by Pastor Cecil | Feb 28, 2013 | Matthew
Matthew 5:46-48
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
As I pulled up to a stop light this afternoon, I noticed a car that had a prominent bumper sticker that simply stated: OTHERS. As I sat there waiting for the light to change, I reflected on just what that word means to people.
I have heard sermons preached and lessons given on reaching out to others, but the words often did not match the lives of the hearers or even those who are propounding the message of concern for others.
There is no secret about the fact that we live in a self absorbed world. People are so focused on what is best for themselves that they tend to be blind to the plight of those around them—the others.
In Matthew 25, Jesus speaks about the final judgment. To the righteous He gives commendation for feeding, clothing and ministering to Him. To the unrighteous He condemns them for failing to do those same things for Him. In both instances the people had no idea they were giving to the Lord. It was then that He stunned both groups by proclaiming that since they did it to the needy, they were doing it for and to Him. That my friend is being OTHERS minded! Are you?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 27, 2013 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
My cousin used to minister as a song evangelist going from church to church across the country with a preaching evangelist. He relates that the minister would begin the first service of the week by asking if anyone had every stolen anything—even anything as small as a pencil. Everyone raised their hand. He next asked who had ever told a lie— even just stretching the truth a little. Again every hand was raised. The evangelist would then make a point of sharing with the pastor that he had arrived just in time to preach to a church full of thieves and liars!
In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul speaks about temptation. He goes so far as to say that any temptation you may encounter has been experienced by others. That is not to say that it is excusable, but it reveals that we all have a sinful nature.
It is interesting that immediately following the statement about temptations being a common affliction to all mankind, Paul says: God is faithful. What a fantastic statement. We may experience the lure of temptation, but God is faithful. God is faithful in so many ways that it is hard to speak of only one, but that is what I want to do: He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
In the book of Genesis we read about Joseph being tempted by the unfaithful wife of his master, Potiphar. Joseph sought the way out of the situation by avoiding her advances and evading any contact with her. You may recall how she falsely accused him leading to his confinement in prison. Let me let you in on a spiritual secret—the prison was a place of escape. Joseph was protected from this lecherous woman by the mighty hand of God. It may have seemed like punishment, but it was the means God used to protect and prepare Joseph.
Rather than becoming bitter by his false imprisonment, Joseph honed the organizational skills that God would later use to raise him up to a position that was second in authority over all of Egypt. Even when it seemed that God had forgotten him, God was faithful!
You may feel as if the situations of life are crushing you down. You may experience the temptation to become bitter because someone you trusted has betrayed you. I have a solemn word of warning for you: Watch out that you do not develop an unforgiving spirit.
Those who have cheated you have their own confessing to do, but your own battle is with the temptation to develop an unforgiving spirit. I trust that God will be your way of escape.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 26, 2013 | John
John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
I have chosen a strange title for this issue of the Daily-E-Votional. It deserves a bit of an explanation. I am not sure you have heard the expression, up fronter, but it denotes the person who is leading a meeting of any sort.
Contrary to what people would guess, I am a shy person by nature. It usually comes as a shock to me to be standing in front of a crowd, leading a service of some sort. With the first few words that come out of my mouth I realize that people are focusing their attention on me in anticipation of what I will be conveying. I am an UP FRONTER!
As I was meditating on this term the other morning, I thought of the opposite of the term. It struck me that the opposite of up is down and the opposite of front is back, so if I am not an up fronter, I would it would be down backer.
Satan loves nothing better than to have believers back down from their responsibility to step forward and speak the words of hope and deliverance to a world choked by sin and ignorance. God has called each of us to be an up fronter. It might be to a large crowd or only one other person. It does not matter, we are to speak for Him!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—-Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 25, 2013 | James
James 5:7-8
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Sir Isaac Newton was a very brilliant man. He set forth the Laws of Motion. The first law is: A body in motion tends to remain in motion until acted upon by some outside force. The second law has sometimes been called the law of inertia. It states that: A body at rest tends to remain at rest unless impelled by some external force. The third law is: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Alright, boys and girls, that is your physics lesson for today!
Leaving such principles of the universe without spiritual comment is tragic. The God of the universe who created and designed these forces is that same God who desires a personal relationship in our life.
Just as there are physical laws that are in control of the universe, there are spiritual laws that are designed to draw us close to the Lord. The first spiritual law of motion is: A soul that moves toward the Lord will tend to continue moving toward Him. The problem is that the devil is trying to draw our attention away from the Lord and if we are not careful our momentum will be stopped. There is a second spiritual law of motion is: A soul that is at rest concerning God will fail to move toward Him. The third spiritual law of motion is: For every spiritual action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Where do you find yourself in relation to the spiritual laws of motion? Have you made promises to make the Lord a priority in your life, but then failed to act upon it?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 22, 2013 | Hebrews
Hebrews 4:12
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
From time to time there are health scares that cause people to fear for their lives. They rush to receive inoculations or use face masks. There are precautions taken in washing our hands and covering our mouths when we cough or sneeze. As a boy I can still remember when families were quarantined because someone in the house was diagnosed with a contagious disease.
In the early years of the 20th Century there was an outbreak of diphtheria in the US that claimed many lives. In 1903 Cleland McAfee was chaplain and choir director at Park College in Parkville, Missouri. As the epidemic swept the area, two of his nieces died from the dread disease and the others in the house were quarantined. In his hour of grief he wrote the hymn NEAR TO THE HEART OF GOD and had the college choir sing outside the house.
Near to the Heart of God
There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.
Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God.
Hold us who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of comfort sweet,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where we our Savior meet,
Near to the heart of God.
Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God.
Hold us who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of full release,
Near to the heart of God
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God.
Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God.
Hold us who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
To access Near to the Heart of God, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/neartotheheartofgod 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
