Sunday, 08 July 2007

• The Sky is the limit

  Lord´s Peace, visitor.
  
  Here I am to give you more good and important messages to your life!
  
  Also, I have a thing to say: I have a new blog, where I will tell about my life and news from my Fanfic series "A Possible Sequence to Cars"!
  
  Just click here -->  http://abrazilianboywith19.blogspot.com/
  
  At there, I will tell the things of I learned with God during my "journey" called Gospel.
  
  And now, here are the messages! All them are from Pr.Cecil.
  
  Nice reading, and see you at my new blog!
  
  Lord´s Peace!
  
  

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  DAILY-E-VOTIONAL

  BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART 

  Pastor Cecil A. Thompson

  July 4, 2007

   

  "THE SACRIFICE OF LOVE!"

  Psalm 103:1-5

  "Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction,  Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."

  As we in the United Sates celebrate Independence Day, it is well for all of us to consider the way the Lord Jesus Christ has set us free from sin and death.  It is the greatest gift that any of us could be given.  The following story was forwarded to me.  I have seen it before, but the message is just as alive every time I read it.

  "There was once a blind girl who hated herself for no other reason except that she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend.

  One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her and then she could see everything, including her boyfriend.
  Her boyfriend asked her, 'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?'  The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind. Not wanting to be burdened by a 'blind' person, she refused to marry him. Her loving, devoted and understanding boyfriend walked away in tears.  His heart obviously broken.

  The girl who had been so fortunate to have the world opened up to her, continued enjoying it; day in and day out...trying to never miss a single pleasure life had to offer. A while later she received a letter from her ex-boy friend which stated simply: "I sincerely hope you enjoy your life. Your happiness was all that ever mattered to me. I am so happy that you are enjoying life as I always hoped you could. I would like to ask one parting favor of you my dear... Just take care of my eyes."

  This, as sad as it may seem, is how the human brain changes when our status changes. Only a few remember what life was like before and who has always been there even in the most painful situations.

  Life Is A Gift. 

  *Today before you think of saying an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.
  *Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.
  *Before you complain about your husband or wife -Think of someone who's crying out to God for a companion.
  *Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.
  *Before you complain about your children - Think of someone who desires children but they're barren.
  *Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn't clean or sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets.
  *Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance.

  And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job.
  But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another - Remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one Maker.
  And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and thank God you're alive and still around.

  Life is a gift... Live it... Enjoy it... Celebrate it... And fulfill it"

  Blessings dear heart.  Walk with God today and allow Him to make you a blessing to others. 

   

  - - - Pastor Cecil

  
  

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  DAILY-E-VOTIONAL

  BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART

  July 6, 2007

  Pastor Cecil A. Thompson

   

  “RECONCILED!” 

  Romans 5:1-5

  "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.   And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

   

  Good!  It balanced!  Those words from my dear wife, Joyce, brings satisfaction to both of us.  For her because she balanced the checkbook, and for me, because I am off the hook for another month for not telling her about checks I had written or debits I had made.  Whew!

   

  There is another word for this balancing act.  It is the word reconciliation.  It carries with it the idea of making payment to cover the costs which have been incurred.  Let's go back to the checkbook illustration.  Imagine that I used my debit card at the bookstore.  I walked out with the items I had chosen, but I had used a piece of plastic that is connected, fortunately or unfortunately, to our bank account.

   

  The purchase was made, but there remains the accounting process.  Sufficient funds must be available in that account to cover the cost of my purchases.  I guess you might call it Basic Banking 101.  That is something that even an accounting dummy like me can comprehend.

   

  Okay, here comes section two of our Basic Banking 101.  Once again let us assume that I have made purchases at the bookstore in the amount of $100.  At this time our checking account balance is only $45.  Do we have a problem here?  You bet your sweet life!  When we walk through their bank doors, they may smile sweetly, but when that overdrawn charge comes through, their smile turns into a snarl!

   

  Now let's make a transition into the spiritual realm.  Think again of the Prodigal Son and his return to the father.  There was nothing in his "account."  He was absolutely broke!  He could reconcile his debt of sin and dissipation.  But the debt had to be covered.  There was only one way-- the debt was covered by his loving father.  That is the way we are in relation to God.  We can't--He can!  That's all we need to know!   

