A NEW HOME!

2 Corinthians 5:6 – Devotional

2 Corinthians 5:6

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.“

In January 2010, my brother, Harold Thompson was in a Boise, Idaho, hospital. He had seemingly progressed sufficiently that his doctor decided he could be moved from the hospital to an assisted living facility.

Harold was eagerly looking forward to the move and during the night before his scheduled move, he told his nurse he was going to a new home in just a few hours. How very appropriate that was!

A short time later she went back to his room to give him some medication and discovered he had already gone to his new home, one that the Lord had prepared for him and one that will never pass away!

As I conducted my brother’s funeral service, I could almost picture him at rest in that wonderful new home that will never fade or pass away. What wonderful assurance that gives those of us who have been born again! A NEW HOME!

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

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VICTORY UNDER PRESSURE!

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 – Devotional

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.“

Years ago I remember reading a small weekly newspaper called GRIT. In one issue there was a poem that expressed the idea that it was easy to go through life when everything is going grand. The writer said it made you feel like you could beat the band.

The second part of that poem, however, spoke of the pressures of life that pressed in on us and called for God-given strength to praise Him when we were feeling like we were in a vise.

In today’s Scripture reading, the apostle Paul mentions four extreme conditions that we are frequently subjected to: (1) Hard-pressed (2) Perplexed (3) Persecuted (4) Struck down. That seems to be more than enough trouble to sink our ship!

But Paul does not leave us in a hopeless condition. He gives us four expressions of hope: (1) Not crushed (2) Not in despair (3) Not forsaken (4) Not destroyed.

The next time you feel under pressure, remember that we have victory in Jesus. He is our strength and has won the victory. It is ours to claim!

Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely 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.

THORNS IN THE FLESH!

2 Corinthians 12:7b – Devotional

2 Corinthians 12:7b

“There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.“

We sometimes rush to the aid of a loved one or friend who is experiencing some type of pain in their life. The problem is that God may be allowing that individual (or ourselves), to endure discomfort or hardship in order to bring about His glory in the midst of their pain.

In today’s Scripture, the apostle Paul shares that he was given a thorn in the flesh. Many have tried to guess what that thorn was, but if it was important, Paul would have told us. In not naming the thorn, we are better able to relate to the thorn that we may have in our own life

Paul learned the secret of the thorn so he could see that the Lord’s strength and power was made perfect in weakness. We may strive to be perfect and have it all put together, but remember the secret of the thorn. It is in our weakness that the Lord’s strength is more and most clearly demonstrated. Paul was so excited about this discovery that he delighted in his weaknesses, insults, and hardships, so Christ could be seen most clearly.

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.

BE READY​!

2 Corinthians 5:6 – Devotional

2 Corinthians 5:6

“So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.“

We never know how close we are to eternity! In 1953 I had completed basic training in California. Approximately fifty of us new Airmen were being flown to Amarillo, Texas, in an outdated military transport plane left over from World War II.

One of the flight crew notified us that we would be making a stop in New Mexico. Just as we landed, one of the two propellers stopped. We were stranded there for several hours while the necessary repairs were made. One of the mechanics happened to mention that it was fortunate we were near the airbase when the trouble hit. Yikes!

Thinking about it now, I realize that we could very easily have crashed and I would have been ushered into eternity! I have had other close calls that reveal to me that we are just a heartbeat from eternity!

I want to live in such a way that others will see Christ in me. Not only did Paul express his commitment to live only for Christ, he demonstrated it by the way he lived. If ever there was an example of a sold-out Christian life, it was the apostle Paul. Let me close for today with Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:21: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

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.

ALL THAT THRILLS MY SOUL!

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Devotional

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

Thoro Harris, a prolific hymn writer and organist, penned this great hymn of testimony.

. . . . . . . .

All That Thrills My Soul

Who can cheer the heart like Jesus,
By His presence all divine?
True and tender, pure and precious,
O how blest to call Him mine!
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
in my blessed Lord I see.

Love of Christ so freely given,
Grace of God beyond degree,
Mercy higher than the heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea!
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
in my blessed Lord I see.

What a wonderful redemption!
Never can a mortal know
How my sin, tho red like crimson,
Can be whiter than the snow.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
in my blessed Lord I see.

Every need His hand supplying,
Every good in Him I see;
On His strength divine relying,
He is all in all to me.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
in my blessed Lord I see.

By the crystal flowing river,
With the ransomed I will sing,
And forever and forever,
Praise and glorify the King.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
in my blessed Lord I see.

. . . . . . . .

You can enjoy the inspiration video, “All That Thrills My Soul” from Gloryscapes.com by going to: https://gloryscapes.com/allthatthrillsmysoul/

Blessings dear hearts! 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 Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.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.

OUR WAY IS CLEAR​​​!

2 Corinthians 4:17 – Devotional

2 Corinthians 4:17

“Our light affliction, which lasts for only a moment, works for us an exceedingly greater and eternal weight of glory.“

Sometimes we struggle over the trials and tribulations of our life trying to make sense of why things happen the way they do. If God is great and mighty (and He is), why do we have to endure such tests to our faith? The answer is to be found in our restricted vision.

I recall once traveling by helicopter to a missile site in central Missouri. I had traveled the route many times by car and knew that there were steep and winding places that required slow travel, especially when being stuck behind a slow-moving truck. These dangerous spots were clearly marked with “No Passing” signs.

From our view from the helicopter, we could see clearly that there was no on-coming traffic and it was safe to pass. Since we could not do so, the driver had to wait until he could see the road for himself.

Paul expresses the concept of waiting patiently on the Lord in I Corinthians 13:12: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.” Until that day, we trust in the Lord with all our heart and joyfully rest in Him.

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 Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.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.