by Pastor Cecil | Jul 13, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 19:14
“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ ”
The words you read in today’s Scripture are the first words of the prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray and which has come to be known to us as “The Lord’s Prayer.” Notice that the last sentence reads, “Your will be done.” All too often we are prone to pray as if God should cause “our will to be done.”
Can I let you in on a little secret? God knows what He is doing! He does not need us to whisper in His ear something that we think He needs to know. After Saul had been blinded on the road to Damascus where he was heading to persecute the believers, the Lord called a man by the name of Ananias to go and lay hands on him to restore his sight. Ananias tried to inform God about how evil this man was. God did not need information, He needed obedience.
It is easy to fall into the dangerous business of wanting our own way instead of seeking to discover God’s way. Let’s face it, we can hardly remember what happened yesterday much less what is going to happen later today or in the days to come. It is so much better to lay things out before our all loving and all powerful God and ask that His will be done in our life.
It is not easy doing this when our life or the life of a loved one is in the balance. It is not easy yielding to His will when finances are near zero. It is not easy bowing and saying yes when every fiber of our being is screaming no! But we will never know true peace until we utter those words, “Your will be done!”
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 12, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 19:14
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
What do you say when someone makes a favorable comment about something you have said or done? I have come to realize that the positive compliments can be a real minefield of pride. It is possible if not inevitable for us to be so pleased at what people say about us that we will do almost anything to receive more praise.
A few Sundays ago a 9th grader came up to me following the service and made the comment that he really liked what I had said. My mind raced to recall what I might have said that impressed this young man so that he would make a point of telling me that it meant a lot to him.
It was then that the Holy Spirit spoke to me and reminded me that it was not necessary for me to know which of the many things that I had said that impressed this boy. It was between him and the Lord. I was just the one who had shared what the Lord had laid on my heart.
Over and over I battle the common battle of trying to say things that I feel people would like to hear. Instead I desire to only speak or write those things that the Spirit brings to my mind. With this in mind I try to live with today’s Scripture as my prayer, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
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 | Jun 22, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 37:7-8
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”
In some of my lonely hours stationed away from my family, I relished listening to some great preachers. One of my favorites was Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse, who was Pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. One of the stories he shared was about his wife who was a fretter. She worried about any and everything and it drove him wild.
He finally became so frustrated with her fretting that he bought her a small notebook. She was to write all of the things she fretted or worried about and each Saturday morning they would go over the list. During the week she would not mention any of her concerns to him. Whew! What a relief he felt!
When Saturday rolled around he asked her to open her worry book and they would consider the items one by one. As she named them he would ask what had happened. In each case the situation resolved itself and there had been no need for fretting. When he asked her if there were any true emergencies she agreed that there had been a few, but she had not had sufficient time to fret about them and they resolved themselves.
Humorous? Yes! But oh how often we find ourselves fretting instead of resting in the Lord. It takes a terrible toll on our emotions but even more toll on our spiritual life. It is hard to praise the Lord from the depths of our being if we spend our time fretting around like there was little hope.
Here is a Passage to read over and over again and then put it into practice when you are tempted to fret and worry about things in your life. Proverbs 3:5-6; “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
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 | Jun 20, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 103:2-4
“Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”
Five o’clock in the morning used to seem best suited for rolling over and catching a little more sleep. That is no longer the case. It has become my appointment with the Lord at the treadmill. I prop my 3×5 cards with scriptures on the front and read as I stride along. I have been gaining insights I have never seen before!
My mind was opened to the concept of “crowns” that I saw in Psalm 103:4. Here in the Amplified we see that God crowns us with, “love and compassion.” As I read these words over and over it suddenly dawned on me that the crown signifies those qualities and responsibilities that are designated. In other words we are to be God’s royal ambassadors of loving-kindness and tender mercy. Are we? If we are not, we need to be on our knees and asking God to teach us how.
I also saw another reference that seemed to fit. It is in James 1:12. Here is how the Amplified renders that verse: “Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.” I almost came unglued when I saw the connection. Regardless of all of the trials we face in the world, we have a crown of life waiting for us. That means that we will live eternally with the Lord!
Loving-kindness and tender mercies flowing out from us here and an eternal victor’s crown of everlasting life prepared just for us. What more could we ask for?
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 | Feb 25, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 145:9-12
“The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. All You have made will praise You, O LORD; Your saints will extol You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might, so that all men may know of Your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.”
The older I get (and I am getting up there), the more disturbed I am about senseless killing. This is true of attacks on other people, but also on killing animals just for the sport of it. In my hunting days I did shoot game, but it was for food not for sport. Now there are many that hunt for bragging rights, not for food. God meant for us to be keepers and protectors, not killers.
In 1225, when he was feeling ill and losing his sight, Francis of Assisi wrote about what was always on his heart: the praise of God. In “All Creatures of Our God and King,” Francis’ love for God and the world He made comes out very strongly.
Probably because he lived such a simple life, he “noticed” things that we, in our busy-ness, overlook. Francis believed that all earth’s creatures get their life from God and that we all depend on Him for our continual existence.
All Creatures of Our God and King
1. All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O, praise Him, Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
2. Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
Ye clouds that sail in heav?n along,
O, praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
3. Let all things their creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O, praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
4. And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O, praise Him! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!
O praise Him, O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
To access All Creatures of Our God and King, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/allcreaturesofourgodandking 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 18, 2011 | Psalm
Psalm 103:1-5
“Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Let me tell you a little story. Two weeks ago when I prepared the Daily-E-Votional for Friday (I do this a few days earlier), I chose the old hymn Abide With Me. By the very title you can gather that this is a prayer. At that time I had no idea how much I really needed the Lord to abide with me.
On February 3rd I met with my doctor to review the results of my tread mill stress test. He did not allow me to return home. He sent me to the hospital immediately for a heart catherization the following morning. That test revealed three blockages, and the following morning I underwent by-pass surgery for the three arteries. My prayer through all of this was for the Lord to be with me, and He was! It was only later that I saw the significance of the hymn to my need.
Praise has been on my tongue for the mighty way God has used this episode in my life to bring about His power and glory. I want the majestic praise found in the words of this week’s hymn to become more and more a reality in my life.
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, Now to His temple draw near;
Join me in glad adoration!
Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Praise to the Lord, who with marvelous wisdom hath made thee!
Decked thee with health, and with loving hand guided and stayed thee;
How oft in grief hath not He bought thee relief,
Spreading His wings for to shade thee!
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
To access Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/praisetothelordthealmighty 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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