by Pastor Cecil | Jun 15, 2012 | Matthew
Matthew 24:10-13
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Jesus is coming soon! One of the prophecies concerning His return concerns the rise of false prophets and even those who claim to be Messiah. Since 1891, when the blind hymn writer, Fanny Crosby wrote this week’s hymn, there have many false leaders who claimed to be the promised Messiah. Each of these charlatans lacked the required proof—the prints of the nails in his hands! Carefully read the words the words of this old hymn:
My Savior First of All
When my lifework is ended,
and I cross the swelling tide,
When the bright and glorious morning I shall see;
I shall know my Redeemer
when I reach the other side,
And His smile will be the first to welcome me.
Refrain: I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand.
Oh, the soul-thrilling rapture
when I view His blessed face,
And the luster of His kindly beaming eye;
How my full heart will praise Him
for the mercy, love and grace,
That prepare for me a mansion in the sky.
Refrain: I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand.
Oh, the dear ones in glory,
how they beckon me to come,
And our parting at the river I recall;
To the sweet vales of Eden
they will sing my welcome home;
But I long to meet my Savior first of all.
Refrain: I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand.
Through the gates to the city
in a robe of spotless white,
He will lead me where no tears will ever fall;
In the glad song of ages
I shall mingle with delight;
But I long to meet my Savior first of all.
Refrain: I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
I shall know Him, I shall know Him,
By the print of the nails in His hand.
To access My Savior First of All, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/mysaviorfirstofall/ 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 | Jun 14, 2012 | Romans
Romans 7:18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
After I sent out the Daily-E-Votional yesterday in which I recalled Old Bill, I had to recall the Chief of Police who hired me. His name was Keith Judd. I will always remember him as a kind and considerate man. In the months that I worked under his leadership I had great admiration for him.
After I transferred to another department there was a tragedy outside the city limits of Caldwell. A family called for help as shots rang out and they were under siege. Law Enforcement Officers from many jurisdictions responded. One of those on the scene was Chief Judd. The officers formed a perimeter around the house in order to determine where the shots were coming from.
More shots were fired and suddenly a deputy from a neighboring county was hit and seriously wounded. Another shot was fired into the back of Keith Judd which left him paralyzed. The shots were not from the outside, but the shooter was the teenage son of the homeowners, firing from an upstairs bedroom window. (Keith Judd died four years later.)
The enemy of our souls often works in deceitful ways. We can be so focused on the threat from outside that we fail to be on guard for the danger within. This is why it is so very important for us to spend time examining our hearts. There is where the roots of bitterness and sin reside. When we examine our soul and find sin lurking there we need to confess it immediately and turn away from it. I want to warn you that the roots have been there long enough to have a strong grip on your behavior, so you may to deal with them over and over until you break their hold.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 13, 2012 | 1 John
1 John 2:28-29
And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
Back in the dark ages of time, I served as rookie cop in the small community of Caldwell, Idaho, working the graveyard shift from 11 PM to 7 AM. (Maybe it’s called the graveyard shift because after working through the dark hours of the night you feel like you are half dead.)
There was an old sergeant who worked as dispatcher on our shift. He had been with the department for over twenty years and was nearing retirement. I can still remember going into the dispatch office and seeing Bill playing solitaire. He not only played the game, it was his obsession. He would get so angry when he lost a game that he would stomp and swear a blue streak. All of this over a silly game he was playing just to pass the long night hours of the graveyard shift.
I am sure that old Bill is dead by now. He was at retirement age back then in 1957, so unless he is the oldest man in the world he has been long gone. The silly games of solitaire that were played out on his desk at the police station have absolutely no meaning when it comes to eternity. I am grieved that Bill never made a decision for the Lord, so far as we know. How eternally tragic!
Those who have frittered their lives away on the things of this world are foolish in the sight of God. Those who are wise will listen to the call of the Lord and obey His commands. It is time for all of us to look into the mirror of the Word of God to see how we measure up.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 12, 2012 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Sometimes when I hear a particular word, I will consider its opposite meaning. For instance, with the word steadfast the opposite that pops into my mind is the idea of being wishy-washy. I am sure that many of us have encountered people who talked a big talk, but when push came to shove, they were weak-willed and spiritually anemic. In other words they were wishy-washy! Many unbelievers are eager to point to these wishy washy examples as a representation of all Christians.
The Apostle Paul encountered more than his share of believers who were poor examples of how a true child of God should act. He strongly reacted to a young man named John Mark who started out on a missionary journey with Paul and Barnabas, but went back after a short time (Acts 13:13). But later in Paul’s life, he asked for John Mark to be sent to him in prison as he was profitable to him in the ministry (2 Timothy 4:11).
In our Scripture for today, Paul urges all true believers to demonstrate characteristics that show true spiritual maturity. It is a good way for us to measure our own maturity. Look at the adjectives Paul uses: STEADFAST! IMMOVABLE! ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD!
It is not necessary for us to be an ordained minister in order to do the work of the Lord. We can work at the most menial task and do it as unto the Lord. In fact, that is how we should do anything and everything we set our hand to. Measure your service to the Lord in light of the pattern Paul sets for us here in 1 Corinthians 15:58.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jun 11, 2012 | Isaiah
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Ages ago I memorized Isaiah 41:10. It was so long ago that I do not recall just how old I was, but it was while I was still a boy. Regardless of when it was, this verse has been a constant source of encouragement in my life. In the darkest hours of pain and fear I have found that God is faithful to His Word.
I once heard someone relate a cynically humorous line: Someone told me to cheer up, that things could be worse. So I cheered up and sure enough, things did get worse!
In my many years of experience in counseling people who are discouraged, I have found that the most useless advice is to tell them to cheer up. But even being aware of this I have often found myself giving this advice. They are not satisfied being this way, but they need an answer that will lead them out of fear and despondency.
The Scripture for today gives real hope for the person who is captivated by fear or who find themself despondent. Our word of assurance from the Lord is that He is with us and He is our God. That means we are under His mighty hand of protection. There is no need for us to fight the battle ourselves, He promises here that He will strengthen us, help us, and uphold us with His righteous right hand. That is the hand of strength.
You may be facing the giant of a medical diagnosis that seems terminal. You may have just been notified that your employment is terminated. You may have had your heart broken by infidelity. You may be sitting at the bedside of a loved one who has lost their grip on life. I could go on and on, but the good news is that we have a Savior in heaven who knows what we are going through and is standing right there beside us. Trust Him!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
