by Pastor Cecil | May 28, 2008 | Daily-E-Votionals
Romans 5:6-8
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Who would you be willing to die for? That is a penetrating question. Very seldom do people choose up sides and talk about death and dying, much less who you would be willing to sacrifice your life for.
This afternoon (Monday) I had a part in a Memorial Day Service at a local cemetery. One of those on the program was one of our United States Congressmen. He told a story about a young medic who was deployed to Iraq.
A roadside bomb exploded destroying a passenger vehicle. The Congressman explained that the terrorists many times use two explosive devices. When medics arrive to rescue the survivors the second is detonated to kill and maim them as well.
In this instance the medic disregarded his own welfare and rushed into the flaming vehicle to rescue a small Iraqi girl. She clung tight to his neck as they were air lifted out to an intensive care unit.
When he tried to put the small girl down, she screamed and clung to his neck. Permission was granted by his unit for him to remain with the girl. For three weeks, everyday he was by her side. With joy he accompanied her back home into the arms of her parents.
Wow! What a story! Here was a young American who was serving in a far away land and yet was willing to risk his own life to save a small child he had never seen before.
Back in the 60’s I served with a Senior Master Sergeant who was transferred to Saigon. He had only been there a few days when the movie theater he was in was attacked by a terrorist. The man threw a small explosive device into the center aisle. A young US Marine immediately lept from his seat and threw himself over the bomb.
His act of courage cost him his own life, but saved countless lives who would otherwise have received much more of the blast. When Sgt. Ruben Luna called me upon returning home, he could not restrain himself from weeping about a young Marine he had never seen, who gave his life in such an act of courage.
Those are two examples of humans who placed their lives on the line for others. Jesus, the second Person of the Godhead not only gave His life for us—He became sin for us and paid the penalty (death) that we might have eternal life.
At the beginning of this E-Votional, I asked who you would be willing to die for. Now comes an even greater question: Have you received the sacrifice that Jesus gave for your sins. Have you repented (made an about face from your sinful ways) and have chosen to live for the Lord? Jesus died that we might be saved from death. Praise the Lord!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 27, 2008 | Daily-E-Votionals
John 5:21-23
“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.”
Words are terribly important! Aren’t you impressed by that profound statement? What I mean is that the meaning of words is critical for us to grasp the meaning of things. I was taught that by my major professor in graduate school, Dr. Joseph Maloof. He would never let me use a word without knowing what it meant. “What does it mean, young man? Never use it unless you know the meaning of it!”
It reminds me of the joke about a pompous man who thought more of himself than he should. He met a woman at the market who remarked; “Oh, Mr. Smith, you are so mature!” He rushed home and grabbed his dictionary to look up the deeper meaning of the word “mature” so he could savor it. To his dismay it said: “Mature: Ripe and getting rotten.”
Let me explain why I am taking this slant in today’s E-Votional. I have been distressed by the lack of respect that we observe in our modern society. It is a dog-eat-dog world and there is little kindness and gentleness shown to those around us.
When I went to the concordance to do a search on the word “respect” I was shocked to discover that it had more negative connotation than positive. It was more like the man who was looking to discover the meaning of “mature”—showing favoritism to gain favor (at best).
As it turns out, the word I was looking for was Honor. Jesus uses it in Matthew 15:3-4, as He references it as one of the Ten Commandments: “Jesus replied, ‘And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ ”
Wow! That carries a wallop! It is certainly the first Commandment with promise: (“- – – that you may live long in the land the Lord is giving you.”) Here is the Bible dictionary meaning for honor:
1) to estimate, fix the value for the value of something belonging to one’s self.
2) to honor, to have in honor, to revere, venerate.
Honor is not a choice—it is a command! Honor is our choice to see value and worth in others, and then act in a manner that is consistent with showing worth. We have all too often chosen to honor the wrong things: money, promotion, possessions, education, houses, cars, clothes, status, etc., basically things that will pass away.
There is a need to show honor to our parents and grandparents, to the elderly, even to those who are prone to, slip through the cracks, as it were. Last week I met a family who had a developmentally disabled daughter in her twenties. She had just been secured in the back seat of their car before they drove off. I smiled at her and received no response. I then said, “Give me five” and held my palm up for her to strike it with hers. The smile appeared. Her mother was beaming as I turned around. “She likes to give fives!’
The honor I had chosen to give to this child of God was returned to me tenfold—by the smile from one who could only give a smile in return.
