GOD’S GRACE IS AMAZING​​!

John 1:14-16 – Devotional

John 1:14-16

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning Him. He cries out, saying, ‘This was He of whom I said, [He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.] ‘From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.'”

Back in the dim dark ages of my past I recall reading or hearing the expression: “There ain’t no free lunch!” Wow! What a profound statement—even if it’s not grammatically correct. This fact is true in virtually every area of our life including the spiritual realm.

In this age of quick fixes and shortcuts, it is far too easy to become takers instead of workers. It is especially sad to read in the news that lazy and worthless criminals have stolen from someone who had worked long and hard to earn the items that had been taken.

Some children (of all ages) make a habit of living off the hard work of their parents. When asked to do something in return, they are deeply offended that such a thing should be asked of them. When I hear such stories I wonder if it was a pattern that had been fostered from early childhood.

Now that I have offended both parents and children, let me redirect the focus to Christians. It becomes very easy to mistake the word “grace” as something that is free. In a way it is certainly that. We read in Ephesians 2:8-9, that it is by God’s grace that we are saved: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

There is nothing that we can do to earn our salvation. We could work 24 hours a day, seven days a week trying to do good works, but it would never accomplish our salvation. It is only by the shed blood of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ that we are cleansed from our sins and become born again believers.

One of my favorite singing groups is Ponder, Harp and Jennings. One of my favorite songs is; “There’s No Other Word for Grace.” Here are the words:

“There’s No Other Word for Grace”

“Red, can’t explain the beauty of the rose;
and white can’t tell the magic in the air when it snows.
Marvelous can’t half convey, the grace of the King.
The only word for grace is amazing!

“There’s no other word for grace but amazing,
no other explanation will do.
Unmerited favor the song that I sing—
no other word for grace but amazing!

“The Father looked beyond the failures I had made;
He didn’t notice all the times that I had not obeyed.
He overlooked all the scars from the sin I had in me,
and the grace that He showed still amazes me.

“There’s no other word for grace but amazing,
no other explanation will do.
Unmerited favor the song that I sing—
no other word for grace but amazing!”

What more can I say? The enemy of our souls tries to deceive us into thinking that there are many paths to salvation. Satan uses sincere people to preach that it really does not matter what you believe, just so long as you are sincere. It is tragic that people who buy into this lie are risking an eternity in hell by not following the only true way to salvation.

Listen to these chilling words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’”

God’s grace is amazing! It cost Jesus to become the sacrificial Lamb for our sins. It also requires being born again—from death to everlasting life! Not knowing about Him, but knowing Him!

Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.

– – – Pastor Cecil

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THERE IS A FOUNTAIN​​​!

John 4:13-14 – Devotional

John 4:13-14

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’“

Not only is Olympia, Washington, the State Capitol, but there is also another significant claim to fame. In the 400 block of 4th Avenue is an artesian well. People are able to fill containers of this pure cool water. It is a fountain flowing freely.

The composer of this week’s hymn is William Cowper. He was born in England in the year 1731. He suffered many personal losses during his early years that caused him much mental anguish. Loss after loss of those that were close brought him to the brink of despair.

Through all of his ordeals the Lord kept drawing him. He finally received Jesus as his personal Savior and began writing hymns and poetry. It is fascinating that he lived in a small house just behind the home of his pastor, John Newton, who wrote the wonderful hymn, Amazing Grace. Thank the Lord for the fountain of redeeming blood that cleanses us from all of our sin.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

THERE IS A FOUNTAIN

There is a fountain filled with blood
drawn from Immanuel’s veins
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he
Wash all my sins away

Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God
Are saved, to sin no more
For since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply
Redeeming love has been my theme
and shall be till I die

When this poor lisping,
stammering tongue
Lies silent in the grave
Then in a nobler, sweeter song
I’ll sing thy power to save

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

To access the free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: https://gloryscapes.com/thereisafountain/

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

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KEPT FROM EVIL!

John 17:15 – Devotional

John 17:15

“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You would keep them from the evil of the world.”

It literally sends chills up and down my spine to understand that Jesus actually prayed for each and every believer! As we read the words of this beautiful prayer of our Lord, it is awesome to remember that He has each of us written in the palm of His hand. Accept this mighty prayer in your behalf.

