by Pastor Cecil | Apr 9, 2013 | James
James 1:26-27
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one(s) religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we purpose to deceive. Those words were penned in 1808 by Sir Walter Scott in his poem, Marmion. His words have frequently been attributed to William Shakespeare, which adds credence to the way tangled webs of truth and fiction can produce error.
In this fast-paced world where wrong is held out to be right and right is more and more considered erroneous, tangled reality is the pattern of the day. Sadly, as time goes along, I feel that this upside down logic will become the standard.
It is bad enough to become ensnared in the tangled web of deception concerning other people, but it is also possible to deceive our own selves. We start the web tangling by listening and acting to worldly wisdom rather than relying upon the infallible Word of God.
This is the time for self examination. Is our conduct of life based upon the wisdom of the world or what God has said? Do we seek to reinterpret the Bible to suit our own behavior? Confession and obedience to what God says will clear the webs of deceit that entangle us.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 8, 2013 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.
When I was a kid we would occasionally dare one of our friends to do something that required special effort. It was usually something that we would have a hard time doing ourselves and as often as not, something that was dangerous and really should not have been attempted.
I am not sure if the same dares take place today, but they probably do. As I read the closing words of Deuteronomy chapter 30, I see that Moses challenges his readers with perhaps the biggest dare anyone could make – life or death!
Any rational person would think that this challenge was a no brainer. Who in their right mind would not choose life? The sad answer is that the majority of people then, as well as in our own day, choose death instead of life.
We choose death when we fail to respond to the written Word of God. We choose death when we opt to follow our own way and reject the offer of life that the Lord offers all who will receive it. The challenge is still there before us – will you choose life or death. I beg you to choose life!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 5, 2013 | 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit.
In recent years piracy on the high seas has increased dramatically. Huge oil tankers or cargo carriers have been boarded and the ship and crew have been held hostage until the price for their release has been met. THEY HAVE TO BE REDEEMED IN ORDER TO BE SET FREE!
The fact that Fanny J. Crosby wrote thousands of poems, many of which became favorite hymns is amazing. The fact that she was totally blind is even more remarkable. Our hymn this week is Redeemed.
Redeemed
(1) Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.
REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.
(2) Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence,
With me doth continually dwell.
REFRAIN:
(3) I think of my blessed Redeemer,
I think of Him all the day long:
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song.
REFRAIN:
(4) I know I shall see in His beauty,
The King in whose law I delight;
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps,
And giveth me songs in the night.
REFRAIN:
(5) I know there’s a crown that is waiting,
In yonder bright mansion for me,
And soon, with the spirits made perfect,
At home with the Lord I shall be.
REFRAIN:
Notice verse four. It strikes me that Fanny Crosby was eagerly looking forward to that day when her Redeemer would appear and her blinded eyes would be opened and she would behold the most beautiful sight she could ever imagine—Jesus!
To access Redeemed, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/redeemed/ 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 | Apr 4, 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.
There is an old joke that I heard years ago. It seems that a chicken and a pig were discussing what they could do to show their appreciation to farmer Brown. The chicken suggested that they should honor him by providing a breakfast of ham and eggs. The pig snorted that for the chicken it would just be giving an offering—for him it would be a total commitment.
What a silly story . . . yet it becomes all too appropriate when we relate it to our spiritual walk with the Lord. There are many Christians who are satisfied with only giving a token offering. They do not want to be associated with those they consider to be wild eyed religious fanatics—the WERFs.
As I study the lives of the Old Testament and New Testament saints, I find that they were far sighted and solid in faith. They looked beyond the frothy things of this world and saw the reality of eternity with the Lord.
As we read Proverbs 3:5-6, we see the direction that provides us with a road map for our life. When we place our complete trust in the Lord we have the confident assurance that He will direct our paths. I prefer to have the Lord of the universe direct my life rather than to trust in my own human resources. I trust in Him!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 3, 2013 | Proverbs
Proverbs 12:25
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.
As a pastor and counselor I hear the heart cry of people from all over the world. They are anxious about their situation and want an answer that will give them relief and allow them to get out from under the pressure they feel.
A heavy heart can be caused by grief, uncertainty, loss, or any number of things. It is common to observe people walking around with a frown on their face and their shoulders bent as if they were bearing the weight of the world. As a matter of fact, they probably feel that they are.
When someone is crushed under the pressures of life they need release. One of the most ineffective comments we can make to a person who has a heavy heart is —CHEER UP!
They want to cheer up, but lack the ability to do so. It is at this point that we can be the greatest benefit in lifting them out of the pit of despair. Proverbs 12:25 suggests that a good word makes a heart glad. The question is what is a good word? The answer is that it is a word that comes from the Lord.
As I write this, I am struck by the reality that often the best word we can offer is not a word at all. It is presence. Just to be near during the time of suffering without comment is a word in itself. Our presence can speak hope and deliverance which will allow us to share the ultimate good word—THE WORD OF GOD! Be prepared, you never know when God may call you to lift a weary servant.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
