IF!

Proverbs 3:5-8 – Devotional

Proverbs 3:5-8

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.”

“If”! Such a tiny little word, yet one which holds so much meaning. It is a conditional word that often implies being a little reluctant to respond until certain conditions are met. I will do this or that “if” you meet my expectations, demands or in some way make me feel comfortable.

It is a sad commentary that we often bargain with God by attaching an “if” to our obedience. In doing so, we place ourselves in a position of control. Instead of saying, “Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done”, as Jesus prayed in the garden, but our telling God what to do and when to do it.

Just recently someone forwarded the following inspirational piece. It explains a little of the reason for God’s actions and reveals why we do not always see His hand at work in our life.

GOD SAID…

If you never felt pain, then how would you know that I’m a Healer?
If you never went through difficulties, how would you know that I’m a Deliverer?
If you never had a trial, how could you call yourself an overcomer?
If you never felt sadness, how would you know that I’m a Comforter?
If you never made a mistake, how would you know that I’m forgiving?
If you knew it all, how would you know that I will answer your questions?
If you were never in trouble, how would you know that I will come to your rescue?
If you never were broken, then how would you know that I can make you whole?
If you never had a problem, how would you know that I can solve them?
If you never had any suffering, then how would you know what Jesus went through?
If you never went through the fire, then how would you become pure?
If I gave you all things, how would you appreciate them?
If I never corrected you, how would you know that I love you?
If you had all power, then how would you learn to depend on Me?
If your life was perfect, then what would you need Me for?

THANK YOU, GOD! HELP ME TO REMEMBER!

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of Monday, April 20, 2026, we have a $1,525 need for April 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s DailyEvotional emails by clicking on the Subscribe button below.

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen
Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.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.

THE RIGHT PURSUIT!

Proverbs 21:21 – Devotional

Proverbs 21:21

“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.”

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

P.S. – Thanks for partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of Saturday, February 22, 2026, we have a $1,655 need for February 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s DailyEvotional emails by clicking on the Subscribe button below.

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen
Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.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.

ACCEPT AND KNOW!

Proverbs 2:1-5 – Devotional

Proverbs 2:1-5

“My son, if you accept My words and store up My commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

Years ago I heard a humorous story of a city dweller who failed to follow directions and ultimately found himself on a country road, hopelessly lost, having no idea where he was. He saw a farm hand working in a field, got out of his car and walked up to the fence, motioning to the farm hand to come over. He asked directions to his destination, but he farmer didn’t know. He then asked how to get back to the main road. Again the farm hand was not able to tell him.

The traveler was enraged and frustrated that the farm was so dense. He flailed his arms in the air and said, “You are the most infuriating and stupid man I have ever met!” The farm merely shrugged and replied, “That may be true, but I am not the one who is lost.”

Sometimes it is easy to put on a façade of spirituality that is not based on fact. The bottom line is that we often lack the wisdom God has promised. In today’s Scripture, Solomon gives the key to true wisdom.

There are two words that I would like us to focus on: “ACCEPT” and “STORE.” It may be helpful to use the computer as an example. When you read this DailyEvotional on the screen, we can relate that to “accepting” the message. You read it, delete it, and it is gone.

However, there may be a DailyEvotional that really hits home and you do not want to lose it; so instead of deleting it, you “save” it. That relates to the word “store” in today’s Scripture.

What is the difference? We may “ACCEPT” and enjoy reading a passage of Scripture. (If you are like me, your forgetting is better than your recalling. I can’t remember all of the things I’ve forgotten.)

How do we “STORE” the precious Word of God? MEMORIZE! How do we memorize? Repetition! Isaiah 28:10: “For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there.”

One of the best ways to memorize is to use 3×5 cards. Write the passage of Scripture you want to memorize on the cards. Take the cards with you and, at every opportunity, read and re-read–try to recite from memory until you get the passage firmly in your mind.

I have had people look forward to traffic delays or red lights since it gave them time to go over the memory work. That is the way we “STORE” God’s Word in our heart, available to use as the Holy Spirit directs.

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for your generosity and partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of Wednesday, February 18, 2026, we have a $1,803 need for February 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s DailyEvotional emails by clicking on the Subscribe button below.

