by Pastor Cecil | Dec 31, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 23:4
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
I am not sure how many of you have experienced looking down the barrel of a loaded gun. I had that experience only one time. When I was a police officer, four of us were chasing a deranged man with a gun. He fired one shot and grazed one officer. As we tackled him I suddenly saw his gun aimed at my forehead. The Lord had more plans for me, so we disarmed him and here I am still serving the Lord.
At least two things strike me each time I consider Psalm 23: First, the mortality rate for all humans is 100%. Isn’t that an amazing bit of truth? I am sure that you are impressed with my grasp of reality. The fact is, however, that many of us seem to forget that reality. As believers we often struggle and fight to hold onto a life that is destined for the grave.
In Ecclesiastes 3:2, Solomon says that there is a time to be born and a time to die. That fact is a certainty. Far too many Christians hold onto life as if there is no promise of everlasting life with the Lord. When those who know the Lord slip beyond this earthly tent, there is joy unspeakable and full of glory. We need to comfort ourselves with this reality.
The second thing that strikes me about Psalm 23:4 is the word shadow. As I have noted before, shadows always appear larger than the real object. Satan loves to make things appear to be huge and frightening. The promise that the Lord gives us is that He is with us. That being the case, we need not fear.
Are you experiencing fear right now? Trust Him as your personal Savior and Lord and allow Him to fight the battles for you. He is worthy of our trust! Meditate on 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
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 | Dec 28, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 19:13-14
“Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.”
In a large church where I was an associate pastor, there was a precious saint who seemed so close to the Lord that we were sure they walked and talked together. (In a way they did!) One day I commented on it to him. He just smiled and said, “Son, you have no idea of the many times each day I have to go the Lord and ask Him for forgiveness.”
I once heard a Christian celebrity share something that had happened to her family. They were running late for church one week. She and her husband were screaming at the kids to get them ready. The anger and screaming continued as they drove to the church trying to get the children to be quiet and quit fighting.
They drove into the church parking lot and, as they emerged from the car, there was a dramatic transformation. There was no more anger, no screaming, no threats–just smiles. They acted like a perfect model family with no behavior problems whatsoever.
Here is the question: Who were they? Who was that man that so many of us in the church considered saint like? Who was that family that arrived at church that Sunday morning acting like they were the image of perfection?
Are you ready for the next question? Who are you really? Do you put on a false front so people will think you are more spiritual than you really are? I want to be real–warts and all. Accountability is essential and I want you to hold me to that!
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 | Dec 22, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 50:3-4
“Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people.”
I have to confess that I am not a patient person. If something has been promised, I am anxious to see the fulfillment. Our daughter has lovingly (I think) called me “Pastor Push.”
When I left the US Air Force, I had no job waiting for me. I started painting houses for my brother who owned a paint contracting business. With a Master’s Degree, I was qualified for other positions, but nothing was forthcoming.
I applied for two jobs that were very different in nature. One was as a Hospital Administrator, and the other as a Criminal Justice Planner. I applied and then waited and painted, and waited some more and painted some more.
The waiting finally ended when I was called to come to work for the Idaho Law Enforcement Planning Commission as the Juvenile Corrections Specialist. All the waiting and painting was worth it. God had just the right position for me.
As we approach the day celebrated as Jesus’ birthday, it is well to think of the hearts of the faithful servants of God. They knew that the Scriptures told that Messiah would come, but oh, how they yearned for His return. The silence was killing them! In our day we have the prophecy that Jesus will come again. I don’t know about you, but the silence is killing me! Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
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 | Dec 17, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 98:4, 9-10
“Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the LORD.”
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is probably the oldest Christmas carol we still sing today. The words were thought to have been penned before 800 A.D. While the writer is unknown, he was evidently a scholar with a deep knowledge of both the Old and New Testaments. It seems to present the various prophetic roles Jesus fulfilled when He was on earth.
One of the many tragedies connected with modern music is that our hymns are being neglected and belittled. Deep spiritual meaning is being replaced with words and music that is unclean. This hymn is a prayer for the Lord to come and rescue us from our deplorable condition. How sad that at best, we may only hear this hymn once a year. I pray that the Lord will come into our jaded lives.
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel“
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Rod of Jesse,
free thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory over the grave.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Adonai,
Who in thy glorious majesty
From Sinai’s mountain, clothed in awe,
Gavest thy folk the elder law.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
To access O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/ocomeocomeemmanuel 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 | Dec 10, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 98:4, 9-10
“Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the LORD.”
It has been told that Isaac Watts, who wrote the words of this beautiful Christmas hymn, had not intended it to be used only at Christmas. He wrote the words to paraphrase the words of today’s Scripture from Psalm 98.
To me it is a reminder that God will take our most feeble efforts and allow them to be used to accomplish His divine purpose. Once again Proverbs 3:5-6 is proven true: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
“Joy to the World“
Joy to the world! The Lord is come.
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart Prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing;
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and heaven and angels sing
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods; rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy;
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, Repeat, the sounding joy
No more will sins and sorrows grow;
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow;
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace;
And makes the nations prove,
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love;
And wonders of His love;
And wonders, wonders of His love.
To access Joy to the World, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes™ Inspirational Music Videos, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/joytotheworld 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 29, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
A delightfully humiliating story was related by the former pastor of Pensacola Christian College Campus Church. It seems that one summer he was a cabin supervisor for preteen boys. He had sternly warned the boys that once the lights were out and curfew had sounded, he wanted them to be quiet and not cause any sort of disturbance.
I cannot remember if it was that first night or a few nights later that he saw a light being shined on the ceiling of the cabin. He got out of his bunk and demanded to know who had the flashlight. The boys were quiet and even with a mini sermon on honesty there was no confession. As a matter of fact he had no sooner returned to his bunk when the light appeared again. As soon as it reappeared the boys snickered and were all now well aware of it.
He was more than a little disturbed that one of these boys was challenging his authority and creating an issue. He warned them that the boy who was doing this would be in danger of being sent home. As he was getting back into his own bunk he happened to notice that the area light outside the cabin reflected off his wristwatch and onto the ceiling. It was him. He was the guilty party all along.
He apologized to his boys and used his embarrassing discovery as a lesson for the need to examine ourselves closely. It is very revealing what the Holy Spirit will show us about our condition when we are willing to be taught. Teach me 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 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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