by Pastor Cecil | Dec 17, 2008 | Psalm
Psalm 103:1-2, 4b
“Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. “Crowns you with love and compassion.”
Back in the day—way back in the day—when Joyce and I were high school seniors, Joyce was crowned Homecoming Queen. I can still picture her sitting in the gymnasium on a makeshift throne along with her court. The crown on her head signified that she had been voted Queen.
The position carried no monetary rewards and on the following Monday the other students did not bow to her. She was just the same Joyce Harper as she had been before the celebration.
There is a beautiful reminder in today’s Scripture of what we are to praise Him for. The Lord: “Crowns you with love and compassion.”
We are in short supply of love and mercy (compassion) in our present day world. It seems more and more that we live in a dog-eat-dog world. Even Christians seem to be caught up in the struggle to get ahead regardless of the needs of others.
My sweet “Homecoming Queen” might have surrendered her crown after that night so long ago, but she has received a far greater crown from the Lord. She has the qualities of love and mercy as a gift from God.
Across more than fifty-six years as my wife I have basked in her love and mercy, I can encourage people and help those who come to me for help, but this “Queen” of mine far surpasses me in sensing hurting people and responding in a quiet manner to bring compassionate love.
In Matthew 5:7, Jesus gave this beautiful Beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” That is such a comfort to each of us. We may feel that we do not have the gifts and talents of others, but each of us can love and show loving concern for others.
As I sit here trying to comprehend the words God would have me write, my mind is thrust into the love chapter of the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Paul defines love this way: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” Does that describe you?
Praise God that He is the One who crowns us with love and mercy!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 16, 2008 | Daily-E-Votionals, Psalm
Psalm 103:1-2
“Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”
Sunday morning as our church fellowship gathered, I asked a question that has been running through my mind for several days. Rather than being in the form of a direct question, it is posing a situation that demands a little imagination.
Suppose someone gifted you with a cash gift of $10,000. Try to think of what your reaction would be. What would be your attitude toward the one who gave you the money? Would you have a feeling of elation?
Now—while keeping that thought in mind—imagine what you reaction would be if you learned that the same person who had given you this wonderful gift had just given your neighbor $20,000. What would you feel toward the neighbor? What would you feel toward the one who had been so generous? Interesting isn’t it?
For the remainder of this week I would like to explore Psalm 103. We are instructed to exercise ultimate praise toward God. The Psalmist then mentions at least four things that we are to praise God for. Today I would like for us to consider the matter of forgiveness and healing. In verse 3 He reminds us that the Lord forgives all our sins and heals all of our diseases.
Anytime I consider the concept of God’s forgiveness I immediately think of 1 John 1:8-9: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
That is a fantastic promise, but it also has a dire warning. Anytime we deny that we have sinned we are deceiving ourselves and deny the truth of God’s Word. Without an acknowledgement of our sins and confessing them before the Lord there can be no forgiveness. When we bow before the Lord and confess each and every transgression, He has promised to forgive and heal.
I wonder how many people are experiencing health problems because we have failed to forgive those who have offended us in some manner. In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul suggests that failing to confess sins has even led to death.
Years ago I read a fascinating book by Dr. S. I. McMilan called, None of These Diseases. As I recall he mentioned almost 100 diseases that can directly be related to an unforgiving spirit.
We need to forgive others and praise the Lord in the process. If we desire God to heal us from the inside out there is no other way other than doing what His Word commands. Are you praising the Lord for His forgiveness and for giving you the grace to forgive others?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 15, 2008 | 2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 5:5-6
“Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.”
Have you ever been away from home at Christmas time? Back in 1966 I was away from family and home as I served an unaccompanied tour with the US Air Force in St. Anthony, Newfoundland.
I made many wonderful friends and had a wonderfully warm and secure room. The meals were well prepared and from all outward appearances I should not have lacked anything—but it wasn’t home!
One Sunday evening a few days before Christmas, I was invited to the home of the administrator of the mission hospital in St. Anthony. There were doctors and nurses from all over the world. We shared testimonies and sang Christmas carols.
When we sang “Silent Night” someone suggested that those from other nations sing it in their own language. As they sang in their native tongue, tears would flow freely down their cheeks. There was joy in the room, but something vital was missing—we were all far from home.
Recently I watched a TV documentary on the construction of a new and modern airline terminal. The man who was responsible for the décor of the large atrium made this statement: “People would not want to live in a museum, but they would like to live in a garden.”
It made me stop and meditate on his statement. I think he was wrong—people may have the most appealing location for a house, but that does not make a home. It is not the location of a house or even its luxury that brings joy—it is what is on the inside.
