CARRIED BY ANGELS!

Luke 16:22 – Devotional

Luke 16:22

“So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.”

God has messengers that are referred to as angels in scripture. It seems that one of their assignments is to lovingly carry the spiritual bodies of the saints into the Paradise of God. Here in the Gospel of Luke it is described as Abraham’s bosom.

For those who are not born-again believers, they receive no such escort. Their remains are simply carried out and buried. But that is not the end is it? They are still very much aware of their surroundings. In Luke 16 the righteous beggar was now in the most glorious surroundings and his suffering had eternally ended. He would be with his Lord forever and ever.

The rich man also was still conscious of his surroundings — a place of suffering where he not only experienced pain, but observed that the beggar he had treated with such contempt on earth was experiencing eternal bliss.

We need to be aware that there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. Those around us are destined to one or the other. Now is the time to make every effort to snatch the perishing from that place of eternal suffering. Do it now!

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.

DRAW ME NEARER!

Luke 15:19-20 – Devotional

Luke 15:19-20

“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

One of my most pleasurable jobs as a pastor is helping families restore broken relationships. I once was called upon to officiate at a funeral service. The son of the deceased told me that he had not spoken to his sister for years and wanted me to reconcile them before the service. Right! Just like that!

Less than an hour before the service I met with the two and their families. Each of them had children, spouses and others on their side. This son and his family were on one side of the aisle and his sister and her family on the other side. I had prayed for just the right words. I just started reading a Scripture. To this day cannot recall what I used. I had just finished reading when the brother stood and walked across the aisle and hugged his sister. The two families merged with great joy.

Fanny J. Crosby lived from 1820 to 1915. This remarkable lady never let problems keep her away from the Lord. Her blindness as an infant meant that she spent her entire life without physical sight, but was blessed with a keen spiritual sight.

When she was only eight years old she wrote the following poem: Oh, what a happy child I am, although I cannot see! I am resolved that in this world contented I will be! How many blessings I enjoy that other people do not! So weep or sigh because I am blind, I cannot – nor I will not. The hymn, Draw Me Nearer expresses her desire to draw nearer to her blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Draw Me Nearer

1. I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith And be closer drawn to Thee.

Refrain: Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.

2. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, And my will be lost in Thine.

Refrain: Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.

3. Oh, the pure delight of a single hour, That before Thy throne I spend, When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God, I commune as friend with friend!

Refrain: Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.

4. There are depths of love that I cannot know, Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach, Till I rest in peace with Thee.

Refrain: Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.

To access Draw Me Nearer, go to: https://gloryscapes.com/drawmenearer/

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.

BE STANDOUT DOERS!

Luke 6:28 – Devotional

Luke 6:28

“Bless the ones who curse you and pray for the ones who hurt you.”

It is honorable to do good to those around us. We can probably recall times when we exchanged gifts and pleasantries with friends and co-workers. The sun shone and the birds sang. What a wonderful world!

Back to reality! Life is not usually lived in such glorious conditions. More often we find ourselves in disputes and conflicts that seem to arise from nowhere. Actually we know where their source comes from. The enemy of our souls has determined to make God’s children miserable. He uses his weapons of hate and deceit to cause strife and division.

As born-again believers of Christ, we have been delivered from the curse of eternal punishment, but that does not mean we will not be subject to the attacks of the enemy of our souls. Satan wants us to believe that he is in control, but Christ won the battle on the cross and we can live in victory!

The Lord wants us to be more than survivors. He wants us to cross life’s finish line with our hands raised in victory. The Lord wants us to be standout doers that have the grace to love those who hurt us by their words and actions. The Lord wants us to be standout doers of His will and of His way!

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.

WE CAN KNOW!

Luke 12:56 – Devotional

Luke 12:56

“You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?”

Meteorologists are sometimes able to predict the path of storms long before they actually arrive. Teams of experts study data collected from a multitude of sources in order to predict potential threats of violent weather such as hurricanes and tornadoes. This information can be used to help those in the path of storms to take shelter and minimize risk.

Jesus seemed to have something like this in mind when He spoke about people knowing how to predict weather patterns, but failing to understand what is happening in fulfillment of the prophecy given in God’s Word.

In Matthew 24, Jesus gives us over twenty signs that mark His second coming. If we go and read that chapter we will find a description of what is happening in our world at the present time.

So what does this mean to us? It means that there is a lost and dying world around us facing an eternity in hell unless they repent and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Let us be faithful to rescue as many as possible.

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.

AN OPEN INVITATION!

Luke 15:31 – Devotional

Luke 15:31

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all I have is yours.’”

I love the parables of Jesus. They have taught me so much. Jesus did not spend His earthly ministry teaching the spiritually elite, although He amazed them when He was in the Temple at twelve years of age. His ministry was to share the good news of hope with the common people.

It seems to be very evident that His parable of the Prodigal Son was given to encourage those who had lost their way and that there was a Father waiting to welcome them home with rejoicing.

I know that the Lord is waiting with open arms to receive the discouraged and down-hearted prodigal. It makes me want to shout: What a mighty God we serve! I mean that with all my heart and soul.

It is my desire to always strive to be used by our Heavenly Father to cheerfully welcome home those who wake up and realize that they would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

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.

A LIGHT AND GLORY!

Luke 2:30-32 –  Devotional

Luke 2:30-32

“Lord, now allow Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word: For mine eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Your people Israel.”

Listen to today’s Message of the Week by Pastor Cecil 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 Daily E-Votional 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.