by Pastor Cecil | Apr 28, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 126:5-6
“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
Some years ago I sent out a Daily-E-Votional highlighting the Daffodil Principle. Since then there have been requests to repeat it, which I will do today, but leaving out a great deal of the back story that led up to it.
One day a certain woman came upon a magnificent field of daffodils of every shape, size, and color. The beauty of it was breathtaking and almost too hard for her to take in. There was a small house nearby and next to the house was a poster that read:
Answers to the Questions I Know you are asking.
50,000 bulbs, one at a time, by one woman.
Two hands, two feet, and very little brain.
Began in 1958.
After the experience of witnessing such a sight, the woman wrote the following article:
There it was, The Daffodil Principle. For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun ‒ one bulb at a time ‒ to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountain top.
Still, just planting one bulb at a time, year after year, had changed the world. This unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. She had created something of ineffable (indescribable) magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.
The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration. That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time ‒ often just one baby-step at a time ‒ and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time.
When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world.
It really does not take great intellect or strength ‒ it is just planting the bulbs that God gives us, and keep on planting them. If I remember correctly, the original Daffodil Principle was my 431st Daily E-votional. To date, that number has grown to over 4,000! That leaves me with a lot of planting ahead. I just need to focus on what the Lord leads me to share and plant it!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 27, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
As I reflect back on my boyhood days, I feel blessed for the time I spent as a Boy Scout. The values and qualities that we were taught have played a vital part of the person I have become. As I was thinking about the Boy Scout Oath we took at the beginning of each meeting, I only wish that each Scout lived up to the oath.
“On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help others at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
Truly honorable people recognize a duty to God. It is not that God owes us, but much more that we owe Him our best. If Jesus gave His life for us, we need to commit ourselves to serve Him with the best we have. We are also to serve others. One of the strongest messages that Jesus stressed was to give to others.
Skipping down to the last line of the oath, we are to be morally straight. How we behave when no one is looking reveals the true person we are. We may keep up appearances when others are looking, but how do we act when we are alone with ourselves? We need to be aware that the Lord knows the thoughts and intents of our heart — and He is always looking!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 5, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 103:1-2
“Bless — affectionately, gratefully praise — the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless — affectionately praise — the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all [one of] His benefits.” (Amplified Bible)
The concept of blessing has come to hold more meaning to me than ever before. We either bless or curse with our mouths. I consistently stress that our actions speak louder than words. That does not mean we are to be silent; rather, we are to speak blessing into situations and then act in the manner that is consistent with our words.
Many of us are familiar with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Jesus began His public ministry by teaching the basic principles of a Godly lifestyle. The teaching begins in chapter five, with the Beatitudes. Each of the Beatitudes begins with the phrase, “Blessed are you.” The phrase sounds good, but do we really have an understanding of its meaning?
The nuances of words can determine several different meanings. Just as the word bless in the above passage means to affectionately praise, so the term blessed in the beatitudes has more depth of meaning. In the Amplified Bible, it is rendered this way: Blessed — happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous [that is, with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions]. It goes on to describe conditions that we normally bellyache about.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 1, 2016 | Psalm
Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Someone has observed that shadows are often larger than the real object. When I was a police officer there were a few times when I was scared out of my wits by a huge shadow…only to discover it was a small cat walking in front of the headlights of my patrol car.
Death often casts a huge shadow, but it should hold no fear for the child of God. In 2 Corinthians 5:8 the Apostle Paul reminds us that“We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Death is our doorway into eternity. How fantastic!
As we consider the words of this song we should make it our prayer request. It should be our desire to walk closer to the Lord than ever before. It should not be just one time, but it should be our fervent desire to walk closer to Him with each passing day.
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long, as I walk,
let me walk close to Thee.
Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee,
grant it Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Through this world of toil and snares,
if I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee,
grant it Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
When my feeble life is o’er,
time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er,
to Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee,
grant it Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
To access the free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/justacloserwalkwiththee/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 18, 2016 | 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.”
This week I have tried to focus on the plight of saints around the world who are experiencing persecution and even death. In some cases we are able to take action in coming to the aid of these precious saints. In other instances we are called to pray that their strength may be the witness to lead others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
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.
Refrain: 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.
Refrain: 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.
Refrain: 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
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 4, 2016 | 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.”
Ira Sankey was a singer and song writer who ministered alongside evangelist D. L. Moody. He had experienced and extended time of trial and tears in his own personal life. He cried out to the Lord to be able to receive a renewing of his own spirit so he could in turn minister to others. 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.
About twenty years later, 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 Hiding In Thee, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please click on the image below.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
