by Pastor Cecil | Aug 24, 2010 | Philippians
Philippians 2:4
“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Sunday morning I was preparing to leave the house for church. We have been spending several weeks focusing on the life of David. Today I was leading our people to consider everything that David had lost when Saul’s maniac spirit caused him to flee for his life.
David lost his spiritual leader (Samuel), his wife, his cherished friend, his position, his dignity ― let’s face it, he lost it all. All around us are people who, like David have hit rock bottom. They need someone to rally around them and rescue them. With that in mind I jotted the following thoughts:
WHAT IF . . . ?
What if I had no pain?
I could not relate to those who are in agony.
What if I had riches untold?
I could not relate to those in abject poverty.
What if I was always cheerful and happy?
I could not weep with those in the valley of despair.
What if I was always loved by everyone?
I could not relate to those who are unloved and rejected.
What if I had never lost a loved one?
I could not relate to the one who had just lost the light of their life.
What if I had full use of my eyesight?
I could not relate to one who had never seen.
What if I was well and strong with full use of my arms and legs?
I could not relate to someone who is maimed and crippled.
LORD, PLEASE EMPTY ME OF MYSELF SO THAT YOU, AND YOU ALONE, CAN USE ME EVEN WITH MY INABILITY TO BREAK DOWN THE WALLS THAT SEPARATE ME FROM THOSE WHO NEED SOMEONE SO BAD. AMEN
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 | Aug 23, 2010 | Joshua
Joshua 1:8
“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
A few days ago I had an interesting conversation with a brother-in-Christ, Mike Keller. By the way, Mike and his wife Suzette are the parents of Anna Dugger who is married to the oldest Dugger, Josh of 19 Kids and Counting.
Mike and Suzette, as well as their children have a prison ministry. Each week they visit prison after prison in northern Florida where they distribute gospel tracts and personally share with the inmates which are brought into the visiting area. (Last week there were over fifteen that professed faith in Jesus Christ as Savior).
But there was that other girl! She was vile, profane and repeatedly used the Lord’s name in vain. She proudly announced to Mike that she was an atheist and proud of it. In his quiet and gentle manner, Mike asked her this question: “I can see that you are above average in intelligence and can understand what is going on. If there is no God, as you claim, why are you using His name in profanity? By your own profanity you admit there really is a God.” She was silent.
There are many people around us who seem to be proud of their rejection of God and Jesus Christ as the only provision for salvation. I pray that God will give us wisdom in speaking and acting. May we behave in such a manner that the Holy Spirit will draw these lost sinners to receive God’s greatest gift, eternal life through Jesus Christ.
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 | Aug 20, 2010 | Isaiah
Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
I recall listening to a sermon tape by Donald Grey Barnhouse many years ago. He told of how he had just completed a meeting many miles from his home in Philadelphia, when he was given a telegram that his son had been in a serious accident and was near death.
Travel at that time was by rail and as Dr. Barnhouse entered his sleeper, his spirit was greatly disturbed. He knew that it would be hours before his train arrived back home and that there was nothing he could do but leave his son in God’s hands.
As he prayed, he recalled a phrase from Isaiah 65:25, ” . . . but dust will be the serpent’s food.” He prayed for the Lord to feed the serpent his dust and to give him a good night’s rest. The next thing he knew the porter was touching his shoulder to tell him that they were nearing Philadelphia. The Lord had answered his prayer.
If you have been having trouble getting to sleep at night, ask the Lord to give you His blessed rest and to feed the serpent dust.
“To You Before the Close of Day“
To you before the close of day,
Creator of the world we pray!
Your grace and peace to us allow,
And be our guard and keeper now.
From evil dreams defend our sight,
From all the terrors of the night.
From all deluding thoughts that creep,
On heedless minds disarmed by sleep.
O Father, this we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Your only Son.
Who with the Holy Spirit and with You,
Shall live and reign all ages through. Amen.
To access To You Before the Close of Day, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/toyoubeforethecloseofday 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 | Aug 19, 2010 | Luke
Luke 12:15
“Then He said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ ”
Back when I served as a Juvenile Probation Officer, the court processed three teenage girls and the judge sentenced them to the Juvenile Correction Center which was several hundred miles away from us. My wife Joyce and I were selected to transport them to their new “home.”
These girls were well known to the police in our area. They called them “The Gazelles” since they were so fast and had run from law enforcement officers many times. When they were delivered to the car they each were handcuffed and had shackles on their legs. It was a heartbreaking sight.
On the edge of town I turned and faced the three girls who looked so downhearted in the back seat. I asked them if they would promise not to run if I removed the cuffs and shackles. I told them that Joyce and I would like to travel like a family instead of a prison bus. They eagerly promised and we had a fantastic trip.
One of the girls made a sobering comment in response to my question; “What does your dad think about you getting into trouble?” Her response was, “My dad doesn’t love me enough to even care!”
About twenty years later we ran into the girl who had made that statement. She had turned her life around and thanked us for believing in them when no one else did. Our oldest daughter had just passed away and she was able to comfort us in our loss. You just never know when taking a risk is going to rescue a life.
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 | Aug 18, 2010 | Joshua
Joshua 1:8
“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
There are some things from our past that from time to time recur. (That’s a fancy word to mean that we remember them again). One such memory crossed my mind this morning—it was Old Blossom.
Blossom was a milk cow that we owned when I was a boy. We barely had enough room for her to graze and feed. My dad and a neighbor man milked her twice a day and we shared the milk between the two families. There is nothing that tastes as good as a glass of fresh milk.
Old Blossom had a sweet and gentle nature. We could hug her neck and lay our head on her warm soft side as she lay on the grass chewing her cud. It is one of life’s mysteries that a brown cow can eat green grass, give white milk and yellow cheese. Our modern society has lost much by not seeing God’s simple miracles!
It was always a delight for me to watch Blossom chewing her cud. She would chew a mouth full of grass, swallow it and then a few minutes later she would burp it back up and chew it again until it was totally digested.
God calls us to treat His Word the same way. As we read this passage of Scripture in Joshua 1:8, we picture a cow bringing up and re-digesting what it had eaten. In like manner we are to feast on the precious Word of God, and then meditate (chew the spiritual cud) day and night.
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
