by Pastor Cecil | Jul 11, 2022 | 2 Peter
THE WAY OF BALAAM!
2 Peter 2:15 – Devotional
2 Peter 2:15
“They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.”
A certain young man had a fervent desire to serve the Lord. For a time he was completely committed to obeying God’s Word without compromise. Then one day he was tempted to participate in a questionable activity. He knew it was not the right thing to do, but decided to pray about it. As he prayed he sensed that God was saying NO!
The young man waited several days and asked the Lord again and heard the Holy Spirit speak: No! He waited a few more days and again prayed. This time he heard the Holy Spirit whisper: No! Asking the same question a few days later he heard nothing, so he joyfully engaged in an activity that led him away from the Lord and into great heartache.
Mark this down: God does not change! If He says that something is contrary to His Word, will, and way—it will forever remain contrary to His Word, will, and way. It does not matter that some church council will approve sinful activity—if it is not in accordance with God’s Word, it is sin and will always be sin.
Our “do-as-you-feel-like-doing” society has torpedoed far too many believers. We must never allow the appeal of this world’s values to draw us away from God’s best for our life.
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 Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.
Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.
One Year Bible Reading for July 11th:
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- 1 Chronicles 11:1-12:18
- Acts 28:1-31
- Psalm 9:1-12
- Proverbs 19:1-3
Today Pastor Cecil is reading from the New King James Version (NKJV) if you’d like to follow along in your Bible.
New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs Scripture Reading for July 11th:
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- Acts 28:1-31
- Psalm 9:1-12
- Proverbs 19:1-3
Today Pastor Cecil is reading from the New King James Version (NKJV) if you’d like to follow along in your Bible.
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.
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 1, 2022 | 2 Peter
THE OLD RUGGED CROSS!
2 Peter 3:9b – Devotional
2 Peter 3:9b
“He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Janelle Hansen writes, “My grandfather was 6′ 2” with a big booming voice and the air of a man in control of his life. He loved his cigars (which he pronounced “ceeeeeegars”), Pinochle, and his oil field buddies, but he had no love for God for most of his life. He was raised by an itinerant Methodist preacher who also ran a home for unwed mothers and both those occupations embarrassed and angered him. All of my siblings and I prayed for him throughout our childhood that he would come to know the Lord, but it seemed like that would never happen.
“But, one Sunday morning in my sophomore year of college I got a call from my father who told me in tears that he had received a letter from his father (my grandfather) relaying that he had been listening to Billy Graham on the radio and when “The Old Rugged Cross” came on, he wept uncontrollably and finally gave his heart and life to God. My Grandfather was 72 years old that day. He lived another 10 years and then went to be with the Lord.
“Never give up praying for your unsaved loved ones. The Holy Spirit will keep working on them. “. . . He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b).
“The picture you see here is of my grandfather singing in perfect tenor harmony around the dining room table with my family about 3 years before his homegoing.”
CLICK HERE to watch The Old Rugged Cross video devotional (about 4 minutes long).
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 Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.
Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.
One Year Bible Reading for April 1st:
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- Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20
- Luke 9:28-50
- Psalm 73:1-28
- Proverbs 12:10
Today Pastor Cecil is reading from the New King James Version (NKJV) if you’d like to follow along in your Bible.
New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs Scripture Reading for April 1st:
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- Luke 9:28-50
- Psalm 73:1-28
- Proverbs 12:10
Today Pastor Cecil is reading from the New King James Version (NKJV) if you’d like to follow along in your Bible.
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.
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 18, 2021 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 3:14
“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.”
In a world where there is non-stop bickering, arguing, conflict, fights, and war, we need peace and harmony. It is vital that in the midst of the stormy seas of life we can know peace and live in harmony with those around us — especially those who are the hardest to get along with.
God has never promised us that He was going to change our world and give us pleasant, darling people to live with. Don’t expect that to happen! We are stuck with the ones we have.
Jesus prayed to His Father before His crucifixion. He prayed about you and me. His prayer was very significant. He prayed that we not be taken out of the world, but that the Lord would be with us in the world. Listen to His words in John 17:15-17 that are so meaningful to us in our day:
“My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth.”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 15, 2021 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 1:3
“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.”
