by Pastor Cecil | Oct 17, 2007 | Daily-E-Votionals
Isaiah 43:10-12
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
An event occurred in my life that I have rarely mentioned. I am not sure that my dear wife, Joyce, knows about it. More than fifteen years ago I was called before a regional church council. I had been serving a particular church for some time and was being considered for a permanent assignment.
Walking into the meeting I was lighthearted and optimistic. The local church was pleased with my ministry and it seemed to be a perfect fit. The meeting, however, seemed to be more of an inquisition than an interview.
There were no questions asked about my view of Scripture or faith. No one asked about my conversion experience or walk with the Lord. The group was more interested in where I had received my education. I had not attended one of their schools, but one from a sister denomination.
Ah! There it was! The dreaded “D” word–denomination! From the point where they discovered I had not attended one of their schools, the curtain of denomination dropped in front of them. I am not sure how long the interview lasted after that, but my fate was sealed. I was notified by mail that I was not suited.
It is so easy to place barriers between ourselves and others. I am tempted to list some of the things which divide us, but I will leave that for you to contemplate. I would like to take a positive approach and consider the attitudes that will break down barriers and draw us closer to the Lord.
As Christians, we often spend more time fighting with other church groups than taking the battle to the enemy. Someone has called it, “Evangelizing the evangelized.” Even within a particular church it is possible for factions to bicker and contend with other groups within the same church.
By breaking down barriers I do not mean turning away from God’s established truth. In fact, relying totally in God’s Word is the answer. When we spend our time feasting on God’s Word and pouring our heart out to Him, we will find the key to break down the walls of separation.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing.
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 16, 2007 | Daily-E-Votionals
Isaiah 43:10-12
“You are my witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from Me there is no Savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses’ declares the LORD, ‘that I am God.’ “
More and more I feel that I know less and less about the ways of God. There seems to be impossible situations in life that are beyond our comprehension and ability to control. When we pray, God does not always answer in the manner or in the timing that we would expect. Does that mean that God is unfair? No! It simply means that we cannot put God in the bottle of our own understanding.
God says that we are to be witnesses of His mighty presence, but so many time we are consumed with the gods of this world—money, jobs, prestige, family, church, sports, recreation, etc.—that we do not experience the presence and power of God Himself.
It is interesting that the list of man-made gods that I have just mentioned may be good things, even necessary things, but they can begin to control us in such a manner that God is pushed out of our life.
Knowing God and experiencing God is so fundamental to spiritual maturity that words fail to explain or describe the process. God has always desired that we as His children, know Him and enjoy Him. The problem with “things” in our life, is that they frequently separate us from our God.
Great care must be taken to spend quality time with God. It is only as we spend time with Him that we will be able to observe how He is working in our lives. In our flurry of activities, we can become so involved in other things that we do not see how God works. We pray for a particular matter, but quite often forget what we had prayed for; so when God answers, we fail to recognize the answer and Give Him the glory.
I have shared this with you before, but it is worth sharing again. Years ago we had a Prayer Chain Captain by the name of Blanche Laird. She was a dedicated prayer warrior of the highest order. Not only would she fervently pray for each prayer request as she passed it on to other members, but she would document the date and time of the request in a Prayer Notebook. In a separate column Blanche would record the time and manner in which the prayer was answered.
One day Blanche went to the Post Office and inadvertently left her Prayer Notebook on the counter. She was aghast to arrive at home and find it missing. She called the Post Office but nothing had been turned in at the counter. Blanche immediately took the matter to the Lord in prayer.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch so-to-speak, a young woman from a law office had gone to pick up the mail. She had accidentally also picked up the “Prayer Notebook.” My wife, Joyce, was working in the same office at the time. The young woman asked Joyce if she knew a Blanche Laird? Joyce replied that she did and that Blanche was the Prayer Chain captain at our church.
That young woman was stunned to read the requests and especially that almost all of them had a notation as to when and how the prayer had been answered. In that moment in time, she knew that there is a God in heaven who not only hears when we pray, but He answers! Do you?
How strong is our faith? Do we believe God enough to bring all of our needs and concerns to Him and then watch carefully as He demonstrates His plan and purpose? May we be doers of His Word, not simply hearers!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing.
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 15, 2007 | Daily-E-Votionals
Isaiah 55:1-2
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.”
We were at the home of some friends one evening. The husband of one of the couples was asked about his trip to the mountains to get “free” firewood. (I think it was his wife who cynically requested it.)
John began to tell about his wood gathering ordeal over the past three years. The first year he had such a heavy load that it destroyed the transmission on his pick-up. The cost to repair was astronomical! Last year he was using the chain saw to cut the wood into links when it slipped and tore into his leg. Again the cost was astronomical and also painful!
This year seemed to be different. He made it all the way home to his yard with a full load of “free” firewood and no costly accidents. He got out and removed his chain saw before backing up to the wood pile. As he got back into the pick-up and started backing up, he heard a crunch and bang. He got out to see what it was and discovered that he had run over his chain saw (ruining it) and also had blown one of his brand new tires. (But it was “free” firewood!). We laughed ourselves silly listening to his tale of woes.
I think we can all relate to his ordeal in trying to get something “free.” Very often when we embark on such as things as wood gathering, hunting trips or fishing expeditions, we might bring something home but it usually far from being “free.” More often than not, it costs far more than if we had purchased it.
Since that evening of laughter, I have thought about how in a similar fashion some people seek after a “free” spiritual experience. Now while salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ is freely given, it certainly is not “free.” It was not “free” for the Lord and it is not “free” for those who come to Him. What is the cost of becoming Christ’s disciples? Everything!
