by Pastor Cecil | Jul 27, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 18:2
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
We are told that the persecution of believers around the world is increasing. Many are tortured for their faith and some killed. It has been estimated that there are over 100,000 deaths each year at the hands of the enemies of the cross.
Ira Sankey was a singer and song writer who ministered alongside evangelist D. L. Moody. He had experienced an extended time of trial and tears in his own personal life. It was during this time of agonizing prayer that the song Hiding In Thee was born. I am so thankful that the Lord heard and answered his prayer. It has ministered to many people across the years.
About twenty years after Sankey wrote his beautiful piece, Sergei Rachmaninoff was experiencing many problems in his life. He had a mental block, could not write, and felt useless. After several years of emptiness he broke out of his doldrums and composed his Second Piano Concerto. It is a joy to feature a blending of both works this week. ENJOY!
Hiding in Thee
O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be;
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour,
In times when temptation casts o’er me its power,
In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
I have fled to my refuge and breathed out my woe;
How often, when trials like sea billows roll,
Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
To access this week’s free inspirational video, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/hidinginthee/
God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 11, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 24:3
“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?”
Yesterday I shared that it would have been the 66th wedding anniversary for my precious wife and me. Today, July 11, is another very special and poignant day for me. It was 27 years ago today that our daughter Brenda went to be with the Lord. She had struggled long and hard, but she finally was ready to be with the Lord.
One thing that Brenda requested, in fact insisted upon, was that her grave marker, not indicate the date of her death, but instead the date she ascended. If you pass by her grave site today you will see that the marker indicates she was born May 24, 1956 and ascended July 11, 1991.
I only wish more of us could live our life in such a way that we would look forward to ascending to be with the Lord. For the believer it is a reward that is waiting for us and a goal to be gained.
What are you looking forward to when your life here on earth ends? Will you ascend to be with the Lord or will you sink into the lowest abyss? I want to ascend to be with my Lord and my loved ones for all eternity.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 19, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 24:1
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”
If this is God’s world, and it is, He is in control over everything in it. Why should we ever question who it belongs to? Well, let me give you another Scripture. It is found in 2 Corinthians 4:4: “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
God made this world and placed the first man and woman in the Garden of Eden. The choice to believe Satan in the Garden led to the fall of all men into a sin nature. This means that all are born in sin and must be redeemed in order to have eternal life.
The important thing we need to keep uppermost in our mind is that Satan functions with lies and deceptions. He is the one who brings negative thoughts of hopelessness and despair. He is the one who leads the world into conflicts of all types, fights between individuals, families and even nations.
That is why it is so important to have a proper understanding of God. Not only did God create all things, He also provided a way by which sinful man may be redeemed from the nature of sin. It cost Him His very own Son, but it proved that God is in control and those who seek Him will find victory and assurance.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 18, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 91:1-2
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’”
I cannot even count the times I have read Psalm 91 … but as I read it once again, two words have captured my interest: “dwell” and “rest.”
For the past few years there have been television programs that follow an individual after he is dropped into a remote area of the globe to survive on his own resourcefulness for one week. The survivalist has no food or water and must make his way on what he can glean from the land in which he has been thrust.
Water is the first essential to be obtained, followed by starting a fire, and then preparing a place to protect him from the elements. It is surprising how ingenious these men are in erecting a shelter from the rain, cold, and even the sun in some desert areas. While these make-shift covers may be a place to pause, they are not a place to dwell and rest.
It is tragic that many people go through this life erecting “shelters” that they hope will satisfy. Some of them may even cost millions of dollars. But like every other thing in this world, they are destined to pass away.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 11, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Do you need a quiet place, a place far away from the stress and turmoil of life? This quiet place is more of a spiritual state of mind than a physical location. We can experience that quietness and peace even in the battles of life. We know what our battlegrounds are; what we need is peace!
I may be a pessimist, but the people with the signs and bumper stickers will never accomplish the peace they proclaim. Only the Prince of Peace will be the source of world peace. But what about our life right now? The Lord desires for us to enter into a blessed quietness with Him. It may require a commitment on our part to find the time and place where we can experience Him in serenity.
We can hear the Lord call to us from today’s passage of Scripture: “Be still, and know that I am God.” If we fail to take the time to be alone with God, we will never experience the knowledge of His Lordship in our life. It will lead to our own weak efforts to work out our solutions.
As you come to the quiet place, spend more time listening than speaking. You may read a verse or two, but then stop and meditate on what you have read. Wait in silence to hear the quiet voice of the Lord whispering peace and blessing in your inner being. Ahhhhh! How sweet the quiet!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 8, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 29:2
“Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”
There have been times in my life when I have worked in dirt and grime. By the time I had finished my work it seemed that I had been coated with the filth. I could hardly wait to take a shower and clean myself up. In this sin sick world we often need to come near God’s cleansing shower and experience His holiness.
Reginald Heber was born at Malpas, Cheshire, England, April 21, 1783 to a heritage of wealth and culture. By the age of five, he had read the Bible so thoroughly that he could give chapter and verse for chance quotations.
He composed many hymns, but served his entire life without seeing them published. It was only after his death that as many as 57 of his hymns were recognized. It was to the Lord that he dedicated his works. Such is the case with this week’s hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy!
Holy, Holy, Holy!
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy! tho’ the darkness hide Thee
Tho’ the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name, in earth and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
To access Holy, Holy, Holy, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/holyholyholy/ in your browser or click on the image below.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