I want you to know that I honor and cherish each of you readers. I will never meet most of you in this world, but eagerly look forward to giving you a “high five” when we meet in that land where there will be no sorrow or pain.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 26, 2008 | Daily-E-Votionals
James 4:13-15
“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’ ”
Last week I was at the computer keyboard early in the morning. Someone sent me a link to videos of some of the Gaither Homecoming gatherings. I knew that some of these musicians were going through serious problems in their own lives or the lives of their loved ones—yet they sang with confidence and hope, even with tears rolling down their cheeks.
One after another stood and sang and often there were scenes from earlier days. The young faces became lined with age and grey or white hair replaced the original color (only their hairdressers knew what that was).
It was incredible how many of those beloved Christian performers have since gone to be with the Lord. The last one that I think of was Dottie Rambo who was tragically killed in a bus accident on May 11, 2008.
It reminded me of going through our high school annual a short time ago and laughing at how young we looked back then. In fact, that is true with any photographs from ten, twenty or thirty or more years ago.
Try doing something for me. Look at some old pictures of your parents or grandparents when they were your age. Think of how old they seemed to you when you were young. Now go look in the mirror and prepare yourself for a shock—you cannot stop the aging process—regardless of what the cosmetic companies may tell you.
There is a familiar quote that gives each believer a proper perspective on the aging process: “Only one life, t’will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last! And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be, if the lamp of my life burned out for Thee!”
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 23, 2008 | Daily-E-Votionals
Luke 23:44-46
“It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit My spirit.” When He had said this, He breathed His last.”
A young boy was setting out on a great adventure. People all around his area had been talking about a man who taught with great authority and performed many miracles. The name, Jesus, was on every tongue in the small village where he lived and now many were going to hear Him.
The lad’s mother was not able to go along, but she prepared a small lunch for her son—five barley loaves and two small fish. It was not much, but she hoped it would suffice until he returned home that evening.
A huge throng of people were hurrying out to see Jesus, who had gone far out to a deserted area. They were all thrilled by the many miracles that Jesus performed and the words that He spoke. The hours fled swiftly by and stomachs began to growl with hunger.
The disciples of Jesus began to circulate through the crowd, looking for something. One of them, Andrew, stopped by the boy and asked him what he had in his bag? He merely nodded when the boy said it was his lunch and showed him his five rolls and two salted fish.
Jesus wanted to test His disciples, so He asked them where they could buy food for so such a large crowd? Philip had made a mental calculation and concluded that it would cost a great deal. In John 6:7 he answered the Lord, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
The disciples reported that there was absolutely no food nearby, even if they had the money to buy it. It was then that Andrew reported his discovery. In John 6:8-9 we read, “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’ “
I think you know the rest of the story. Jesus took the small lunch from the boy’s hands, gave thanks to His Father in heaven for it and fed five thousand. Not only that—but there were twelve baskets full of “fish and chips” remaining. Imagine the mother’s shock when her son returned with more food than he left with—and a full tummy to boot!
When the boy committed his food into the hands of the Master, he was a witness to the power of God to control his meager provisions. What was intended as a lunch for a small boy became a feast for thousands!
In today’s Scripture from Luke 23, Jesus committed Himself into the hands of His Father. He who knew no sin became sin for us in order that we may receive the miracle of eternal life. By His yielding Himself, His death gave life to all who will come to Him in faith believing.
Our new life in Christ is no more merited by our actions than the boy’s small lunch was sufficient to feed the crowd. Jesus is the One who does the miracles in our life. Our part is just to give ourselves into His hands. Never feel that it is not enough—He will multiply and bless!
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 22, 2008 | Daily-E-Votionals
Psalm 91:1-2
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ “
I just want to share a brief thought with you for today. It is a suggestion that these daily messages become your “secret place.” It seems like we all need a place where we can go to restore our minds, and hearts, out of the prying eyes of people around us.
Many of you have written to me, sharing your questions, hurts and disappointments. In some instances, the people who have been indifferent to your pain are the very ones who should have responded to your need. It saddens me when I read of the trials you are experiencing, but I am so pleased to try to share godly counsel, and to act as a sounding board.
You know that I strive to make the Daily-E-Votionals as simple and digestible as possible. I personally do not believe that God designed His Word for only those with a doctor’s degree in theology. Jesus was a carpenter. He called fishermen, a tax collector, and such like to be His disciples. Even women with sordid backgrounds were freed from their life of sin and followed along, when possible.