There are some who try to earn salvation by actions. They seem to have the idea that if they do some good deed it will qualify them for heaven. Perhaps we have all heard stories about St. Peter standing at the gates of heaven looking over the list of good and bad things a person has done. More good than bad?–they get in. More bad than good?–they are on their way to hell. Beeep!! Wrong answer!
It is not our good deeds which will determine our eternal destiny. It is whether or not our name is recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Our name is recorded there when we confess our sins and invite the Lord Jesus to come into our life and be our Savior and Lord.
God does not simply want our possessions, but our very life. He demands all of us. Can we meet all of those expectations? Hardly! Consider what the apostle Paul says about the matter of commitment in Philippians 3:13-14: “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
God’s “free” gift of eternal life is worth the price we have to pay. “Only one life, t’will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last!”
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing.
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 12, 2007 | Daily-E-Votionals
Psalm 89:11-13
“The heavens are Yours, and Yours also the earth; You founded the world and all that is in it. You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at Your name. Your arm is endued with power; Your hand is strong, Your right hand exalted.”
It was a warm summer afternoon on the Washougal River in Washington, not far from where it feeds into the mighty Columbia. A group from our church had gone on a swimming party. I was probably seven or eight at the time. I really do not remember much about the party other than my near drowning.
I had waded into a little deeper water than I should and found myself being pushed along by the current. I knew I was in trouble and began to pray and call for help. I just didn’t think anyone could get to me in time. As my feet were moving along the bottom of the river, I felt a root from a tree. It was off the bottom just enough for my foot to slip under and stop my being swept away.
An adult had heard my calls for help and was quickly beside me. His hand was huge as he reached out to me. I grasped it and was soon safe on shore.
I hope you are more and more impressed by God’s mighty power. Every time you feel His touch or experience His nearness—realize that there is no power in the universe, or beyond for that matter, that compares to the power that is in His mighty right hand.
In Scripture, the word “hand” is generally given to signify strength and power. The phrase “right hand” signifies even more power. When we read in Scripture that Jesus is seated at the “right hand” of the Father in glory, we are to understand that He sits in the seat of power.
When the Lord spoke to John the words that became the Book of Revelation, Jesus presented Himself as the One who has power and dominion. John, who was so very close to Jesus when Jesus was here on earth, was struck down by the awesome sight of the glorified Jesus.
In Revelation 1:17-18, we read words that demonstrate the power of our Lord; “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then He placed his RIGHT HAND [emphasis added] on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.’ “
Stop for a moment and just ponder on the tremendous power that our Lord possesses. When we pray, it is not to some hollow, man-made idol. It is not to some god formed in the minds of men. No! We serve the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
What is your greatest need right now. Please do not be too quick to respond. Do not fall into the habit of thinking of those things that are related only to our physical existence. What are your needs in relation to eternity? Remember this: “Only one life, twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last!”
With that thought running through your mind, what is your greatest need in life? What will enable you to not only be prepared for eternity yourself, but to enable others to be there also?
Several years ago I met with a family who just lost their husband and father. In the midst of the grief there was joy. I discovered the deceased man, Jerry, had an intimate relationship with the Lord and was ready to go and be with Him forever. Jerry’s thoughts at the end were not for himself, but for those he would leave behind.
Jerry’s wife, Laurie, shared with me that the day Jerry died, they had been reading from Psalm 118. Let me just share with you the last three verses that Jerry read—Psalm 118:17-19: “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. The LORD has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness, I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.”
I am not sure that Jerry or Laurie realized that the verse before, verse 15, is the very middle verse in the entire Bible. It relates to our reason for joy and confidence and amazingly, it speaks of God’s mighty “right hand”; “Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of righteous: The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!” Praise the Lord! His mighty hand gives us victory in all things!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing.
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 11, 2007 | Daily-E-Votionals
Hebrews 1:1-3a
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.”
As you read the words of today’s Scripture, you will see the fact that God has spoken to people all across the ages. He has done this in many different ways. In the Book of Revelation, chapters two and three, we have the letters which the Lord gave to the churches. There is one phrase that strikes me as being appropriate, “He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The problem with mankind in general, is that they have not been willing or interested in what God had to say to them. We find this to be the case in our modern world as well. We are too busy or too locked on to pursuits to hear the most vital message in the universe. It is the static of life.
It is a paradox that scientists have erected huge and expensive solar arrays to listen to outer space for some message from beyond our own world. To hear the racket on their devices you hear only static. Any form of break in the pattern of static sends them into an ecstasy of hope.
The reality is that we have heard repeated messages from beyond our universe. It is the voice of God Himself who has desperately attempted to speak to His creation. But the man-made static in our life has prevented us from hearing.
As we read the pages of God’s Word, we discover how God has appeared to prophets in the past. As you think about it, only those who were close enough to the prophets could hear their message. So they began to record the words of the Lord on parchments. These became our precious Bible.
God was so determined that man hear His Word, that as John says in John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” How fantastic is the love of God for us that He would send His own dear Son in order to speak to us! Not only that, but the Son sent the Holy Spirit to be with us at all times and to bring the words of God to our mind, just when we need them.
So we have this precious Word of God readily available to us, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit who lives in the hearts of those who have been born again – – what is our excuse? Why the static?
The static is there because we have placed a higher priority on other things. We selectively listen to God. That is, we take a very brief time each day (more like once in a blue moon) to read God’s Word, hear a sermon, sing a hymn, and then it’s back to the static.
Oh that we may begin to realize what is essential in our life! Oh that we would begin to enjoy the words which the Lord desires to share with us! The more time we spend with Him, the less static interferes with the communication. Isn’t that strange? It’s as if Jesus died in order to talk with us. He did!!!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing.
– – – Pastor Cecil
