by Pastor Cecil | Dec 31, 2009 | Psalm
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.”
At least two things strike me each time I consider Psalm 23: First, the mortality rate for all humans is 100%. Isn’t that an amazing bit of truth? I am sure that you are impressed with my grasp of reality. The fact is, however, that many of us seem to forget that reality. As believers we often struggle and fight to hold onto a life that is destined for the grave.
I am not sure how many of you have experienced looking down the barrel of a loaded gun. I had that experience only one time. When I was a police officer, we were chasing a deranged man with a gun. He fired one shot and grazed one officer. As we tackled him I suddenly saw his gun aimed at my forehead. The Lord had more plans for me, so we disarmed him and here I am still serving the Lord.
In Ecclesiastes 3:2, Solomon says that there is a time to be born and a time to die. That fact is a certainty. Far too many Christians hold onto life as if there is no promise of everlasting life with the Lord. When those who know the Lord slip beyond this earthly tent, there is joy unspeakable and full of glory. We need to comfort ourselves with this reality.
The second thing that strikes me about Psalm 23:4 is the word shadow. As I have noted before, shadows always appear larger than the real object. Satan loves to make things appear to be huge and frightening. The promise that the Lord gives us is that He is with us. That being the case, we need not fear.
Are you experiencing fear right now? Trust Him as your personal Savior and Lord and allow Him to fight the battles for you. He is worthy of our trust! Meditate on Proverbs 3:5-6; “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.”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 30, 2009 | Daily-E-Votionals
Jeremiah 2:13
“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
There is an expression that was popular a number of years ago, and it may still be in use for all I know: “It’s the pits!” Generally speaking it implies that things are not going the direction we would like them to go. Have you ever felt that way?
I can relate to that feeling at the moment because of something that happened earlier this afternoon. I have been trying to update some of my files and in doing so I have been shifting from program to program. I had Wednesday’s Daily-E-Votional completed and instead of saving it, I deleted it! That’s the pits!!!
I say that, but at the same time I must confess that such events have always been the work of the Lord. He is in complete control of my life and ministry. What may appear to be a fractured pit has often resulted in ministry beyond my ability.
I recall the story of a young lad that was told to bring water from the spring to the house using two wooden buckets. One of these had a fairly large leak and by the time he would reach the house, most of the water was gone.
Day after day he asked his grandfather for a new bucket or to just take one bucket to the spring, but he refused. After several weeks the boy threw something of a fit and wanted to know why he was required to use the leaky bucket. The old man took the boy by the hand and showed him the path to and from the spring. On the side where the bucket had leaked, there were flowers growing, but on the other side nothing but bare ground.
Perhaps the Lord has sown seeds along our path and our fractured container may be the life giving source that is needed.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 30, 2009 | Jeremiah
Jeremiah 2:13
“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
There is an expression that was popular a number of years ago, and it may still be in use for all I know: “It’s the pits!” Generally speaking it implies that things are not going the direction we would like them to go. Have you ever felt that way?
I can relate to that feeling at the moment because of something that happened earlier this afternoon. I have been trying to update some of my files and in doing so I have been shifting from program to program. I had Wednesday’s Daily-E-Votional completed and instead of saving it, I deleted it! That’s the pits!!!
I say that, but at the same time I must confess that such events have always been the work of the Lord. He is in complete control of my life and ministry. What may appear to be a fractured pit has often resulted in ministry beyond my ability.
I recall the story of a young lad that was told to bring water from the spring to the house using two wooden buckets. One of these had a fairly large leak and by the time he would reach the house, most of the water was gone.
Day after day he asked his grandfather for a new bucket or to just take one bucket to the spring, but he refused. After several weeks the boy threw something of a fit and wanted to know why he was required to use the leaky bucket. The old man took the boy by the hand and showed him the path to and from the spring. On the side where the bucket had leaked, there were flowers growing, but on the other side nothing but bare ground.
Perhaps the Lord has sown seeds along our path and our fractured container may be the life giving source that is needed.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 29, 2009 | John
John 4:14
“But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
In yesterday’s Daily-E-Votional I mentioned that I live in the vicinity of Olympia, Washington, actually in Tumwater, Washington. The area is blessed with many artesian springs that produce clean and pure water from deep underground.
Joyce and I have lived in desert localities where water was hard to come by. Old time ranchers in these areas were always cautious about allowing their livestock to stray too far away from sources of water. To do so could, and would, lead to death.
Spiritually we have a great need of God’s abundant supply of His water of life. You would think that anyone in their right mind would rush to drink eagerly from the well of God’s grace, but it is not that way!
Have you ever wondered why people are so resistant to the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ? I think we have the answer in II Corinthians 4:4; “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
This makes the task of sharing the gospel difficult. We may be able to lead the unbeliever to the well of living water, but we cannot force him or her to drink. The answer is that we can “salt the oats!” Live in such a manner that they will want to have what makes us so blessed. Are you living that way?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 28, 2009 | Jeremiah
Jeremiah 2:13
“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
I was stunned by a news report a few days ago. The report said a poll was made to determine the spiritual view of people in our state (Washington). It revealed that the majority did not consider themselves, religious, or that spiritual values were important. It was a shock, but at the same time it did not take a rocket scientist to be aware of that prevalent attitude.
I am sure that Jeremiah must have observed this same attitude in the people of his day. Today’s Scripture reveals God’s two-fold judgment on wayward believers: They had forsaken God and they had replaced Him with a poor substitute.
It is interesting to compare the two examples the Lord uses: A spring of living water and leaky cisterns. A spring brings forth fresh clean water. We have a perfect example of this in Olympia, Washington where we live.
In the center of town there is a rustic looking fountain that produces pure drinking water twenty four hours a day. Businesses have built up all around it, but in the middle of a parking lot it goes right on flowing fresh water.
Across town there is a catch basin called Yauger Park. In periods of heavy rains it often becomes a lake. But when the rain stops the water drains or evaporates completely. God says that His people have not only built cisterns, but the ones they constructed were broken and could not retain water. I would like to explore this subject in the next few days.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
