by Pastor Cecil | Sep 30, 2011 | Isaiah
Isaiah 55:6-7
“Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”
It was the final service of our annual Camp Meeting. The old tabernacle was crowded on a warm summer evening. The evangelist had been delivered a message outlining clearly the plan of salvation and the penalty that faced anyone who failed to accept the Lord Jesus as personal Savior.
I was sitting with my cousin and across the aisle from us was his dad. We knew that Uncle Harold had rejected the Lord, but were hopeful that this would be the time he would open his heart. The congregation was led in the old invitation hymn, Softly and Tenderly.
Wayne and I could see his dad weeping with conviction. We went over to him and pleaded with him to go forward and invite Jesus into his heart. Even though tears were flowing, he shook his head and refused to be moved. As far as we know he never made that choice. How sad that God’s free gift of eternal life was rejected. How about you? Have you honestly and sincerely invited Jesus Christ to be the Lord of your life? He is calling, O sinner, come home. All you have to do is open your heart and invite Him to come in.
Softly and Tenderly
Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
watching for you and for me.
Refrain: Come home, come home.
You who are weary come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home.
Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading;
pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies;
mercies for you and for me?
Refrain: Come home, come home.
You who are weary come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home.
Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
passing from you and for me.
Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
coming for you and for me.
Refrain: Come home, come home.
You who are weary come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home.
O, for the wonderful love He has promised,
promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
pardon for you and for me.
Refrain: Come home, come home.
You who are weary come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home.
To access Softly and Tenderly, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/softlyandtenderly 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
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.
Special News! My book, 100 of Pastor Cecil?s Select Illustrations, is now available on Kindle books. Just go the the Kindle store and type in Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations, or Pastor Cecil Thompson.
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 29, 2011 | 1 John
1 John 2:3-6
We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.
There are far too many phony people in the world who claim to be born again believers. I won’t call them phony Christians, because you either are a born again Christian or not one at all. Like my dad used to say; “If it don’t quack like a duck and don’t waddle like a duck, it ain’t a duck!” (Grammar was not his strong point).
Today’s Scripture mentions the necessity of following God’s commands and walking in the same way Jesus walked. How do we know what His commands are and how do we know how He walked? The only way is by spending time reading the precious word of God.
I fear that many Christians have fallen into the trap of letting others format our view of what it means to walk with God. The danger of only listening to what others say about the Word of God is that they may be slanting the interpretation to support their own view.
Here is my honest conviction about how we should conduct ourselves. Set aside quality time to read a substantial portion of the Bible. Have a notebook close at hand to write down insights the Holy Spirit will bring to your mind. Always read with a questioning mind: What does it say? What does it mean? How do I apply it to my own life? Try it! It is God’s will for us to know His plan for our life.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
Special News! My book, 100 of Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations, is now available on Kindle books. Just go the Kindle store and type in Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations, or Pastor Cecil Thompson.
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 28, 2011 | 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.
How many times have we heard someone use this expression, I know how you feel. I know they make this statement possibly to bring comfort, but as a matter of fact, it accomplishes just the opposite. They have no idea how I feel or what is going on in my inner self.
I once taught a Sunday School Class for young married couples. Joyce and I had been married for over twelve years, so I felt that we could contribute to their maturity. I cannot remember how it came about, but one of the couples had just lost a young son who had tragically run into a glass patio door and the broken glass had killed him instantly.
I was shocked at the horrible grief this precious young couple had experienced. I noticed that other couples always wanted to talk with them when they were going through times of personal tragedy.
Since then Joyce and I have walked down that long gloomy corridor of grief. It is in these times that we cry out to the Lord and inquire of Him to discover what He wants us to learn. During these times of waiting on the Lord we have had people make the statement I mentioned earlier. It has made us aware that quietness and presence are more important than words that are intrusive. Our prayer is that when we meet people who are suffering, we will just let them know we are present.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
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 Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends.
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 27, 2011 | Joel
Joel 2:28
I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
A few minutes ago I was reading while listening to soft music in the background. The song Dreams came on and it almost brought me to tears. Back when Joyce and I were high school sweethearts, we would listen to that song and talk about our life together. We dreamed about our own home and family and it drew us close.
That, my dear friend, was almost sixty years ago. As I listened again it was from the opposite end of life. With eyes wide open I was in a dream of what joys we have shared across these years. We have not only been husband and wife, but we are and always have been best friends.
Life passes all too quickly it seems, but at the same time each of us have the ability to choose to share, sacrifice, and spend ourselves to make that other person feel how much we love them. It is very critical to make our dreams become more than mere smoke rings. We need the fire to ignite our sense of purpose in serving the Lord and those we love.
When the Lord drew us to each other, He did so with the idea that we would serve Him better as a couple than individually. There are others who have been called to dream on their own about furthering the cause of Christ. What is your dream? Are you asking the Lord to reveal Himself to you His plan for your life? DREAM!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
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 Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends.
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 26, 2011 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Last week I officiated at a funeral service for a lady who was in her eighties. The family lived outside the area and so my only contact with them was by phone. At the funeral home I met the daughter who reacted as if she was shocked. “I know you!” Then she backed off and said that I resembled a well known minister. I think I responded that he is always trying to impersonate me, or something of the sort.
Perhaps most of us can recall embarrassing incidents where we mixed up people. I have to confess that one of my more sparkling blunders was when I asked a certain individual about his mother. He looked at me with a rather strange expression and reminded me that I had conducted her funeral service six months earlier. Bonk!!
Joyce and I try to convince ourselves that the reason we cannot remember names as well as we should is because we know so many people. That may be true, but let’s face it the memory is not what it was when we were younger. I feel like the man who asked someone: Do you know what they say about an old man’s memory? When he replies that he does not know. The first man says: I forget.
There is coming a day when we are assured that our minds will be clear and we will know each and everybody that has ever lived. Our ability to recall will not be limited to those we have met, but we will intimately know each and every saint who has ever lived. No mix ups then. What a celebration we will have!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
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 Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends.
