O COME, O COME EMMANUEL​​​!

Isaiah 7:14​ – Devotional

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel.

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The name Emmanuel is interpreted “God with us.” There are many Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah. The encouragement that His coming entails is that God Himself will descend and make His appearance to save the people from their sins. Thank God He has come!

The “Day-Spring” referenced in the third stanza below is an encouragement for us as we travel through the long and dark times of our life. I am overjoyed that God has cared so much for us that He has sent salvation to us by grace through faith!

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O COME, O COME EMMANUEL

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times did’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

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You can enjoy this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes by going to https://gloryscapes.com/ocomeocomeemmanuel/

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

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I WONDER AS I WANDER​​​!

Isaiah 40:3-5 – Devotional

Isaiah 40:3-5

A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’

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“I Wonder As I Wander” is a hymn written by folklorist John Jacob Niles (1892-1980), based on a song fragment he heard while traveling in the southern Appalachians.

Niles derived the germ of the song from Annie Morgan, the young daughter of a traveling evangelist, in Murphy, North Carolina, in 1933. He then composed a complete folk song that he performed while accompanying himself on the dulcimer.

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I Wonder As I Wander by John Jacob Niles

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
For poor on’ry people like you and like I…
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

When Mary birthed Jesus ’twas in a cow’s stall,
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.
But high from God’s heaven a star’s light did fall,
And the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,
Or all of God’s angels in heav’n for to sing,
He surely could have it, ’cause he was the King.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
For poor on’ry people like you and like I…
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

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You can enjoy this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes by going to https://gloryscapes.com/iwonderasiwander/

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.

JESUS HEARS AND SAVES​!

Isaiah 59:1 – Devotional

Isaiah 59:1

Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.

As fallen sinners we often eagerly accept God’s forgiveness of our sins and faults. All too often we hold grudges and resentments against those who have done something to cause us pain or inconvenience. (Recall your reaction when someone cut in line ahead of you rather than waiting their turn!)

It is easy to feel justified in our sinful reactions to the irritations others cause us. The only way that I can think of in dealing with the painful situations of life is to ask ourselves; WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

When we feel resentment when we are insulted and offended, remember that Jesus always forgave when He was treated with cruelty and abuse. Jesus was quick to defend the repentant sinner while just as quick to chastise the self-righteous accusers.

As followers of Jesus we need to be willing to endure insults and hardships in the name of Jesus. That does not mean that we are to be obnoxious pains to those around us and then claim that we are suffering for Jesus. No, we can easily be suffering because we are a pain! Jesus hears and saves. We must be like Him!

Blessings dear hearts walk with God today and become 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.

PERSPECTIVE!

Isaiah 64:4 – Devotional

Isaiah 64:4

For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him..

Back in 1954 I served in the United States Air Force and was stationed in Rapid City, S.D. My wife Joyce and I would often travel around the area to see sights that boggled the mind. One of those sights was Devils Tower in the neighboring State of Wyoming. It is almost 1300 feet high, but the perspective is hard to grasp. It was only when you saw tiny specks on the vertical stone monolith that you realized they were climbers. Perspective suddenly revealed just how huge the tower really was.

I have tried to wrap my mind around the massive height of Mount Everest. As I fly on a commercial airliner I am stunned to realize that often our cruising altitude is near the elevation of Everest, over 29,000 feet. I lacked the perspective to grasp just how high it is.

In the spiritual realm I am even more baffled. How can we even begin to comprehend the heaven that awaits those who have received Jesus Christ as personal Savior and who have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of life. Heaven’s glorious delights are much greater than our mind can grasp. There is one thing I am certain of; God is preparing a place for us that will be far beyond our imagination or human perspective. I can hardly wait to get there!

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.

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.

HE IS WITH US!

Isaiah 41:10 – Devotional

Isaiah 41:10

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Yesterday I received an email from a friend I met over 50 years ago. We met in St. Anthony, Newfoundland, where I served in the US Air Force and he served in the local hospital. Roy met a nurse named Jean and they immediately felt that God was drawing them together. Several years after I returned to the States they were married and had a family.

In his message, Roy informed me that Jean had slipped the bonds of this old world and gone to be with the Lord. In the days preceding her death Jean said she had seen the face of Jesus twice. Wow! There need not be any fear of death! What comfort to know that the suffering of this world is nothing knowing that our Savior is waiting for us on the other side.

I have imagined the meeting that took place in Paradise when Jean and my Joyce met for the first time, yet knew each other as if they were sisters. Actually they were sisters in the Lord. We have a wonderful family that we will spend eternity with and some we will meet for the first time when we leave this world. Jesus is with us and will be there to welcome us home! We need never fear death.

Blessings dear hearts walk with God today and become 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.

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.

LEARN TO WAIT​!

Isaiah 41:31 – Devotional

Isaiah 41:31

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not be faint.”

Listen to today’s Message of the Week, “Learn to Wait!” by clicking above on the play button.

Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today 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.

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.