SUFFERING!

Philippians 1:12 – Devotional

Philippians 1:12

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.”

Eleven years ago, in February 2011, I was lying in a hospital bed attached to tubes and gadgets that emitted strange beeping sounds all around; I had just undergone triple by-pass heart surgery. Lying there helpless, I recall thinking I needed to be about the work of the Lord. Why am I here? Does God know what He is doing?

Yes! God did know what He was doing, and the lessons I learned during that medical emergency remain with me today. God places us in difficult situations to give us the opportunity to shine brightly with His love and grace.

The apostle Paul was one of the greatest champions of the faith the world has ever known. We might be tempted to feel that God would make the way easier for such a faithful servant. Instead, Paul endured beating, stoning, lashing, shipwreck, and imprisonment in prison after prison. In fact, he wrote the letter to the Philippians from a prison cell.

We need to look around us and use our circumstances to be a good witness for Jesus. Do others see Jesus in you when you suffer?!

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.

BE OTHERS MINDED!

Philippians 2:3 – Devotional

Philippians 2:3

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself.”

If someone asked you to describe who you were, what would you say? Without using titles, educational degrees or financial standing, what are the qualities that describe you? What makes you the person you are?

In today’s Scripture Paul boldly suggests that some people do good works for selfish motives. Their objective is to accomplish things so people will think highly of them. If they are not appreciated they feel that they are failures.

Others feel if they attain a particular objective, they would have arrived. It usually is only a short period of time before they realize that “arriving” is not what they had expected. It only left them feeling empty.

Paul gives the solution to the problem. BE OTHERS MINDED! Make it our aim to consider others more important than our self. It often will involve doing for others who will never be able to return the favor. Now is the time for self examination. “Who are you?” Are you doing acts of righteousness only to please the Lord or in order to gratify yourself?

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.

THINGS THAT MATTER!

Philippians 3:13-14 –  Devotional

Philippians 3:13-14

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

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.

SEE YOU IN HEAVEN!

Philippians 1:21 – Devotional

Philippians 1:21

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

What is your attitude concerning our eternal home? I fear that all too many people live in a world of make-believe when it comes to making sure where they will spend eternity. It seems strange that people eagerly accept the idea of aliens from outer space, but scoff at the necessity of being born-again.

What a wonderful consolation it is for those of us who have repented and been born-again believers to know what is waiting for us. Heaven is a place and hell is also a place.

In order to arrive at the gates of hell it is not necessary to do anything. We are born in sin and that is our condemned condition unless we confess the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and invite Him into our heart.

When we stand beside the bedside of a loved one who is a believer, we can rest in the knowledge that there will be a great reunion when we all get to heaven. As we struggle through this vale of tears we can encourage those ready to meet the Lord with the words, “See you in heaven!” What wonderful comfort!

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.

RELAX AND GIVE THANKS!

Philippians 4:6 –  Devotional

Philippians 4:6​

“Do not be covered with anxiety about your situation, but in every detail of your life, with prayer and supplication, with thanks in your heart, let your requests be lifted to God.”

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.

KNOW CHRIST FULLY!

Philippians 3:10​ –  Devotional

Philippians 3:10

“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.”

I have always enjoyed the song, “Because He Lives” written and performed by Bill and Gloria Gaither. As I recall it starts out like this: “God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus; He came to love, heal and forgive. He lived and died to buy my pardon, an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!”

Thank God we serve a Savior who is alive. 1. He always was alive! 2. He is alive right now making intercession for us. 3. He will always be alive as we spend eternity praising Him for His wonderful love!

Since Jesus has provided us with resurrection life, how should we then live? Paul gives us the answer in Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

We are not saved by doing good, but the fruit of resurrection life is seeing the good and doing it. It means doing good to the very ones who have hurt us in some way. The Christ filled life is seeing life as Jesus sees it. Ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?” Then do it!

Blessings dear heart! Walk with God today and be a blessing!

– – – Pastor Cecil

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.