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen

Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.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.

OBEY THE SIGNS!

Proverbs 16:25 – Devotional

Proverbs 16:25

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.“

One time I noticed a young woman slouched over speaking into a cell phone. My eyes were drawn to the sign that she was leaning against. It read: DEAD END STREET.

Wow! That hit me like a ton of bricks. How many times do we see people around us who are living on a dead-end street? We also can face many dead-end streets in our own life.

Even though there are caution signs, all too often people fail to ignore the warning signs and suddenly come to a sudden and catastrophic stop at the end. Warning signs are the time to either turn around or collide.

We may listen to the sweet enticement to seek the pleasures of sin, but to do so will inevitably lead us onto a dead-end street. Sad! Sad! The bitter wail!

But there is an option. If we find ourselves on a dead-end street, we need to immediately make a U-turn. In Scripture we find that U-turn described by one word…REPENTANCE! If you are on a dead-end street, repent as soon as possible. When I was a teen we had an expression: “TURN! DON’T BURN!”

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for your generosity and partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of Monday, January 19, 2026, we have a $1,869 need for January 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s DailyEvotional emails by clicking on the Subscribe button below.

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen

Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.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.

UNHOLY GOSSIP!

Proverbs 18:8 – Devotional

Proverbs 18:8

“The words of a gossip are like tasty treats, and go down into the inner body.“

Three ministers were fishing, but having no luck. To break the monotony one of them suggested that they might feel better if they secretly confessed their greatest sin to be held in strict confidence. The first minister confessed that his secret sin was alcohol consumption. The second confessed that he was a secret gambler. The third remained quiet until the first two pressured him to confess. He finally blurted out, “I am a gossip and I can hardly wait to get back to shore!”

In almost every segment of society there is the problem of gossip…and contrary to the old stereotype it is not just women either. If you doubt it, just listen in at a men’s morning coffee klatch and you will discover the truth that men are gossips.

I wish that gossip was not to be found in our church circles but, sad to say, that is not the case. Gossips in the church sometimes feel they are being protectors of holiness, when in fact they erode the foundation of trust and confidence.

What damage are your words causing? Are you building up the body of Christ by the things you share with others? Are you committed to always give a good report about others? Speak the good openly and pray for the sinful silently. Give no cause for the enemy to use our tongues to do his work.

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for your generosity and partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of Wednesday, January 7, 2026, we have a $1,880 need for January 2026 (was $2,000). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s DailyEvotional emails by clicking on the Subscribe button below.

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen

Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.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.

TRUE RICHES​!​​

Proverbs 3:13-14 – Devotional

Proverbs 3:13-14

“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; for her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold.“

It seems that many people spend their entire life chasing after the riches of this world. The sad reality is that they never find the satisfaction that the things of this world promises but never delivers. The tragic reality is revealed by the large number of suicides among those who seemingly have it all.

I have known a few wealthy people throughout the days of my life and most of them seem to be miserable. They keep friends and family at a distance since they are convinced that the only reason they want to be close is to receive something of value. That is too often the case.

This passage in Proverbs is speaking of spiritual wisdom and understanding. He points out that the “stuff” of this world, even though it glitters like gold, never brings lasting satisfaction. In fact there is only fleeting pleasure to be gained.

The true riches that God promises are the result of discovering His wisdom and understanding. At best, the things of this world offer fleeting pleasure. At their worst they bring sadness and death. Choose TRUE RICHES FROM GOD!

Blessings dear hearts walk with God today and be a blessing!

– – – Pastor Cecil

P.S. – Thanks for partnering with us to help spread the Good News–Please CLICK HERE or on the Donate Button below if you feel led to help us financially with Pastor Cecil’s ministry. As of Wednesday, December 10, 2025, we have a $1,860.00 need for December 2025 (was $2,000.00). To read about how the money is used, please go to https://DailyEvotional.com/donations/

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s DailyEvotional emails by clicking on the Subscribe button below.

You can share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

Enjoy the Song of the Week below created by Russ Hansen

Please send him your feedback at inspiration@thegoodbookcompany.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.