I recently recalled the old saying: If you are not standing on the promises, you will find yourself sitting on the premises. One is an active process of involvement, and the other is a passive pastime of taking up space but contributing little. As I am typing this, it suddenly strikes me that the gripers, moaners, and fault finders of the world are generally composed of those who are just sitting on the premises.
The story is told about a poor man who was traveling on a ship from Europe to America. He had just barely scraped up enough money for his ticket and a few things to eat on during the trip.
A few days out to sea the impoverished passenger came upon sight of all the wonderful food in the dining room and inhaled an aroma that sent him into ecstasy. By this time he was so hungry he knew he had to do something about it. Summoning up all of his courage he went to a steward and asked if he might be able to do some work so he could be able to eat a meal or two. The steward was startled by the passenger’s odd request. He sat the man down and explained to him that the ticket he had purchased for the trip included all the food he could eat. It was all his, but he was starving from a lack of knowledge of all he possessed.
Are we taking full advantage of the bounty of God’s promises … or are we just surviving on the scraps of our own efforts?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 4, 2021 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 3:14
“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.”
In a world where there is bickering, arguing, conflict, fights, and war, we need peace and harmony. It is vital that in the midst of the stormy seas of life we can know peace and live in harmony with those around us. Even the knot-heads? Especially the knot-heads!
The word harmony may be defined as having agreement, accord, or living in peaceful relations. A quick glance at the latest news will quickly reveal that we are not living in a world filled with harmony.
God has never promised us that He was going to change our world and give us pleasant, darling people to live with. Don’t expect that to happen! We are stuck with the ones we have. Jesus prayed to His Father before His crucifixion as we find recorded in John 17:17; “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
To find harmony that is authentic and everlasting we must trust in and rely on the everlasting Word of God. It is not to be found in the so-called wisdom of man, but the unchanging Word that God has inspired to lead us into His HARMONY!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 22, 2020 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 1:3-4
“By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises.”
I recall an old saying, “If you are not standing on the promises, you will find yourself sitting on the premises.” One is an active process of involvement, and the other is a passive pastime of taking up space but contributing little. I suddenly am struck by the realization that the gripers, moaners, and fault finders of the world, are generally composed of those who are the “sitters on the premises.” If you are one of them, I hope to serve you your eviction notice before this article is finished.
I recall visiting my mother when she was a resident of an assisted living facility in Nampa, Idaho. I was struck by the hunger for attention of those who reside there. By the way, it is worth your time to listen and show your interest. What a mission field! I fear that we as Christians do not serve as positive role models in victorious Christian living. We moan and sigh and look like we have just been baptized in vinegar.
So what is Peter saying in this passage? He makes it so plain that it is hard to get more basic. He says that God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him.
Years ago I read a story about a man who was traveling from Europe to America on a ship. He could just barely scrape up the money for his ticket and a few things to eat on during the trip. After several days out to sea he ran out of food and was drawn to the wonderful food in the dining room. He was so hungry he knew he had to do something about it. He finally summoned up all of his courage and went to a steward and asked if he might be able to do some work so he could be able to eat a meal or two. The steward was startled by his request. He explained to the man that the ticket he had purchased included all the food he could eat. It was his all along, but he was starving for the lack of knowledge of what he possessed.
Many people in our day have the same problem. We lack the knowledge of what we possess. This traveler didn’t read his ticket and we don’t read our Bible! It is just as simple as that. Peter says that God has given us His very great and precious promises. These are given to us so that we might have an abundant life and a godly life. We are to be above the circumstances, not under them.
Pick up your dusty Bible that you are saving for who knows what and read and write down every promise that God has for His children. If you have personally received Him as your own personal savior, then claim all of the promises God has given each of us. It would be a great idea to have a notebook just to record each promise that you have found, and claim it as your own.
If you are only sitting on the premises, I guess your battle is over. Those who just sit on the premises are not stepping stones, they are stumbling blocks and we would like for you to move. ON FIRE BELIEVERS ARE COMING THROUGH!!!!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
