by Pastor Cecil | Apr 19, 2011 | Luke
Luke 12:11-12
“Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Do you ever feel that the wind has been taken out of your sails? There have been more than a few times when God has gone before us to prepare us for ministry. One time I recall that we travelled to a town about two hours north of us. A couple who had been under our ministry lived there and we wanted to greet them.
When we walked in they almost exploded. “How did you know that we wanted to talk with you?” Of course there was no way that we could have known since it had been many years since we last saw them. It was God who knew! There is no way to have pride in such situations. The Lord had simply put in our hearts to take a short trip to a picturesque town and at the same time say hello to our friends.
Today’s Scripture certainly does not teach that we should neglect study of God’s Word to be prepared to give be a worthy witness. In fact it should be considered just the opposite. If we have spent the time to study and memorize the Word, we will be ready for the Lord to bring back to memory those things He wants us to speak.
It is comforting to rest in the Lord and to permit Him to open doors that need to be opened and to close doors that need to be closed. Pride has no place in the life of the believer. It is not us, but the Lord who is in control. Lead on dear 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 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 12, 2011 | Luke
Luke 6:44-45
“Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
One of our faithful readers shared with me about purchasing a CD at a yard sale for 50 cents. When she got home and opened the case, she discovered that there was nothing inside. She had just purchased an empty CD case!
I have experienced something of the same sort of thing. I like to take CD’s to play for a church service. Once or twice I have opened the case and felt dismay upon seeing that it was empty. What a sinking feeling!
There are far too many people who claim to be born again believers who are empty on the inside. They seem to think that church attendance, church membership or some other criteria determines what is on the inside. I am afraid it is like having an empty CD case.
My heart aches for authentic Christianity. That comes about only by reading God’s precious Word on a daily basis and obeying what it says. We do not need to have others tell us what is right and wrong—the Word will be our guide. It will insure that we will never have an empty case!
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 | Mar 23, 2011 | Luke
Luke 12:18-19
“So he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’ ”
Since I have an astigmatism that can only be corrected with glasses, I have had to wear them most of my life (a long, long time). Over the years I have heard people talk about being near sighted. I once worked for a near-sighted Probate Court Judge whose vision was great while reading or seeing close up.
He was telling a group of us about being fitted for glasses when he was in his 20’s—it was almost a shock to his senses that he could actually read house numbers from the street! He had no idea that this was what people with normal eyesight were able to see.
Isn’t it tragic that most people on the face of the earth are near sighted? They see only those things that are part of the here and now, but fail to perceive that the here and now is but a wisp compared to the vast reality of eternity.
Satan has blinded the eyes of the unregenerate so that they refuse to consider that eternity is merely a heartbeat away. The things of this life will quickly be gone and only those who have received Jesus Christ by personal invitation will enter into the home Christ has prepared for those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Are you near sighted or far sighted?
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 | Feb 14, 2011 | Luke
Luke 12:39
“But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.”
Years ago, Joyce and I lived in Boise, Idaho. My parents lived about twenty miles away in Nampa, Idaho. They had come over to have a meal with us and spend a few hours visiting. We were in the living room when we heard a loud “crash.”
We were not prepared for the sight that greeted us. An inattentive driver had been driving too fast in a neighborhood, lost control of her car and struck my parents parked car head on. It was now sitting in the middle of our front lawn.
I recalled that incident when I received news that a dear friend and member of the church I pastored, Dr. Leonard Hays had suffered a serious medical emergency and was in the Critical Care Unit of the very hospital where I had the triple by-pass surgery just one week earlier. In fact, Len had sat with the family while my surgery was progressing. Wow!
It gave me a vivid awareness of how near eternity is for each of us. Each of us is only one heart-beat from that eternity. These, as well as of other such incidents have given me a new determination to live totally committed to our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
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 | Feb 4, 2011 | Luke
Luke 24:29
“But they constrained Him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And He went in to tarry with them”
Henry F. Lyte was a man who greatly loved the Lord with his whole being. He came up with the saying, “It is better to wear out than to rust out,” and it perfectly described his life.
During the last 23 years of his life he pastored a poor church in England. He always suffered from poor health but during this time his health started to decline even more. When he finally preached his last sermon on September 4, 1847, it is reported that he practically had to crawl to the pulpit.
Shortly before preaching his last sermon he wrote the words and tune to the hymn, “Abide With Me.” He based his hymn on today’s Scripture that tells the story of Jesus walking with two disciples on the way to Emmaus and their statement, “Abide with us: for it is toward evening and the day is far spent.” He went to be with the Lord shortly after writing the hymn.
Later William Monk wrote a new tune for the hymn. During a time of personal sorrow, he was inspired by the beauty of a magnificent sunset.
“Abide With Me“
Abide with me—fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens—Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me!
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me!
I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy word before my closing eyes,
Shine thru the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heaven’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!
To access Abide With Me, this week’s inspirational hymn video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/abidewithme 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 | Feb 2, 2011 | Luke
Luke 6:25
“Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.”
I am sorry to say that there have been times in my life when I have laughed at the misfortunes of others. One summer, as a teenager, I worked at a chemical processing plant along with several of my classmates. The process involved dumping heavy bags of ingredients into a huge mixer. After it was blended to the right mix, we would fill sacks with the new blend destined for the customer.
One of the most difficult jobs was dumping sacks into the mixer. The mixer was about ten feet off the floor with a platform to stand on as the heavy sacks of powder would be dumped inside. To keep the powder from spreading, a plywood door would be lowered before the mixing began. It was supported on each side with light chains. (Hang on! There is a reason for this description.)
Just picture in your mind a 4 feet by 8 feet piece of ¾ inch plywood suspended on each side by chains. Now imagine what would happen if the person dumping a bag of powder weighing 75 to 100 pounds was careless and dropped it on one of the chains. Let me tell you what happened—that plywood would slam down fast and furious! There was an older man (40’s or 50’s) who worked with us. He just could not get the hang of dumping in the middle. The result was bang after bang on his forehead. As he staggered around in pain, I confess we roared with laughter.
I fear that we fail to empathize with those who experience painful accidents. Rather than laugh, how much better it would be if we could use the incidents to show our concern for their eternal destiny. Hell is not humorous and there are many on the broad path that leads to destruction. By all means save some!
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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