by Pastor Cecil | Apr 16, 2018 | Joshua
Joshua 9:17
“Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord.”
The Gibeonites inhabited a part of the territory the Israelites were to possess in the land that God had promised them; they had also heard about what happened to other peoples who had tried to oppose Israel. So the devious Gibeonites devised a clever deception. They dressed in tattered garments and had food that seemed old and moldy. They pretended to be a people from a far country and not inhabitants of the land God had told Joshua to conquer.
Foolishly, Joshua and the Israelite leaders took it upon themselves to inspect the material possessions of the Gibeonites instead of inquiring of the Lord as to who these people were. God would have revealed the truth if only the Israelites had asked Him. The outcome was not a good one for Israel.
That is still the case in our own day and age. We frequently try to make our own decisions without spending time on our knees before the Lord seeking His direction for our life.
What decisions are you facing right now? I encourage you to spend time in prayer to seek the Lord’s will for your situation. He knows all of our days that lay before us and He alone can give us the direction we need.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 13, 2018 | Genesis
Genesis 9:16
“Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
Years ago my wife Joyce and I were once driving along the beautiful Columbia River gorge in Oregon. A rain shower had recently swept across the area, and now bright sunlight flooded the area. As we drove, a rainbow kept pace beside the car. I know it was just a refraction of the sunlight, but what an awe inspiring sight.
There are two requirements to produce a rainbow, rain and sun. Without rain there could be no rainbow. Without sun there would be no rainbow. In the rainy times of our life, God’s tender care for us brings His rainbow of blessing. God’s covenant of love did not say that we would be free of rain, but He is always with us in the storms of life.
Back in 1879 Rev. J. K. Alwood was equally moved as he observed a rainbow in the western sky late one evening as he was traveling home. When he arrived at his home, he immediately composed the hymn for this week; The Unclouded Day.
The Unclouded Day
O they tell me of a home far beyond the skies,
O they tell me of a home far away;
O they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O they tell me of a home where my friends have gone,
O they tell me of that land far away;
Where the tree of life in eternal bloom
Sheds its fragrance thru the unclouded day.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O they tell me of the King in His beauty there,
And they tell me that mine eyes shall behold,
Where He sits on the throne that is whiter than snow,
In the city that is made of gold.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O they tell me that he smiles on His children there,
And his smile drives their sorrows all away;
And they tell me that no tears ever come again,
In that lovely land of unclouded day.
Chorus: O the land of cloudless day,
O the land of an unclouded sky;
O they tell me of a home, Where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
Enjoy this week’s free inspirational video The Unclouded Day, from GloryScapes™ Christian Hymns.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 12, 2018 | Psalm
Psalm 63:1
“O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.”
A friend once shared with me a conversation he had with his sweetheart who was many miles away. She confessed that she missed him, but did not miss the Lord so much. He asked her if she was spending time reading the Bible and talking with the Lord. She confessed that she wasn’t. He replied, “Well, there is your answer.” After sharing their conversation with me, my friend suggested that I should use this topic for a Daily-E-Votional.
Joyce and I were like hand in glove since we were fourteen. We had sixty-six wonderful years together before she slipped beyond the pain and agony of this life into that wonderful place the Lord has prepared for us. I miss her so bad it hurts.
It is always well for us to cry out in longing to the Lord when we experience the desert times of our life. It is important to realize that the Lord is more anxious to come near to us than we are to come near to Him. The parable that Jesus told of the prodigal son reveals that our heavenly Father is always waiting to welcome us when we make our way back home.
Do you miss Him? If there is a lack of thirst for the presence of the living God in your life, start spending time reading and meditating on His Word. Tell Him where you are and how much you miss Him. He is waiting to welcome you home!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 11, 2018 | Joshua
Joshua 1:8
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.“
As a boy I had a very close friend who was my age and lived next door. We remained friends over the years through thick and thin. There is one major difference—my friend became consumed with making money while I was consumed with serving the Lord. My dear friend became a millionaire while I have very little of this world’s goods.
Sad to say, many people have become so preoccupied with making money that they have taken their eyes off of Jesus. What a tragedy! I once heard a statement made by one of my favorite Bible teachers that has stirred my thinking. “True prosperity is achieving the will of God.”
Wow! What a clear and concise statement! It reminds me that the richest people I have ever met are some of the poorest. They have little of this world’s goods, but they serve the Lord with such sincerity of mind and purpose that contentment abounds.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 10, 2018 | Hebrews
Hebrews 11-1-3
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
Joyce and I once lived in a gated community that required using a remote control device to open the gate. It was designed to prevent unauthorized persons from entering. We could open the gate only with the box that had been provided to us.
Faith may be defined as the gate that leads from our poverty to God’s power. As we read chapter 11 in Hebrews, it is almost like walking through God’s hall of fame of the faithful men and women who trusted Him with their all. These heroes of the faith saw something that was more important than life.
Down through the ages of history—even to our present day—there are men and women who have placed their reliance on things which are seen only through faith in God. In many cases believers have endured pain, torture, even death, knowing that eternal bliss waited just beyond their final breath.
Songwriter Oscar Eliason wrote, “God specializes in things thought impossible, and He can do what no other power can do.” No matter how difficult the circumstances, we can trust God to open the gates in His time and for His purposes. When He does, we can go forward by faith.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
