TOMATOES​​!

1 Peter 3:15 – Devotional

1 Peter 3:15

“Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

This story is not about tomatoes, and yet it is about tomatoes. One of the many things I love to eat is a juicy, ripe tomato, fresh from the vine at peak season. After enduring months of second rate hot-house attempts at producing the real thing, oh, how sweet to taste the real thing!

One summer Joyce and I were returning from a trip to Idaho to visit my mother. It was a little late in the tomato season, but I had hoped to buy some before returning to Olympia. We stopped at a service station on the high desert of Oregon where I asked the attendant if there were any fruit stands around so I could buy tomatoes.

“You go down to the end of this road, turn left and go until you see this big green house then keep your eyes peeled for some sheep grazing in a pasture. After that there will be a driveway that crosses a little creek. Go down that driveway until you come to the end, and they may have some stuff left.”

I must have been out of my mind to try to follow such directions, but I was desperate for those home grown tomatoes. (As a matter of fact, I found the place and we were rewarded with a basket full of round, red and sweet tomatoes).

As I recall that incident, I think about our spiritual obligation to give directions to people who want to find their way to heaven. We can make it simple or we can make it so complex that it takes a genius to figure it out. Jesus gave simple directions, as recorded in John 3:16, to a brilliant scholar named Nicodemus: “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” These are the directions to heaven—have you followed them yet?

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of October 20th, we have a $1,733 need for October 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

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

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen
Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.com

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.

WONDERFUL SAVIOR!

1 Peter 1:8–9 – Devotional

1 Peter 1:8–9

“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”

This week we have a special new song for you created by Russ Hansen entitled, “Wonderful Savior” He’d appreciate your feedback on this song–please send it to him at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.com.

“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts” (Colossians 3:16, emphasis added) and “Sing a new song to the Lord!” (Psalm 96:1).

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

Wonderful Savior (lyrics by J. M. Harris, 1905)

[verse 1]
Jesus, my King, my wonderful Savior,
All of my life is given to Thee.
I am rejoicing in Thy salvation.
Thy precious blood now maketh me free.

[chorus]
Wonderful Savior, wonderful Savior,
Thou art so near, so precious to me!
Wonderful Savior, wonderful Savior,
My heart is filled with praises to Thee.

[verse 2]
Freedom from sin, oh, wonderful story!
All of its stains washed whiter than snow!
Jesus has come to live in His temple,
And with His love my heart is aglow.

[chorus]
Wonderful Savior, wonderful Savior,
Thou art so near, so precious to me!
Wonderful Savior, wonderful Savior,
My heart is filled with praises to Thee.

[verse 3]
Jesus, my Lord, I’ll ever adore Thee,
Lay at Thy feet my treasures of love.
Lead me in ways to show forth Thy glory,
Ways that will end in heaven above.

[verse 4]
When in that bright and beautiful city
I shall behold Thy glories untold,
I shall be like Thee, wonderful Savior,
And I will sing while ages unfold.

[final chorus]
Wonderful Savior, wonderful Savior,
Thou art so near, so precious to me!
Wonderful Savior, wonderful Savior,
My heart is filled with praises to Thee.

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

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of September 18th, we have a $1,916 need for September 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

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

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen
Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.com

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 GROW!

1 Peter 2:2 – Devotional

1 Peter 2:2

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

In the Pacific Northwest it is not an uncommon sight to see bare hillsides where timber has been cut. It is also fairly common to see trucks carrying huge loads of old growth logs. I always marvel at their size as I pass these log trucks.

Many of the logs we see harvested in this part of the country come from third and fourth growth trees that have been planted after previous logs have been harvested. Owners of the land soon plant seedlings and in a short time they are young trees.

Day by day we observe the passing of the saints of God. They have been our mentors and guides, but as the years slip by they pass the torch on to the next generation of believers.

It is time for each believer to recognize that responsibility for growth in the Lord is a fact of life. We need to strive to become “OLD GROWTH” saints of God who will stand shoulder to shoulder creating a mighty forest for the Lord.

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of August 17th, we have a $1,787 need for August 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

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

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen
Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.com

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.

PURE MILK OF GOD’S WORD!

1 Peter 2:2 – Devotional

1 Peter 2:2

“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

I recall watching our grandchildren tasting their first solid food. It brought back many memories when our three children tasted their first solid food. As I recall it was always mashed potatoes and gravy that I slipped into their eager mouths.

I had copied what I had observed my dad frequently do. It was usually the men in the family who did it. It was never my wife or mom who did the sneaky deed. My wife, Joyce, or my mom would chastise us, but it was fun anyway!

It is humorous to talk about our babies needing their solid food, but all too often we have huge congregations of believers who still exist on predigested spiritual food instead of sinking their teeth into something solid by devoting quality time in the personal study of God’s Word.

As you honestly evaluate your spiritual life, where do you see yourself? Are you able to dig into the solid meat of God’s Word or is it necessary for you to have someone else feed you? It is time for us to grow up!

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of June 10, 2026, we have a $1,754 need for June 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

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

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen
Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.com

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.

GIVE TO ONE ANOTHER!

1 Peter 4:8 – Devotional

1 Peter 4:8

“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

Listen to today’s Message of the Week by Pastor Cecil by clicking above on the play button.

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of June 7th, we have a $1,796 need for June 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

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

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen
Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.com

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.

READY OR NOT!

1 Peter 3:15-16 – Devotional

1 Peter 3:15-16

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.”

Do you remember playing Hide ‘n Seek when you were a kid? The person who was “it” hid his face and counted to a predetermined number, usually 100. When “it” finished counting he would call out, “Ready or not, here I come!” Then he had to find where the other players were hiding and try to tag them before they reached the safety of “base.”

We never know when God calls us. Several years ago I was conducting a funeral service in a neighboring town. The church was packed and some people even had to stand in the foyer. Before the service I had asked everyone to silence their cell phones.

All was going as expected during the service. The songs had been sung and the message delivered. I was making a challenge to the congregation to stress the point that we never know when the Lord might call. It was just at that moment that the cell phone of the son-in-law of the deceased rang . . . full volume. As people tried to control their laughter I commented, “That might be the Lord calling now.”

Are you ready for the Lord to call? If the heart in your chest stopped beating in the next few minutes, would you be prepared to meet the Lord Jesus who gave His life that we might have life? We need to live with this idea in our mind: READY OR NOT, GOD IS COMING!

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of Thursday, April 30, 2026, we have a $1,525 need for April 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

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

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen
Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.com

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.