Psalm 57:5

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth.”

Day in and day out many people strive to push themselves to the front of whatever line they are in. It may be in the family, at work, in politics, even in the church. It is tragic that so many believers spend time exalting themselves rather than God.

How do we go about exalting God? That is a question we should be asking ourselves from early morning to the last thing at night. Our chief aim in life should be to bring honor and glory to His name.

We start this process by starting each day with the Lord. The first words we read should be for the Bible and the final words before we drift into slumber should be from that same life-giving source.

We need to always remind ourselves that the things of this earth are fading away and the things of eternity must be our primary aim. This world is like a tent in the wild that may offer temporary shelter, but it is not our home. As we exalt the name of our Lord and Savior, we allow Him to lift us above the troubles and trials of this world to catch a glimpse of the glory that awaits us!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Leviticus 26:12

“I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you will be My people.”

All too often we read the promises of God and neglect the conditions that He gives us in order to receive the promises. Like excited children at the sight of candy, we jump up and down in anticipation without considering the conditions.

Leviticus 26:3 provides the conditions that must be met before we can count on the promised reward. “If you walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them.”

If we walk the aisles of a grocery store and fill our basket with various items, we know that there will come a moment when we stand at the checkout stand and are presented with the cost of our selections.

As we walk the pathways of life we also are making selections. Some may be small and look insignificant, but at the checkout counter we realize the cost is greater than we anticipated. It is then that we feel a hand on our shoulders and a sweet voice in our ear; “I have paid the price! Go in peace!” Wow! What a wonderful God we serve! He does not give us what we deserve, but what we need!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Philippians 3:7

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.”

There are many burial sites in Egypt left by the former mighty rulers of that ancient nation. Most of these self-proclaimed gods or goddesses wanted to be buried with masses of gold and precious stones that were meant to provide for their afterlife. In the majority of cases, however, tomb robbers discovered the burial sites and plundered everything of value.

We may shake our heads at the foolish idea that we can take anything with us when we depart this life. In Job 1:21 that righteous man gives us wonderful words of wisdom: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there.”

Jesus shared the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, and we see that the rich man had absolutely nothing of this world’s goods with him — not even a drop of cool water. That should warn us against relying on the things of this world.

What should really capture our efforts are the things that will last for eternity. The more we devote ourselves to the things of God, the more we will find the love and joy He promises to His children that He cherishes. That is what really matters!

Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be a blessing!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Luke 15:32

“It was right for us to make merry, and be glad: for your brother was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and has been found.”

Listen to today’s Message of the Week, “Lost And Found,” and to the prayer by Pastor Cecil by clicking above on the play button.

Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today and be a blessing!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Luke 23:56​

“And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.”

Listen to today’s Message of the Week, “A Somber Sabbath,” and to the prayer by Pastor Cecil by clicking above on the play button.

Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today and be a blessing!

– – – Pastor Cecil

James 2:1

“Brothers and sisters, do not hold the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of glory, with partiality.”

I have seen families, clubs, Bible study groups, and even churches decimated because favoritism was shown to one or more of the members. Sometimes this has been unintentional, but at other times it was totally intended.

There is a commercial being aired at present where a young boy and girl were choosing who would be on their team. The choices were a retired professional athlete and another young boy. The girl who selected first chose the professional.

Now let us suddenly change the rules of that commercial and make the competition one of mathematic ability rather than professional sport. The young boy just happens to be a genius in math and the pro athlete flunked beginning arithmetic. Now who would have the edge?

Sadly it is very easy to fall into the trap of showing partiality. We should always treat those around us with the love that Jesus has shown to us. As He has so loved and given Himself for us, we need to love and give ourselves to the world through Him!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

James 2:8

“If you truly fulfill the royal law as it appears in Scripture ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well.”

In today’s Scripture, James quotes from Leviticus 19:18 in the Old Testament. It reminds me that the writers of the New Testament were serious students of what Old Testament writers had penned.

In the days in which James lived and penned the book which bears his name, it was no simple task to search the Scriptures. In our modern world we have so many printed and electronic sources to God’s Word that we often take it for granted.

Every time we read the words of Scripture we need to pause and thank our precious Lord that He has given us words of life and vitality. We never should feel as if we are weak and anemic in the spiritual sense.

God’s Royal Law is ours to possess and appropriate in living our life for Him. Never feel that you have nothing to offer others. Share the truth you discover in the Bible with someone near you. It will bring new life to you and the one you bless with the Word!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

James 1:22

“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, thus deceiving yourselves.”

Are you more than just a hearer of the Word of God? As I write this I am prone to wonder about those who are so far removed from a commitment to the Lord that they seldom even read even a small portion each day?

There is no way we can do God’s will if we fail to read what His will is for our life. We are easily deceived when we rely upon what someone else says the Bible says without seeking to discover it for ourselves.

As teens we used to intentionally misquote the Bible to make a point. We would say: “The following is directly from the Bible: ‘Judas went out and hung himself! Go thou and do likewise! Whatsoever you do, do quickly!’”

Of course that was an absurd misuse and abuse of Scripture, but it is sad that some will also flagrantly tailor the Word of God to suit their own purposes. I would rather allow the Word of God change me rather than my changing the inspired WORD OF GOD!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

James 1:12

“Blessed are the ones who endure temptation; for when their actions have been found in favor with God, they will receive the crown of life the Lord has promised to those who love and follow Him.”

In my teen years our family lived a few blocks from a Christian College. It was normal for me to spend much of my free time in and around the campus. The track team would spend several hours each day in preparation for competition with other colleges.

One of the students who was faithful in preparing for each meet seemed to be the most unlikely to succeed. He did not have the special work-out clothes of the others. He wore only his well-worn pants and shirt. I often saw other competitors snicker at the sight of him.

They didn’t know what I knew. He may not have looked like or acted like the more polished athletes, but it was who finished the race and in what order that counted. Quite often Jess was in the lead or near the front.

Remember it is not how we look that matters, but how we finish the race that the Lord has set before us. I want to be one who trusts in the Lord and finishes the race knowing I gave it my best!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Joshua 1:9

“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Listen to today’s Message of the Week, “Strong in the Lord,” and to the prayer by Pastor Cecil by clicking above on the play button.

Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today and be a blessing!

– – – Pastor Cecil