by Pastor Cecil | Apr 12, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
I recall many years ago, listening to a sermon tape by Donald Grey Barnhouse. He told of how he had just completed a meeting many miles from his home in Philadelphia, when he was given a telegram that his son had been in a serious accident and was near death.
Travel at that time was by rail and as Dr. Barnhouse entered his sleeper, his spirit was greatly disturbed. He knew that it would be hours before his train arrived back home and that there was nothing he could do but leave his son in God?s hands.
As he prayed, he recalled a phrase from Isaiah 65:25, ” . . . but dust will be the serpent(s) food.” Using that passage he asked the Lord to feed the serpent dust, but to please grant him a good night?s rest. He fell fast asleep and the next thing he knew the porter was touching his shoulder to tell him that they were nearing Philadelphia. The Lord had answered his prayer.
If you have been having trouble getting to sleep at night, ask the Lord to give you His blessed rest and to feed the serpent dust.
To You Before the Close of Day
To you before the close of day,
Creator of the world we pray!
Your grace and peace to us allow,
And be our guard and keeper now.
From evil dreams defend our sight,
From all the terrors of the night.
From all deluding thoughts that creep,
On heedless minds disarmed by sleep.
O Father, this we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Your only Son.
Who with the Holy Spirit and with You,
Shall live and reign all ages through. Amen.
To access To You Before the Close of Day, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/toyoubeforethecloseofday in your browser or click on the image below.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
360-570-0074
PastorCecil@Daily-E-Votional.com
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 11, 2013 | Jude
Jude 1:24-25
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
What do you recall as being the most joyful moment of your life? I heard the old story of a man who proudly boasted that he had been married 35 happy years to his lovely wife, and then added that out of 46 that wasn’t too bad. How sad! My dear Joyce and I have been married since 1952, and one of my greatest joys is to have her by my side.
Frequently I mention the sad faces we see all around us. It is almost impossible to observe people who express joy. In some church services there appears to be great joy. Sadly it too frequently is a copycat joy, where people mimic those around them without really having true joy within.
If you want a reason for joy, please read these three verses from the small book of Jude. By the way, he was a half-brother of Jesus, and brother of James. Here he expresses joy about Jesus in that only Jesus can keep us from stumbling and present us faultless before His presence. That is because Jesus paid a price we could never pay when He died for our sins.
That, my dear heart, is worthy of joy unspeakable and full of glory! If you have lost the pure joy of your salvation, stop and take the time to realize the wonderful eternity we have waiting for us because of our new life in Christ.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 10, 2013 | Luke
Luke 21:29b-32
Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.
I have no idea what it would feel like to be a horticulturist, but this year I have made a stab at getting a feel for producing plants from seeds. Last fall I saved seeds from a tomato plant and our favorite squash that we had bought at the store. I saved the seeds in an envelope and started them several weeks ago in potting soil. Now they are growing like crazy!
Before long I will transplant them into the garden with every expectation of seeing a crop this summer and fall. It is the law of seed time and harvest. When I first saw the tiny leaves poke through the potting soil, I could visualize a harvest.
As we read this passage in Luke 21, it is with the understanding that Jesus is giving us a prophetic message. I am told that the fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel. On May 14, 1948, Israel became a nation in spite of all odds. We might say that the prophetic time clock began on that day.
Notice that Jesus tells us that the generation that observes this birth will not pass away before God establishes His kingdom. There will be a shout and the saints will rise to meet Him in the air. The long-expected rapture of the church! Now is the time to work as we have never worked before to insure that the lost are reached for the Lord. I eagerly look forward to meeting each of you on that great and glorious day!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 9, 2013 | James
James 1:26-27
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one(s) religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we purpose to deceive. Those words were penned in 1808 by Sir Walter Scott in his poem, Marmion. His words have frequently been attributed to William Shakespeare, which adds credence to the way tangled webs of truth and fiction can produce error.
In this fast-paced world where wrong is held out to be right and right is more and more considered erroneous, tangled reality is the pattern of the day. Sadly, as time goes along, I feel that this upside down logic will become the standard.
It is bad enough to become ensnared in the tangled web of deception concerning other people, but it is also possible to deceive our own selves. We start the web tangling by listening and acting to worldly wisdom rather than relying upon the infallible Word of God.
This is the time for self examination. Is our conduct of life based upon the wisdom of the world or what God has said? Do we seek to reinterpret the Bible to suit our own behavior? Confession and obedience to what God says will clear the webs of deceit that entangle us.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 8, 2013 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.
When I was a kid we would occasionally dare one of our friends to do something that required special effort. It was usually something that we would have a hard time doing ourselves and as often as not, something that was dangerous and really should not have been attempted.
I am not sure if the same dares take place today, but they probably do. As I read the closing words of Deuteronomy chapter 30, I see that Moses challenges his readers with perhaps the biggest dare anyone could make – life or death!
Any rational person would think that this challenge was a no brainer. Who in their right mind would not choose life? The sad answer is that the majority of people then, as well as in our own day, choose death instead of life.
We choose death when we fail to respond to the written Word of God. We choose death when we opt to follow our own way and reject the offer of life that the Lord offers all who will receive it. The challenge is still there before us – will you choose life or death. I beg you to choose life!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
