by Pastor Cecil | May 2, 2011 | Hebrews
Hebrews 1:10-12
“You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail.”
Last week Joyce and I were talking quietly following our morning devotions. (By the way, that is the best time to talk). We were talking about growing older. We both were born in 1934, so you can figure that we have pains in areas that we didn’t even know we had! That led to thinking about how wonderful heaven will be. Just think about it! We will never get old. As a matter of fact I can imagine that we will be in the prime of our lives. There will be no aches, pains or physical limitations to slow us down.
Following my heart surgery, I have been advised to do more exercise. We are fortunate to live in a community that has an exercise room. Strange as it may seem, this area is seldom used. (I confess that we have lived here six years and the past week was the first time I used it myself.)
The first day of my exercise I started out on the treadmill for about fifteen minutes at a fairly low speed. The manager’s wife told me that she likes to go in during her lunch time and exercise 30 minutes at a pace I could only maintain for about two minutes. The bottom line is that I am now able after less than a week to do the full 30 minutes at the same speed she was using. Never-the-less I feel my age!
When we get to heaven we will have minds and bodies that are beyond anything we can comprehend on this earth. What a grand and glorious time it will be!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
P.S. – You can help! Please consider trying to get one other person to subscribe to the Daily-E-Votional. This worldwide ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 21, 2011 | Hebrews
Hebrews 5:12-14
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
Well, this week it started. Following my triple by-pass surgery on my heart, I was told that I would be scheduled for rehabilitation. They did not want to start earlier in order to give the incision (they split my chest open to get to the heart) time to heal and not be so vulnerable to injury by the wrong sort of movement.
In the initial interview, I was introduced to the format. I felt like a student ready for first grade. The friendliness of the staff was encouraging and the rehabilitation group that I am with includes a man who was a member of my former church.
Looking over the program I can see that it is designed to add more and more stress as we progress. It is like any other exercise program. At first there are sore muscles that you did not even know you had. Then as time progresses the muscle tone increases and strength is your reward. NO GAIN WITHOUT PAIN!
I fear that many of us never paid the price of spiritual discipline in order to become strong and mature warriors for the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of being prepared to teach others, we need someone to feed us with predigested spiritual baby food. Let’s commit to spiritual rehabilitation that will make us worthy servants.
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 help! Please consider encouraging one other person to subscribe to our devotionals by going to the Daily-E-Votional.com website and clicking on the “Subscribe” button. This worldwide ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 1, 2011 | Hebrews
Hebrews 3:12-15
“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.'”
In the late 1800’s, revival swept across the Scandinavian countries. One of the great influences during this time of revival was Karolina Sandell. She had known much tragedy in her life, but did not allow it to destroy her faith.
Karolina was born in Sweden in 1832. Her father was a pastor whom she loved dearly. When she was twenty-six years of age, this devoted daughter accompanied him on a trip to Gothenburg. The ship lurched and Karolina watched in horror as her dear father drowned before her eyes.
In spite of her broken heart she began to write hymns that came directly from a heart that refused to be stilled by disaster. Her simple trust in a loving heavenly Father was felt in her hymns. One of these is this week’s hymn.
Day By Day
Day by day, and with each passing moment, strength I find, to meet my trials here. Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment, I’ve no cause for worry or for fear. He whose heart is kind beyond all measure, gives unto each day what He deems best—lovingly, it’s part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day, the Lord Himself is near me with a special mercy for each hour; all my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me, He Whose Name is Counselor and Power; the protection of His child and treasure is a charge that on Himself He laid; “As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,” this the pledge to me He made.
Help me then in every tribulation, so to trust Thy promises, O Lord. That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation offered me within Thy Holy Word. Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting, ever to take, as from a father’s hand. One by one, the days, the moments fleeting, till I reach the promised land.
To access Day by Day, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Hymn Music Videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/daybyday 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
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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by Pastor Cecil | Sep 27, 2010 | Hebrews
Hebrews 11:1-2
“NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].”
I once was studying about the true meaning of faith, when a co-worker walked into my office. Knowing that he was a Christian, I asked him if he could give me his definition of faith. Immediately he quoted Hebrew 11:1 from the King James Version: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
I then asked him to explain to me what he thought that meant. He paused for a bit and then said with confidence; “It means the substance of things I hope for and evidence of things I can’t see.” I congratulated him on quoting the verse again with a little personalization, but there must be more than that.
I scoured my brain in an effort to understand this passage. Drawing on my police experience I knew that three words: “substance”, “things” and “evidence” all are solid and relating to the senses. So what is the writer trying to say?
It was then I thought of Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors Ice Cream. (Strange how often I think of it!). I asked my friend to imagine a very warm summer day and we were on our way to get an ice cream cone. I asked him to think of his favorite flavor. After he told me, I asked him when he would start enjoying the ice cream. His was classic: “When I started visualizing it!”
There it is! Faith is visualizing what God is going to do in response to our sincere prayer. It will always be in His timing and what will accomplish His best for us, but it is to be seen through the eyes of our faith!
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 9, 2010 | Hebrews
Hebrews 11:1-2
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.”
I was an associate pastor in a large church, responsible in part for spiritual growth through small groups. We started a Bible Study program that emphasized “What does it say?” “What does it mean?” and “How do I apply it in my own life.”
One of our groups was led by a local bank manager. He had invited his assistant manager (who was not a Christian) to become a part of the group. About three weeks into the study of the book of Luke, he went in his manager’s office and asked how to become a Christian. He was gloriously born again!
I will never forget a statement he made to me after his conversion: “It seems like all of my life I have had this void or emptiness inside. Now with the Lord in my life that emptiness has been filled.” Wow! Wow! Wow!
It was not the knowledge gained in the study that brought him to receive Jesus it was a simple childlike faith that chose to believe what God’s Word says. Those who reject Christ and His Word also demonstrate faith—faith in the wrong thing—faith that chooses to trust in their own wisdom rather than the Bible.
All we can do is to present the truth in the power of the Holy Spirit and wait for the Lord to soften a stony heart to be receptive to the gospel. We never know when the openness will come, so we must be ready!
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 19, 2010 | Hebrews
Hebrews 13:1-2
“Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”
One of those inspirational testimonies that I have heard about concerned a Scot Evangelist and Missionary named James Alexander Stewart. I read many of his writings and felt like I came to know him.
One of the most thrilling accounts of the way the Lord cared for him was an event at the outbreak of WWII. James was in Berlin for services when word was given that in all likelihood British citizens would soon be arrested.
There was only one train scheduled to leave Berlin before the edict was given and tickets were not to be had. It appeared that James would be trapped under Hitler’s terrible regime.
The Lord prompted James to pack his luggage and go to the station prepared to get on the train. He went and stood on the platform with others who had tickets. Down the concourse walked a tall, distinguished looking man whom he had never seen before. He stood in front of James and said; “James Alexander Stewart—your ticket.” James never saw the man again and could only presume that it was one of God’s special messengers.
Today’s Scripture clearly teaches that angels can and do appear. At times they come to bring deliverance, at other times they confirm God’s plan and purpose for our life. The important thing is to treat everyone with honor and respect. You never know when the person next to you (or in the car ahead of you) may be an angel. That could improve your driving, right!
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
