by Pastor Cecil | Dec 3, 2010 | Luke
Luke 2:15
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'”
The beloved Christmas carol O Come, All Ye Faithful was originally written in Latin (Adeste Fideles). The words were written by an Englishman, John Wade, who had intended it as a hymn.
The music to O Come, All Ye Faithful was composed by fellow Englishman John Reading in the early 1700s. In 1841, Rev. Frederick Oakley revised the lyrics of “Adeste Fideles.”
“O Come, All Ye Faithful“
Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
Oh come ye, Oh come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels
Oh come, let us adore Him,
Oh come, let us adore Him,
Oh come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
Oh Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all that hear in heaven God’s holy word.
Give to our Father glory in the Highest;
Oh come, let us adore Him,
Oh come, let us adore Him,
Oh come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
All Hail Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
Oh Jesus for evermore be Thy name adored.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
Oh come, let us adore Him,
Oh come, let us adore Him,
Oh come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
To access O Come, All Ye Faithful, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/ocomeallyefaithful 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 | Nov 4, 2010 | Luke
Luke 6:38
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
In the 70’s—Wow! That seems like such a long time ago—I was leading a men’s early-morning Bible class. One of the men in the group had shared how financially desperate things were for his family. He did not know how much longer they would be able to survive without taking drastic measures.
It struck me that we needed to go beyond prayer and respond to his need in a physical way. I took all of the money I had out of my wallet and laid it on the table. The 20 or 30 men present did the same. It was incredible how brothers in Christ responded to the financial need of one of our own.
After the meeting a young man approached me and was looking crest-fallen. He said that he only had enough money to pay for his breakfast and was not able to give as the others had given. He went on to say that he had been saving a $50.00 bill for a special purpose. It was hidden in the freezer at home, and wanted me to deliver it to our needy brother.
I suggested that he take the money and deliver it himself. I was prompted to add one other thing. I asked him to take careful note of any unexpected money that he would receive in the next few weeks. It was only a short time later that he had a huge grin and said that the total was over $250.00.
We should never give with a selfish motive to receive, but at the same time we should always be aware of all of the blessings the Lord brings into our lives when we respond with a giver’s heart. I assure you that it will surprise you what the Lord will do.
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 | Oct 28, 2010 | Luke
Luke 9:23-25
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?”
I have always loved stories. Any story that begins, “Once upon a time” has me hooked. I am anxious to discover what happened “Once upon a time.” Most of these same stories conclude with the statement, “They lived happily ever after.”
I hate to be the one to bust your bubble, but it just does not work that way. As long as we are in this world we will encounter troubles and disappointments. If we make happiness our objective, we can be sure that we will become discouraged at some time and in fact very often.
It has been my experience to come in contact with people who, shall we say, “struck it rich!” All of their lives they had struggled to make ends meet and now it would appear that they owned both ends. Without exception I have witnessed that the happiness and satisfaction they were seeking could not be found.
Jesus said it all in today’s Scripture. “Whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.” It is in serving Christ that we find that joy and peace that we find the everlasting joy that so many are searching for. Have You found 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
by Pastor Cecil | Oct 27, 2010 | Luke
Luke 6:38
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
Back in the 70’s I was stationed with the USAF in Missouri. Joyce and I and our three children were living in base housing. They were wonderful quarters except for the nightly raids. Almost every night a family of masked bandits, raccoons would rip off the lid of our garbage can and make a terrible mess. It became a daily chore to pick up after them.
We had an unexpected cold spell with the temperature well below zero fahrenheit. After dinner I took some trash out to place in the garbage can. As I opened the lid I was shocked to see a small raccoon huddled down inside to keep warm.
I picked up the can and carried it near the back door and called the family to come and see our little visitor. He (or she) was none too happy to see us and kept hissing a warning. Joyce and the kids ran and gathered some old towels and shirts which we placed inside to keep the little creature as warm as possible.
Now comes the amazing part of my story. It is true, even if it is hard to believe as I write this. From that night on, we never had the garbage lid fall to the ground. We could see where our little bandits had been in the can, but no more mess!
It causes me to wonder what effect we are having on those around us. Do we go out of our way to insure that they are provided for? There is much cold and pain in the world and most seem totally unmoved by it. I, for one want to be there with a helping hand. It’s the least I can do.
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 | Sep 30, 2010 | Luke
Luke 6:19
“And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed [them] all.”
Our kids are a source of joy and delight, but they also bring us to the brink of concern. Such was the case with our youngest daughter many years ago. She and a neighbor boy were playing in the yard. He had constructed a small bow and used a stick for an arrow. He had not been shooting at her, but he accidentally released the stick at the wrong time and it struck her in the eye.
A frantic trip to the Emergency Room followed. A prominent eye specialist examined Lori’s eye. There was a jagged tear on the cornea and he was concerned that she possibly could lose sight in that eye. He insisted that we keep her lying quiet in a darkened room.
A few hours later we took her home and made her as comfortable as possible in the living room. I returned to work while my wife Joyce sat across the room reading under a soft light.
Suddenly Lori asked, “Mom, did you just touch me?” Joyce said that she hadn’t. Lori insisted that someone had touched her eye. We could hardly wait to have her re-examined by the same doctor. He was astonished to find that the eye had healed and there was no loss of sight.
We all need a touch from the Lord. It may be for a physical healing, a spiritual re-birth, an emotional renewal or some other need. All we have to do is remain quiet and allow the Lord to touch in His own way and in His own time.
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.
Special Note:
I have completed a book, “100 of Pastor Cecil’s Select Illustrations.” They are due to arrive in about two weeks. The cost will be $12.95 plus shipping. Information on ordering copies will be sent out as soon as our order arrives. It may be a thoughtful gift idea for those who do not have internet access.
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 19, 2010 | Luke
Luke 12:15
“Then He said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ ”
Back when I served as a Juvenile Probation Officer, the court processed three teenage girls and the judge sentenced them to the Juvenile Correction Center which was several hundred miles away from us. My wife Joyce and I were selected to transport them to their new “home.”
These girls were well known to the police in our area. They called them “The Gazelles” since they were so fast and had run from law enforcement officers many times. When they were delivered to the car they each were handcuffed and had shackles on their legs. It was a heartbreaking sight.
On the edge of town I turned and faced the three girls who looked so downhearted in the back seat. I asked them if they would promise not to run if I removed the cuffs and shackles. I told them that Joyce and I would like to travel like a family instead of a prison bus. They eagerly promised and we had a fantastic trip.
One of the girls made a sobering comment in response to my question; “What does your dad think about you getting into trouble?” Her response was, “My dad doesn’t love me enough to even care!”
About twenty years later we ran into the girl who had made that statement. She had turned her life around and thanked us for believing in them when no one else did. Our oldest daughter had just passed away and she was able to comfort us in our loss. You just never know when taking a risk is going to rescue a life.
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
