by Pastor Cecil | Dec 29, 2016 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 1:5-7
“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”
In the movie “Oliver,” a young Oliver Twist was living in a workhouse that required much and provided little. After receiving only a small serving of food at meal time, Oliver requested, “More please, Sir.” It was an affront to the establishment and led to his escaping and becoming a fugitive. But that is the rest of the story.
In spiritual reality, the Lord is always eager to give us more and even more from His bountiful supply. The apostle Peter enumerates some of these precious gifts that are ours for the taking: FAITH—VIRTUE—KNOWLEDGE—SELF-CONTROL—PERSEVERANCE—GODLINESS—BROTHERLY KINDNESS—LOVE.
As I read through this list once again, I see that God has poured out such a bountiful supply of spiritual gifts that it is truly difficult to comprehend. It is not wrong for us to desire more of these wonderful gifts. In fact, the sin is when we fail to receive what Jesus has given us through His precious blood. MORE PLEASE, LORD!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 28, 2016 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 1:9
“For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”
A born-again believer has been given a new life in Jesus Christ. That means the Lord gives us freedom from the sins of the past. Freedom from past sins does not mean we have the freedom to continue in those sinful ways. There needs to be a life cleaning!
Over the many years that I have served as pastor and counselor, I have been confronted with individuals who hang onto their old sinful habits. Perhaps I should rephrase that and say that the old habits have hung onto them.
Old sinful ways should have no place in the life of a victorious believer and follower of Jesus Christ. In today’s Scripture we are told that it is possible to be shortsighted and even blind to the sins that once controlled us.
It is time for an honest evaluation regardless of how long we have been saved. What things need to be cleansed from our lives? Here is another way of looking at it — if Jesus returned today would He be pleased with the things we are doing? If not, it is time to get rid of the old. His blood has made us free not to sin!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 27, 2016 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 11:7
“But your eyes have seen every great act of the Lord which He did.”
There is no question in my mind that I am better at forgetting than I am at remembering. The older I get, the more efficient I am at forgetting things that once were easy to recall and bring to mind.
I am coming to realize that it is not so much the things that I recall that matter the most, but what I do with the things that come to mind. The question is, do I take action when I see the “light” that the Holy Spirit reveals to me?
Moses is bringing to remembrance the mighty acts that God has performed for the Israelites in delivering them from bondage in Egypt. He challenges the people to recall what God has done and take positive action as a result.
We have seen the way God has acted on our behalf. As a result, it is time for us to take action. The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We can trust Him to open the doors of opportunity to serve Him in the days that He allots to us! Are we taking action?
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 26, 2016 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 1:4
“- –by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
There is an old adage that goes something like this: If you are not standing on God’s promises, you are just sitting on the premises. One is an active process of involvement, and the other is a passive pastime of taking up space and contributing little.
It is sad that our churches are often filled with gripers, moaners, and fault finders. These are the ones who are taking up space and simply sitting on the premises instead of living a victorious life by standing on God’s promises. If you are one of them, I hope to serve you your Eviction Notice. We have enough “sitters.” We need more “standers” — those that search out God’s promises and stand firm on them.
So, what is Peter saying in today’s scripture passage? He makes it so plain that it is difficult to get more basic. Peter says that God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him. I don’t know what everything means where you live, but in my mind it means the whole works.
I once read about a man who was traveling by ship from Europe to America. He could barely scrape up enough money for his ticket and a few things to eat during the trip. After a few days at sea, the man saw all the wonderful food in the dining room and smelled the tantalizing aromas that sent him into ecstasy. He was so hungry he knew he had to do something about it. The penniless passenger summoned up all of his courage and asked the ship’s steward if he might do some work so he could eat a meal or two. The steward was startled by the passenger’s humble request. He sat the man down and explained that the price of the ticket he had purchased to make the trip included all the food he could eat. All the food he needed belonged to him from the first day of the voyage, but he was starving from the lack of knowledge of all that he possessed.
That traveler’s problem, as well as the problem with many of us, is not knowing what is ours — he didn’t read his ticket and we don’t read our Bible! It is just as simple as that. Peter says that God has given us His very great and precious promises. These are given to us so that we can live an abundant and Godly life.
If you have personally received Jesus as your own personal savior, then claim the promises you have been given. Write down every promise that God has for His children. In fact, it would be a great idea to have a notebook just to record each promise that you find. Then claim it as your own.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 23, 2016 | Luke
Luke 2:10-11
“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”
I want to send out special Christmas greetings to all of you, my dear friends and faithful subscribers. God has been very near this year, and I thank Him for health and the ability to minister to thousands around the world.
This is the second Christmas since my precious wife Joyce departed this old sin-sick world and entered that place of eternal bliss. Words cannot express the loss I feel, but knowing what she is experiencing right now only makes me long to be with her even more.
This past summer I was blessed to have my two children, Dan (wife Donna) and Lori with me. Also my grandchildren, Zane (wife Anya), Seth (wife Anna), Jenna (husband Brandon), Jeremiah (wife Madi), Jeffrey (wife Elizabeth), Janelle (husband Adam), and Melinda (fiancé Tyson). Added to that list were eight great-grandchildren.
Many of you have never met me personally, but have adopted me as your on-line pastor and friend. God has given me the strength to continue serving into my 83rd year of life. I have no idea how long the Lord will enable me to continue ministering to you in this format, but I count it among my richest blessings.
Since September 2000 I have sent out over 4,000 editions of the Daily-E-Votional. What started out with only a few subscribers has grown to many thousands around the world.
God has also granted me the blessing of offering a daily Bible reading that covers the entire Bible in one year along with audio for people to listen as I read both the Daily-E-Votional and the One Year Bible Reading. In the past few months I am also recording a short message each week.
The Tumwater Chapel of Grace is a small family congregation where I serve as pastor. It is designed to minister to folks who do not feel comfortable in more traditional church settings. We meet at the Mills and Mills Funeral Home — I like to say that people are dying to come to our services. (Even with my special sense of humor, I have to admit that’s bad)!
I want to encourage each of you to take time during these last few days before Christmas to rejoice that God sent His own dear Son as the promised Messiah. He came as a tiny babe in a manger, but freely gave His life on a cruel cross to provide salvation through His shed blood.
Blessings dear hearts! Draw near to God this Christmas season, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
