by Pastor Cecil | Feb 27, 2010 | 2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This is a special issue of the Daily-E-Votional. I hope you are able to go to this website and view the powerful message. While it is directed at the US, it has equal value for those of you in other nations.
IN GOD WE TRUST
This is tremendous! Be sure to bring up the video. Wish that it could be presented to every Church congregation as soon as possible!
A very beautiful presentation of the truth!
When the screen fills up with words, then the words tumble to the bottom and new words start up again at the top of the screen. Very nice!
http://www.greatdanepro.com/Pray%20For%20America/index.htm
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
360-570-0074
PastorCecil@Daily-E-Votional.com
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 26, 2010 | Philippians
Philippians 4:2-3
“I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”
Canadian James D. Black lived from 1856 to 1938. He was a dedicated Christian who had a concern for the souls of others. He taught a Sunday-School class and was always looking for young people to invite to his class.
One young girl came from a very poor family. Her father was a heavy drinker who wasted what little money there was on his liquor. Mr. Black invited her to attend church with his family. Sometimes the class roll was called and as each name was read the student would recite a Bible verse. When it came time for this young woman’s name to be called, she did not know any verses so she could be counted.
James Black went home following the service and began to meditate on how horrible it would be to have your name missing from the Lamb’s Book of Life. He wanted to be absolutely sure his name would be called.
Over the next few days he began to put words to music and composed words and music to this week’s featured hymn from GloryScapes.com.
“When the Roll is Called Up Yonder“
When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound,
and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright, and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather
over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Refrain:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.
On that bright and cloudless morning
when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of His resurrection share;
When His chosen ones shall gather
to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Refrain:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.
Let us labor for the Master
from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;
Then, when all of life is over,
and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Refrain:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.
To access When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/whentherolliscalledupyonder 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
360-570-0074
PastorCecil@Daily-E-Votional.com
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 25, 2010 | Hebrews
Hebrews 13:1-3
“Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
How would you act if an angel came to your door? How about an itinerant preacher you encounter on the street? It may be a clerk, policeman, meter reader, repairman ― as a matter of fact it could be anyone. Would you be able to discern if any or all of these may be angels?
In Scripture we read that from time to time angels appear to humans. There have been reports in our modern era of encounters with angelic beings. Personally I have never had this experience, and I believe it is safe to say that most of you have never had one either.
In Genesis chapter 18, we read that Abraham was visited by three men. As it turns out, two of the men were angels and the third was Jesus Himself. It was one of the rare instances where Jesus visited the earth in human form prior to His birth in Bethlehem.
Abraham’s reaction to the visitors was to leap to his feet and greet them. He opened his heart and home to them and insured that they received nourishment. Hospitality was shown before he became aware of who they were. In giving them water and food he entertained angels (and the Lord) unawares. That is what today’s Scripture from Hebrews 13 says we may experience.
The bottom line is that we are called to be the friendliest and most gracious people on the face of the earth. People should see Jesus in the way we reach out and make people feel welcome. There are scores of lonely people who are starving for hospitality. Are you and I willing to open our hearts to them? Remember ― it may be an angel calling!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 24, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 37:7
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
I have prayed for patience and God has graciously answered by sending me trying situations that demand that I wait. It is at times like these that I question whether it is a good idea to pray for patience ― it is! The problem as I see it, is that some of us have the idea that the answer to our prayer is for God to take away the thorny situations of life. Beep! It doesn’t work that way.
Job was the most righteous man on earth. He also was extremely wealthy. He also was blessed with a large family of seven sons and three daughters. It must have been in a matter of ten minutes that word came to him that he had lost his wealth, and that all ten of his children had been killed by a windstorm.
As I think about the character quality of patience, I am reminded that Job’s reaction to this horrific news was what defined patience. In response to this life altering news, he 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.”
Patience is giving God permission to take as long as it takes to bring about His perfect will. It is His will, not our will. It means that we learn to rest in Him and trust ourselves into His control. In essence it says, “Not my will but Thine be done!” 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 | Feb 23, 2010 | Luke
Luke 13:34
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”
I just received the latest issue of my “Grit” magazine — in the first few pages I found a story a reader had submitted about a pet llama named Molly. It seems that Molly had not been on the farm very long when she began to mother other animals. One of these was a little brown hen who was old and had a hard time walking. Molly would carry the hen around on her back and even allowed the hen to roost on her back all night long.
It reminds me of the character quality of Gentleness. This character quality is demonstrated by being more concerned about the needs of others than for oneself. It is seen when someone goes out of their way to respond in a godly manner to the needs of others.
As I mentioned yesterday, in Numbers 12:3, Moses was described by the Lord as being the most humble man on the face of the earth. In addition, Moses had the character quality of Gentleness.
When you read in the book of Exodus about how the people of Israel were murmuring, it would have been easy for him to leave them in the hands of an angry God. Instead, like Molly the Llama, he took special care to meet their needs and even bore them on his back.
Here is the important question: In what way are you being Molly the Llama to those around you? Do you have any little brown hens that are weak and frail and who need to be carried on your back? Remember that character qualities are developed by actions. DO IT!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
