by Pastor Cecil | Jan 9, 2017 | Philippians
Philippians 3:14
“I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
I have never been a farmer, but in my teens I did work on my uncle’s farm for a few weeks. My job was to drive a tractor pulling a disc plow that was about 20 feet wide.
To keep going in the right direction I kept my eye on the furrow left by my previous pass. It was not long before my uncle came thundering out to the field. He demanded to know why the furrows left by the plow were so crooked. I told him I tried to keep them straight by watching the last furrow and following its track.
I will never forget as he explained to me that you never keep your eye on the last furrow, but rather look for a spot in the distance and head for it. When I did that, my serpentine tracks immediately became straight.
As we focus our attention on what God says in His Word, we will find that our tracks will become straight and we will leave behind a legacy of following after the Lord. All we need to do is look beyond!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 27, 2016 | Philippians
Philippians 1:29
“For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”
If there happened to be a check-out line to purchase spiritual gifts, I am sure that suffering would not one of the most popular items in our cart. Be that as it may, in today’s Scripture suffering is presented as a gift.
As I read the words that Paul penned to the church at Philippi I am always reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 5. It was part of His Sermon On the Mount; in fact it was part of what we call the Beatitudes: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Is it possible that we have our eyes so focused on receiving only good things that we ignore the importance of laying our lives down for Christ? We may not be called upon to experience physical pain or death, but it is possible to suffer ridicule or humiliation at the hands of those who reject Christ.
Whether it is physical or emotional death, we need to accept the way we are treated as our special gift from God. There will come a time when the struggles of this life will end and the ages of eternal bliss will erase every tear from our eyes. Until that day comes when Jesus calls us home, let us receive the gift to suffer for Him.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 23, 2016 | Philippians
Philippians 4:4-7
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“
William Walford did not allow the fact that he was blind limit his service for his Lord. He was frequently called upon to preach in a small country church. He composed the sermons in his head and also was able to quote large portions of Scripture from memory. Some people thought he had memorized the entire Bible. He also composed verses as the Lord laid the words upon his heart. Above all—he was a man of prayer.
In the mid 1800’s, Thomas Salmon was visiting in England and became acquainted with Pastor Walford. As they were visiting one day the blind pastor quoted a few pieces he had composed. Since he had no one to write them down he had kept them treasured in the storehouse of his mind.
One of the verses he related to Mr. Salmon was, Sweet Hour of Prayer. Mr. Salmon eagerly scribbled the words down on a scrap of paper. When he returned to New York he sent the verses to theObserver and asked if they thought them worth preserving. TheObserver did think them worthy and published them on September 13, 1845. The music was added by William Bradbury in 1861.
Sweet Hour of Prayer
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
‘Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!’
To access Sweet Hour of Prayer please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/sweethourofprayer 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 | Aug 31, 2016 | Philippians
Philippians 1:21
“ For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
A proud father, and city employee, was introducing his four-year-old daughter to his boss, the Mayor of the city. The young girl was known to be precocious, but her father thought she would be awed to be personally introduced to such a high city official.
As the Mayor bowed down and politely extended his hand to the young girl, he said, “Hi, I am the Mayor.” The young girl looked straight into his eyes and asked, “Why?” The Mayor was stunned by the question and quickly moved on to the next group of constituents.
Back in his office the Mayor mulled over the girl’s innocent question. He was a Christian and was left to ponder the wisdom that this young child had confronted him with. Why was he doing the things he did? He always tried to be the best person and the best Mayor he could be, but was that enough?
As he bowed and began to pray, today’s Scripture crossed his mind. That was the answer! He had to live for Christ in everything he spoke and in the things he did. In that quiet time in his office, the Mayor determined that he would have an answer to why he did what he did . . . it would be to honor and glorify Jesus. Why do you do the things you do?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 18, 2016 | Philippians
Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Self sufficiency is a constant battle for most of us. When we are called upon to serve the Lord, we frequently focus our attention on what we are doing rather than what God is doing through us.
If you doubt what I am saying, just let someone else get the credit for something you have done for the Lord. How do you feel? Is there a spirit of resentment and even jealousy in your heart? Ouch! That hurts, doesn’t it?
In order to get a good grasp of today’s passage of Scripture, it is essential we recall who is writing it. It is none other than Paul. He is the one who has been beaten, starved, stoned, ship-wrecked, and accused falsely. That is hard to equate with “… do all things …”
I think what Paul is trying to say is that he stays doing as the Lord directs him to do. If in that process he is allowed to observe the results, great! If he experiences only the rejection and persecution, that is great as well. It is not his reputation that is at stake, but the Lord’s. When we do all things through Christ we rest in His strength.
What are you doing for the Lord? Are you doing it in His strength or are you relying on your own ability? Remember, He is the One who strengthens us!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 12, 2016 | Philippians
Philippians 4:19
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
It was a sunny Sunday afternoon in Amarillo, Texas. I was a low-ranking airman attending jet mechanic school. I say that to explain why we had run out of money before we ran out of month. We were broke!
Entering our apartment that Sunday afternoon, we were well aware that there was very little in the house to eat — a can of green beans, part of a loaf of bread, and a little milk. We decided to make a gravy to put on the bread. It was then that we discovered the milk had “turned’ and was not fit to use. We ate beans and bread and thanked the Lord for it!
That evening after church we were thrilled to be invited out to a lovely couple’s home for a snack. I fear we were quite aggressive in devouring the food. When we told them the story of our noon meal they laughed and laughed. What we did not know was that they owned a small grocery store. We were graciously invited to come to the store and open a charge account until payday. Yeah!
The Lord has invited us to come to Him and that He will supply all of our needs. We may go through times of spiritual leanness because we fail to draw upon His bountiful supply. We dine on spiritual “beans and bread” when we could be dining at His table loaded with love, grace, and truth. Dig In!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
