by Pastor Cecil | Feb 7, 2013 | Galatians
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
A visiting minister had just preached a dynamic message on being totally committed to God and empty of self. Following the message, as people came by to speak with him, a woman approached and requested that he pray for her to become nothing. Being a courageous and faithful servant, the minister looked the woman straight in the eye and told her to take by faith the fact that she was nothing!
He gave her that answer, not to put her down, but rather to show that without Christ we are indeed nothing. When we get our pride and self-sufficiency out of the way, Christ is able to do His work in and through us.
I once heard Major Ian Thomas relate his own experience in this area. As a young man who had received Jesus as his personal Savior, he wanted to please the Lord . . . so he worked and worked, doing everything he could for the Lord. One Sunday evening, after finishing assisting in a week-long series of meetings, he had worked late into the night packing up books, Bibles, and other materials.
Finally returning to his hotel room, Thomas was exhausted and ready to abandon his calling to preach the Word of God. He expected the Lord to be disappointed in him for quitting, but just the opposite happened. It was as though the Lord told Thomas that he needed to get his ambition out of the way so He (God) could work through him.
Major Thomas went on to be a worthy servant of the Lord Jesus Christ around the world. Are you wearing yourself out trying to please the Lord? I implore you to give up trying to earn your salvation. Listen to Him, then do what He asks you to do.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 6, 2013 | 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.
I have a wonderful daily ritual that has been going on for about a year now. Our neighbor, Kitty, has a delightful little Chihuahua named Felicity. Since I always have a small dog treat ready for her, she has become adept at hearing when I open the garage door or happen to be outside.
As Felicity was rushing back to her house to play with the treat, Kitty said that today she began running for the screen door even before I started opening the garage door. Evidently this little dog distinguished the sound of my car from all the others that drive past and had immediately responded.
Today I had just returned from an errand when I saw that familiar, tiny head of Felicity, peeking over the lower part of the screen door. Her tail was wagging and her head was bobbing. When Kitty opened the door for her she dashed over as she usually does and waited for me to rub her ears, stroke her back and give her a treat.
I told my wife, Joyce, that I needed to use the behavior I saw in Felicity for my Daily-E-Votional. It pleases me to no end when I see her love and excitement when she sees me. In the same way the Lord is pleased and delighted when we are eager to rush to Him and pour our love and devotion at His feet. He has so many blessings to share with us that we can hardly count them all. Are you eagerly seeking to please Him?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 5, 2013 | 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.
I sat across the desk from a large and overbearing man. I was having a personal interview for a position with the Idaho Law Enforcement Planning Commission. I knew very little about the agency and my previous experience in the field of criminal justice was low pay and long hours. So I was not really projecting my best qualities. In other words, I was not making my best first impression.
Things changed radically, however, when the Director of the agency mentioned the salary and duties that went with the position I was applying for. I suddenly felt that I had lost my opportunity to make a good first impression.
My demeanor immediately changed and I began to explain why I felt that I was qualified for the position. After another forty-five minutes of the interview the position was offered to me and I accepted.
It reminds me that many people forget that we are constantly making first impressions. The things they see in our actions and words determine not only what others think of us, but what they think about the Lord Jesus Christ. It has been said many times before, that the Jesus they see in us may be the only Jesus they will ever see. Are you making a good first impression for Him?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 4, 2013 | Ephesians
Ephesians 4:31-32
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Most Christians eagerly accept the wonderful truth that God forgives sinners. Even those who are guilty of terrible crimes have bowed before the Lord and confessed their sins. God graciously forgives them, not because of what they have done or not done, but what He has done to provide forgiveness.
If we were to ask these Christians if a terrible sinner had been forgiven, they would almost certainly respond in the affirmative. They rejoice in a God who loves the sinner so much that He sent His Son to pay the price for our sin.
Well, we are going along pretty well up to this point. Evil people can have their sins forgiven and we rejoice with them. Then we stop and consider those who have sinned against us. They have broken our trust and at the same time they have broken our heart. Rather than forgiving them, it is almost as if we place them on probation. We impose restrictions on them.
Are you ready for this? What we are saying when we fail to forgive those who repent and ask us for our forgiveness, is that it is okay for God to forgive you, but I refuse to do so. That is sad! We are told to forgive others the way the Lord has forgiven us. Are you doing so? I pray that you are.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 1, 2013 | Psalm
Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Ira Sankey was a singer and song writer who ministered alongside evangelist D. L. Moody. He had experienced and extended time of trial and tears in his own personal life. He cried out to the Lord to be able to receive a renewing of his own spirit so he could in turn minister to others. It was during this time of agonizing prayer that the song Hiding In Thee was born. I am so thankful that the Lord heard and answered his prayer.
About twenty years later, Sergei Rachmaninoff was experiencing many problems in his life. He had a mental block, could not write and felt useless. After several years of emptiness he broke out of his doldrums and composed his second piano concerto. It is a joy to feature a blending of both works this week. ENJOY!
Hiding in Thee
O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be;
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour,
In times when temptation casts o’er me its power,
In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
I have fled to my refuge and breathed out my woe;
How often, when trials like sea billows roll,
Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
To access Hiding In Thee, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please 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
