by Pastor Cecil | Jan 15, 2010 | Job
Job 1:20-21
“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.'”
What does the date 9/11/01 mean to you? That’s right—it was the day hundreds of innocent people died in the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. On December 26, 2004, the Indian Ocean earthquake produced a massive tsunami that killed over 230,000 people. Today we are being made aware of a terrible earthquake in Haiti that will no doubt result in thousands of deaths.
It does not require a major catastrophe to make us feel like we have been struck with a sledge-hammer blow. The loss of a loved one, report of failing health, being out of work, suffering financially or any number of personal trials can drive us to seek someone who cares.
The old Negro spiritual Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, has been sung for centuries by those who are making their journey through “the Valley of the Shadow of Death.” Once again we can almost hear them cry out to God in the midst of their pain and agony. They cried out to God who was the One who knew their troubles.
“Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen”
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Nobody knows my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Glory hallelujah
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Nobody knows my, my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Glory hallelujah
Sometimes I’m up and sometimes I’m down
Oh, yes Lord
You know sometimes almost to the ground
Oh, oh yes Lord
Still, nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Nobody, nobody knows my, my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Glory hallelujah
If you get there before I do
Oh, oh yes Lord
Don’t forget to tell all my friends I’m comin’ too
Whoa, oh yes Lord
Still, nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Nobody knows my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble that I’ve seen
Glory hall- hallelujah
To access Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/nobodyknows in your browser or click on the image below.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
P.S. – Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends. They’ll appreciate the encouragement.
P.P.S. – You can find previous E-Votionals covering a variety of Scriptures and topics to help you in your walk with the Lord at www.Daily-E-Votional.com.
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 14, 2010 | Philippians
Philippians 4:12
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
When I was pastor of a church in Burns, Oregon, over 30 years ago, I was intrigued by the wild-west influence of the area. One picture that still stands out in my mind, were the brush or branch fences that could be seen in some of the rural areas. It was hard to imagine the tremendous labor required to construct them. I can almost hear the huge sigh of relief when the final piece was woven in and the job was done. No barbed wire available, but do with what you have!
The Lord has given us the rich blessing of serving Him. At times we do not have the most modern equipment, so we make do with what is at hand:
- If we have a Bible — share it.
- If we have a testimony (we better have) — share it.
- If we have a piece of bread — share it.
- If we have an encouraging word — share it.
True contentment is resting in the knowledge that we have done the job as best we know how. Paul was looking back on the days of his service to the Lord where there had been days of victory and days of defeat; but he had learned a secret that each of us needs to learn—how to be content!
If you are not feeling content, it may be that you are trying to do work the Lord has not called you to do. You may be doing for Him in order to gain His approval. It is important to remember that He is only pleased when we simply listen when He calls and do what He says to do. So easy to say, but seemingly so hard to do!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 13, 2010 | Matthew
Matthew 6:12-15
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one . . . For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
“I asked for John to forgive me and he has not spoken to me since. That’s what I get for trying to make things right between us. He knows how much more guilty he is than I am, so he can just forget thinking I will speak to him again!”
Please read the above paragraph once more. You may or may not have had a similar reaction when you asked someone to forgive you. I want to stress the fact that you may be feeling that you are more the victim than the offender. That being the case, you no doubt are reluctant about asking Mr. 98% to forgive you, instead of him asking you for forgiveness.
I was attending a Basic Life Seminar many years ago and heard Bill Gothard speak about this very area. I was impressed by the wisdom of his teaching on asking others to forgive you. He mentioned wrong wording and right wording.
Wrong wording: 1. “You know, John, we both have been at fault in this matter, but I want to ask your forgiveness for my part.” Beep! You can just imagine how John is going to react to that! That is a sure way to cause bitter feelings. 2. “John, if you feel that I have done something wrong, I want you to forgive me.” In both instances there is a question that you are sincerely sorry for your actions.
Godly actions and right wording: 1. Pray sincerely and ask the Lord to show you how you have been at fault. Ask the Lord to forgive you before you ask the one you offended to forgive you. 2. Word your apology something like this: “John, the Lord has revealed to me that I was wrong in _________. I am truly sorry for what I have done. I have come to ask you to please forgive me.
Remember, you feel that John is 98% wrong in what he has done, but leave that in the hands of the Lord. Allow the Holy Spirit to do the work of bringing John to the place of seeking restoration.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 12, 2010 | Matthew
Matthew 18:21-22
“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’ ”
I have been trying to think of the most unforgiveable act someone could commit against you. The murder of a loved one? A sexual assault? The theft of one’s life savings? Being left paralyzed by a drunk driver? Any of these events would rank high on the list of things that would be hard to forgive.
Have you ever been a victim? No, I do not necessarily mean that a crime has been committed against you (although that may be the case), but that words or actions have caused you pain or discomfort. Are you able to sincerely forgive that person?
How do you go about forgiving a person that seems to be unforgiveable? I immediately think that the first step is to ask God for the wisdom and strength to know how to forgive. Most often we want to wait until the offender asks us to forgive them. That should not be the case. We need to forgive our offenders even if they never express regret and ask to be forgiven.
One of the critical steps in forgiveness is to search our hearts to determine if there was something we did or said that contributed to the offense. If there is, we need to deal with that issue. Let’s presume that we determine that we are responsible for 2% of the incident and the other party 98%. It is essential that we have a clear conscience for our 2%, so we need to ask Mr. 98% to please forgive us. Ouch! I will talk more about this tomorrow.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 11, 2010 | Matthew
Matthew 6:12-15
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
How do you undo the terrible damage you have done to another person by your actions? What words can you say that will make horrible wrongs right again? How can you restore wholeness to a person that has been victimized by your actions?
You may speak words that express your regret for past actions, but that does not mean those you have wronged will be willing to receive your apology. It certainly does not mean that you should not express those words of regret, but be prepared for some of your victims to spurn you.
Making amends for past transgressions to another person physically, financially or emotionally may be difficult, if not impossible. The only thing you are responsible for is making the sincere attempt to express your godly sorrow for your former actions.
Part of making amends is making a complete change in your life. Let’s say that you have asked for forgiveness as best you are able, but the response from the other person is negative. That does not allow you to become bitter and return to your former manner of life. It is the time to trust in the Lord and allow Him to show others that you have truly changed. That is the best way to make amends!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