The same is true for true believers. As the words of the old gospel song say; “This world is not my home, I’m just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heavens open door and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
We may not feel totally at home in this world, but the Lord has work for us to do. I think Paul says it best in 2 Corinthians 5:6-9: “Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
Check out our website at: www.daily-e-votional.com
NOTE: “If you’re looking for inspirational Christmas gifts, please consider GloryScapes.com. Russ & Janelle Hansen, a husband & wife team from Centralia, WA, have put together 9 different inspirational DVD video programs that offer beautiful hymns for music, Scriptures or hymn lyrics, nature sounds, and beautiful video scenes that combine for a truly inspirational viewing experience. Russ helps me send out my Daily-E-Votionals to all of you and updates the Daily-E-Votional.com web site on a regular basis.”
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 12, 2008 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
My cousin used to minister as a song evangelist going from church to church across the country with a preaching evangelist. He relates that one such preacher began the first service by asking if anyone had ever stolen anything—even as small as a pencil? Everyone raised their hand. He next asked who had ever told a lie—even stretching the truth? Again every hand was raised.
The evangelist turned to the pastor of the church and said: “Pastor, I am sure glad I am here to preach to this crowd. You have a church full of thieves and liars!”
In today’s Scripture, Paul speaks about temptation. He goes so far as to say that any temptation you may encounter has been experienced by others. That is not to say that it is excusable, but it reveals that we all have a sinful nature.
It is interesting that immediately following the statement about temptations being a common affliction to all mankind, Paul says: “God is faithful.” What a fantastic statement. We may experience the lure of temptation, but “God is faithful.”
God is faithful in so many ways that it is hard to speak of only one, but that is what I want to do: “He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
In the book of Genesis we read about Joseph being tempted by Potiphar’s wife. Joseph sought the way out of the situation by avoiding her advances and evading any contact with her.
You know the story about how she falsely accused him and he was confined to the prison. Let me tell you something—the prison was a place of escape. Joseph was protected from this lecherous woman by the mighty hand of God. It may have seemed punishment, but it was God’s protection.
Rather than becoming bitter by his false imprisonment, Joseph honed the organizational skills that God would use to raise him up to a position that was second in authority in all of Egypt. Even when it seemed that God had forgotten him, God was faithful!
You may feel as if the situations of life are crushing you down. You may experience the temptation to become bitter because someone you trusted has betrayed you. I have a solemn word of warning for you—watch out that you do not develop an unforgiving spirit.
Those who have cheated you have their own confessing to do, but your own battle is with the temptation to develop an unforgiving spirit. I trust that God will be your way of escape.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
NOTE: “If you’re looking for inspirational Christmas gifts, please consider GloryScapes.com. Russ & Janelle Hansen, a husband & wife team from Centralia, WA, have put together 9 different inspirational DVD video programs that offer beautiful hymns for music, Scriptures or hymn lyrics, nature sounds, and beautiful video scenes that combine for a truly inspirational viewing experience. Russ helps me send out my Daily-E-Votionals to all of you and updates the Daily-E-Votional.com web site on a regular basis.”
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 11, 2008 | Romans
Romans 8:35-39
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Years ago—when we were newlyweds, a new pastor was called as the senior pastor of our church. On his first Sunday he spoke of his joy at becoming the new pastor and wanted to introduce his family to the congregation. As the family came to the platform, he started to introduce them beginning with his youngest son. As he reached out to place his hand on the boy’s head, the boy ducked and put his hand up as if he was about to be struck. It was quite some time before the laughter subsided enough for the rest of the family to be introduced.
Sadly we all too often react to God in that same manner, expecting to be struck at any moment. The love of God is so far beyond our human concept of love that we lack words to describe that love poured out in our behalf. I really feel pity for those believers who seem to go through life in a spiritual crouch, waiting for God to strike.
Many people dread the time when we are all destined to appear before the Lord God. That is why it is so very critical that our sins are covered by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We are reminded of the symbol of this in the Passover which preceded the release of the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt. They were commanded to take an unblemished lamb, kill it, and apply the blood to the doorposts of their houses. That was the only way of escaping the plague of the death of the firstborn.
Without the blood of Jesus applied to the doorposts of our hearts, there is no salvation. We can do countless good works but that will not save us or make us fit for heaven. It is only by confessing our sins and receiving Him into our hearts that His blood covers us and protects us.
While I cannot understand this, I fully accept it by faith since the Bible says it is so. With that in mind, we who have had our sins covered by the blood of Jesus do not have to fear the judgment of God. He looks down and sees only the blood of His dear Son, applied to our life.
One of the most precious hymns ever written was one by F. M. Lehman in 1917. It is called The Love of God. The third and final verse of this hymn was not written by Mr. Lehman. It is reported that the words were found scrawled on the walls of an insane asylum. They are perhaps the most sane words that mankind could ever write:
“Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry,
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
though stretched from sky to sky.”
CHORUS:
“O LOVE OF GOD, HOW RICH AND PURE!
HOW MEASURELESS AND STRONG!
IT SHALL FOR EVERMORE ENDURE,
THE SAINTS’ AND ANGELS’ SONG.”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
