by Pastor Cecil | Feb 20, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 16:25-26
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
Joyce and I were watching the Antiques Roadshow recently. A woman had brought in an item (I cannot recall what it was) that looked like a piece of trash. (I guess I never did have good taste). She had purchased this item for a few dollars at a yard sale. The appraised value was something like $30,000. WOW!
I have tried to imagine what a different ride it was going home than coming to the Roadshow. I am sure that the appraised item which would have been treated with little concern going there, would receive special care on the way home.
The things of this world have a strange way of being valued. We have heard that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Look around your own dwelling and see what you consider the most precious items. In our home it is our family!
The things of this world are very fleeting. Objects and even loved ones can disappear in a moment of time. There is one eternal treasure that can never be taken away. That is our salvation. In Christ we have the assurance of a mansion that is prepared just for us. Our net worth here may be small but in eternity it will be priceless!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 6, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 25:21
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
The concept of a “servant spirit” intrigues me. Not only that, but it compels me to strive to become a faithful servant. As I study the pages of Scripture, I find that my heroes of the faith–such as Joseph and Daniel–demonstrated servanthood. As I study the lives of those servants in God’s Word, I find many common characteristics. They were not focused on their own needs, but on the needs of the master they served.
Joseph was below the status of a servant–he was a slave. Even though his world had crashed in around him, he gave himself totally to serve his master. I can barely imagine the long hours it took for Joseph to learn the Egyptian language, but he knew he had to learn it to be the best servant he possibly could.
Another quality of a servant that I see in Bible heroes is their sense of responsibility. They do not do the bare minimum, but demonstrate a self-sacrificial attitude. They never seem to be deterred by mistreatment. Their service is motivated by a desire to please God by the way they treat their human master. I want to be God’s servant!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 3, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 24:36-37
But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Yesterday, February 2nd, was celebrated as Groundhog Day. In the Northern Hemisphere, we are still almost seven weeks away from spring. Groundhog Day has become a good-natured way of breaking up the harsh reality of a frigid winter. Here in the U.S., Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, celebrates this day to the extreme. A groundhog is removed from the burrow, where it has supposedly been all winter. If it’s cloudy, Punxsutawney Phil won’t see his shadow, indicating it will be an early spring—if he sees his shadow, there will be seven more weeks of winter. RIGHT!
Basically, we humans want to know what is in the future. It causes me to shudder when I see people reading a horoscope from the newspaper to try to determine what their day holds. That stuff is poison to believers and should be avoided at all costs.
I am told that call-in psychic hotlines are kept busy spewing out bogus readings about what the future holds for the caller. If they are so accurate, why are they not able to determine what their own future holds?
The Lord knows what our future holds, and He alone is causing all things to work for our good and His glory. Our part in this is to trust and obey. There is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. Sounds like a song!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 22, 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.
Sometimes we seem to have the idea that we are the ones who control our own destiny. In some sense this may be true, but it usually leads to catastrophe. Regardless of what the positive thinkers may teach, we will always fall short if we rely only on our own resources.
It is easier to say that we allow God to control our life than to act upon it. We have the best intentions of allowing the Lord to open doors and move mountains. Then we open our eyes to the fact that we have taken over the operation and have not consulted Him.
The way God communicates with us is primarily through His Word. Those who try to rely on visions or signs are easy prey to the enemy. They are also apt to lead the immature believers to follow them instead of seeking answers from the Lord Himself.
One passage has become a constant guide in my personal walk with the Lord. It is found in Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 14, 2014 | Matthew
Matthew 25:28-31
What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted?
The word later usually has a negative connotation. It is used to delay doing the task that is at hand. Can you just hear the echoes of a child responding to a request by their mother; “Later Mom.” That later often becomes never as the frustrated mother gives in and does the job herself. We of course have never done that. Right!
The parable that Jesus relates in today’s Scripture has several facets. One of those is that it is never too late to change a LATER into a NOW. It does not matter how long we have delayed in doing the right thing, our actions speak louder than words.
I am so glad that the Lord is patient with us. We may fall short of the commitments we have made, or we may have refused to even make commitments, either way, He is always waiting for us to trust Him and follow when He leads us. Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Procrastination always leads to disappointment. This is true for the ones who have asked us to do something, but also for ourselves. I think it is time for us to take a moment and search our memory banks for promises that we have not acted upon.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 24, 2013 | Matthew
Matthew 25:1-4
At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
Christmas Eve, December 24th is often as much anticipated as Christmas Day itself. Think of the many times eager children (even adults) were in such anticipation that they could hardly go to sleep.
Many families have adopted the tradition of opening their gifts in the evening before Christmas. Some say they do this so they can sleep in on Christmas morning, but it may well be that it is because their excitement to give and receive gifts is so great they do not want to wait until morning.
In today’s Scripture Jesus relates the parable of the ten virgins. It is the eve of the coming of the bridegroom, but they are not sure just when it will come. They all should have been ready for his appearing, but only five were prepared and had jars of oil for their lamps. The cry was given that the bridegroom was coming, but only those who had prepared for his coming entered into the banquet with him.
The sad moral of this parable is that many have put off making preparation for the wonderful day of Christ’s return. We are all living in the eve of that great and glorious day. Now is the time, today is the day, be prepared to meet Him!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
