THIS IS LOVE​!

1 John 4:10 – Devotional

1 John 4:10

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.“

I once heard about a couple who made an appointment with a marriage counselor. They had been married for forty years and the counselor wondered why they would want to talk to him.

The wife started out by sayig that she didn’t think her husband loved her—at least he never said he loved her.

When the counselor asked the husband if this were true, he readily agreed.

The husband explained that he told his wife forty years ago that he loved her and that he had not withdrawn that statement. In the husband’s mind that 40-year-old declaration was still in effect!

(I think the counselor wanted to bang his head on the desk!)

It is seldom, if ever, that we choose up sides and talk about the meaning of the word love. Many of use think we have a grasp of its meaning, but there is some doubt that we have plumbed the depths of love’s true meaning.

Here is my candid observation: Love is an emotion.

The Bible says we are to love and, by its very nature, love needs a positive response to that command. We are prone to love only as long as the person loves us in return. Take that response away and we quickly lose the desire to continue loving.

Like it or not, we humans are self-centered and preoccupied with ourselves. If you want an example of this, just stop and listen to someone’s conversation. Note the way they focus on their own interests and welfare.

According to God’s precious Word, we are to love in the same way that Jesus loves us. That means we are to love even when the other persn is not lovable.

When you stop to think about it, that is the way God loves us—when we are the most unlovable. It is while we were unlovable sinners that Christ died for us, and it’s the unlovable people around us who need us to love them—with Christ’s transforming love.

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

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If you have watched The Sands of Eternity video above and prayed the prayer at the end, please go to https://PastorCecil.com/ and use the form on the webpage to let us know so we can send you follow up resources and/or send an email to pastorcecil@dailyevotional.com and let him know.

PREPARE TO CONFESS!

1 John 1:9 – Devotional

1 John 1:9

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“

One morning I was waiting at a stoplight about to proceed when suddenly a car ran the red light and careened past me, narrowly missing my left front fender. Most of us will recall cars rushing into an intersection when the light had gone from amber to red, ignoring the danger and in fact, speeding up.

My experience as a police officer leads me to believe that, in almost all of such incidents the offender will deny their offense. Most often they claim, “The light was yellow when I entered the intersection!” RIGHT!

From the days when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, human nature has not wanted to admit its guilt. Even when substantial evidence is provided, denial is still maintained. I have seen police videos showing offenders committing crimes — but even when shown these videos the offender still denies their offense. Go figure!

God wants us to be open with Him and confess our sins. Denial of our offenses will always hurt us more than others. 1 John 1:9 tells us that it is only when we confess our sins that the Lord is able to forgive and cleanse us. Our denial blocks the path of God’s forgiving grace. DON’T DENY IT!

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

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If you have watched The Sands of Eternity video above and prayed the prayer at the end, please go to https://PastorCecil.com/ and use the form on the webpage to let us know so we can send you follow up resources and/or send an email to pastorcecil@dailyevotional.com and let him know.

JESUS PAID IT ALL​​!

1 John 1:9 – Devotional

1 John 1:9

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“

As we continue toward Easter and Jesus Christ’s atoning death on the cross, we are reminded of the much beloved hymn that many of us sang years gone by, Jesus Paid It All.

Elvina M. Hall penned the words and here they are for us to contemplate today:

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I
Where-by Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat.

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

You can enjoy this week’s inspirational video, “Jesus Paid It All” from GloryScapes by going to: https://gloryscapes.com/jesuspaiditall/

Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!

– – – Pastor Cecil

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TRUE LOVE!

1 John 4:7 – Devotional

1 John 4:7

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.“

Today, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day. If you have not yet purchased that card, a romantic gift, or whatever, you had better get busy! There is very little time left to get that special something which will demonstrate in a meaningful way the feelings of love for that special someone in your life.

Unfortunately, there is phony (or fictitious) love present in our world that is often the result of selfish and greedy emotions. People often want things for themselves and use love as a tool to obtain what they think will satisfy their demands.

If my precious wife, Joyce, was still alive, we would be celebrating 72 years of marriage this July. I can honestly say that my love for her is far deeper even though she has gone to be with our Lord. There is an important reason for our successful life of love and growth together — we kept the Lord at the center of our marriage.

Perhaps the greatest gift you can give your loved one this Valentine’s Day is to share together the precious love of God; commit yourself to allow His love to be expressed through you in your actions as well as in your words.

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

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If you have watched The Sands of Eternity video above and prayed the prayer at the end, please go to https://PastorCecil.com/ and use the form on the webpage to let us know so we can send you follow up resources and/or send an email to pastorcecil@dailyevotional.com and let him know.

ETERNAL LIFE!

1 John 2:17 – Devotional

1 John 2:17

“The world is passing away and the lust of it, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.“

Some quick-witted person has observed that none of us will get out of this world alive. While that may be true in the physical sense, it certainly is not true in the eternal sense!

From time to time I allow my mind to attempt to fathom the reality of eternal life. I soon realize for the human mind it is impossible. We have always experienced a beginning and ending, so the idea of everlasting eternity stretches our mind past the breaking point. We simply must accept eternity as an unknown reality!

The reality of eternal life is true for the believer and also for the unbeliever. Each and every human will live forever. We will live in heaven with God or in hell with Satan. I have chosen eternal life in heaven with God!

Our decision as to where we will spend eternity must be made before we die. Now is the day of decision and sadly some have delayed to make the decision and the hour of death has taken them. I implore you to make sure you accept the glorious offer of eternal life while there is still time!

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s DailyEvotional emails by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

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If you have watched The Sands of Eternity video above and prayed the prayer at the end, please go to https://PastorCecil.com/ and use the form on the webpage to let us know so we can send you follow up resources and/or send an email to pastorcecil@dailyevotional.com and let him know.

LOVE COSTS!

1 John 4:7-11 – Devotional

1 John 4:7-11

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.“

I am sick to death of the self-centered, self-seeking concept of love that is to be seen all around us. True love is a love that costs us dearly without the expectation of receiving something.

In my pre-teen years, the school teacher was our ultimate authority. I can recall one teacher who walked around the room with a ruler in her hand. If she was unhappy with something you were doing, she would bring the ruler down across the back of your hand. One day she hit my hand for something and the ruler broke. She went into a tantrum as she blamed me for the broken ruler.

Some years ago I recall reading the illustration of a male teacher who was punishing a class bully. He made the boy go outside and cut a switch and bring it back. The teacher asked the class (most of whom had been bullied by this boy) how many lashes he deserved. It was a significant number.

The teacher called the boy to the front of the room. He was trembling with dread at the thought of his punishment. Instead the teacher leaned across his desk and demanded that the boy give him the punishment. Soon the boy, as well as the entire class was sobbing. They begged the teacher to have the boy stop, but he demanded the full punishment.

Why did the teacher do that? It was to teach his class a lesson about the high cost of love. He explained to them that this was the same love that God demonstrated in sending His precious Son, Jesus, to take our punishment upon Himself. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Have you received God’s greatest gift?

Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s DailyEvotional emails by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

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If you have watched The Sands of Eternity video above and prayed the prayer at the end, please go to https://PastorCecil.com/ and use the form on the webpage to let us know so we can send you follow up resources and/or send an email to pastorcecil@dailyevotional.com and let him know.