My desire is to be as understandable as possible. For those of you who have not received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, I want to be able to explain the plan of salvation to you, in terms that a child could understand.
For those of you who have turned your back on God and are not walking with Him right now, I would love to be the door that leads you back into fellowship. I will try to listen to your questions and show you God’s answers to those questions.
For those of you who feel that there is no hope, that life is just not worth the effort, that you are no good and have no ability, I want to light a fire within you to get on God’s fast-track to victory and purpose.
This is your safe place, your secret place, your shelter from the storms of life. You can rely on this E-Votional Pastor to listen, pray, and respond honestly and according to God’s Word.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 21, 2008 | Daily-E-Votionals
Psalm 84:1-3
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.”
I woke a little after six this morning and started my typical day’s routine. I read a few Scriptures and then waded through almost 100 e-mail messages that had been received since late last night. I prayed for many of the requests from all over the globe and then began to read some of the attachments.
One in particular (I will share it below) struck close to home and brought tears to my eyes. I immediately thought of my dear friend, Charles Sutton, who lost his wife several weeks ago. I was about to send it on to him when I realized that he was the one who had forwarded it on to me. I pray that it will bless you as much as it did me. Blessings, Charles!
THE SONG THAT SILENCED THE CAPPUCCINO MACHINE
By John Thomas Oaks
It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks’ shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square. Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it’s enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.
For a musician, it’s the most lucrative Starbucks’ location in the world, I’m told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing.
It was a fun, low-pressure gig – I was playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs from the ’40s to the ’90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During our emotional rendition of the classic, ‘If You Don’t Know Me by Now,’ I noticed a lady sitting in one of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to the beat and singing along.
After the tune was over, she approached me. ‘I apologize for singing along on that song. Did it bother you?’ she asked.
‘No,’ I replied. ‘We love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next selection?’ To my delight, she accepted my invitation.
‘You choose,’ I said. ‘What are you in the mood to sing?’
‘Well… Do you know any hymns?’ Hymns? This woman didn’t know who she was dealing with. I cut my teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our guest singer a knowing look.
‘Name one.’
‘Oh, I don’t know. There are so many good ones. You pick one.’
‘Okay,’ I replied. ‘How about ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’?’ My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed her eyes on mine again and said, ‘Yeah. Let’s do that one.’
She slowly nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to sing.
Why should I be discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed. Even the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion.
I sing because I’m happy;
I sing because I’m free.
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
When the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, ‘Oh, y’all go back to your coffee! I didn’t come in here to do a concert! I just came in here to get somethin’ to drink, just like you!’ But the ovation continued. I embraced my new friend.
‘You, my dear, have made my whole year! That was beautiful!’
‘Well, it’s funny that you picked that particular hymn,’ she said.
‘Why is that?’
‘Well …’ she hesitated again, ‘that was my daughter’s favorite song.’
‘Really!’ I exclaimed.
‘Yes,’ she said, and then grabbed my hands. By this time, the applause had subsided and it was business as usual. ‘She was 16. She died of a brain tumor last week.’
I said the first thing that found its way through my stunned silence. ‘Are you going to be okay?’
She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. ‘I’m gonna be okay. I’ve just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs, and everything’s gonna be just fine.’ She picked up her bag, gave me her card, and then she was gone.
Was it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in that particular coffee shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular shop? Coincidence that of all the hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who had died just the week before? I refuse to believe it.
God has been arranging encounters in human history since the beginning of time, and it’s no stretch for me to imagine that He could reach into a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an ordinary gig into a revival. It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting Him and singing His songs, everything’s gonna be okay.
The next time you feel like GOD can’t use you, just remember…
Noah was a drunk, Abraham was too old, Isaac was a daydreamer, Jacob was a liar, Leah was ugly, Joseph was abused, Moses had a stuttering problem, Gideon was afraid, Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer, Rahab was a prostitute, Jeremiah and Timothy were too young, David had an affair and was a murderer, Elijah was suicidal, Isaiah preached naked, Jonah ran from God, Naomi was a widow, Job went bankrupt, John the Baptist ate bugs, Peter denied Christ, The Disciples fell asleep while praying, Martha worried about everything, The Samaritan woman was divorced–more than once, Zaccheus was too small, Paul was too religious, Timothy had an ulcer… AND, Lazarus was dead!
No more excuses now! God can use us to our full potential. Besides we aren’t the message, we are just the messenger.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil
