by Pastor Cecil | Sep 14, 2012 | Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Years ago I heard a minister tell of an incident in a hospital elevator where he had just come from visiting a very ill patient. A young man overheard him speak about eternity and, perhaps wanting to mock his view, asked the minister where eternity was. The minister told the boy to place his hand on his chest to feel the beat of his heart. “Young man, eternity is one heartbeat away!” That may answer where eternity is or at least how close we are to it, but just how long is eternity?
Our daughter was in the hospital near death. One afternoon as the two of us spoke quietly, she said she felt she was cheated out of half of her life. She went on to say that Grandpa was 74 when he died and here she was just 35.
That evening as I drove into the garage I noticed that the car had been bringing in sand. I took out a sheet of typing paper and swept up some of the sand. I then sat at the kitchen table and counted out 74 grains. Some were larger than others, but all of them were quite small. I placed the 74 grains of sand in a tiny sample perfume bottle.
The next day as I entered her room I placed the bottle on her bed. When she asked what it was I told her it was Grandpa. I asked her to imagine the earth being nothing but fine sand. Each grain represented one year of eternity. The 74 grains in the bottle represented Grandpa’s life. Compared to the entire globe of sand it was nothing. Whether a person’s life lasted long or short, compared to eternity it was nothing.
It is what we do with the years we are given that matters. We can choose to confess our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior or we can continue our own willful way and suffer the dreadful consequences prepared for the lost.
I pray that the video that accompanies today’s Daily-E-Votional will assist you in making the right choice. Please feel free to share it with others while there is still time.
To view the video The Sands of Eternity, go to www.PastorCecil.com.
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. – My book, 100 of Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations, is available on Kindle books. Just go to the Kindle store and type in Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations, or Pastor Cecil Thompson.
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 13, 2012 | Daily-E-Votionals, Ezekiel
Ezekiel 3:18
When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
This morning I had an appointment to have lab work done before my annual physical later on this week. When I had traveled a few blocks I noticed a warning light on the console. I was unfamiliar with this warning symbol so I had to stop the car and check the owner’s manual. (I actually do read those things once in a while).
I was surprised to see that it was a warning to indicate that I needed to check the air in my tires. As I walked around the car and looked at each tire, they all seemed to have enough air pressure. I wondered if the warning indicator was wrong.
The store where I had purchased the tires gives free checks, so I drove by and asked the mechanic to check them. The first thing he did was to check the manual to see what the recommended pressure was for this model. As I watched him check and adjust pressure for each tire, the warning light remained on. It was not until he filled the last tire that it went out. I am now free from the dreaded warning light!
God sends warning lights into our life. I will not even attempt to list the various types of warning lights He may use, but His owner’s manual is His precious Word. If we check it carefully we will find the source of our problem as well as the solution. Are there warning lights in your life?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 12, 2012 | Psalm
Psalm 19:1-2
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
Before I retire each night I go to the front door and gaze into the skies. Even here in the State of Washington, I can usually locate the North Star. The other stars change position during the night and throughout the year, but the good ole Pole Star is always in the same position.
I have enjoyed reading about the “chuck wagon” cooks of the early cattle drives. In addition to his responsibility of cooking, cleaning, mending, along with a host of other tasks, there was one significant task that may have gone unnoticed–the cook gave direction. At night, “cookie” would always turn the tongue of the chuck wagon so it would face north. The next morning the trail boss could look at the wagon’s tongue and know in which direction to head out.
We certainly do not have a chuck wagon, but we do have a tongue. If we make it our obligation to keep our tongue pointed in the right direction, others will have an idea if they are on course or off course. They should at least should see where we are going by our walk.
Let me share what the apostle Paul had to say in Philippians 4:8-9: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
The tongue of Paul’s wagon was pointed in the right direction and he wanted others to know that they could follow him with confidence. Can those in your realm of influence have that same confidence in you?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 11, 2012 | Isaiah
Isaiah 64:4
Since ancient times no one has heard, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
I do not possess a scientific mind, but I do have an interest in the scientific world. I was recently watching a program on the construction of a huge and very expensive telescope. When I say expensive I mean in the multiple million dollar range.
The scientists who were being interviewed about the project were explaining that by using this new advanced telescope they would be able to determine how the universe came into being. (They could read the book of Genesis and save all of the money this project was costing).
Since the time of man’s sin against God, he has tried to circumvent God’s plan and purpose for His people. Many scientists have devoted their entire lives to discover some truth that would prove that there is no God. From time to time they have made wild claims to have discovered this truth only to have their theories explode in the face of new evidence that far more supports the creation model than their man made theory of evolution.
I choose to look beyond my own limited understanding and simply rest in the truth as presented in God’s Word. When I come to the end of this earthly journey I will have all of the answers I need. Until then I choose to look beyond the foolishness of man and trust in the God who created the heavens and the earth.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 10, 2012 | Job
Job 31:1-4
I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high? Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong? Does He not see my ways and count my every step?
Sensuality has become so prevalent in our modern world that those who dress and behave in a modest manner are considered abnormal. I am convinced that many of sexual assaults and other related crimes are the result of making the abnormal seem to be normal.
It is almost impossible not to be bombarded with sexually explicit sights all around us. A trip to the grocery store ends with the check-out line where magazine after magazine shows images that would have been considered pornography only a few years ago.
I was watching an episode of 19 Kids and Counting a few years ago. Some of the older kids were walking down the street and one of the older girls called out, “Shoes!” The boys looked down at their feet as if a shoelace was untied. The call was actually to alert the boys that females were approaching that were dressed in an immodest manner. I just checked with one of the family and she said they now say, “Nike!” or use some other brand name.
The important thing is that we need to make a commitment to the Lord to not view those things that would lead to temptation. That is what Job is referring to in today’s Scripture. It is his covenant with the Lord to control what his eyes view.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
