by Pastor Cecil | Apr 17, 2013 | John
John 20:29
Jesus said to him: Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
Sunday evening Joyce and I watched a Christian movie that presented a problem that many people face: How to deal with disappointment and lack of faith when your prayers do not seem to be answered.
You may have heard of foxhole faith. It was coined when a soldier huddled deep in a foxhole during severe bombardment. Men were dying all around him and the soldier tells the Lord that if He gets him out of this battle alive, he will serve Him the rest of his life.
There are similar prayers, such as praying for divine healing, landing a job, getting a passing grade on a test, or any number of things. If these prayers do not seem to be answered, it is possible for a person to doubt God and develop a bitter spirit.
Jesus calls us to look beyond the requests of this life and see the eternity waiting for all who are born again and have an eternal reward waiting. What seems so important now will fade into insignificance when we truly see the face of Jesus.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 26, 2013 | John
John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
I have chosen a strange title for this issue of the Daily-E-Votional. It deserves a bit of an explanation. I am not sure you have heard the expression, up fronter, but it denotes the person who is leading a meeting of any sort.
Contrary to what people would guess, I am a shy person by nature. It usually comes as a shock to me to be standing in front of a crowd, leading a service of some sort. With the first few words that come out of my mouth I realize that people are focusing their attention on me in anticipation of what I will be conveying. I am an UP FRONTER!
As I was meditating on this term the other morning, I thought of the opposite of the term. It struck me that the opposite of up is down and the opposite of front is back, so if I am not an up fronter, I would it would be down backer.
Satan loves nothing better than to have believers back down from their responsibility to step forward and speak the words of hope and deliverance to a world choked by sin and ignorance. God has called each of us to be an up fronter. It might be to a large crowd or only one other person. It does not matter, we are to speak for Him!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—-Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 21, 2013 | John
John 9:4-5
I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
A friend recently sent me a group of humorous pictures that belied what they should have accomplished. One photo depicted a can of rust remover that was coated with rust. Perhaps that is a vivid reminder that it is what is on the inside that counts!
As I laughed at the picture my mind raced back across the years, and I recalled hearing a remark to the effect that it is better to burn out than to rust out. As I think about it, I really do not recall knowing anyone who worked to death in serving the Lord, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I am sad to confess that I have known many who became rusty in the work for the Lord. The fire they once had in service began to flicker and the oil in their lamp ran dry. Instead of returning to the Lord for a fresh supply, they pressed on in their own strength. Sadly, it wasn’t long before spiritual rust began to eat away their luster.
How do we insure that we will not fall into the same rusty rut? I think the answer is in staying close to the Lord in all that we are doing. Rather than doing things to please people, we need to always be focused on pleasing the Lord. That means we need to start each day with prayer and the Word. It is the oil that will lubricate and preserve us for each day, but we need that fresh supply on a daily basis.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Dec 25, 2012 | John
John 1:1-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
What more can be said except, Thank you Lord? This is truly the message of Christmas! On this Eve of Christmas, prepare to open heart to His glory and grace.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Sep 24, 2012 | John
John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
I have to confess that I have a problem with so-called faith healers who profit from those who are going through a time of testing. They leave individuals feeling guilty if they are not healed because their faith was just not strong enough. Many people were healed by Jesus, Lazarus was even raised from the dead, yet all eventually died, so we conclude that healing at best is only temporary this side of eternity.
In today’s Scripture we read that Jesus offers good cheer. We fail miserably if we miss the full impact of this passage. The good cheer that Jesus offers comes in the midst of tribulation.
The Greek word for the phrase, good cheer is tharseô. Of course it means good cheer, but it also means to be of good courage. Jesus used it when He healed the man of palsy, the woman with an issue of blood for many years, to His disciples when they were scared out of their skins as they saw Him walking on the water, and to Paul following his arrest in Jerusalem.
Jesus never implied that He was going to take His believers out of the storms and trials of life, but that He would be with them during those storms. He offers that for us today. We never need to go through the conflict alone—He has promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to be with us and support us with victory.
It really does not matter what kind of pain you are experiencing at this very moment. Jesus offers you the most wonderful words of comfort; “be of good cheer.” Claim it as your own at this very moment. He will be with you!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing to others!
—Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 10, 2012 | John
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
We hear of wars and rumors of wars. It seems that every day there is more chaos and strife in this old sin sick world. In recent days there have been attacks that have claimed many lives, including Christians.
The words of today’s Scripture come from the lips of our precious Jesus. He foresaw a when true believers would pay for their faith by their own blood. We do not relish that thought, but at the same time we are given words that bring peace even in the midst of our ordeals.
The United Nations was established back in 1945, following World War II to insure there would be peace in our world. It has not worked. Even member nations of this body become engaged in warfare with each other. For all of the rhetoric about attaining peace we are no closer to world peace, nor will we ever be until Jesus comes again to establish His “Wonderful Peace” over all the earth.
Wonderful Peace
Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight
Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
In celestial strains it unceasingly falls
O’er my soul like an infinite calm.
Refrain:
Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above!
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
In fathomless billows of love!
What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,
Buried deep in the heart of my soul,
So secure that no power can mine it away,
While the years of eternity roll! Refrain:
I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,
Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control;
For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day,
And His glory is flooding my soul! Refrain:
And I think when I rise to that city of peace,
Where the Anchor of peace I shall see,
That one strain of the song which the ransomed will sing
In that heavenly kingdom will be: Refrain:
Ah, soul! are you here without comfort and rest,
Marching down the rough pathway of time?
Make Jesus your Friend ere the shadows grow dark;
O accept of this peace so sublime! Refrain:
To access Wonderful Peace, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/wonderfulpeace/ 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
