by Pastor Cecil | Sep 11, 2019 | Psalm
Psalm 118:24
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
There is something about a new day which gives us a hope of a bright new future. There is a day coming in which there will be no night! There is a day when all our tears and sorrows will be a thing of the past. It will be such a day that we will not even be able to recall any vestige of pain or longing! It will be a day that will be unlike any day before — a day that will never end!
That is what we have to look forward to. It is our hope and expectation as believers. Isn’t it great?! It is what gives us the drive to keep on keeping on. It is a day unlike all other days. But we must recognize that we are still living in our present day and age, which may be thought of as “this day.”
If we fail to live “this day” in accordance with God’s will, we will not be prepared for “that day” which is our eternal hope. It is in the decisions we make in “this day” that qualify us for “that day!” Some wag has come up with a cliché about people who are “so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly use!” God forbid that we ever fall into that category.
Jesus is coming again. He has come the first time to give us a day to be remembered. He has promised that He is coming again to take us to be with Him. We must share the good news of His gospel to those who are lost. We also need to lift those who need a word of encouragement or a helping hand. We have no end to the various ministries which are there for us to perform. A willing heart and a commitment to the Word of God will work miracles. What a day it will be!
Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 10, 2019 | Psalm
Psalm 25:4-5
“Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.”
Much has changed in schools since I was a boy; and no, it was not before the flood when I attended school! Back in the olden days we used to have “show and tell.” Kids would bring some “treasure” and explain why it was a treasure and not simply junk.
The Psalmist is praying to the Lord in today’s Scripture and asking for at least three things. In the passage I have underlined these three words: Show, teach, and lead. Let’s look at them.
To show implies vision. It is seeing with our eyes or our senses. I enjoy being around blind people. They do not have optical vision, so they see with their sense of touch, hearing, or smell. Can they see? You better believe they do; often with greater acuity than sighted persons.
As we read God’s Word we should ask Him to show us those things that He desires for us to see. This prayer is a willingness to receive the things that are shown. It may be described as an eagerness to receive what the Lord shows.
The second word, teach, goes beyond merely being shown. We need to be taught whatever will be for our good and God’s glory. Many years ago I recall being in a Sunday School class that was taught by a gifted teacher. One of the members of that class was a small man who always wore a smile. One day, commenting to me in broken English, he said: “It like she open the top of my head and pour the learning inside!”
We need to consider ourselves as students being taught by the Lord. Sitting in a class can be very tedious and hard. The results are what count — not simply to receive a passing grade, but that it has meaning and purpose from that day forward.
There is another element that is important — the material. The Psalmist asks that he be taught the Lord’s paths. It is a request for direction, a map. I know that comes as a shock to you ladies who think that men never stop and ask for directions. In the spiritual realm we need to have instruction on the path of the Lord. Without knowing His paths we will certainly become lost.
The last word, but of vital importance, is the word guide. It means that there is One who knows the way and will go before us to be our Guide. We might pray for insight to see our need, we might have head knowledge about God’s paths, but when we actually hit the trail, we need a guide to be there in the lead.
All this seems so simple you may think I have reverted to those grade school days. If so, just humor me. This one was for me. I always need to be a child at heart and totally dependent upon my Lord. My prayer is that I, like David, want to be led by the Lord.
Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 30, 2019 | Psalm
“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven” (Psalm 107:29-30).
It seems that each of us is called upon to face storms in our life. It may be physical infirmity, financial reversals or the loss of a loved one. It is not the storm that matters, but how we react to the storm.
Back in 1873, Horatio Spafford and his family were scheduled to sail on the French steamer ‘Ville de Havre’ from New York to England where he was to assist the great evangelist, D.L. Moody. Because of a last minute business crisis Mr. Spafford sent his family on ahead and he would follow on a later ship.
Unfortunately the ship his family was on collided with another ship and sank. There was a terrible loss of life. Spafford and his wife lost their four daughters. Nine days later Horatio Spafford received a cable from his wife that simply said, “Saved alone.” What poignant words.
Later, as he was sailing to meet his wife, he asked the captain to let him know when they were near where the accident had occurred. It was there that he penned the words of this week’s hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul.”
It Is Well With My Soul
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.
My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
Refrain:
It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.
And Lord haste the day, when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Enjoy this week’s free inspiration video, “It Is Well With My Soul” from Gloryscapes.com by going to: https://gloryscapes.com/itiswellwithmysoul/
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 28, 2019 | Psalm
Psalm 23:4
“Yea, 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.”
I am sure you have heard the old expression that there are two things you can always be confident of encountering: Death and Taxes. We are constantly reminded of both. We pay taxes on everything we purchase, and taxes are withheld from our earnings. We also are reminded of the eminence of death as we say farewell to friends and family who slip into eternity.
We may be stuck with taxes all of our days on this earth, but we can certainly do something about the matter of death. When we open our heart’s door and invite the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Lord, we pass from death to life.
As I think about it, this is the greatest testimony we give to unbelievers. Every person on this earth walks in the shadow of death, but for the believer in Jesus we have passed from death to life and the grave has no power or dread for us. We have the wonderful assurance that eternal life begins at the foot of the cross.
If you have never made the choice to accept eternal life, I urge you to do so before you do another thing. It may be the last thing you ever do, but it will last for eternity!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 24, 2019 | 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 gravesite 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 | Jul 19, 2019 | Psalm
Psalm 145:10-11
“All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, and talk of Your power.”
The older I get (and I am getting up there), the more disturbed I am about senseless killing. This is not only true of attacks on other people, but also on the killing animals just for the sport of it. In my hunting days I did shoot game, but it was for food not for sport. Now, however, there are many that hunt only for bragging rights, not for food. God meant for us to be keepers and protectors, not killers.
In 1225, when he was feeling ill and losing his sight, Francis of Assisi wrote about what was always on his heart: the praise of God. In All Creatures of Our God and King, his love for God and the world He made comes out very strongly.
Probably because he lived such a simple life, he noticed things that we, in our busy lives, tend to overlook. Francis believed that all earth’s creatures get their life from God and that we all depend on Him for our continual existence.
All Creatures of Our God and King
1. All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O, praise Him, Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
2. Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
Ye clouds that sail in heav’n along,
O, praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
3. Let all things their creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O, praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
4. And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O, praise Him! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Enjoy this free inspirational video, from Gloryscapes.com by going to: https://gloryscapes.com/allcreaturesofourgodand king/
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
