PRAY BEFORE YOU SPEAK!

James 3:8 – Devotional

James 3:8

“No one can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

Back in the 1950’s I was attending college and also working as the Juvenile Probation Officer for the county. The Juvenile Court Judge was a wise old veteran of the early days in the area.

I remember one of his favorite nuggets of ironic wisdom that he was usually quick to speak when someone did or said something foolish: “That man (or woman) is so foolish that when they speak, they subtract from the sum total of human intelligence!”

Do you know anyone like that? On a more personal note, do you sometimes realize that you fit the description yourself? I think we all can recall times when we would have been wiser to remained silent – – after we spoke rashly. I know I have!

One thing I have attempted to do (I need to do it more often) is to pray quick and silent prayers for the Lord to give me the right words – – before I say something. That moment of silent appeal to the Lord, yields wisdom that is from above and usually is healing rather than harmful. May the Lord tame our tongue and allow the words of our mouth to heal rather than to hurt.

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.

TRUE FAITH IS ALIVE!

James 2:22 – Devotional

James 2:2

“Faith working together with Abraham’s actions produced the confidence in the Lord that resulted in his being approved by God. His faith was alive!”

When our children were about one year old they seemed to burst with joy by being able to stand on their own two feet while holding onto a chair or something just as solid. It may even be an adults hand, but it gave them confidence to stand.

Spiritually we are called by the Lord to grow spiritually in order to be able to take steps on our own and then to grow stronger and stronger. The ultimate goal for the follower of Christ is to bring others to faith in Christ and/or to teach them to walk.

How are we doing? More precisely, how are you doing in that regard? Are you faithfully walking on your own with your hand clutching the Lord’s hand? Is your walk with the Lord demonstrating that you are becoming more like Him?

True faith that is alive, will increasingly take on Christ-like characteristics. Pause long enough in your crazy life to examine your walk with the Lord. True faith in the Lord will lead us to increasingly be more and more like 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.

LET YOUR FAITH BE SEEN!

James 2:20 – Devotional

James 2:20

“I want you to know, O foolish person, that faith without works is dead!”

We may not be called by God to pastor a congregation, or lead an area wide crusade, or write an exhaustive commentary, BUT – we as believers are called to live in such a way that Jesus may be seen in us!

I have frequently repeated a phrase I heard many years ago; “I would rather SEE a sermon lived out on in a daily walk rather than hear one preached out with a flurry of words from a pulpit.

This is not to say that preaching and sharing the Life Giving Gospel of Jesus Christ is not essential, it is! The point I want to stress is that our message of life-giving faith in Christ must be accompanied by our yielded life in Christ.

It reminds me of a phrase from a favorite hymn we used to sing frequently. “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me!” Are we allowing the beauty of Jesus to shine brightly in our life? I pray that we are!

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.

SAVING FAITH!

James 2:14 – Devotional

James 2:14

“What does it profit, my brothers and sisters, though a person say they have faith, and do not have works? Can just saying they have faith save them?”

In my storage bank of childhood memories I recall playground disputes that arose when someone would boast about what they were able to accomplish. Perhaps you also can recall such confrontations. Often the conflict would end when the one making the boast would be confronted with: “Put up or shut up!”

Perhaps you would not be guilty of such vulgar talk, but I must confess that I seem to feel that attitude when I listen to people, great or small who make loud boasts, but never seem to live up to their own boasting.

Now I want to be quick to state that we never attain eternal salvation as a result of our good works, but being born-again must of necessity display works of righteousness.

If your walk with the Lord is not exemplified by a life that reflects His image, you need to check your spiritual birth certificate. Are you truly in possession of saving faith? It is only to be attained by being born again! Read John 3:16 and make it your own!

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.

GOD’S ROYAL LAW!

James 2:8 – Devotional

James 2:8

“If you truly fulfill the royal law as it appears in Scripture ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well.”

In today’s Scripture, James quotes from Leviticus 19:18 in the Old Testament. It reminds me that the writers of the New Testament were serious students of what Old Testament writers had penned.

In the days in which James lived and penned the book which bears his name, it was no simple task to search the Scriptures. In our modern world we have so many printed and electronic sources to God’s Word that we often take it for granted.

Every time we read the words of Scripture we need to pause and thank our precious Lord that He has given us words of life and vitality. We never should feel as if we are weak and anemic in the spiritual sense.

God’s Royal Law is ours to possess and appropriate in living our life for Him. Never feel that you have nothing to offer others. Share the truth you discover in the Bible with someone near you. It will bring new life to you and the one you bless with the Word!

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.

DO NOT HAVE FAVORITES!

James 2:1 – Devotional

James 2:1

“Brothers and sisters, do not hold the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of glory, with partiality.”

I have seen families, clubs, Bible study groups, and even churches decimated because favoritism was shown to one or more of the members. Sometimes this has been unintentional, but at other times it was totally intended.

There is a commercial being aired at present where a young boy and girl were choosing who would be on their team. The choices were a retired professional athlete and another young boy. The girl who selected first chose the professional.

Now let us suddenly change the rules of that commercial and make the competition one of mathematic ability rather than professional sport. The young boy just happens to be a genius in math and the pro athlete flunked beginning arithmetic. Now who would have the edge?

Sadly it is very easy to fall into the trap of showing partiality. We should always treat those around us with the love that Jesus has shown to us. As He has so loved and given Himself for us, we need to love and give ourselves to the world through 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.