by Pastor Cecil | Mar 8, 2013 | Psalm
Psalm 42:1-2
“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?”
Hunger is a need that may be suppressed for many days without harm. Fasting in fact has been shown to have positive aspects and is thought to be beneficial to the body. Thirst, on the other hand is something which cannot be ignored. The dehydration of the body can quickly lead to death, as we have seen the tragic reality of in recent years with the deaths of athletes who exerted themselves in hot temperatures.
David confesses that he longs for a closer fellowship with the Lord. He likens his desire to being in a desert and almost dying for spiritual water. How did he get this way? Let’s try to imagine what that looks like, and to see if you may be suffering from the ailment. Here in Psalm 42.
One of the symptoms of spiritual dehydration is prolonged absence from assembling in the house of the Lord. Another symptom of spiritual dehydration is not spending time with God in personal communion. It leads to isolation and vulnerability to the temptations of the flesh. What about the spiritual dehydration of believers? Is that a choking sound I hear? How long has it been since you and God met for a visit? Reflect as you enjoy our hymn for the week.
Ho! Everyone Who Is Thirsty
Ho! Everyone that is thirsty in spirit,
Ho! Everyone that is weary and sad;
Come to the fountain, there’s fullness in Jesus,
All that you’re longing for; come and be glad!
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the world, are you tired of your bondage?
Weary of earth’s joys, so false, so untrue?
Thirsting for God and His fullness of blessing?
List’ to the promise, a message for you!
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the kingdom, be filled with the Spirit!
Nothing but “fullness” thy longing can meet;
‘Tis the enduement for life and for service;
Thine is the promise, so certain, so sweet.
Refrain: I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
I will pour floods upon the dry ground;
Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing;
While you are seeking Me, I will be found.
To access Ho! Everyone Who Is Thirsty, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/hoeveryonewhoisthirsty/ 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 | Mar 7, 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.
As I typed these words from Proverbs 3, I was suddenly struck with a truth that I had not noticed before. I am sure most of you have been aware of this, but I must be a slow learner. The last phrase, He shall direct your paths, has often been interpreted, He shall make your paths straight.
I suddenly see a world of difference in the two interpretations. From our human point of view we want the Lord to take all the curves, bumps, and pits out of our pathway. The truth of the matter is that the Lord often leads us down these difficult paths in order to allow His glory to be displayed in areas that we would not usually like to travel.
There is a humorous song that I have heard professional singing groups present. I am not sure of the title, but there is a line that goes something like this: I will go anywhere you want me to go dear Lord, as long as it is on the beaches of Waikiki. That is so revealing about our failure to trust in the Lord with all of our heart.
If we want to be worthy servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, we need to trust Him with all our heart and allow Him to choose the pathways of life He wants us to travel. Our part in this is to trust Him rather than leaning on our own understanding.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 6, 2013 | Hebrews
Hebrews 3:13-14
But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.
Last week our dear friend who is employed at a retirement facility, shared a heartache. One of the residents who had been a radiant inspiration to her, passed away. This man who had brightened our friend’s day was no longer there, and it made her feel such loss that it was difficult to go in to work.
As I officiate at funeral services I frequently hear people comment about what an inspiration the deceased had been to them. Sometimes there will be tears in their eyes as they remember how that person made their life bearable.
Perhaps most of us have someone (or perhaps more than one person) who was such an inspiration to us that they changed the direction of our life. If that person is still alive, they are still being a tremendous inspiration to you. If so, please let them know what a difference they have made in your life.
Paul encourages us to exhort (another word for inspire) those around us on a daily basis. That means that we are to be a constant inspiration to others. Not only will it be a blessing to them, but it will prevent us from having a hard heart and protect us from being open to the deceitfulness of sin. BE AN INSPIRATION! NOW!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 5, 2013 | Philippians
Philippians 3:13-14
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
It seems as if the older I get (I am getting up there), the more I recall the stupid things I did when I was younger. They were not necessarily sinful things as much as they were things I am not proud of and I can only imagine what people around me thought when I did these things.
Can I let you in on a little secret? The devil loves to bring our past indiscretions before us to make us feel miserable and to keep us from being effective servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It also strikes me that our past accomplishments can also be detrimental. We can glory in past victories so much that we spend far too much time reliving the glory days gone by. Old soldiers never die, they just keep telling about past victories. Sad to say, old preachers fall into the same rut.
Paul sounds the battle cry in this passage in Philippians 3. He determines that the things of the past are to be left in the past and we are to be committed to pressing forward in the power of the Spirit of God. That is the challenge I want to accept and I am determined to continue until the Lord calls me home.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 4, 2013 | Romans
Romans 7:19-20
For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
My wife Joyce and I were enjoying a breakfast at a local breakfast restaurant. Across from us was a young father with his 14 month old daughter. She was seated in a booster chair, but insisted on standing up. Over and over he asked her to sit down and then would have to pick her up and sit her back down, only to have her pop back up.
This scenario went on for several more times before he finally took the time to fasten the safety belt that prevented her from standing. At the same time their order arrived so there was not a fuss made by the little one.
It made me think of the story about a small boy that was driving his mother crazy with his antics (It may have been me). His mother reached the end of her patience and placed him on a footstool with the threat of a spanking if he got up. The boy commented that he may be sitting down on the outside, but he was standing up on the inside!
Many people read the Word of God faithfully and understand what it says. They even know the consequences for failure to obey. They finally yield and sit in obedience to the Lord to God on the outside, but they are still standing up on the inside. God has a special blessing for those who not only obey on the outside, but also on the inside. Which are you?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
