by Pastor Cecil | May 28, 2012 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 32:1-2
Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as raindrops on the tender herb, and as showers on the grass.
Stop for just a moment and remember the days which are now past. In one sense we can never re-live our yesterdays, but we can certainly learn from them. The date of May 28, 2012 is the day that has been chosen as Memorial Day here in the United States.
Having spent over twelve years in the military service, I know what it is like to lose comrades in arms. I vividly recall one Air Force pilot that was an instructor when I was in Officer Training School. He was enthusiastic and full of real life stories about his experiences in the cockpit of a jet aircraft. A few months after I had graduated, the word was received that he had been killed in combat.
This holiday has been established to honor the service men and women of all wars. It has been expanded as a time to remember all those loved ones who have died. As we drive through many cemeteries on this day, we see more flowers and flags than at any other time of year.
Memorial Day is a day to remember. It is a day of solemn contemplation about what has gone before us. I like to think of the tremendous sacrifice Jesus made in order to give us salvation and a new birth. Some have called salvation a free gift from God. It is that indeed, but it cost Jesus His life. He died that we might have life abundant and free. As with any other gift, it must be received. It is not something we can earn. We either accept it or refuse it. There is no better day that we can appreciate God’s wonderful gift than on this day!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 3, 2012 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 32:10-12
“In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. The LORD alone led him; no foreign god was with him.”
The large number of feeders in our yard demonstrates the fact that Joyce and I love birds. It is such a joy to watch their antics as they live out their lives a few feet from our windows. One summer a mother Junco built her nest in one of our hanging baskets. We never noticed it until she flew out one day as we watered the plants. As we peered through the foliage we saw a clutch of three eggs.
From the moment we discovered the nest we became very cautious not to disturb her any more than possible. In just a few days we could part the leaves and observe her covering her eggs and later her chicks. They were safe under the wings of her love. She would have given her life for her own. In like manner we are under His wings!
In 1896, William Cushing was a kind hearted man. Following the death of his beloved wife he devoted himself to write hymns of encouragement and hope to those in the storms of life. He wrote the words and Ira Sankey composed the music to the hymn, Under His Wings, this week’s featured hymn from GloryScapes.
“Under His Wings“
Under His wings, I am safely abiding,
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild.
Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me,
He has redeemed me and I am His child.
Refrain: Under His wings, under His wings,
who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
safely abide forever.
Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort, and there I am blessed.
Refrain: Under His wings, under His wings,
who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
safely abide forever.
Under His wings, oh, what precious enjoyment!
There will I hide till life’s trials are over;
Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me,
Resting in Jesus, I?m safe evermore.
Refrain: Under His wings, under His wings,
who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
safely abide forever.
To access Under His Wings, this week’s free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/underhiswings/
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
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by Pastor Cecil | Nov 16, 2011 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 8:1-2
Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors. Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands.
There is an old Irving Berlin song that has been going around and around and around in my mind. It was the song REMEMBER, but I cannot remember (ha) all the words—however, one phrase stands out that went something like this: You promised that you’d forget me not, but you forgot to remember.
In reading through the Bible in one year we have once again been exposed to the way God’s people forgot to remember. It would be easy to be critical of them if we were not guilty of the same lapses in our own spiritual journey.
There is a quote by George Santayana that you may be familiar with: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. If there is no other reason to consider history, this should be enough.
Think of the wonderful way the Lord has been with us and met our need in the past. His promises have always been true. When we honor Him, He fills us with His special blessings. BUT, it is so easy to rely on our own resources and fail to acknowledge Him. We forget to remember. Forgive us Lord!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
P.S. – You can find previous E-Votionals covering a variety of Scriptures and topics to help you in your walk with the Lord at www.Daily-E-Votional.com
My book, 100 of Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations, is now available on Kindle books. Just go the Kindle store and type in Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations, or Pastor Cecil Thompson.
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 25, 2011 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 11:19
Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Do you ever wish you could live portions of your life over again? I feel this way about the spiritual instruction of my three kids. They turned out alright, but I feel I could have done a much better job of making their instruction a priority in my life.
When our son was about eight, he was involved in an auto accident that almost took his arm off. In the operating room his doctor was my spiritual father, Dr. John Hall. Our family was involved in a memory program and Dr. Hall listened each week to the verses we had committed to memory. Dan had not recited his verses that week, so Dr. Hall had him recite them as he lay on the operating table. He told us later that there was not a dry eye in that operating room as the doctors and nurses listened to this boy recite verse after verse. I just wish I had been more thorough in opening up God’s Word day after day.
When our oldest daughter was about to slip beyond the bonds of this life at age 35, I was sitting at her bedside. She asked me to read Psalm after Psalm. As I read she seemed to relax more and more. As I recall, her last words were, “Please read another Psalm Dad.” I just wish I had read more during her early years.
Regret doesn’t mean anything if we neglect the present. I have made a commitment to use what time I have left in this world to share God’s Word with my natural children and my spiritual children. I encourage you to do the same.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
P.S. – You can find previous E-Votionals covering a variety of Scriptures and topics to help you in your walk with the Lord at www.Daily-E-Votional.com
Special News! My book, 100 of Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations, is now available on Kindle books. Just go the Kindle store and type in Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations, or Pastor Cecil Thompson.
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 22, 2011 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 18:18
The LORD detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy.
A pastor friend of mine was one of the most open and transparent men I have ever known. He once shared with some of us about an incident that had happened years before. He been invited to be the main speaker at a meeting held on conference grounds. He had traveled for several hours and it was the middle of the afternoon when he arrived.
He walked across the grounds from his quarters to the dining room to get a cup of coffee. As he walked in the dining room he was met by a somewhat hostile kitchen staff member who told him very rudely that the cafeteria was not open and to please leave. He told her that he only wanted a cup of coffee but she rushed him out the door.
When someone told her that she had just been rude to the speaker of the meetings she was appalled at her conduct. She rushed across the campgrounds and knocked on his door. She asked for his forgiveness and assured him that he was welcomed to return for his coffee. He thanked her but said that he really didn’t care for any.
After she left the Lord began to deal with him. He had really wanted the coffee and to tell her that he didn’t was a lie. He rushed back to the kitchen and asked the woman for forgiveness and that he would really enjoy that cup. His willingness to confess his sin bonded the two of them together.
All too often we find ourselves guilty of this type of lie, yet fail to confess it as a sin. May God reveal our sinful self and may we be free to confess.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
P.S. – You can find previous E-Votionals covering a variety of Scriptures and topics to help you in your walk with the Lord at www.Daily-E-Votional.comPlease feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends.
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 21, 2011 | Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 18:18
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.
A week ago Joyce and I were watching a wonderful service from the Campus Church at Pensacola Christian College. The music was wonderful and we were feeling blessed. I noticed a small goldfinch sitting on the edge of our bird feeder and it seemed he was listening to the music.
I mentioned it to Joyce and we laughed about the way he was acting. A few minutes later our little feathered friend had flown to a perch just outside the window and it was very clear that he was captivated by the music. He suddenly hopped onto the window screen and peered inside at us. If there had not been a screen on the window he might have joined us in our worship.
I can make a spiritual observation from this incident. There are people around us who would love to hear the gospel message. We might not be aware that they are watching or listening, but it is just possible that they are. Someone may have witnessed to them in the past and they rejected the offer. Now however there may be circumstances that have transpired and now they are open to the message that once they rejected. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN AND BE PREPARED!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
P.S. – You can find previous E-Votionals covering a variety of Scriptures and topics to help you in your walk with the Lord at www.Daily-E-Votional.comPlease feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends.
