by Pastor Cecil | Jul 31, 2007 | Daily-E-Votionals
Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
As I understand it, there was once a chicken and pig who loved farmer Brown. Their talking led to a plan to honor this man who showed them such attention. In any kind of weather he would always appear to feed and care for them. By mutual agreement, they decided to prepare a fine breakfast for him. The hen said proudly, “I will provide the eggs for the breakfast, and you can provide the ham!” The pig thought for a minute and then replied, “That does not seem fair. Your eggs are nothing but an offering, but my ham would require a supreme sacrifice!”
When we read or hear of religious zealots who throw their lives away in suicide missions, we question, “Why are they doing this?” The answer is simply that they have the mistaken notion that they will gain heaven by dying for their cause. I shudder to think of their first moment in eternity when they find they have been deceived and will spend an eternity in hell.
But what about believers in the Lord Jesus who have been called to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord? It is interesting that Paul calls it “living sacrifices!” In Romans 6:11, Paul says we are to; “- -count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
As we go about our day-to-day activities, how many times do we think in terms of eternity? I think that if we were honest, we would have to confess that our goals and objectives have to do with the things of this world–things which will pass away when we bid this world goodbye. Let me try to apply what Paul has written here–steps which will show that we are paying the cost of discipleship:
1. Consciously offer ourselves to God. “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.” Get all alone where there will be no distractions. Begin by talking openly with the Lord. Tell Him of your love for Him and your desire to be at His disposal. You may even want to hold your hands, palms up, in front of you, as you tell the Lord that you are presenting yourself to Him, to be used by Him in any way He chooses. Ask Him to let you know if you are taking yourself back out of His hands.
2. Recognize that this giving of ourselves to God is the highest form of worship. “- – – which is your spiritual worship.” It is much deeper than singing a hymn, giving an offering, or listening to a powerful sermon. It is the one-on-one time alone with God, in total surrender.
3. Stop conforming to the world. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world.” Boy! That is harder than it sounds. We have become so accommodating of the world’s value system that we seldom realize what we are doing. Ask God to show you the times you are living under the world’s values, not His. As soon as you see what you are doing, stop doing it!!!!
4. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” I remember when my son was young they had “Transformer toys.” As I understand it, there is a new transformer movie as well as toys. A transformer is a small toy, like a car, that you would rotate in such a way that it became a fierce looking robot. That is not the transformation Paul is speaking about. It is the renewing of our mind to know what the good, acceptable and perfect will of God is for us.
We can only pay the price of true discipleship by spending quality time in the Word of God, and making a habit of being in prayer continually. If this sounds strange, it only means that we need to sacrifice ourselves to God. The mind is a fantastic thing. We can be talking with someone, and praying at the same time. We can be reading printed material and talking with God at the same time. We can be doing many necessary tasks, and all the while be speaking with the God we have yielded ourselves to.
Sound interesting? Do you want spiritual power that will change your world? Are you interested in being used by God in all you do and say? Follow the steps that Paul gives us!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing.
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 30, 2007 | Daily-E-Votionals
II Kings 2:13-14
“He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. ‘Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?’ he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.”
I want to quickly dispell any notions that the cloak, or mantle, as it appears the King James Translation, had any magical qualities. That is not the way the Lord works. He is the one who dispenses His power for the purpose He determines is needed at just the right moment. All the same, there is a blessing which can be passed from one saint to another.
Who are our heroes? How committed are we in doing what God has challenged us to do? What will we leave behind us as a legacy for those who follow us?
There are many similar type questions we could add to these three, but you get the general drift. The bottom line is— how dedicated are we to fulfill the “Great Commission” of making disciples all over the world? By the way, the world begins right in front of your nose and leads to where God takes you.
Let me set the stage a little bit on this passage of Scripture from II Kings. Elijah was a mighty prophet of God who had been used to do supernatural things. He had proclaimed that the skies would yield no rain until he commanded it. For some three years there was no rain in the land. (Please, I beg you to turn to the book of I Kings and read chapters 17-18). You will see the powerful prophet he was.
His assistant was Elisha. In II Kings we read about how the mantle of power and ministry passed from the master, Elijah, to his assistant, Elisha. The requirement for Elisha to receive the dynamic authority of the prophet was for him to be present when Elijah was taken.
