by Pastor Cecil | Jul 3, 2013 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 14:2
For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
The date that appears on this issue of the Daily-E-Votional is different than when I am actually writing it. Many subscribers live on the other side of the International Date Line, thus I send them out one day earlier than it is here at my home. That means I often write the material two days in advance.
I hope you are not as confused as I am! That being said, I am composing this issue on July 1, which as many of you may know is Canada Day. When I was stationed with the U.S. Air Force in St. Anthony, Newfoundland, we were surrounded by many wonderful Canadian friends. I can recall attending one of their gatherings on July 1, 1967. When they stood and sang their National Anthem, I sang along with them. A few days later on July 4, some of them attended one of our celebrations and sang along with us in our attempt at the U.S. National Anthem.
I suppose every nation has a day of celebrating. It is a time to reflect on the good things that make the nation unique. Men and women of past generations have hacked out a special place in the wilderness to pass down to those who would someday call it their nation. So hats off to Canada, and tomorrow to the United States, and for the other nations around the world. Congratulations!
That being said, we have a nation of believers that transcends all national borders. This spiritual nation is made up of those who have been born again. We have a citizenship that qualifies us for eternity with Jesus. CONGRATULATIONS!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 2, 2013 | 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually,give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
It is far too easy to be preoccupied with our own life and forget about those around us. Stop for a moment and think about a time in which you were treated unfairly or given an insult of some kind. The natural reaction to this is retaliation.
The person who caused you pain may or may not be aware that they have done so. In fact they may have been given a promotion that you felt you deserved. While they celebrated their promotion, you felt rejected and betrayed. In such a situation you may have felt justified in showing a bitter attitude toward them. The other person may be bewildered by your belligerent attitude toward them.
This type of behavior is certainly not the way a Christian should behave. There will be times in our life when we will be treated in a cruel fashion. The way we react will say more about our spiritual maturity than hundreds of sermons.
My prayer is that you and I will start living the way the Lord desires. That means giving up our tender feelings to the Lord and refusing to show a contrary attitude, even when we are hurt to the core. SHOW A CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 1, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.
One of the very first verses I ever memorized was Isaiah 41:10. You will notice that I have included both the New International Version and the King James Version. As a young boy I had the words in my mind, but I had to live many more years before I truly understood the beautiful truth of the words.
Many of us live with fear and/or depression in our lives. While those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ have reason to be fearful and dismayed, the believer has a source of peace and joy that overcomes the circumstances of life.
At this very moment you may feel that you are at the lowest point of your life. The pressures have been building to such an extent that you feel like there is no hope for you. I want to assure you on the authority of the Word of God that there is more than hope . . . there is certainty!
What assurance does Isaiah 41:10 give us? First of all He tells us not to be fearful because He is with us. His presence should remove the fear from our heart. Not only that, He promises to remove our despair by giving us His strength, His help and holding us up with His mighty right arm. Adjust your attitude dear believer. Our victory comes from the One who has already won the victory for us on the cross.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
