by Pastor Cecil | Aug 8, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 37:4
“Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
Last week we started looking at Psalm 37 and considered the first of four steps to have victory in your life. Here are the four: Trust, Delight, Commit and REST. The first step, TRUST, teaches us to place our trust in the trustworthiness of the Lord. He is the One who is always worthy of our trust.
I love the concept of delight. In this passage it means to find an exquisite enjoyment in the Lord. There are many worldly pleasures that fade quickly and leave us feeling empty and unfulfilled or satisfied.
In working with people and their problems for many years, I have come to realize that the things of this world never satisfy. We may strive for something that seems to be the most precious thing to us only to find that we are left flat. I have mentioned before that I have counseled women who felt that their life would be perfect if they could only find a husband. The next session would be with a wife who felt that her life would be perfect if she did not have a husband. Go figure!
The ultimate reality is that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, we cultivate a new love relationship that has eternal implications. The precious Savior, who loves us so much that He died for us, wants us to find delight in spending time with Him as we feast in His Word and in conversing with Him in prayer. Have you found that place of pure delight in your life? Try it. You will like it!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
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 Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends.
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 4, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 37:3
“Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.”
TRUST is only as good as the one you are trusting in! There have been many broken hearts because the one who should have been worthy of trust was found to be untrustworthy. That does not mean that we should become cynical and untrusting, but we should be aware that there is only one source of absolute truth and trust—the Lord Himself.
Many of us have placed our trust in those who professed to be friends to the end. Sad to say that our hearts may have been—are being—and will be broken by others. So what are we to do? TRUST!
That’s right, the Psalmist tells us to trust. We are to Trust in the Lord. Solomon echoes this admonition in Proverbs 3:5-6. He adds that we are to TRUST in the Lord with all of our heart and not lean on our own understanding. I think that hits many of us right between the eyeballs. We humans tend to work things out for ourselves without God’s help. That means we are placing our trust in ourselves instead of trusting wholly in God.
David says that we are to trust and do “good.” Solomon says that we are to acknowledge Him in all our ways. To me that means rolling every care and concern on the Lord and allowing Him to direct our steps. TRUST and obey for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to TRUST and obey!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
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 Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends.
by Pastor Cecil | Aug 3, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 37:1-2
“Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.”
Psalm 37 has been a blessing to me for many years. Back in the late 1950’s, Joyce and I had the blessed privilege of sitting under the ministry of Rev. Earl Lee. He preached a series of messages on this beloved chapter. I will not even try to match his wonderful coverage, but I will spend a few days in the chapter.
The two verses I have chosen for today set the stage for what will be covered in the next few days. I hope you will keep them together in order to see the way David uses a logical progression to teach deep spiritual truth.
We are cautioned against getting upset with evil men. The Psalmist uses the word “fret.” We might think of it as the wringing of one’s hands or losing sleep because of these evil deed doers. In the original Hebrew the word “fret” has a much stronger meaning—it is the word “charah” and means: “To be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled.” Wow! Sadly that describes how we often feel.
Not only are we urged not to feel that way, but we are not to envy those who do wrong. It just sometimes seems like the bad guys get all the “cream” and we are left with the “skim milk.” So how do we stop our wrong feelings concerning those who do wrong? The answer is in realizing that there is a day of reckoning coming. I hope it changes our attitude from bitterness to concern for their souls. How great it would be if believers forgave in the same way Jesus has forgiven us!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
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 Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends.
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 29, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 18:2
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Ira Sankey was a singer and song writer who worked with evangelist D.L. Moody. He had experienced an extended time of trial and tears. He cried out to the Lord to receive something new and refreshing for his gospel ministry. It was during this time of prayer that the song, “Hiding In Thee” was born. The Lord had graciously answered his prayer.
About twenty years later, Sergei Rachmaninoff was experiencing many problems in his life, he experienced writer’s block and felt useless. After several years he broke out of his doldrums and composed his second piano concerto. This week’s Daily-E-Votional features both works.
“Hiding in Thee“
O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be;
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour,
In times when temptation casts o’er me its power,
In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
I have fled to my refuge and breathed out my woe;
How often, when trials like sea billows roll,
Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
To access Hiding In Thee, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Christian Music Hymns & Songs, please 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. – Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends. They’ll appreciate the encouragement. 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.
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 27, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 18:28-29
“You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.”
It seems that there is such deep darkness in the world that it causes one to wonder if there can be any way out of the terrible blackness. I do not like that feeling of defeat, but I witness it quite prevalent in many Christian hearts.
In reading through the pages of Scripture I find that God has always been faithful. He is always waiting for His children to call out for His help—and when they do, he answers the call and brings about a great deliverance.
Over and over we read how God wonderfully leads His children through terrible times of oppressions and gives them His precious promises if they will only remain faithful to Him. When they do, He gives mighty victories. Then, sadly, we read that they begin to rely on their own abilities or other human resources. The result is always calamity and defeat. It remains that way until repentance is made and there is a return to the Lord.
If you are like me you become disgusted with the shortsightedness and disobedience of God’s people. But . . . before I get too far along in condemning those of past generations, the Lord puts a mirror in front of my face and shows me that I often do the same thing. I desire always to make my prayer to Him a prayer of confession. It is my prayer that He will light my fire and make me a blessing to others.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
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 Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends.
by Pastor Cecil | Jul 26, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 42:5
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”
If you want to experience an enjoyable respite that costs little or nothing, go people watching. This has been one of our favorite family outings for many years. In fact it was one of my fondest memories from childhood. We would pile in the car and drive into town to “watch people.”
This wonderful activity gives an entirely new insight into the lives of others. You can see a young mother herding her brood of kids around with a look of concern and frustration . . . an elderly gentleman tottering along trying to make it the last few steps to his destination . . . a teen trying to act as cool as possible even though you can see she is filled with uncertainty.
Just a day or so ago, Joyce and I were having a hotdog while people watching. After a few moments into our outing, Joyce made an astute observation: “Look how unhappy people look.” As we sat there we were amazed at the miserable looks people had on their faces. It was startling! Then I recalled a remark I had made about the music program in a church broadcast we watch on TV each week. Apparently the choir director has instructed the members of the choir to smile, and they do a fantastic job. But then there is the orchestra! The musicians have expressions that look like they were baptized in vinegar! I want to yell–SMILE!
What do people see in your countenance? Do they see the joy of the Lord? In the good and the bad times of life do you show forth the radiance of the risen Lord? I want to shout, “If there is joy in your heart please let your face know about it!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
(360) 570-0074
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 Please feel free to forward this E-Votional on to your family and friends.
