OUR TRUE HOPE​!

Psalm 42:5 – Devotional

Psalm 42:5

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

Do you ever talk to yourself? How many times have you done something that causes pain and start asking why you did something so stupid? When you come to a particularly difficult situation, do you encourage yourself with a few words of encouragement?

The more hopeless a situation appears, the more we need to place our HOPE in the Lord. It is important for us to understand that there will be situations in life that will strike us like a bolt of lightning. The question is how do we respond when everything seems hopeless?

The man who penned the words of this Psalm must have been experiencing a frustrating situation. He even repeats the same words of verse 5 in verse 11. Even while facing a depressing time in his life, he had enough sense to talk to himself about the reality of God being in control.

How about you? Are you ready to talk some sense into your head? Do not let the grind of life keep you from calling upon the Lord. There is HOPE dear friend, and that hope is Jesus Christ who gives us the victory!

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

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NO FEAR OF SHADOWS!

Psalm 23:4 – Devotional

Psalm 23:4

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will have no fear of evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff comfort me.”

I have experienced the walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Many years ago I was being examined by a cardiologist when he suddenly asked if there was anyone in the waiting area that could drive me to the hospital. My wife drove me and within a few hours I had endured heart by-pass surgery. Yeah! Only try it if you require it!

Enduring my own surgery and recovery period was nothing compared to holding watch as my oldest daughter and years later, my beloved wife slip free of the bonds of this sin-sick world into the loving arms of the Lord who loved them with a love far greater than my capacity to love.

If you have walked through, or about to walk through the valley of death, remember that for we believers it is just the shadow of death. When we accepted Jesus as our Savior we passed from death to life. We need have no fear of death for we have received eternal life through Him! Praise the Lord!

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

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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.

JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE​!

Psalm 23:4 – Devotional

Psalm 23:4

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.“

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

I walked close to my wife for 62 years before she went to be with the Lord in 2015. Even though she is no longer close to me, she is now experiencing a closer walk with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Death often casts a huge shadow, but it should hold no fear for the child of God. In 2 Corinthians 5:8 the Apostle Paul reminds us that for the believer, “- – to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” Death is our doorway into eternity. How fantastic!

As we consider the words of today’s hymn we should make it our prayer request. It should be our desire to walk closer to the Lord than ever before. It should not be just a one time thing, but it should be our fervent desire to walk closer to Him with each and every passing day.

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

Just A Closer Walk With Thee

I am weak, but Thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long; As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Through this world of toil and snares, If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares? None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

When my feeble life is o’er, Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er, To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

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

CLICK HERE to watch the Just a Closer Walk With Thee video devotional.

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

– – – Pastor Cecil

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BORN SINNERS​!

Psalm 56:5 – Devotional

Psalm 56:5

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”

In my photo collection is a small black and white photo. It is a little creased, wrinkled and faded (so am I). It is a photograph of me at about the age of four. I am dressed in shorts and casual shirt, standing on a wooden porch.

Even after so many decades I still remember that porch. I had slipped a butcher knife out of the kitchen drawer and sat on the porch whittling away on a piece of wood. Mom saw me and yelled for me to get that knife back in the house. I said I would, but I didn’t. After the second warning I quietly took the knife back in kitchen and then returned to the porch. I took a piece of shingle that was about the same size as the knife and acted like I was still carving.

Suddenly the cloud descended and my mother’s wrath poured down on me. I acted innocent and showed her that it was just a piece of shingle and I was doing nothing wrong. I was wrong and the seat of my pants felt the wrath of my mother whom I should have obeyed.

Even as adults we may try to act innocent when we sin, but in our heart of hearts we know that we have sinned and need forgiveness. Rather than to continue whittling away, we need to confess our sin and receive newness of life.

Blessings dear heart! 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.

THE FLOWER OF AFFLICTION​​​​​​!

Psalm 119:71-72 – Devotional

Psalm 119:71-72

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver.”

Across the years of my life I have experienced affliction. I know what it is to lose health, wealth and most of all precious family members who have gone to be with the Lord. Loss is a fact of humanity that will linger all through our life.

While loss is a certainty that we will encounter, how we respond to the particular afflictions is up to us. We can howl and moan, making everyone around us miserable, or we can allow the seed of affliction grow into the flower God intends for us to produce.

Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane to produce the flower of life to all who receive His gift. We need to recognize the reality that we have the privilege to spread the bouquet of His blessing with those around us.

My prayer is continually that the Lord will use me. I want the obstacles I encounter in His garden to become stepping stones leading to beautiful flowers that are produced in the midst of suffering and affliction! Walk in His garden with joy!

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 DailyEvotional emails 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 ME AND LEAD ME​​​​​​!

Psalm 139:23-24 – Devotional

Psalm 139:23-24

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

When I was a juvenile probation officer (ages ago), I frequently asked my probationers if they knew anything about reports of their misdeeds. Their response was frequently; “Search me?” That is not the message the Psalmist intends.

The Psalmist is sincerely asking the Lord to give him a heart examination to reveal the hidden issues that would cause a conflict between him and his Lord. He even asks the Lord to test him and try him. That means turning up the heat! Ouch!

We need that openness in our own prayer life in which we yield our innermost being to the Great Heart Specialist (the Lord) who knows the thoughts and intents of our heart.

After our heart examination we are to seek the leadership of the Lord for our life. Are we doing that? Are we so committed to the Lord that we will do what He says and go where He leads? I want that for my life.

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 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.