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 Approximately fifty of us new Airmen were being flown to Amarillo, Texas, in an outdated military transport plane left over from World War II.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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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.

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.

OUR ETERNAL HOME!

2 Corinthians 5:2 – Devotional

2 Corinthians 5:2

“We groan earnestly as we strive to be clothed with our eternal home which is in heaven.”

I think it is safe to say that most of us have had close calls with death. Even those who are the most cautious about taking risks can remember a near miss. My past experience in law enforcement and the military at times brought me close to eternity. I have listened to stories of deep sea fishermen and pilots that made me wonder how they escaped death.

The apostle Paul was a tent-maker by trade. I can almost visualize his calloused fingers and hands. In today’s Scripture, Paul uses his profession as a tent-maker to illustrate a spiritual truth: This human body of ours is not going to survive. There are those who try to reverse the aging process in various ways, but nothing is going to keep us from coming to the end of our life and entering eternity.

It is sad that most of us spend too much time and effort on things that will pass away. By spending so much time on earthly things, we neglect the things that really count—those things that have eternal value. Receiving Christ as our personal Savior is vital to prepare for eternity. Spending time with God in prayer and reading His Word will prepare us for that heavenly home that will never pass away. Which home are you spending your time and effort to build?

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.

A NEW CREATION!

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Devotional

2 Corinthians 5:17

“If any person is in Christ, that person is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.”

Life never stays the same. That can either be for the good or for the bad. If we are growing and maturing in the Lord, it is good. If we are sinking into the mire of sin and degradation, it is bad. Which direction are you heading?

Years ago I served over 15 years of ministry as Pastor of the Summit Lake Community Church, in Olympia, Washington, after. When I resigned to devote full time to the Daily-E-Votional, I had no idea of it growing into a worldwide ministry. You who read this are a part of this unique, cyberspace congregation.

I view this new area of ministry as God’s plan and provision. You are welcome to be a part. The signs are all around us that the coming of the Lord is near. My desire is to keep on keeping on as the Lord gives me the strength.

Ask the Lord to show you what you can do to be more productive in allowing His power and strength to flow through you to others. You may think that you have little to offer the Lord, but when we give our all to Him, He makes our little significant in His work! The time is short and what we do for the Lord needs to be accomplished now! Be that new creature for Christ!

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.

SAY YES TO GOD!

2 Corinthians 12:10 – Devotional

2 Corinthians 12:10

“Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Sometimes when we come to the end of a busy week, we collapse for a couple of days before returning to work on Monday morning. The activities we participate in during our days of rest are intended to refresh, restore, and prepare us for another week in the rat-race. But, do we really experience true rest?

Each day it is important to consider how much we need the Lord’s strength and love for us. God delights in showering His love on His children. God does things His way and in His timing. We may not understand how or why, we simply trust Him to do what we are never capable of doing ourselves.

Jesus taught the principle of allowing Him to be our strength. It is not our own power or ability that makes the difference, but our willingness to give ourselves fully to Him. Faith demands that we choose to believe without understanding.

When we read what Paul has to say about human weakness, it can be a paradox for us. How is it possible for us to become strong when we are weak? The less energy, stamina, health, muscle tone, endurance, and power we possess, the more God’s power comes into play if we are leaning into Him. Do we understand it? No! Do we need to understand it? No! How do we yield to Him and allow Him to be our power? Say YES!

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

– – – 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.