloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/mysaviorfirstofall/ 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 | Apr 25, 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.
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 is 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 fromGloryScapes.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
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 25, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
It seems the more labor-saving devices that are created, the more weary people become. About anywhere you go these days, you will hear people complain about how tired and exhausted they are. In my growing up years, people had to do far more physical labor than we are called upon to perform today.
Wood had to be cut, chopped, and stacked to provide warmth and heat for cooking. Most of the meals were prepared in the kitchen rather than being purchased at the local super market.
The average work week was at least 48 hours . . . and much of the time it consisted of what today we would consider hard labor. Many people lacked a car so it was not uncommon to walk several miles to work, school, church, or to visit friends. However, complaints about weariness were few.
Be that as it may, we are still faced with bodies that are weary and worn. Facing the reality of weariness, Jesus gives the answer in today’s Scripture. He calls us to come to Him and take His yoke upon us. It may seem a paradox, but in reality, when we take on His yoke, He is the one that bears the burden. Try Him!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 11, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 14:6-8
On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, ‘Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.’
Well! Well! Well! So much for a happy birthday present. The thing that bothers me most about birthdays is that I am reminded that I am getting older. On March 14th I will celebrate my 80th birthday.
Some wit has suggested that pre-teens add one half to their age (“I’m twelve and a half!”) while teens say they are almost the next age (“I’ll be sixteen!”). Twenty year olds boast about their age; at thirty and beyond, it is easier to say nothing about how old they are. At age 80 it is well to gasp out that we have made it to 80. Beyond this, we are just happy to make it to Tuesday!
There are only two birthday celebrations mentioned in the Bible. Pharaoh’s in Genesis 40 and Herod’s in the New Testament. Someone lost their head at both of these celebrations — the baker at Pharaoh’s birthday party and John the Baptist at Herod’s birthday bash.
I feel that age has nothing to do with fruitful service. Many teens are more effective workers for Christ than others much older. I have come to echo the sentiments of Paul in 1 Philippians 1:21-22: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!” I will keep my head!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 4, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 5:38-42
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
I can remember as a teenager being asked by my parents to do some small task. I hate to confess, but I just did the bare minimum to be able to say I had done the job, but inside I knew I had not really done my best or even what was expected of me.
I am wondering what we do when we feel the Lord prompting us to do something? Do we plunge in with great enthusiasm and accomplish the task, or do we simply go about the motions without really giving our best to the Master?
I am told that in Jesus’ day, the Roman soldiers could compel an Israelite to carry their burden for them. There was a restriction. They could only compel them to carry the load for one mile. Early believers were urged to demonstrate their faith by giving more of themselves than was required.
How do you stack up in this area? Are you and I giving more than required? When asked do something, do we go over and beyond what was required? Do we show the spirit of Jesus on a daily basis? Think on these things.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
