by Pastor Cecil | Nov 23, 2011 | Matthew
Matthew 15:36
And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.
Joyce and I still enjoy a delicious meal of liver and onions. When we are dining with another couple and order it off the menu, the reaction is often very negative. We hear snorts and see sneers over our selection.
Here is the story of our wanting to order that dish. When I was an Airman last class and stationed in South Dakota, the money usually ran out before the month. We would be scrambling to make meals.
It was toward the end of the month when a couple that we knew knocked on our door. They had a few packages of liver that they wanted to share with us. We could hardly wait for them to leave so we could enjoy a square meal. We had liver and onions several nights in a row until there was no more. Finally payday came so we could buy some groceries.
There are periods of our life when we hunger for something from the Lord that will satisfy that inner hunger of our heart. At this time, Jesus fed four thousand men, plus women and children with seven loaves and a few fish. That tells me that He can provide abundantly above all that I ask or think.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
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
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 | Nov 22, 2011 | Isaiah
Isaiah 6:8
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “ Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
When God’s Word says our sins are forgiven, does that mean we are free, or does He still hold them against us? We might say that we are set free, but do we actually walk away from our sinful past and have victory in our life?
I want to use a Bible character as an example of this process. In the book of Joshua we are introduced to a “lady of the night” from Jericho. If we were to approach our study like a police officer, we might use this method: Name: Rahab. Address: Jericho. Occupation: Prostitute.
We know nothing of the background of this woman of ill repute. Rahab is the first person that the Israelite spies encountered in the land of promise that God had led them to possess. Two spies had been sent out by Joshua to spy out the land, and especially Jericho. She not only spared their life, but gave them some inside information. She said that she knew that God had given them land, for the whole land was in fear of them. She asked that when they took the land, she and her family might be spared.
The woman followed their orders and the Israelites kept their promise to her. In Joshua 6 we read that Joshua sent the same two spies and rescued Rahab and her family. But the story does not end there, my friends. She was saved, but God had not forgotten her faith. In Hebrews 11:31 she is mentioned along with the faithful of the ages. In James 2:25 and 26, Rahab is mentioned as one who was considered righteous for what she did.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
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 | Nov 21, 2011 | Luke
Luke 23:42-43
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”
I once read of an experiment that was given to a group of volunteers to measure the degree of pain they could endure. Each one of the volunteers had one hand on a heat pad that was only slightly warm. They were also given a button in the other hand that they were to push when the heat was as much as they could endure.
It sounds straight forward so far, but the experiment was rigged. Instead of turning the heat down, the researchers increased the heat very slightly. The final result of the test showed that the volunteers in the experiment could withstand about twice the heat than when they pushed the button the first time.
Just what does that illustration have to do with the subject of today’s E-Votional? All of us will endure those times in our life when we experience pain and suffering of some sort. We cry out to the Lord to stop the pain in our life. God hears our plea for help, but He alone knows how much we can bear and also how to use our pain as a ministry to reach out to others.
When we give the Lord our all we can rest in Him to, He alone knows just how much our “all” really is. If you are passing through that valley of suffering right now, just trust in Him to see you through, He cares for you!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
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
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 | Nov 18, 2011 | John
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
We hear of wars and rumors of wars. It seems that every day there is more chaos and strife in this old sin sick world. In recent days there have been attacks that have claimed many lives, including Christians.
The words of today’s Scripture come from the lips of our precious Jesus. He foresaw a when true believers would pay for their faith by their own blood. We do not relish that thought, but at the same time we are given words that bring peace even in the midst of our ordeals.
The United Nations was established back in 1945, following World War II to insure there would be peace in our world. It has not worked. Even member nations of this body become engaged in warfare with each other. For all of the rhetoric about attaining peace we are no closer to world peace, nor will we ever be until Jesus comes again to establish His “Wonderful Peace” over all the earth.
Wonderful Peace
Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight
Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
In celestial strains it unceasingly falls
O’er my soul like an infinite calm.
Refrain:
Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above!
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
In fathomless billows of love!
What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,
Buried deep in the heart of my soul,
So secure that no power can mine it away,
While the years of eternity roll! Refrain:
I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,
Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control;
For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day,
And His glory is flooding my soul! Refrain:
And I think when I rise to that city of peace,
Where the Anchor of peace I shall see,
That one strain of the song which the ransomed will sing
In that heavenly kingdom will be: Refrain:
Ah, soul! are you here without comfort and rest,
Marching down the rough pathway of time?
Make Jesus your Friend ere the shadows grow dark;
O accept of this peace so sublime! Refrain:
To access Wonderful Peace, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/wonderfulpeace 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.
P.P.S. – I have completed my first book, 100 of Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations. The cost is $12.95 plus shipping. You can now order it online by going to https://dailyevotional.com/prior2020/book-by-pastor-cecil or you can order a Kindle version by going online to Amazon.com . . . You may want to consider this book as a thoughtful gift idea for those who do not have Internet access or as helpful sermon illustrations for your Pastor.
by Pastor Cecil | Nov 17, 2011 | Philippians
Philippians 3:13-14
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
I can recall a few times in my life when I had done something that offended someone. When I asked them to please forgive me, their response was: Just forget it! Although they said to forget it, it was obvious that they had not and would not forget it. Yesterday the subject of my Daily-E-Votional was on remembering. I think it is more than appropriate to devote a few lines to forgetting.
There are many people carrying a huge load of resentment because they have not been willing to forget what is past. When you stop and think about it, we are not able to relive that past. The good, the bad and the ugly are the result of our actions and we are faced with the consequences.
Now I want to be quick to say that the Lord forgives us when we repent of our sinful actions and ask Him to forgive us. While the Lord forgives us, that does not mean that others will be so willing to have the same spirit of forgiveness. David’s sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband was forgiven, but David paid a terrible price for his actions.
So what do we do with the sins of the past? Today’s Scripture gives us the solution. Paul says that we are to forget the things that are behind and reach forward to the things that lie ahead. There’s a great day awaiting for true believers.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
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
