by Pastor Cecil | Jul 16, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 23:1-4
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 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.
Shadows are scary and deceptive things. They are always larger than the object that casts the shadow. During my days as a police officer I had my wits scared out of me several times by shadows that appeared to be a serious threat . . . but upon investigation turned out to be a small cat or dog with a light behind them.
Death is a certainty for each of us. Someone has said that the death rate for humans is 100 per cent. That is true and across the ages of time there has been a fearful dread of our final farewell to life on this earth.
For those who have not experienced the new birth, and thus not having their name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, there is reason to fear death. What about those of us who have received that new birth? Our eternal life with Christ has begun.
Satan has done an excellent job of causing believers to live in fear of death. There is a fantastic passage in Psalm 116:15 that we should memorize to assure ourselves and others with: “Precious in the sight of The Lord is the death of His saints.” For that reason we can face death with the assurance and confidence that one step into glory will erase all of the cares of this world!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 11, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 42:1-2
As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Hunger is a need that may be suppressed for many days without harm. Fasting in fact has been shown to have positive aspects and is thought to be beneficial to the body. Thirst, on the other hand is something which cannot be ignored. The dehydration of the body can quickly lead to death, as we have seen the tragic reality of in recent years with the deaths of athletes who exerted themselves in hot temperatures.
David confesses that he longs for a closer fellowship with the Lord. He likens his desire to being in a desert and almost dying for spiritual water. How did he get this way? Let’s try to imagine what that looks like, and to see if you may be suffering from the ailment. Here in Psalm 42.
One of the symptoms of spiritual dehydration is prolonged absence from assembling in the house of the Lord. Another symptom of spiritual dehydration is not spending time with God in personal communion. It leads to isolation and vulnerability to the temptations of the flesh. What about the spiritual dehydration of believers? Is that a choking sound I hear? How long has it been since you and God met for a visit? Reflect as you enjoy our hymn for the week.
Ho! Everyone Who Is Thirsty
Ho! Everyone that is thirsty in spirit,
Ho! Everyone that is weary and sad;
Come to the fountain, there’s fullness in Jesus,
All that you’re longing for; come and be glad!
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the world, are you tired of your bondage?
Weary of earth’s joys, so false, so untrue?
Thirsting for God and His fullness of blessing?
List’ to the promise, a message for you!
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the kingdom, be filled with the Spirit!
Nothing but “fullness” thy longing can meet;
‘Tis the enduement for life and for service;
Thine is the promise, so certain, so sweet.
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
To access Ho! Everyone Who Is Thirsty, this week’s inspirational video, please go to:http://www.gloryscapes.com/hoeveryonewhoisthirsty/
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 6, 2014 | 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.
Sometimes we just seem to find ourselves wandering down the wrong path, or at least getting out of touch with the Lord. When we ask ourselves why God is not closer to us, the answer is that He has not left us, we have moved away from Him. Can I let you in on a little secret? God is more interested in staying close to us than we are in allowing Him to remain near us.
In our Scripture for today, David gives us assurance that even when we pass through the valley of the shadow of death we need not be paralyzed with fear because the Lord is near us.
The words of Just A Closer Walk With Thee, should be our prayer request for the Lord to forgive us when we fail and allow us to be nearer to Him than ever before. It is my fervent desire to draw nearer and nearer to the Lord 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 Just a Closer Walk With Thee, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/justacloserwalkwiththee/ 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 | May 30, 2014 | 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 Theewas 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 fromGloryScapes™ 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
by Pastor Cecil | May 29, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 50:14-16
Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me. But to the wicked person, God says: ‘What right have you to recite My laws or take Me covenant on your lips?’
We have just celebrated Memorial Day and truly it is a time to honor those brave souls who have paid the price for us. In like manner there are many saints of God who paid the price by dedicating their lives for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
During war time and in the heat of battle many soldiers huddled down as low as possible not knowing if the next enemy shell would land close enough to obliterate them. It was in those moments that some prayed a foxhole prayer. (By the way it is not essential to be in a foxhole or even in physical battles to pray such a prayer.)
I would define most foxhole prayers as bargaining with God. We ask the Lord to get us out of the situation we are in and if He does then we will serve Him. I love the faith of the three Hebrew children facing the firey furnace if they refused to bow down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
I think their proclamation of faith rings across the centuries of time as an example for all of us. They said they knew their God was able to deliver them, but even if He did not, they would not bow down. That is the gut level faith that goes beyond the selfish foxhole prayer that only seeks immediate relief. May we all place our lives into the hands of a mighty God who does all things well.
God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 13, 2014 | Psalm
Psalm 14:1-2
The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
A few years ago I had a meeting in a popular coffee shop. We were near a table where three men were cynically discussing religion. I think their comments were intended for my ears since I had witnessed to them about the Lord. Professing to be wise, they were systematically tearing down churches, Christians, the Bible, repentance and justification by faith. These so-called wise men rested their eternal destiny on their good deeds or imagined intellect.
What if they are right? What if the Bible is wrong and the necessity of repentance is wrong? I have never known a cynical person who is a happy or contented person. As a matter of fact they are the most miserable people I have ever met. They search for something to satisfy their inner longing but never are able to find it.
As I consider my own life and the life of other Christians, I see a vivid contrast. There is joy and contentment that the cynics can never experience. Even if there is no heaven to gain we have a joy that the world can never know. When faced with tragedy or pain we have the comfort that only God can give.
But what if these cynics are wrong? (I am convinced they are!) The tragic reality is that there is much more than the temporal feelings of this world at stake. There is eternity stretching out before us. The cynics will come face to face with the Judge of the universe who will pass eternal judgment against their failure to accept His wonderful offer of salvation.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
