by Pastor Cecil | May 14, 2012 | Exodus
Exodus 3:4-5
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
There is little concern in our day and age for the sacred things of God. Sloppiness, indifference and a casual approach to the Word of God is of great concern. It almost seems as if many have created a God of their own making which allows or permits people to come into the presence of the King of kings and have no regard for His holiness.
I am not necessarily speaking of worship services, but that would certainly apply. What I am picturing is the contact we have with the Lord. I fear that much of the time we are so preoccupied with what is going on around us that we fail to see and experience the awesome holiness of God. Have we encountered the burning bush in our life?
Today’s Scripture comes from the famous “Burning Bush” encounter in the life of Moses. It was the place where God encountered Moses and commissioned him to lead the Israelites out of bondage.
Following the encounter with the Burning Bush, Moses was empowered to become God’s instrument in leading the children of Israel from the bondage of slavery. Are you experiencing victories in your spiritual life? Have you been walking close to God so He can present you with a burning bush?
Following the Day of Pentecost we have new access into the presence of God that those in the Old Testament lacked. We have the blessed Holy Spirit who becomes our “Burning Bush.” He is able to go before us and lead us in becoming all that God wants us to be.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Mar 7, 2012 | Exodus
Exodus 20:7
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
“Are you praying?” That was the question I asked a man who had repeatedly used the phrase, “Oh my God!”
He looked shocked and replied, “What do you mean?” I said “Well, you keep saying ‘My God’ and I wanted to know if you are calling on His name in prayer or taking His name in vain?”
As we continued the conversation, the man admitted that he was not even aware that he had used that statement. We had an extended conversation about how easy it is to establish a habit without even being aware of it.
Calling upon the name of the Lord is a sacred thing. It must never be taken lightly or as an expletive or flippant expression. Before we feel too spiritual, I want to drop another bomb. There are many Christians who would never use the expression, “My God!” but easily use a similar expression, “My Lord!”
Do you see the difference between the two? I don’t and I am sure that the Lord does not either. Using the Lord’s name in any manner that is not consistent with speaking to Him or calling out to Him is wrong. Stop it!
If we have a habit of using the Lord’s name in vain, we need to humbly bow before the Lord, confess it as a sin and ask Him for forgiveness. I pray that the Lord will convict us any time we misuse His name.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
P.S. – Be sure to check out PastorCecil.com
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 13, 2012 | Exodus
Exodus 32:8
They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
We seldom hear teaching or preaching on backsliding these days. There is much emphasis on the power of all that is positive and futuristic, but little about what we have abandoned. One of the most disturbing things I encounter is to see slumbering embers in the spiritual lives of people that once burned fervently for the Lord. Lord forgive us of becoming lukewarm!
Every time I read the Exodus account of God’s miraculous deliverance of His people from the bondage of slavery, I wonder how they could have turned their back on God. Think about it: They observed all of the first born sons of Egypt die in one night but none of theirs. The Egyptians gave them gold, silver jewels and virtually all of their wealth. They saw a pillar of fire at night and cloud by day that both led and protected them. They saw the Red Sea part and give them passage yet destroyed their pursuers.
I could go on and on about incredible miracles, but the sad thing is that the people backslid. They lost their first love. We can read about this in the Bible, but it happens today as well. We see God gloriously transform a sin wracked sinner into a heaven bound saint, but then the things of this world begin to pull and tug and that saint becomes a backslider. Are you one? If so I implore you to recommit your life to Christ.
Blessings dear hearts. Give obediently to the Lord, be willing to make the Lord’s deliveries when asked and above all, be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 8, 2011 | Exodus
Exodus 3:10-12
“‘So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.'”
I never cease to be amazed at the rich truth which is to be found in the word of God. I sit down to write one thought, and as I read the Scripture, something quite unexpected explodes. I have read this passage many times, but today something unexpected struck me; “And this will be the sign to you that it is I who sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
Picture Moses standing in front of a burning bush, far out in the desert. It was more than a burning bush; he was standing in the presence of the Lord. Moses is receiving the instructions about his mission in life. Nothing much—he is merely to go back to Egypt (from which he had fled for killing an Egyptian), and tell the man on the throne, Pharaoh, that he is to release over two million of his slaves. RIGHT!
God’s call is seldom easy, nor does He expect us to fully understand it. Obedience and trust in Him are all that matters. Stop and think about what Moses had going for him: He stuttered, he was a man who had killed an Egyptian task-master some forty years earlier, he had been isolated from society for forty years as he tended sheep in the desert and as if that were not enough of a handicap—he was eighty years old. Were these valid excuses? Not when it is God who is calling someone to work for Him.
Several years ago there was a delightful article in one of the area newspapers. It told of a second grade student who was challenged by his teacher in a Christian school. She had been teaching a lesson on giving and had emphasized that it means doing with what you have. To make it more meaningful, the teacher gave each student two envelopes. One envelope had the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-30. The other envelope contained $6.00 that had been given by anonymous donors who wanted each student to use it in a meaningful way to help others.
The second grade students were wonderfully creative in the causes to which they gave their $6.00, but one student, Austin, wanted to help homeless children. He wanted to fill their stomachs with food and their hearts with God’s Word. He made a list: picture books, children’s Bibles and books, bread, cheese, ham, juice – all manner of special treats for those in need.
He went to book stores with his $6.00 and as he told the clerks of his mission, they donated the books and told him to keep the money. He soon had a large bag of books. He went to a grocery market and talked with the manager who took him on a “special shopping spree.” Again he was told to keep his $6.00.
He arrived at the offices of an organization which cares for homeless families. With his bags of books and food, plus his $6.00, it might seem that his task was over. Not so! The director asked Austin if he would like to meet some of the children who would receive the things he had brought for them? He was able to not only meet them, but began to read stories from the books and Bibles which he had delivered. His mother now takes him there each week to read to the children. Only eight and only $6.00! And we make excuses as to why we are not able to serve the Lord?!
God gave Moses a sign to authenticate that it was really God who was sending him. No, it was not the miraculous plagues that Moses called down. It was not the power of his fearless presence before Pharaoh, or the miracles of leading the Israelites across the Red Sea, calling upon God to provide food and water for that mass of people—all of these were spectacular events, but it was not the sign that God was the One who sent him.
The sign was that Moses would return to this very mountain and worship God. We are so guilty of chasing after the signs and wonders, and forget that God’s purpose is to bow humbly before Him and acknowledge that He is Lord. Not our will, but His will be done!
My prayer is that we, like that little eight-year-old boy, will continue to serve the Lord and give of ourselves fully to do the things He calls us to do. But even much more—that we will worship the Lord.
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
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.
P.P.S. – I have completed my first book, 100 of Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations. The cost is $12.95 plus shipping. You can now order it online by going to https://dailyevotional.com/prior2020/book-by-pastor-cecil . . . You may want to consider this book as a thoughtful gift idea for those who do not have Internet access or as helpful sermon illustrations for your Pastor.
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