by Pastor Cecil | Aug 15, 2019 | John
John 14:25
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
There is a peace that is anything but peaceful. I am told that in the midst of major battles a cease fire is ordered in which both sides stop hostilities for a certain period of time. It may be temporarily quiet, but it is not TRUE PEACE.
Prior to the outbreak of WWII in 1938, Sir Neville Chamberlain returned from Germany with a peace compact that was signed by Adolph Hitler. He waved the document and proclaimed, “Peace in our time!” We now know how false that peace really was.
Jesus promises His followers peace that is far different from anything the world can offer. It is peace in the midst of the storms of life. It is the peace that God gave to Stephen when he was being stoned to death (Acts 7:54-60). Other martyrs died with that same peace that can only be described as REAL PEACE.
Perhaps you feel like you are being tossed to and fro in the storms of life. It is time to anchor your life to the rock of our salvation and allow the Lord to give you His TRUE PEACE that will satisfy your soul.
Blessings dear hearts!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 14, 2019 | Luke
Luke 19:1
“And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, OCCUPY till I come.”
I love the way Jesus used parables to teach spiritual truths. A parable may be described as an illustration that is designed to teach a lesson. Jesus used them frequently and cited the common culture, norms, and situation of the time He was in so as to teach the listeners in terms they would understand.
In the Parable of the Ten Talents (or a certain sum of money) the master’s servants are told to OCCUPY until he returned. The word OCCUPY can also be defined as doing his business for him until he returns. Wow! That really hits home for me.
None of us know how long we will have to be engaged in our Master’s business. We may be one heart beat from eternity or we may have many more years. The amount of time is not relevant — it is the faithfulness to do His business in a way that profits Him.
In order to OCCUPY for the Master we need to know what His business is and how we can accomplish the best for Him. We will find what His business is in His Word as we dedicate our efforts in serving as the Holy Spirit brings to mind. Are you OCCUPYING until He calls you home?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 13, 2019 | Proverbs
Proverbs 3:1
“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”
For several weeks I have been having difficulty with my voice (or at times, lack of it). As I pursue treatment for this problem I have asked my faithful webmaster, Larry Hunter to use past issues of the Daily-E-Votional and send these out each day.
After almost 20 years of preparing and distributing to thousands of you precious faithful readers, I will use this time to be prepared to return with a renewed fervor to proclaim the message the Lord gives me.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 12, 2019 | Isaiah
Isaiah 60:19
“The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory.”
There has been a flurry of activity leading up to the total solar eclipse that is scheduled to occur today across much of the United States. One of the areas of total darkness will pass over the small community of Burns, Oregon.
If you are to look at a globe you will no doubt be able to find Burns which is located in the center of Oregon. Much larger cities will not be shown, but Burns is there. The reason is that there are no other towns or cities near there.
I am told that the population of small towns like Burns, Oregon, have swollen to huge sizes because people want to experience the total darkness of the eclipse. In John 3:19 Jesus revealed a sad truth: “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
There is nothing wrong about wanting to see a total solar eclipse, but there is something horribly wrong with a desire to seek spiritual darkness when God offers us the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Let this event remind us of His eternal light.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 11, 2019 | 2 Peter
2 Peter 3:14
“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.”
In a world where there is non-stop bickering, arguing, conflict, fights, and war, we need peace and harmony. It is vital that in the midst of the stormy seas of life we can know peace and live in harmony with those around us — especially those who are the hardest to get along with.
God has never promised us that He was going to change our world and give us pleasant, darling people to live with. Don’t expect that to happen! We are stuck with the ones we have.
Jesus prayed to His Father before His crucifixion. He prayed about you and me. His prayer was very significant. He prayed that we not be taken out of the world, but that the Lord would be with us in the world. Listen to His words in John 17:15-17 that are so meaningful to us in our day:
“My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth.”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
