by Pastor Cecil | May 10, 2011 | James
James 1:4
“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
I personally do not care for the word, “perseverance.” In some translations it is called “patience.” I don’t care for that term either. In the Greek it has this meaning: “Does not easily succumb under suffering.”
As I have memorized and meditated on the first chapter of the book of James, I have been impressed that James uses the word repeatedly. Over and over he calls for the believer to allow perseverance or patience to complete its work in our life.
If the truth were known most of us feel that the completion of patience is when the trials and tribulations in our life come to an end. I do not see this in this scripture and I do not see it in the lives of God’s saints.
The end of perseverance is the awareness that God is doing a work in and through our trials. He is not interested in weak-willed believers who are only interested in feeling good or having an easy walk. God’s faithful saints have gone through the fire of affliction and praised God that they were worthy to suffer for His name.
None of us can be sure of what will happen in our life, but we can be assured that regardless of the circumstances we can find “pure joy” in each and every trial that crosses our path.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil (360) 570-0074
P.S. – You can help! Please consider trying to get one other person to subscribe to the Daily-E-Votional. This worldwide ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
by Pastor Cecil | May 9, 2011 | James
James 1:2-3
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
I am facing a difficult situation in my life. It has nothing to do with a health problem or any major crisis. It has to do with a mind that does not memorize anywhere near as well as when I was younger. What I once could memorize in minutes now takes me hours to set firmly in my memory bank.
Many years ago I memorized the book of James. It was a joy to allow the words flow through my mind as I prayed and meditated. But, I failed to maintain a discipline of reciting the words over and over. I used portions of the book, but the discipline of memorization and repetition fell by the wayside.
This is where my problem now arises. What would have been easier if I had kept my commitment to memorize is now brain twisting. I am able to memorize, but the cost of time and effort is multiplied.
Is this a trial? I don’t think so. It is a consequence. As I see it, a trial is something that happens to us that is beyond our control. A consequence on the other hand is the result of a failure in our life. I have confessed to the Lord about my sin of neglect and He has graciously forgiven me. BUT, I still face the difficult task of re-memorizing what I once had in my mind.
There is a beautiful blessing that the Lord has graciously bestowed upon me. It seems that because of the extra effort in memorizing His Word I am able to perceive new truths that had escaped me before. It is no longer simply memorizing, it is now feasting at the Lord’s table. Praise His name!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil (360) 570-0074
P.S. – You can help! Please consider trying to get one other person to subscribe to the Daily-E-Votional. This worldwide ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
by Pastor Cecil | May 6, 2011 | Genesis
Genesis 9:16
“Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
I can recall that Joyce and I were once driving along the beautiful Columbia River gorge in Oregon. A rain shower had recently swept across the area, and now bright sunlight flooded the area. As we drove, a rainbow kept pace beside the car. I know it was a refraction of the sunlight, but it was an awe inspiring sight.
Without rain there could be no rainbow. Without sun there would be no rainbow. God has graciously made a covenant with all creatures on the earth that there would never again be a flood such as there was in Noah’s day.
Back in 1879 Rev. J. K. Alwood was equally moved as he observed a rainbow in the western sky late one evening as he was traveling home. When he arrived at his home, he immediately composed the hymn for this week: The Unclouded Day.
The Unclouded Day
O they tell me of a home far beyond the skies,
O they tell me of a home far away;
O they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O they tell me of a home where my friends have gone,
O they tell me of that land far away;
Where the tree of life in eternal bloom
Sheds its fragrance thru the unclouded day.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O they tell me of the King in His beauty there,
And they tell me that mine eyes shall behold,
Where He sits on the throne that is whiter than snow,
In the city that is made of gold.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O they tell me that he smiles on His children there,
And his smile drives their sorrows all away;
And they tell me that no tears ever come again,
In that lovely land of unclouded day.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
Enjoy this week’s free inspirational video The Unclouded Day, from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos.
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
P.S. – You can help! Please consider encouraging one other person to subscribe to our devotionals by going to the Daily-E-Votional.com website and clicking on the “Subscribe” button. This worldwide ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
by Pastor Cecil | May 5, 2011 | 2 Corinthians
II Corinthians 2:15-16
“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?”
Back in 1967 I was stationed in the northern tip of Newfoundland, Canada. As often as possible some of us would take trips to various parts of the Island. Many of the people in the villages were fishermen who fished for arctic cod.
On one trip we visited a small fishing village where the fishermen had split the cod, salted them hung them on wooden frames and were letting it dry in the open air. There were several large oak barrels standing around as well.
I asked one of the fishermen what was in the barrels. He laughed and took my arm to lead me over to one. He carefully removed the lid and I saw the ghastly sight of cod livers that were leeching out their oil.
It made me think of the times as a boy when my mother forced me to take tablespoons of the awful smelling cod liver oil that was supposed to keep me from getting sick. As a matter of fact it made me sick to choke down the stuff.
Here was this old fisherman proudly showing me his barrel that was producing heaven only knows how many doses of the yukky stuff. He then told me how much he loved it and would even drink from a cup that he kept beside the barrel. What to me was “yuk” was to him “yum!” The question we need to ask ourselves is whether we are “yuk” or “yum” to those lost souls around us? I pray it is Yum!”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil (360) 570-0074
P.S. – You can help! Please consider trying to get one other person to subscribe to the Daily-E-Votional. This worldwide ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
by Pastor Cecil | May 4, 2011 | James
James 1:2-4
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
It is seldom that we have a celebration over a calamity that befalls us. Most of the time we whimper and moan about how unfair it is that such a terrible thing has happened to such a wonderful person like me.
Please take the time to read and re-read that Scripture for today. Notice what James writes about how the true believer in Jesus Christ should react to trials that happen to us. He says that we are to count it all joy!
Why on earth would we do that? Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, James says that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. I don’t know about you, but perseverance is not something that appeals to me. It has the connotation of long and tedious segments of time enduring painful circumstances.
James gives us the reason we should joyfully endure and persevere. It is only in this manner that we will become mature and complete. As I study this action I see that it means that we will be able to read God’s Word and have it speak to our inner man. We will then be equipped to share it with others. Praise the Lord!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil (360) 570-0074
P.S. – You can help! Please consider trying to get one other person to subscribe to the Daily-E-Votional. This worldwide ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
