by Pastor Cecil | Sep 28, 2012 | Titus
Titus 3:3-5
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
On New Year’s night, 1886, some missionaries were holding open-air services in order to attract passers-by to a near-by mission, where meetings were to be held later. “All to Christ I owe” was sung, and after a gentleman had given a short address he hastened away to the mission. He soon heard footsteps close behind him and a young woman caught up with him and said: “I heard you addressing the open-air meeting just now; do you think, sir, that Jesus could save a sinner like me?”
The gentleman replied that there was no doubt about that, if she was anxious to be saved. She told him that she was a servant girl, and had left her place that morning after a disagreement with her mistress. As she had been wandering about the streets in the dark, wondering where she was to spend the night, the sweet melodies of this hymn had attracted her, and she drew near and listened attentively.
As the different verses were being sung, she felt that the words surely had something to do with her. Through the whole service she seemed to hear what met her oppressed soul’s need at that moment. God’s Spirit had showed her what a poor, sinful and wretched creature she was, and had led her to ask what she must do. On hearing her experience, the gentleman took her back to the mission and left her with the ladies in charge. The young, wayward woman was brought to Christ that night.
A situation was secured for her in a minister’s family. There she became ill and had to be taken to a hospital. She rapidly failed and it became evident that she would not be long on earth. One day the gentleman whom she had met on New Year’s night was visiting her in the ward. After quoting a few suitable verses of Scripture, he repeated her favorite hymn, “All to Christ I owe” . . . and she seemed overwhelmed with the thought of coming to glory . . . Two hours afterward she passed away.
Of course the greatest payment in our behalf is the gift of eternal life. It cost the horrible death of our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He paid what we could not pay. He went to the cross voluntarily because He knew we would never be able to pay the cost.
Jesus Paid It All
I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small!
Child of weakness watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”
Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow.
For nothing good have I,
whereby Thy grace to claim
I will wash my garments white,
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.
Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow.
And when before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down,
All down at Jesus’ feet.
Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow.
To access Jesus Paid It All, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/jesuspaiditall/ 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 | Sep 27, 2012 | Proverbs
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Very early this morning I thought of a strange expression: It works for you. Maybe it was a slogan or catch-phrase promoted by some company somewhere in my past. I did a brief search but I could not find anything to suggest anything of the sort.
I could imagine some corporation trying to persuade potential customers to use its product because it would continue to work for them night and day. Isn’t it strange that businesses try to convince us that they have an answer to our every need—all we have to do is try their product and if it fails to work, they will refund our money.
Stop and think for a moment of all of the things you have purchased that failed to function in the manner that was advertised. In many cases this has led us to feel that we have been deceived by the slick commercials that promised so much and produced so little.
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is today’s Scripture. We have complete assurance that what He offers is the answer and that what the Lord offers will work for us. There are three things we are told to do: (1) Trust in the Lord with all of our heart. (2) Stop relying on our own understanding. (3) Acknowledge Him in all of our ways. His promise is that He will direct our paths. Another way of expressing this is that He will keep on working for us.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing to others!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 26, 2012 | Psalm
Psalm 42:8
The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—a prayer to the God of my life.
In my many years of counseling there is one common concern that people have expressed. It is the difficulty dealing with the night hours. They seem to be able to cope when they are active and especially when others are around, but when the lights are turned off and the covers pulled up, they seem to hit a wall.
Now I am not a sleep specialist by any stretch of the imagination, but I know the One who is. The Lord never expects us to toss and turn all night long worrying and fretting about what has occurred during the previous day or what lies ahead when the sun peaks over the eastern horizon.
Isn’t it comforting to know that we serve a Lord who knows the end from the beginning? He delights in giving His beloved servants a sweet rest. The psalmist assures us that the Lord commands His lovingkindness during the daytime. Praise the Lord for that, but that still leaves the nighttime. What happens then?
Are you ready for this? The Lord promises His song in the night. Hold on there, faithful servant. Notice the description of the song in the night. It is the Lord’s song, and it is a prayer to the God of our life. The Lord is not interested in our ability to carry a tune; He wants the prayer of praise that we find in His Word.
The next time you toss and turn on your bed, get up and read Psalm 1:1-3 or Psalm 100 and make it personally your own song in the night to the Lord.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing to others!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 25, 2012 | Philippians
Philippians 4:12-13
I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Sunday morning I was visiting with one of our men before the service. It was a beautiful sunny morning and he commented how refreshing it would be to have our service outside in the beautiful sunlight. I agreed but thought of the complaints of some who would think it was too chilly.
He then remarked that before long it would be our rainy season and it would be too wet to be outside. I laughingly mentioned how often we hear that word too. It is very seldom that we are content with what we have. It is either too this or too that, but seldom just right.
As believers we are quick to find fault when things are not exactly to our liking. Listen to what people are saying before and after service and you will hear as much griping and complaining as just about everywhere else. That term will occur over and over, “It is too . . . “ (you finish the sentence).
Our contentment does not come from the things this world has to offer. Contentment is a choice. In light of all of the tribulations that Paul (as well as other believers faced) how could he find contentment? The answer is in Jesus. Paul sums it up in an eloquent manner: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Praise God that our life can be filled with a sigh of, “It’s too . . . wonderful!”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing to others!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 24, 2012 | John
John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
I have to confess that I have a problem with so-called faith healers who profit from those who are going through a time of testing. They leave individuals feeling guilty if they are not healed because their faith was just not strong enough. Many people were healed by Jesus, Lazarus was even raised from the dead, yet all eventually died, so we conclude that healing at best is only temporary this side of eternity.
In today’s Scripture we read that Jesus offers good cheer. We fail miserably if we miss the full impact of this passage. The good cheer that Jesus offers comes in the midst of tribulation.
The Greek word for the phrase, good cheer is tharseô. Of course it means good cheer, but it also means to be of good courage. Jesus used it when He healed the man of palsy, the woman with an issue of blood for many years, to His disciples when they were scared out of their skins as they saw Him walking on the water, and to Paul following his arrest in Jerusalem.
Jesus never implied that He was going to take His believers out of the storms and trials of life, but that He would be with them during those storms. He offers that for us today. We never need to go through the conflict alone—He has promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to be with us and support us with victory.
It really does not matter what kind of pain you are experiencing at this very moment. Jesus offers you the most wonderful words of comfort; “be of good cheer.” Claim it as your own at this very moment. He will be with you!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing to others!
—Pastor Cecil
