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Philippians 4:6-7 – Devotional

Philippians 4:6-7

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

I was taught to always say please and thank you. Have I always done that? No! To my shame I have at times fallen short of that aim. Even so, my desire is to strive toward the goal of living a life of thanks and praise.

LISTEN! Rejoicing is not an option, but rather an imperative. We are to be a people who rejoice! That means to get a smile on our face. You might have the joy of Jesus down in your heart, but you had better let your face know about it. That is what others will see.

You know what comes to my mind right now? I see the saints of God across the ages who had the joy and rejoicing in their hearts, even during times of deep distress. They rejoiced even as the flames consumed them, or the lions devoured them, or the soldiers of the enemy slew them with the sword.

Were their prayers heard? I believe they were. I believe they are with all of the departed saints of God right now, experiencing utter joy. “It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, and the half has never yet been told!”

Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be 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.

A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE!

Philippians 1:21 – Devotional

Philippians 1:21

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

You may have heard the following thought-provoking illustration. Supposedly a teacher stood before her and class and extended her arm holding a glass of water. She asked the students to guess how much it weighed. The guesses ranged from 12 ounces to 24 ounces.

The teacher smiled and said the “weight” depends on how long you hold it. If you hold it for two moments it is very light. If you hold it for two hours it becomes heavier. If you hold it for 10 hours it becomes an unbearable burden.

The Apostle Paul carried many burdens in his ministry. The burdens he bore were for the sake of Christ. He had purpose in his life! He did not bear burdens just for the sake of suffering, but for presenting the message of salvation. His real purpose was to live for Christ in everything he did.

Many people carry burdens that God never intended them to carry. In doing so, they lack the purpose that God intends for his children. Many times it seems that heaven is so close that we can almost reach out and touch it. No matter how anxious we are to be with the Lord, our real purpose must be to serve Him with all of our might. My prayer is that you will have a Christ oriented purpose in your life.

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.

ABOUND IN LOVE!

Philippians 1:9​ –  Devotional

Philippians 1:9

“I pray that your love may abound increasingly in all knowledge and discernment.”

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.

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.

GRACE AND PEACE!

Philippians 1:2 – Devotional

Philippians 1:2

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

In a world that increasingly is filled with turmoil, strife and blatant sinfulness, we need to discover a place in which to amerce ourselves in that which is sacred and holy. That place is in the sure haven of God’s Word.

It seems that celebrates in our modern culture feel that they are the ones determining our acceptable conduct. That conduct is increasingly crude and an affront to what God desires for His people.

I may seem to be a prude, but I refuse to spend my time watching the godless programs that the major networks spew into the world. Whether I am labeled a prude or not does not matter one iota to me. I would rather have the peace of God than anything this world can offer.

I want to always be remembered as a simple servant of the Lord who was used in a simple way to simply hold fast to the never changing Word of the Lord. Heaven and earth may pass away, but the Word of God is always the same; yesterday, today and forever!

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.

WHAT REALLY MATTERS?

Philippians 3:7 – Devotional

Philippians 3:7

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.”

There are many burial sites in Egypt left by the former mighty rulers of that ancient nation. Most of these self-proclaimed gods or goddesses wanted to be buried with masses of gold and precious stones that were meant to provide for their afterlife. In the majority of cases, however, tomb robbers discovered the burial sites and plundered everything of value.

We may shake our heads at the foolish idea that we can take anything with us when we depart this life. In Job 1:21 that righteous man gives us wonderful words of wisdom: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there.”

Jesus shared the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, and we see that the rich man had absolutely nothing of this world’s goods with him — not even a drop of cool water. That should warn us against relying on the things of this world.

What should really capture our efforts are the things that will last for eternity. The more we devote ourselves to the things of God, the more we will find the love and joy He promises to His children that He cherishes. That is what really matters!

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.

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.