by Pastor Cecil | Apr 14, 2014 | Romans
Romans 7:21-25
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Over the years I have encountered people who had goals for their lives, but just seemed to never get around to doing them. They have the best intentions of doing the things they promise to do, but put off and put off until they no longer remember what their intentions were.
This could be in the area of diet, exercise, giving, attending church, cleaning up the house, and any number of such intentions. During my days of ministry I have had promises from hundreds of people that they were going to be at church, but I am still waiting for them to show up!
Then there is the intention of reading the Bible. People have the best intention of making Bible reading a part of their daily routine, but they just never get around to it. Isn’t it strange that we can always seem to find the time and energy to do the things that are appealing?
What are the good intentions in your life that you have failed to accomplish? In the matter of Bible reading, I challenge you to make a covenant with the Lord to read the Bible ten minutes each day. Do it and stick to it. It will change your life!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 7, 2014 | Romans
Romans 12:9-11
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Several years ago I was watching a show on the Animal Channel. The show host was carefully holding a red frog in his cupped hands as he made a great case for the rarity of this small frog. Explaining that the red frog was close to being placed on the endangered species list, he stated that he always held a frog lightly since a frog breathes through the skin and can absorb certain chemicals from a human’s palms that may cause its death.
The host took great care to explain how this frog defends itself. He explained that if an animal took the frog into its mouth, the frog would inject a gooey, noxious substance into the throat and mouth of the attacker. This would cause such swelling and pain that the attacker would immediately release the frog.
Suddenly, the frog he was holding about eight inches from his face, made a leap into his mouth. He quickly spat and caught the frog in his hand. As he tried to control his emotions, the shaken show host placed the frog down onto the dank forest floor and quickly stammered through the rest of his narrative.
As I have thought about this incident, I wonder why these wildlife hosts feel it is necessary to hunt down such weird creatures and then hold them with seeming ecstasy before releasing them again. Many times they have been poisoned by the creatures, but they still continue this dangerous practice.
Here is where I make the spiritual application! That is exactly how many people — even Christians — deal with sinful things. We go after them and hold them in our hands even though we know how dangerous they are. All too often these practices strike and place us in grave danger.
Today’s Scripture says that we are to hate what is evil. If we are to walk in the ways of God, we should see the danger of getting too close to the things which are detestable to God. What God hates we have no business holding close to us. We should run from it and not hold it close.
The question we always must ask ourselves is: “Is there any sinful thing in my life that I am holding close enough that it can inject its poison into me?” We need to get rid of those things that pose a spiritual danger to us. Turn to Christ and ask Him to give us the strength and power to get rid of the “EVIL” in our life.
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 13, 2014 | Romans
Romans 7:14-18
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
As we read the words of today’s Scripture, it appears that there is no hope for us. If the Apostle Paul felt that there was no good thing in him, what about you and me? The fact is, as human beings, we are subject to failure.
Peter was adamant about his support of Jesus just before Jesus was arrested. But in spite of all his good intentions, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times before daylight. The other disciples were no better as they turned and ran away.
You may have faced situations in your life when your commitment to the Lord slipped. It was your intention to stand firm, but then you began to allow things to slip into your life and, before long, you were on the outside looking in. Does that ring a bell?
Paul ends his lament about the control sin has over our hearts with a shout of victory in verse 25: Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! There is our answer and our source of deliverance. It is not in or through our best efforts, but only through the shed blood of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Humanity fails, but Christ wins!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 1, 2013 | Romans
Romans 12:9-13
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Last Friday after my wife, Joyce had been dismissed from the hospital, I had to go by the pharmacy and pick up her prescriptions. There was a large crowd waiting to be served and my number was well down the list. A teenager and his mother were sitting near me. She asked the boy if they needed to pick up his sister.
The young man mumbled a snarly reply and continued playing a game on his cell phone. The mother asked him a second time and received an even more rude and disrespectful reply. I wondered how the mother would respond to such a rude and inappropriate reply. Rather than showing concern, she became wrapped up in her own cell phone game.
It is sad that we have not been taught the importance of politeness. One generation after another is wrapped up in their own little world of cell phones, laptops, and hand held devices that isolates them from reality.
Spiritually we can become so preoccupied with the minute details of our life that we are rude to others, but far more critical, we are rude to God. Rather than paying attention and listening to His voice, we snarl and become rude. Forgive us Lord!
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 11, 2013 | Romans
Romans 5:12, 15
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
Where was God on September 11, 2001? That question has been asked by countless people since that terrible day. The same question has been asked following each and every tragedy, be it on a national level or a personal loss. As I recall, there were just over 3,000 killed on 9/11/2001. On December 7, 1941, the death toll at Pearl Harbor was something over 2,400. Where was God when this carnage took place?
On July 11, 1992, Joyce and I lost our oldest daughter, Brenda. She left three beautiful children and a family that adored her. Where was God when this personal tragedy took place?
Let me try to answer. It was because of sin that the tragedy of death entered into the world. God did not cause it—the sin of our first parents caused it. God has always been near to hear the heart cry of those who call out to Him. Those in these tragic events who knew Jesus as their personal Savior went immediately into His waiting arms. Sad to say, those who had not accepted Him were eternally lost. I cannot make it any plainer than that.
God loved us so much that He sent Jesus, His own dear Son, into the world for the purpose of offering salvation to all who come to Him. In Acts 7:54-59 we are told of the stoning death of Stephen. Facing instant death, the Lord parted the curtains of heaven and he saw Jesus waiting for him. Where is Jesus during these terrible tragedies? Standing with arms open to welcome His believers into their new home!
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 3, 2013 | Romans
Romans 12:3
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
Mark Twain wrote a short story called The Million Pound Bank Note. The gist of the story was a moneyless American who was stranded in London. Two brothers made a wager that if he was given a One Million Pound Note, he could live for 30 days without spending any of it.
In the story he was seen by people as one who should be admired simply because he possessed such a large sum of money. He had done nothing to merit the vast sum of money, yet he was offered credit, given gifts, and shown respect. It was distressing to see human nature paraded in such a shallow view.
Taking our eyes off of this story, we only need to look around us to observe many similar instances. People may have achieved their position by chance, not by anything they did to merit it. Suddenly they are given respect and told how great they are. This leads to pride in thinking that they really are something special.
Do you perhaps see yourself in this picture? One of the greatest threats to true discipleship is the sin of pride. The Lord is the only one who is to occupy the throne of our life. The very moment that we place self on the throne, we move the Lord off and sin has won the victory. We need to empty our lives of SELF and fill them with CHRIST!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