   

  In today's Scripture, we have several key points leading to our reconciliation.  Paul says we are justified by faith.  That means that there has been a deposit made to our account.  Christ, by His atoning sacrifice paid the debt of sin (death) by His death, in order that we might have life.  Wow!  Faith is our accepting that act of justification.

   

  As a result of our faith, we begin to receive compound interest at unheard of levels!  I still cannot grasp how precious are these wonderful deposits in our account:  We have peace!  Peace not as the world gives nor can ever take away, but peace that survives, even in the midst of the storms of life.

   

  We have access into this grace.  This is no small matter.  Remember when Esther went in to the king to beg for the lives of her people?  This was no small matter.  He was the only one who could save them.  He was a man with an explosive temper, and he could very easily have had her executed.  But he granted her request.  Read the book of Esther for details. 

   

  We have access, not to an earthly king, but to the King of kings and Lord of lords.  Wow - again! The King gives us these very great and precious rewards:  Joy in hope!  Joy in suffering! Perseverance!  Character!  Hope!  Love!

   

  Not only are we reconciled, but through Christ we are clothed with a new robe of righteousness, (His), and a ring of authority is placed upon our finger.  We are filled with a joyous expectation that even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is there beside us!  Wow! Wow! Wow!

   

  Blessings dear heart.  Walk with God today and allow Him to make you a blessing to others. 

   

  - - - Pastor Cecil

  
  

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  DAILY-E-VOTIONAL

  BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART 

  Pastor Cecil A. Thompson

  July 5, 2007

   

  "LISTEN!"

  Mark 8:16-18

  "They discussed this (His warning to beware the yeast of the Pharisees) with one another and said, 'It is because we have no bread.'  Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them:  'Why are you talking about having no bread?  Do you still not see or understand?  Are your hearts hardened?  Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?  And don't you remember?' "

    

  Today is a beautiful day in western Washington.  The sun is shinning and the birds are singing.  The birds are singing because they know that I am a pushover.  Their feeders are always full and there is a variety - so much so that they think this is a bird cafeteria.

   

  On days like today it just seems as if God has opened the window of heaven a bit and allowed the glory to shine down.  The grass seems greener, the sky a more vivid blue and Mount Rainier a more brilliant white.  It is well, during these moments, to take note of the things that we all too frequently ignore.

   

  Overlooking God's glory is a subject I would like to consider for today--- not the birds and bees, the flowers and the trees - but the way some people have the spiritual eyes and ears, yet fail to comprehend the wonderful things which God has prepared for us.

   

  I can remember an incident in my life when I was a small boy.  (Believe me, that is that is a long time to recall).  There was a man who lived near us.  His name was Buss Burns.  Buss was working to repair his roof which had cedar shingles.  I can not recall how or why I was on that roof.  The one thing I do remember was suddenly beginning to slide toward the edge.  I was about to yell for help, when a nail, or something caught my pants.  It was then I knew that it was the time for me to get off that roof and on the ground-- fast!

   

  It was in my adult years that I heard the illustration of a young boy like me, who was sliding toward the edge of a slick roof.  As the story goes, he began to call out to the Lord to save him.  Like me, a nail caught his pants and he looked toward heaven and said, "Don't bother Lord, the nail saved me!"

   

  We have eyes to see, ears to hear, minds to reason, and yet we so often fail to grasp the concept that God cares for us and has a beautiful plan for our life.  We take the credit when good things happen and turn around and blame God when things are not going well.  That, my dear friend is spiritual blindness.

   

  Even the disciples of Jesus failed to grasp His words.  In today's Scripture, they were guilty of bringing down to a human level Jesus' words which were spiritual.  They were thinking about not having bread to fill the stomach, but Jesus was speaking about the self-righteous sin of the Pharisees.

   

  So how can we change?  How can we be people who open our eyes to see, our ears to hear and our minds to understand?  The answer lies in our exercising spiritual discipline.  It is reading God's Word again and again and asking the Lord to help us understand it's meaning. 

   

  It is paying attention to the words of Scripture we read, the words of songs which are sung, the needs we see in those around us.  The miraculous truth of God's Word is ours for the taking.  It is purposing in our hearts that we will be open to comprehend!  Listen!  Can you hear it?  God is speaking in His quiet small voice.  Only those who remain quiet before Him will hear and comprehend.

   

  Blessings dear heart.  Walk with God today and allow Him to make you a blessing to others. 

   

  - - - Pastor Cecil

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