by Pastor Cecil | May 17, 2011 | James
James 1:19-20
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
I must have been a trial for my mother when I was a little boy. As a matter of fact she told me more than once that I was. I can still hear her frustrated words ringing in my ears, “BE STILL!” She meant for me to be quiet and give her some peace.
I honestly do not remember all of these times, but a few come to mind. As a very young boy I was in church with the preacher, Rev. Webb waxing eloquently. I dosed off and as I woke he was making a grand gesture. He spread his arms wide and roared, “As wide as the ocean!” I had no idea what he had been saying, but I jumped up on the seat and spread my arms and yelled out; “As wide as the ocean!” My mom grabbed me and as the people laughed we headed for the basement furnace room for one of my frequent spankings. (That is why I am so warped. Cough! Cough!)
Across the years I have tried to learn the secret of being still and listening to the Lord. (As a matter of fact I am still learning the lesson.) Many times we fail to hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit because we are too busy talking.
The more we speak the more likely we are to become angry, even enraged. At times we try to justify our anger by saying that we are defending God’s honor. Read today’s Scripture once again. Our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires in His children. Being quiet before the Lord does! Are you listening?!
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 | May 12, 2011 | James
James 1:1
“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
As I have been memorizing the book of James, I have been led to pause and better understand particular words. One of these words is “bondservant.” In some versions the word “servant” is used. I feel that bond servant is much more accurate. Here is the Greek definition for the word: “One who gives himself up to another’s will. Those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing His cause among men; devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests.”
A slave never takes care of himself first. No matter how weary or exhausted he may be, he cares for the needs of his master before his own. We need to have more and more of this attitude in our own commitment to the Lord.
Do you have a problem with procrastination? Is it easier for you to delay doing something later than to do it right away? Do you ever find that the things you had the best intentions of accomplishing have now slipped by the board? Over the years I have had conversations with friends and acquaintances who share their best intentions of doing something – – – but later! Then as time goes by it is quite clear that their firm resolve – – – has dissolved.
When I was in college there were numerous students who could not be persuaded to work for the Lord. They wanted to wait until they had graduated and they had more time to serve. Let me let you in on a little secret. There is no such thing as “more time.” If anything, a person is busier following graduation. We must redeem the time!
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 | May 10, 2011 | James
James 1:4
“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
I personally do not care for the word, “perseverance.” In some translations it is called “patience.” I don’t care for that term either. In the Greek it has this meaning: “Does not easily succumb under suffering.”
As I have memorized and meditated on the first chapter of the book of James, I have been impressed that James uses the word repeatedly. Over and over he calls for the believer to allow perseverance or patience to complete its work in our life.
If the truth were known most of us feel that the completion of patience is when the trials and tribulations in our life come to an end. I do not see this in this scripture and I do not see it in the lives of God’s saints.
The end of perseverance is the awareness that God is doing a work in and through our trials. He is not interested in weak-willed believers who are only interested in feeling good or having an easy walk. God’s faithful saints have gone through the fire of affliction and praised God that they were worthy to suffer for His name.
None of us can be sure of what will happen in our life, but we can be assured that regardless of the circumstances we can find “pure joy” in each and every trial that crosses our path.
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 | May 9, 2011 | James
James 1:2-3
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
I am facing a difficult situation in my life. It has nothing to do with a health problem or any major crisis. It has to do with a mind that does not memorize anywhere near as well as when I was younger. What I once could memorize in minutes now takes me hours to set firmly in my memory bank.
Many years ago I memorized the book of James. It was a joy to allow the words flow through my mind as I prayed and meditated. But, I failed to maintain a discipline of reciting the words over and over. I used portions of the book, but the discipline of memorization and repetition fell by the wayside.
This is where my problem now arises. What would have been easier if I had kept my commitment to memorize is now brain twisting. I am able to memorize, but the cost of time and effort is multiplied.
Is this a trial? I don’t think so. It is a consequence. As I see it, a trial is something that happens to us that is beyond our control. A consequence on the other hand is the result of a failure in our life. I have confessed to the Lord about my sin of neglect and He has graciously forgiven me. BUT, I still face the difficult task of re-memorizing what I once had in my mind.
There is a beautiful blessing that the Lord has graciously bestowed upon me. It seems that because of the extra effort in memorizing His Word I am able to perceive new truths that had escaped me before. It is no longer simply memorizing, it is now feasting at the Lord’s table. Praise His name!
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 | May 4, 2011 | James
James 1:2-4
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
It is seldom that we have a celebration over a calamity that befalls us. Most of the time we whimper and moan about how unfair it is that such a terrible thing has happened to such a wonderful person like me.
Please take the time to read and re-read that Scripture for today. Notice what James writes about how the true believer in Jesus Christ should react to trials that happen to us. He says that we are to count it all joy!
Why on earth would we do that? Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, James says that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. I don’t know about you, but perseverance is not something that appeals to me. It has the connotation of long and tedious segments of time enduring painful circumstances.
James gives us the reason we should joyfully endure and persevere. It is only in this manner that we will become mature and complete. As I study this action I see that it means that we will be able to read God’s Word and have it speak to our inner man. We will then be equipped to share it with others. Praise the Lord!
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 14, 2011 | James
James 1:2-3
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
A few weeks ago I started focusing Thursday’s Daily-E-Votional to good news items. It has been a delightful time to keep my eyes open for illustrations that may be considered good news. As I have been praying and meditating about this week’s message of joy, I have become aware of a vital truth: Good news is in the eyes of the beholder.
It reminds me of an illustration I heard many years ago. It seems that there were two young boys who were being observed by a behavioral scientist. One boy was a pessimist and the other had a positive and cheerful outlook on life.
As a test, the scientist filled a room with a variety of toys and brought the boy with a sour disposition into the room. The boy immediately began to complain. When asked why he was complaining, the young pessimist answered that he did not like any of the toys and found fault with everything in the room.
The scientist cleared the room and brought in a large mound of horse manure. When the boy with the cheerful disposition was brought in, he immediately let out a yell and began to dig into the foul smelling pile. The scientist asked him why he was so happy and heard this joyful reply: “With all of this manure, there has to be a pony somewhere!”
As crude as that may be, it explains why we fail to see the good news around us. It is there, but it takes digging with an attitude of expectancy. Are you digging for Good News? When you discover good news please share it. The world needs it!
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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