by Pastor Cecil | May 20, 2019 | 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Being thankful is not (or it should not be) a once a year thing. As members of God’s family we are to be thankful at all times. It is not our prerogative to choose what we will be thankful for — we are to have an attitude that is, by our spiritual heritage, thankful for all things.
In today’s Scripture, Paul admonishes the church at Thessalonica (as well as all of us) that we are to: “Be joyful always.” Do you frequently look as though you have been baptized in vinegar? That, my dear friend, is not being continually joyful. Start each day by looking into God’s spiritual mirror to see the joy of the Lord.
Paul’s second admonition is that we are to: “Pray continually.” Here is another embarrassing question: How is your prayer life? Are you continually speaking to the Lord in prayer? It is a discipline that we need to pursue.
The last admonition is in line with today’s topic. Here is what the Lord expects of us: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Chew on that while you are scraping the bottom of the food bin to find a scrap to stave off the pangs of hunger. If you have little or nothing to eat do you still give thanks? That is exactly the Lord’s will in any and every circumstance.
Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 17, 2019 | James
James 4:8
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
As I write the words of this Daily-E-Votional, my mind reflects back to the memory of my precious Dad. I cherished every moment I spent with my Dad. He was an encourager and was always there to insure that I was striving to be the man God wanted me to be. He stressed that after he was gone I would hold fast to the gospel and point people in the direction of the cross. I yearn for the day when I will see my Dad once again, but even more so I yearn for the day I will meet my Savior face to face.
In the early years of the 20th Century there was an outbreak of diphtheria in the U.S. that claimed many lives. In 1903, Cleland McAfee was chaplain and choir director at Park College in Parkville, Missouri. As the epidemic swept the area, two of his nieces died from the dread disease and the others in the house were quarantined. In Cleland’s hour of grief he wrote the hymn NEAR TO THE HEART OF GOD and had the college choir sing outside the house.
If you are passing through the valley of the shadow of death right now–I know that each of us do at some time in our life–let these words bring the quiet assurance we need.
Near to the Heart of God
There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.
Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God.
Hold us who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of comfort sweet,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where we our Savior meet,
Near to the heart of God.
Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God.
Hold us who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of full release,
Near to the heart of God
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God.
Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God.
Hold us who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
Enjoy this week’s hymn from GloryScapes.com. To access a Video of Near To The Heart of God, please go to: https://gloryscapes.com/neartotheheartofgod2
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 16, 2019 | Matthew
Matthew 19:21-22
“Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
In today’s Scripture we read a sad story. A young man approached Jesus and asked what good thing he needed to do to inherit eternal life. In questioning him it was determined that this young man was obedient to the Law of Moses and he even loved his neighbor as himself.
In verse 21 Jesus gave him an invitation that could have changed his life. Jesus challenged him to place his priorities in eternal assets instead of temporal assets. If he made the correct choice he would bless people here on earth and gain treasures for eternity. This would not earn salvation but would indicate his trust in Jesus.
Here was an obedient and observant man who prided himself on doing even more than the Law required, yet he went away from Jesus with a sad and heavy heart. His love of worldly possessions robbed him of being a follower of our Lord.
I wonder how long it was before he realized that the puny wealth of worldly goods amount to nothing. It is a question we must ask ourselves and especially in connection with today’s Scripture. Where is our heart of love?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 15, 2019 | Ephesians
Ephesians 6:4
“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”
A father once grieved his son terribly and forever fractured their relationship. The father had promised to take his son on a fishing trip. The boy lived in eager anticipation for the day when just he and his father would be alone on a fish-filled lake. (Such lakes are more in the area of dreams than reality)!
The day of the trip had arrived and the son was eagerly packing all of his gear into the car. It was just then that the phone rang. The father went back into the house to take the call. After a few minutes the son followed his dad just in time to hear him tell the caller that he had nothing important planned for the day and would be right there.
The long-awaited trip was off. Not only was there to be no fishing trip with his dad, but the dad had thought so little of it that he told the caller that he had nothing important planned for the day. The relationship between father and son was torn asunder that day and sadly was never restored.
How many promises have we broken that seemed small to us but significant to another person? But much more important, how have we grieved the heart of God by failing to keep our promises that we made to Him? LET US KEEP OUR PROMISES!
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 14, 2019 | 2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 4:2
“But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
I have noticed a recent increase in the number of so-called brilliant people who are led to believe in ghosts and supernatural things. These are often the same people who laugh and scorn at the truth of the gospel message.
It is frustrating that so many are blinded by the devil and fail to respond to the pure message of hope and salvation. These souls have been so deceived that they believe the lies told by others who have also been deceived.
Way back in 1940 there was a movie called Pal Joey. A song written for that movie was called Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered. Recently I heard the tune and it made me think of the way many people are led down the wide and destructive path that leads to an eternity in a devil’s hell.
There is hope, my dear friend. While it is true that the god of this world does indeed blind the eyes of those who choose to walk away from the one true God…there is deliverance. The only hope for a lost and dying world that has been bewitched by Satan is the powerful and life-giving message of salvation. Tell the world that there is hope and try as best you can to break their bondage of sin.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – Pastor Cecil
