by Pastor Cecil | Jun 14, 2021 | Isaiah
ON ALERT!
Isaiah 40:28 Devotional
Isaiah 40:28
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.”
There have been times in my life when I was required to stand alert. By that I mean that while others were off duty and relaxed; those of us who were on alert had to remain vigilant and ready for action. This was true when I served as a police officer and when in the Air Force.
Much more critical has been the requirement to be on alert in my spiritual life. It is easy to become spiritually lethargic and just drift along. Years ago I read words of wisdom to the effect; A week without reading your Bible will make you weak.”
We live in perilous times. In the midst of sin and depravity there seems to be a lazy attitude of indifference in the lives of many believers. Many seem to feel that their walk with the Lord is of mild importance on their priority list.
IT IS TIME TO SOUND THE ALERT! The time for action in our spiritual life is now. Before it is too late we need to be on alert to the encroaching danger of sin. Spend time in the word and in prayer. Speak the words of life to a dying world!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
One Year Bible Reading for June 14th:
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- 1 Kings 12:20-13:34
- Acts 9:26-43
- Psalm 132:1-18
- Proverbs 17:6
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 | Jun 8, 2021 | Isaiah
DO NOT BE AFRAID! – Isaiah 41:10 Devotional
Isaiah 41:10
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
In today’s Scripture, God instructs Isaiah (as well as His children of all ages) what our part in serving Him should be. Alongside of our instruction He provides the promise of reward for obeying Him.
In this verse we are only to do two things: we are to not be afraid and we are not be dismayed. That my dear friend is easier said than done. There are many things surrounding us that can easily cause us to fear. In essence we have the choice to trust God or be crushed by the circumstances of life.
Our part is to do two things. I should say that there are two things we are not to do. We are told not to fear and not be dismayed. Easier said than done! We live in a time when there are threats from every side, so how are we to be brave?
The answer to our having courage in the face of danger is given by the Lord. First of all He is our God! He is the creator and sustainer of all! He promises us that He will uphold us with His strength and power. Wow! What assurance!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
One Year Bible Reading for June 8th:
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- 1 Kings 3:3-4:34
- Acts 6:1-15
- Psalm 126:1-6
- Proverbs 16:26-27
by Pastor Cecil | May 24, 2021 | Isaiah
Isaiah 40:31
“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Sixty-five years ago on this date, my wife, Joyce gave birth to our first-born child, Brenda Joy. A few days before Brenda left this world to be with the Lord she finished a counted cross-stitch piece with Isaiah 40:31 and an image of an eagle in flight. It adorns the wall above my desk and reminds me of where she is now.
Brenda suffered with heart and lung disease and her body rapidly lost the ability to function. On the other hand, her spiritual life increased in strength and determination as time passed.
One of my greatest joys was to spend hours on end beside her hospital bed and read Psalm after Psalm. She would smile as I finished one and ask me to read another.
I want to remind all of us that for every sigh there is a Psalm. As Brenda Joy labored for her last breath on this earth, she breathed in the clear pure air of a Paradise with her Lord! FREE AT LAST!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 23, 2021 | Isaiah
Isaiah 53:6
“All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
I worked the graveyard shift on the local police force when I was attending college. For those who are uninformed, it was from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM. We had an old sergeant who frequently would come into the station shaking his head and saying: “The more I deal with people, the more I think sheep are smart animals!”
It seems that Isaiah had somewhat of a similar view. The difference is that Isaiah related it to a spiritual condition. The natural tendency with every fallen human being is to reject God’s way and follow our own way.
Across the years I have counseled many criminal offenders who said they had learned their lesson and would never go back to their old behavior patterns. Sad to say, many failed to follow through on their resolve.
The good news is that our behavior is not what is required to find God’s grace for our life. Jesus suffered and bled on that cruel cross in order that His blood would cover our each and every sin. In order to receive this precious gift we only need to confess that we are sinners and invite Jesus to come into our heart. That is being a smart sheep!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 15, 2021 | Isaiah
Isaiah 26:3-4
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”
The mother of a 5-year-old girl was concerned that her daughter was having scary dreams at night. She felt helpless to deal with the problem of her child’s bad dreams. Have you ever spent a sleepless night tossing and turning? Have you been troubled by frightening dreams that cause you to feel panic stricken?
Bad dreams are not restricted to young children. Many adults are confronted with the reality of horrible dreams that disturb the rest they need. Do you sometimes question what you can do to sleep soundly in the arms of the Lord?
Here is a challenge for anyone who has been having trouble with night terrors. Search out scripture passages that deal with praise and promise. Read these passages several times before you slip into bed.
Today’s Scripture is a wonderful passage for us to use before we retire for the night. It is a promise that the Lord has given to those who will keep their minds stayed on the Lord. May God grant you sweet sleep!
May God richly bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 8, 2021 | Isaiah
Isaiah 6:8
“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”
What constitutes a call to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ? I am not sure that I have the answer for everyone, but I know my own experience. It was in 1953 in Amarillo, Texas. I was attending Jet Aircraft Maintenance School and Joyce and I were living in a small upstairs apartment. One Sunday afternoon I was surrounded by an awareness of God and an urgency to proclaim the Word of God.
It also seemed that my ministry would be different. It was as if the Lord was telling me that I would be His servant in the trenches, as it were. I was to begin preparing myself for ministry, but He wanted me to be used where He sent me, and that would not necessarily be to an established church.
For years I ministered in places where the US Air Force sent me. It was a thrilling time to see doors open and needs that suddenly appeared. I preached, taught, and made myself available in areas that lacked an established church or minister.
You may be facing a call in your own life. My counsel to you is to wait upon the Lord. Allow Him to reveal the plans He has for you. Do not wait for the established avenues to open up. If God shows you that He is opening a door for you—walk through it!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
