by Pastor Cecil | Aug 10, 2010 | 2 Timothy
II Timothy 2:1-2
“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”
I previously wrote of the incident where a cell phone rang at a funeral service, just as I mentioned that we never know when the Lord will call us home. Well here is another one of those crazy situations. This time it was a wedding.
I was in my office along with the groom and best man. It was just a few minutes before the ceremony was to begin, and the groom was as nervous as a cat in a dog pound. He suddenly asked the best man, “You have her ring don’t you?” The best man acted affronted until he reached in his pocket and found only a hole. The ring was missing!
The three of us charged out of the office and started looking up and down the aisles, in the men’s dressing room and everywhere we could think it might be. We considered using someone else’s ring, but I had a different idea. I went to the front and announced that before the wedding we were going to have a treasure hunt to look for the lost ring. A short time later we heard a shout from behind the church. In the spot where the photographer had taken pictures of the wedding party was the ring. It had fallen through the hole in the best man’s pants pocket and was just waiting to be found. That wedding became a joyous celebration for everyone!
We have found a much more precious treasure than a wedding ring. We have the message of the glorious gospel of truth. In all the flurry of our day-to-day business, it is easy to lose the most valuable thing in the world—the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each one of us is capable . . . No! much more than capable . . . we are responsible to share this precious gift to the one or ones the Lord brings across our path. Have you lost something?!
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 | Aug 5, 2010 | 2 Timothy
II Timothy 2:1-2
“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”
It seems like more crazy things happen to me at weddings or funerals than you can imagine. One day I will tell you about the wedding ring lost just a few minutes before the ceremony was to start. I will also share about the sound man who did not know he was to play the bride’s march. Ohh boy!
Last week it was one of those “coincidences” that leave you breathless—but at the same time makes you feel that the Lord was in it. This one happened as I was drawing to the close of the memorial service of a sweet lady who attended the church I used to pastor.
I had just made a statement like this: “As we recognize the final departure of our dear Dorothy, we leave her spirit with the merciful Judge of all the universe who will do right. It is up to us who remain to receive Jesus Christ by personal invitation, for it is only in this manner that we will obtain an entrance into His kingdom. We may soon hear His call and need to be ready.”
Just at that moment someone’s cell phone rang. Not only did it ring, it was set on extra loud so everyone in the church heard it! I used it as a fantastic object lesson to emphasize how unexpectedly God’s call can be and that we must be ready when He calls.
Are you ready if He called today?
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 | Aug 2, 2010 | 2 Timothy
II Timothy 2:1-2
“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”
From time to time I have received a message from one of our readers that someone has used one of my Daily-E-Votionals, but used their name as creating it. I think it is wonderful that the material is being read and hold no resentment.
Life is humorous if we allow it to be so. I once was leading a Bible class and we had been exploring the fascinating Bible character known as, Barnabas. I had done my research and tried to present what made him such a radiant example of what a true follower of Jesus Christ should be.
I had completed the study when I read in the local newspaper that one of the churches in town was having a special speaker and the title of his message was, “The Life of Barnabas.” Wow! Just the thing! I rounded up our class members and off we went.
I was astonished to hear the speaker use my material. How dare he?! Then I realized that this faithful servant had searched the material on Barnabas as I had, so it was natural that it was identical. Rather than being jealous it was a confirmation.
It is not my material that I send out five days each week, but the Lord’s. He plants the thoughts in my heart and so it belongs to Him, not me. He is free to use me and use the material He gives me as He sees fit. To God be the glory!
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 | Jul 23, 2010 | 2 Timothy
II Timothy 2:1-2
“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”
Have you ever been approached by someone and offered an opportunity of a lifetime? All you had to do was sign-up under them, purchase a pre-determined amount of product or service and then start signing up others under you.
It works! Well, most of the time it does. Years ago, Joyce and I became involved in a self-defense product similar to pepper spray. Before long we had thousands of people who had signed up directly under us or at least in our personal down-line. It was going smoothly until the president of the company was found guilty of financial impropriety. (He cheated!)
From time to time there is a charge from authorities that a company is operating a pyramid scheme as opposed to a multi-level format. I am not enough of a legal mind to clarify the issue, but from what I have been told it is this: “You must market a legitimate product at a reasonable price in order to be a multi-level and not pyramid.”
All of that background to get to the point of our calling to engage in a multi-level ministry. Jesus gave His great Commission for His disciples to go into the entire world. How can we do that? I think Jesus gave us the answer. He had three disciples who were the closest to Him, then came the other nine. Do you get the picture? After His resurrection, His disciples created their own group who formed their own group and so on.
We have the most valuable “product” in the world — eternal salvation. In order to pass the word along we need to tell an intimate group and challenge them to tell others. Think about it, if I disciple three to disciple three, in just eight levels we could reach over 4,000 souls for Christ.
The key is to get started. You may try it by trying to get three people to subscribe to the Daily-E-Votional. Then you could discuss the material and go far beyond what I have had the time to present in a condensed format. Will you go into all the world?
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 | Jun 28, 2010 | 2 Timothy
II Timothy 4:3
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”
As I read this passage I want to cry out, “Yes, Paul, the time has come and we are there!” Let me illustrate. Wednesday Joyce and I were eating lunch when I received a call from a local funeral home. A family was there and I was requested to get there immediately.
When I was introduced to two members of the family, they informed me that they did not want a service that was “too” religious. I thought to myself; “Hello! I am a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and you want a non-religious service? Wow!!”
They reluctantly provided the necessary information so I could conduct the service. I closed our meeting with a word of prayer for the family during this time of loss. Later I received a call that the family had found another minister who was not too religious to do the service.
I should not be shocked at all by this turn of events. We are surrounded by a society that, at best, wants to give an appearance of spirituality. I shudder to think about what will happen when the non-religious—religious people of the world stand before the Judge of all the universe to give an account of their deeds done in the flesh.
I only know this; I will remain steadfast and true to God’s Word and will speak only what matches His divine will for all men. I will be God’s man!
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 | Jan 5, 2010 | 2 Timothy, Daily-E-Votionals
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
For those of you with a keen eye and a photographic memory, you will notice that this is the same Scripture that I used in yesterday’s E-Votional. That is by design rather than by accident.
One of the most common accusations against Christians is that they are too judgmental. What does that mean? I think it basically means that we sometimes are prone to play Holy Spirit for other people. We tell them what they should or should not do in areas that are not mentioned in Scripture.
In this wonderful passage of Scripture in 2 Timothy, we find that God’s
Word is “useful.” In the King James it is translated “profitable.” In either case it sounds more like a tool than a weapon doesn’t it?
A careful study will show that it is not used as a weapon of judgmentalism, but rather as a tool used to teach, rebuke (correct false teaching), correct, and train in righteousness. A teacher soon learns that if you drive a student off by a harshness you may never be able to bring about understanding. Proverbs 15:1; “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
