by Pastor Cecil | Jul 1, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.
One of the very first verses I ever memorized was Isaiah 41:10. You will notice that I have included both the New International Version and the King James Version. As a young boy I had the words in my mind, but I had to live many more years before I truly understood the beautiful truth of the words.
Many of us live with fear and/or depression in our lives. While those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ have reason to be fearful and dismayed, the believer has a source of peace and joy that overcomes the circumstances of life.
At this very moment you may feel that you are at the lowest point of your life. The pressures have been building to such an extent that you feel like there is no hope for you. I want to assure you on the authority of the Word of God that there is more than hope . . . there is certainty!
What assurance does Isaiah 41:10 give us? First of all He tells us not to be fearful because He is with us. His presence should remove the fear from our heart. Not only that, He promises to remove our despair by giving us His strength, His help and holding us up with His mighty right arm. Adjust your attitude dear believer. Our victory comes from the One who has already won the victory for us on the cross.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 25, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 1:15-16
When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil.
In the past several months I have had several people approach me with the problem of dealing with the issue of acceptance. Family or friends of these individuals made a point of criticizing the church for not accepting their life style.
In the counsel that I gave them I used the power of the Word of God as the authority. It is certainly not up to a church body to negate the specific commandments of the Word. We have become so namby-pamby concerning holding the line that many church bodies have assumed the right to approve what the Bible calls sin.
Acceptance, as I see it, is more incumbent upon the sincere believer to follow what the Bible says, than to listen to what others say. We can seek more truth and ask questions that may seem to be challenging, but when the aim is to discover what God desires for us then we are on solid ground.
There is an old song the children used to sing. It was good back then and I feel that it is still appropriate for us today. Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. There is power and acceptance in those words and that is the acceptance we should strive for.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 12, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
I recall many years ago, listening to a sermon tape by Donald Grey Barnhouse. He told of how he had just completed a meeting many miles from his home in Philadelphia, when he was given a telegram that his son had been in a serious accident and was near death.
Travel at that time was by rail and as Dr. Barnhouse entered his sleeper, his spirit was greatly disturbed. He knew that it would be hours before his train arrived back home and that there was nothing he could do but leave his son in God?s hands.
As he prayed, he recalled a phrase from Isaiah 65:25, ” . . . but dust will be the serpent(s) food.” Using that passage he asked the Lord to feed the serpent dust, but to please grant him a good night?s rest. He fell fast asleep and the next thing he knew the porter was touching his shoulder to tell him that they were nearing Philadelphia. The Lord had answered his prayer.
If you have been having trouble getting to sleep at night, ask the Lord to give you His blessed rest and to feed the serpent dust.
To You Before the Close of Day
To you before the close of day,
Creator of the world we pray!
Your grace and peace to us allow,
And be our guard and keeper now.
From evil dreams defend our sight,
From all the terrors of the night.
From all deluding thoughts that creep,
On heedless minds disarmed by sleep.
O Father, this we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Your only Son.
Who with the Holy Spirit and with You,
Shall live and reign all ages through. Amen.
To access To You Before the Close of Day, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/toyoubeforethecloseofday 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 | Mar 29, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
I recently received an e-mail from one of our subscribers, Ed Thornhill, who passed on some information that I found interesting and inspirational. It has to do with the town of Reed City, Michigan. I visited Reed City’s website to check what Ed had shared with me. They have a museum there called the Old Rugged Cross Museum.
Back in 1913 a Salvation Army officer, George Bennard, passed through a trying experience which caused him to reflect seriously about the significance of the cross and, in particular, what the apostle Paul meant when he spoke of entering into the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. While contemplating on these truths, Bennard was convinced that the cross was not just a religious symbol, but rather the very heart of the Gospel. He penned the words of this beloved hymn.
Bennard spent the last years of his life by the “side of the road,” a few miles north of Reed City, Michigan. At the age of 85, on October 9, 1968, he passed away. Near this home there still stands a twelve foot high cross with the words “The Old Rugged Cross—Home of George Bennard, composer of this beloved hymn.”
The Old Rugged Cross
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
In that old rugged cross,
stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
To access The Old Rugged Cross, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/theoldruggedcross/ 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 | Mar 27, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 26:9
With my soul I have desired You in the night, yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Some of you may feel that you know me pretty well as I have always tried to be as transparent as possible. But there are some in ministry who tend to build a wall of insulation between themselves and the people they serve. It may be that they feel in doing so they will not show their fallibility. I have so many fallibilities that if I tried to appear as super saint I would trip and fall flat on my face.
Having said all of that, there is another facet about my persona that I want to share with you. I DO NOT NEED A LOT OF SLEEP! If I get six or seven hours of sleep a night I feel refreshed.
The early morning hours from 4:00 to 5:00 a.m. are the most precious time for me. There are few interruptions and it is a wonderful time to spend with the Lord. I can read passages of Scripture and feel free to meditate on them. It is also a quiet time to open my heart to the Lord in prayer, seeking His guidance and direction for my ministry and my personal life.
If you have not discovered the precious jewel of the early morning hours, I encourage you to give it a try. It may be that special key that will open the door for the Lord to reveal Himself to you in a special and meaningful manner.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Jan 29, 2013 | Isaiah
Isaiah 6:8
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: (Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?) Then I said, (Here am I! Send me.)
What constitutes a call to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ? I am not sure that I have the answer for everyone, but I know my own experience. It was in 1953 in Amarillo, Texas. I was attending Jet Aircraft Maintenance School and Joyce and I were living in a small upstairs apartment. One Sunday afternoon I was surrounded by an awareness of God and an urgency to proclaim the Word of God.
At this time I was also aware that my call would be different. It was as if the Lord was telling me that I would be His servant in the trenches, as it were. I was to begin preparing myself for ministry, but my call was to be used where He sent me, and that would not necessarily be to an established church.
For years I ministered in places where the US Air Force sent me. It was a thrilling time to see doors open and needs that suddenly appeared. I preached, taught, and made myself available in areas that lacked an established church or minister.
You may be facing a call in your own life. My counsel to you is to wait upon the Lord. Allow Him to reveal the plans He has for you. Do not wait for the established avenues to open up. If God shows you that He is opening a door for you—walk through it!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