Elijah did not make it easy on Elisha. He repeatedly told Elisha to stay here or there rather than follow him. Elisha knew that his ultimate responsibility was to be beside his master until the very end. The chariot of fire appeared—Elijah was caught up into heaven and the cloak was now Elisha’s. He was now God’s prophet to serve in Elijah’s place.
It is a sad commentary in our world that we make heroes of people who are so shallow and godless. Their lifestyles are often an affront to public decency, much less spirituality. Just because a person makes millions and has public prominence should not make them a hero.
My own personal desire is to emulate those saints of God who prayerfully call upon the Lord for His touch and direction. I want to receive the cloak of those who love the precious Word of God and obey it explicitly. I want to receive the cloak of those who have a burning concern for the lost sinners around them and watch for every opportunity in which they can share the plan of salvation.
When their cloak falls, I hope I will be following so closely to them that I will be able to pick it up and carry on with their ministry. I want to so live and behave, that when the time arrives for me to leave this world, I will have someone walking beside me to take my cloak of ministry and continue God’s work. The sad thought is that we come to the end and have no ministry or cloak to pass into the hands of another.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing.
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 27, 2007 | Daily-E-Votionals
Exodus 3:10-12
“‘So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.'”
I never cease to be amazed at the rich truth which is to be found in the word of God. I sit down to write one thought, and as I read the Scripture, something quite unexpected explodes. I have read this passage many times, but today something unexpected struck me; “And this will be the sign to you that it is I who sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
Picture Moses standing in front of a burning bush, far out in the desert. It was more than a burning bush; he was standing in the presence of the Lord. Moses is receiving the instructions about his mission in life. Nothing much—he is merely to go back to Egypt (from which he had fled for killing an Egyptian), and tell the man on the throne, Pharaoh, that he is to release over two million of his slaves. RIGHT!
God’s call is seldom easy, nor does He expect us to fully understand it. Obedience and trust in Him are all that matters. Stop and think about what Moses had going for him: He stuttered, he was a man who had killed an Egyptian task-master some forty years earlier, he had been isolated from society for forty years as he tended sheep in the desert and as if that were not enough of a handicap—he was eighty years old. Were these valid excuses? Not when it is God who is calling someone to work for Him.
Several years ago there was a delightful article in one of the area newspapers. It told of a second grade student who was challenged by his teacher in a Christian school. She had been teaching a lesson on giving and had emphasized that it means doing with what you have. To make it more meaningful, the teacher gave each student two envelopes. One envelope had the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-30. The other envelope contained $6.00 that had been given by anonymous donors who wanted each student to use it in a meaningful way to help others.
The second grade students were wonderfully creative in the causes to which they gave their $6.00, but one student, Austin, wanted to help homeless children. He wanted to fill their stomachs with food and their hearts with God’s Word. He made a list: picture books, children’s Bibles and books, bread, cheese, ham, juice – all manner of special treats for those in need.
He went to book stores with his $6.00 and as he told the clerks of his mission, they donated the books and told him to keep the money. He soon had a large bag of books. He went to a grocery market and talked with the manager who took him on a “special shopping spree.” Again he was told to keep his $6.00.
He arrived at the offices of an organization which cares for homeless families. With his bags of books and food, plus his $6.00, it might seem that his task was over. Not so! The director asked Austin if he would like to meet some of the children who would receive the things he had brought for them? He was able to not only meet them, but began to read stories from the books and Bibles which he had delivered. His mother now takes him there each week to read to the children. Only eight and only $6.00! And we make excuses as to why we are not able to serve the Lord?!
God gave Moses a sign to authenticate that it was really God who was sending him. No, it was not the miraculous plagues that Moses called down. It was not the power of his fearless presence before Pharaoh, or the miracles of leading the Israelites across the Red Sea, calling upon God to provide food and water for that mass of people—all of these were spectacular events, but it was not the sign that God was the One who sent him.
The sign was that Moses would return to this very mountain and worship God. We are so guilty of chasing after the signs and wonders, and forget that God’s purpose is to bow humbly before Him and acknowledge that He is Lord. Not our will, but His will be done!
My prayer is that we, like that little eight-year-old boy, will continue to serve the Lord and give of ourselves fully to do the things He calls us to do. But even much more—that we will worship the Lord.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing.
– – – Pastor Cecil