Jesus could have easily taken all of His disciples with Him when He ascended into heaven. He didn’t! Jesus had a plan and purpose for the disciples of His day as well as the believers of all ages.

Read today’s Scripture once more. Jesus has a plan and purpose for each believer. Some have been called to endure suffering and sacrifice, others a life of plenty in which to give to the work of ministry.

Things change rapidly and we will never know from moment to moment whether we will live or die for the Lord. There is one thing we can know for certain; He has prayed this prayer for you knowing every moment of your life. What are you doing for Him?

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

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DEATH TO LIFE!

John 12:24-25 – Devotional

John 12:24-25

“Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.”

You may have heard the story of a young girl with a rare blood type who was dying of kidney failure. After checking with various family members. ONLY HER BROTHER WAS A MATCH to donate one of his kidneys that would allow his sister to live.

The doctors asked him if he was willing to donate his kidney and he bravely replied that he was. As the day for the transplant surgery drew near, the boy became quieter and more introspective. He would enter the operating room first so the doctors could remove one of his kidneys before transplanting it into his sister.

As the young boy lay on the operating table, the doctor asked him if he was ready. He said that he was but he had one question: “Doctor, how long before I die?”

This brave little brother had not understood that he had two kidneys and that both he and his sister would be able to live normal lives after the transplant surgery.

This poignant story is especially meaningful to me since our granddaughter Jenna donated one of her kidneys to save the life of our youngest daughter, her aunt Lori. (Some of you may recall that Jenna’s mother was our daughter Brenda, who died when she was only 35.)

Jesus came into the world to die!

He did not come to save His life, but to offer it as a sacrifice that all who will may receive eternal life.

JESUS OFFERS US THE ULTIMATE TRANSPLANT.

Our old sin-sick heart replaced by a new heart and a new life. What a wonderful gift!

New life in Christ, abundant and free! RECEIVE IT!

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.

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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.

LET THERE BE PEACE!

John 14:27 – Devotional

John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Have you ever had people return from a trip and comment that God was with them and they had no trouble coming or going? Does that imply that if something had gone wrong that God was not with them? That’s something to think about, isn’t it?

I have had trips where I encountered unexpected difficulties. I didn’t relish those difficult times, but I could see the hand of God working. Pain and turmoil does not necessarily mean that God is not using us.

Job went through tremendous suffering and pain. The loss of all of his children, his wealth, and his health did not mean that God was not using him. Job has become the example for all of us that in the midst of the pain God is at work.

Joseph was another shining example of enduring pain for the sake of the Lord. Cast into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and forgotten in prison was God’s way of placing him where he needed to be. When things go rough in our life we need not fear that God has forgotten us. Find His peace and live!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

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LORD, YOU KNOW BEST!

John 14:1​ – Devotional

John 14:1

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

D. L. Moody tells a heart warming story/lesson that his young daughter learned and in turn he did too . . .

“One of the sweetest lessons that I have learned since I have been in Christ’s school is just to be submissive, and let him choose for me. I tell him what I want, but when I get through, I like to say, “Now, Lord, You know best, Thy will be done.”

I learned a lesson once from my little girl. She was always teasing me for a great big doll. She had a lot of dolls around the house without heads, some without arms, some without legs, but she wanted a great big doll.

You know if a man has an only daughter he is rather soft and they find it out … so she was determined to get that big doll. One day I had a good streak come over me, and I took her to a toy shop to get her a doll, but as we went in the door she saw a basket of little China dolls. “Oh Papa, isn’t that the cutest little doll you ever saw?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Well, won’t you buy it?”

“Well, now, Emma, let me choose this time.”

“Oh, no, Papa; I just want this little doll.”

I paid a nickel for the doll and took her home.

After the newness had worn off, the doll was left with all the others.

I said, “Emma, do you know what I was going to do that day when I took you into the toy shop, and you selected that little China doll?”

“No, Papa.”

“Well, I was going to buy you one of those great big ones.”

“You were? Why didn’t you do it?”

“Because you wouldn’t let me. You remember that you wanted that little doll, and you would have it.”

The little thing saw the point, and she bit her lips and did not say anything more. From that day to this I cannot get her to say what she wants. When I was going to Europe the last time, I asked her what she wanted me to bring her, and she said, “Anything you like.”

It is far better to let God choose for us then to choose for ourselves. “Thy will, not mine, be done.”

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

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