by Pastor Cecil | Jul 17, 2015 | Psalm
Psalm 145:9-12
“The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. All You have made will praise You, O LORD; Your saints will extol You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might, so that all men may know of Your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.”
The older I get (and I am getting up there), the more disturbed I am about senseless killing. This is true of attacks on other people, but also on 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 there are many that hunt 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, Francis’ 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-ness, 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!
To access All Creatures of Our God and King, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/allcreaturesofourgodandking/ 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 | Jul 15, 2015 | Psalm
Psalm 85:8-9
“I will listen to what God the Lord says; He promises peace to His people, His faithful servants—but let them not turn to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land.”
You may have heard the story of a young man that was writing a love letter to his precious sweetheart. He was trying to express to her the depth of his commitment and his undying love for her. He wrote something like this: “My Dearest Darling, I love you with all of my heart and my being. I would climb the highest mountain for you or swim the deepest ocean. I would work my fingers to the bone to demonstrate my love to you! P.S. I will see you tomorrow if it doesn’t rain.”
Wow! I think that expresses some of the failures we see in romantic relationships. We can be very committed just as long as it doesn’t interfere with our own agenda. It is difficult for me to recall all of the weddings that I have officiated across the years. Through the premarital counseling sessions and standing at the altar of the church to promise and make a covenant with one another, it would appear that the marriage would last throughout the lifetime of the couple. Sadly that is often not the case.
We can make all types of promises to other individuals or to God. But the promise means nothing if we fail to follow through on that promise. It is heartbreaking to have people make promises to us and then have our confidence shattered because they failed to fulfill their promise. One thing we can be certain of is that God’s promises never fail! While God’s promises are sure and certain, they must be claimed. It is almost like receiving a gift from a precious friend but never opening it. Just think of all of the blessings that God has offered but have never been received! Let’s claim God’s promises!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 2, 2015 | Psalm
Psalm 100:1-3
“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.”
Many years ago I was attending a pastor’s conference in Boise, Idaho. It was quite a large conference and most of the attendees were from out of the area. Before the first session there were about 100 or so pastors visiting in the vestibule. It was a very congenial and lighthearted atmosphere.
A young man and I were having a great time laughing over small talk. We had probably visited for five or 10 minutes when the organizer of the conference approached us and called my new friend by name. It was only then that I realized that he was a nationally prominent Bible authority who was the speaker for the conference.
I was stunned and began to recall some of the things I had said, hopeful that my mouth had not gotten me into trouble once again. I had been in the presence of the one we had all come to hear, and I did not even recognize him. During one of the subsequent breaks I was stunned when he sought me out to continue our conversation. It made my day!
How many times do we come into the presence of the Lord without realizing He is present. I fear we become indifferent and irreverent instead of acknowledging the Lordship of our Savior. I want to come into his presence with thanksgiving and rejoicing at all times, and above all with praise!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 30, 2015 | Psalm
Psalm 43:5
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”
Almost every week I notice a long line at the local super market. The people in the line are not waiting to pay for groceries . . . oh no, they waiting to purchase lottery tickets for that week’s drawing. The chances of them holding a winning number is millions to one, but they still have HOPE!
Last week a man was struck by lightning in his front yard. The likelihood of this happening would be many millions to one. The irony is that this same man was struck by lightning once before. His name is Rod, so now his friends call him . . . “LIGHTNING ROD!”
Frequently I receive something in the mail informing me that I have a chance of being selected to receive a huge check from a large publishing firm. I know that there are winners, and I can hope that someone will show up at my door with balloons and a large check, but I am not losing any sleep waiting for it.
Those examples are far removed from the meaning of the word hope that we find in today’s Scripture. It comes from the Hebrew word yachal. It has the meaning of expectantly anticipating. God has given us His precious promises and they will all come to pass. There is a home in glory waiting for us and that is a certain HOPE!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 29, 2015 | Psalm
Psalm 73:22-24
“I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”
Having spent many years in police work, I am always fascinated by the law enforcement reality programs on television. My daughter Lori shares my fascination with these programs. Over and over we watch as the guilty proclaim their innocence . . . even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Many times we have heard the arrested suspects make statements like, “I swear on my mother’s grave that I did not do that!” It seems like each and every time an offender makes such a claim, they are ultimately proven guilty. When confronted with the evidence, many times they will confess.
It is so difficult to confess when we are wrong. We always want to be right even when we have done something that is wrong. I think of David and his terrible sin of infidelity with Bathsheba. He was guilty of adultery and compounded it with the premeditated murder of her husband by placing him near the enemy and then retreating, setting him up to be killed in battle.
It may be that David was recalling this horrible time in his life when he penned the words of the 73rd Psalm. Even though we do wrong, God always does what is right. His desire is for us to draw near to Him and confess our sin. It is only then that He is able to forgive us. Our part is confessing. His part is forgiving and cleansing. Thank the Lord that we are not saved by what we do, but by what He has done for us.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 12, 2015 | Psalm
Psalm 33:1-3
“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”
What a wonderful woman! She stood less than five feet tall and weighed less than 100 pounds. Because of being maltreated for an eye infection when she was only a few months old, she spent the remained of her 95 years totally blind.
Her name was Fanny J. Crosby. This tiny dynamo wrote over 8,000 poems and hymns during her lifetime. She composed her poems and hymns entirely in her mind and then dictated them to a stenographer. She was said to be able to work on as many as twelve hymns at once before dictating them all out.
Fanny felt that it was a special gift from God that she should be blind all of her life and she thanked Him for that gift. She felt that once she arrived in heaven the first face she desired to gladden her sight was he precious Savior. It was in 1896 that she wrote the hymn selected this week.
Praise Him! Praise Him!
1. Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! Hail Him! Highest archangels in glory;
strength and honor give to His holy name!
Like a shepherd Jesus will guard His children,
in His arms He carries them all day long:
Refrain: Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness; praise him! Praise him ever in joyful song!
2. Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
For our sins he suffered, and bled and died;
He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
Hail Him! Hail Him! Jesus the Crucified.
Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows,
love unbounded, wonderful deep and strong:
Refrain: Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness; praise Him! Praise Him ever in joyful song!
3. Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Heavenly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever;
crown Him! crown Him! Prophet and Priest and King!
Christ is coming! over the world victorious,
power and glory unto the Lord belong.
Refrain: Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness; praise Him! Praise Him ever in joyful song!
To access Praise Him, Praise Him, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/praisehimpraisehim 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
