by Pastor Cecil | Dec 19, 2013 | Daily-E-Votionals
Psalm 34:17-20
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
Have you ever lost a loved one? In the past I have shared with you about losing our daughter, but I feel led to do so again. “Dad, are you sitting down?” Those words came across the phone lines from our oldest daughter, Brenda, some twenty years ago. I told her that I was. She said, “I am in the hospital with heart failure.” The words struck with the force of a blow to my stomach. I told her that her mother and I would be there as soon as possible. It was over 500 miles from Shelton, Washington, to Boise, Idaho, and we made it in record time.
When we arrived, the prognosis was even worse than we had anticipated. Brenda was diagnosed with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. The only way she could survive was to have both a heart and lung transplant. In the meantime she, like so many others, had to live with a broken heart.
There is another aspect of having a broken heart—it is the attitude of heart before our God. It may be described as the opposite of pride and arrogance. It was a chief characteristic of our Lord when He walked the dusty roads of Israel. He, who was the One who had created all things, was now in submission to His Father. He lived with a broken heart.
Our hearts need to be crushed and broken by the things we see in our lives that are contrary to the will of God. In these instances, we need to cry out to God and confess our sin in order for Him to forgive and cleanse. This very same attitude should also be evidenced as we observe the sins of our nation and of the world. I think it is time for us to stop and evaluate our lives in view of eternity. More than being brokenhearted because of the loss of a loved one, we need to have our hearts crushed before the Lord. As we examine our lives, may we pray with all sincerity: “Lord let me live before You with a broken heart!”
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 13, 2013 | Daily-E-Votionals, Psalm
Psalm 18:2
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Ira Sankey was a singer and song writer who ministered alongside evangelist D. L. Moody. He had experienced and extended time of trial and tears in his own personal life. He cried out to the Lord to be able to receive a renewing of his own spirit so he could in turn minister to others. It was during this time of agonizing prayer that the song Hiding In Thee was born. I am so thankful that the Lord heard and answered his prayer.
About twenty years later, Sergei Rachmaninoff was experiencing many problems in his life. He had a mental block, could not write and felt useless. After several years of emptiness he broke out of his doldrums and composed his second piano concerto. It is a joy to feature a blending of both works this week. ENJOY!
Hiding in Thee
O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be;
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour,
In times when temptation casts o’er me its power,
In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
I have fled to my refuge and breathed out my woe;
How often, when trials like sea billows roll,
Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
To access Hiding In Thee, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please click on the image below.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 5, 2013 | Daily-E-Votionals
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
William Walford did not allow the fact that he was blind limit his service for his Lord. He was frequently called upon to preach in a small country church. He composed the sermons in his head and quoted large portions of Scripture from memory. Some people thought he had memorized the entire Bible. He also composed verses in addition—he prayed.
In the mid 1800’s, Thomas Salmon was visiting in England and became acquainted with Pastor Walford. As they were visiting one day the blind pastor quoted a few pieces he had composed. Since he had no one to write them down he had kept them treasured in the storehouse of his mind.
One of the verses he related to Mr. Salmon was, Sweet Hour of Prayer. Mr. Salmon eagerly scribbled the words down on a scrap of paper. When he returned to New York he sent the verses to the Observer and asked if they thought them worth preserving. The Observer did think them worthy and published them on September 13, 1845. The music was added by William Bradbury in 1861.
Sweet Hour of Prayer
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
‘Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!’
To access Sweet Hour of Prayer please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/sweethourofprayer 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 | Jun 25, 2013 | Daily-E-Votionals
Proverbs 18:24
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Being alone is a sad and dismal position. We really do need each other and a friend is one of the greatest possessions we can have. It is a sad and poor man who has no friends. Friends are different than companions. Companions may be close by, but are not sufficiently close that we can share our deepest feelings.
Thinking back across the years of my life, I have had a wealth of friends. Some of those friends have gone on to be with the Lord, but some are still alive. Many years ago I received a plaque from a special friend that has special meaning to me. A friend is one who knows you as you are, understands where you’ve been, accepts who you’ve become, and still gently invites you to grow. Thanks, Chris!
You may have a dear friend like Chris, but we have a friend who is still closer. Of course I am speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who is with us at all times. We are never really alone, even when others have departed, for He stays with us during the dark hours of the night. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is there beside us.
You may feel frustrated with life, feel hurt or depressed because of the way things are going. You may even question whether it even helps to pray. That fatalistic view of life is short sighted. It is like slamming the door in the face of our closest friend who has come to help us. Yet Jesus patiently stands at the door and quietly knocks. Please open the door and allow Him to heal all of the hurts you feel right now.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 23, 2013 | Daily-E-Votionals
Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Somewhere I have heard the definition of dark as being the absence of light. That sounds reasonable to me and at the same time I realize that there are many types of darkness. When the sun goes down we say that it is dark, but is it really?
The closer we are to the lights of a city, the more difficult it is to view the light from the moon and stars. There have been times when I was far from the city lights and was astounded at the difference it made in viewing the heavens.
The darkest place I have ever been was in Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico. Our guide was explaining the various formations and informed us he was about to show us how dark it was with all of the lights extinguished. I am not sure how long it was, but it almost felt like you could feel the dark. He finally turned on a flickering light and it seemed to flood the entire cavern area.
We may be discouraged about the dark world in which we live, but there is a purpose in our being here. It is to allow the light of the glorious gospel of Christ to bring light to the evil blackness of the world. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | May 10, 2013 | Daily-E-Votionals
Proverbs 31:30-31
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.
On this date, when I was just two months old, a significant birth took place about a thousand miles away from our home in Camas, Washington. In Sparta, Michigan, a mother gave birth to a bouncing baby girl that she named Joyce Elaine. This precious life was to become my dearest friend and beloved wife just eighteen years later.
Yes, we were only eighteen years old when we were married on July 10, 1952. For those of you trying to mentally calculate, it was almost sixty-one years ago. In all these years, I have discovered that (aside from my personal salvation) God had entrusted to me the most precious gift that could be given to any man.
My dear wife and closest friend has taught me so much about loving and caring for others. She has the gentle and quiet spirit that we find described in Proverbs 31. She has been given the spiritual gift of mercy and is very sensitive to the feelings and needs of those around her.
Across the 79 years of my life I have received many gifts—some large and some small. Some have been gag gifts and some have been thoughtful gifts. But of all the gifts I have ever received, God gave me the greatest when He gave me my Joyce. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR WIFE!!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
