by Pastor Cecil | May 18, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 81:10
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”
I am so glad that the Lord has brought me up out of the “Egypt” of sin. I was not a violent sinner — in fact, I was only a young boy when I turned my life totally over to the Lord and made Him the Lord of my life.
It has been a joy to walk life’s pathway with Him these seventy some years. I cannot help but reflect on the many times the Holy Spirit of God has guided and directed me in areas that are beyond my understanding.
I was discipling a young man and had set up a schedule to meet once each week for one hour of one-on-one sharing. Since I was working full time, we had agreed to meet during my lunch hour. The busier I became at work, the more often I neglected preparing for his visit. He would appear at my office door and I would be stunned to realize that this was the day of our meeting.
One day Jerry knocked on my door, and I realized that I had failed once again. I fired off an emergency prayer for divine guidance, but nothing of substance came to mind. I just asked Jerry, “How is your mother?” He mumbled some sort of unintelligible reply and soon left.
A few minutes later he was back. He asked if I knew what effect I was having on him. I started to apologize when he said that each week my comments hit the area of his life that he was struggling with. In fact, he had just had an angry argument with his mother that very morning . . . and I asked how his mother was.
It made me realize that while I certainly was responsible to prepare for his visit, it was the Holy Spirit that was most important. I had to be yielded to say what came into my mind regardless of how silly it may sound. I would even be willing to be a fool for 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
by Pastor Cecil | May 17, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 127:3-4
“Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth.”
Today is a very special day for Joyce and I. It is the birthday of our son, Dan. He was born two years after his sister, Brenda (who went to be with the Lord in 1991) and his younger sister, Lori, who is three years younger.
When Joyce was ready to deliver our baby in the early morning hours of May 17th, we had no idea if it would be a girl or boy. I was on the Police department at the time and arrived at the hospital in my police uniform. The doctor announced to me that it was a boy and said that he was afraid to say anything else since I was carrying a gun.
It would have been okay either way, but we rejoiced in the birth of a son. Dan has been a joy to us across the years and as a father of three children of his own, he has made us proud to call him our own dear son.
Today’s Scripture calls children a reward from the Lord. We certainly consider that to be the case in our own life. But there is another aspect about children ― some are unwanted and face alienation from their natural parents. They need to have someone step in and be a dad and mom to show them the love they so desperately need. Are you willing to step forward? Look around you and if there is a need, be the parent that is needed.
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 | May 14, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 23:4
“Even 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.”
There are good dreams and there are bad dreams. Unfortunately we humans are prone to judge the good times as what God desires for us and the bad times as some sort of punishment from the Lord.
The apostle Paul endured trials beyond what most of us will ever endure; beatings, shipwreck, hunger and much more. Here is what he writes concerning these “bad times” of life. Philippians 4:12: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
Franz Liszt’s great work, Liebestraum, means “Dreams of Love.” For the believer it should mean the dreams of God’s unfailing love for us and our love for Him.
When Horatio Spafford lost his children, an accident at sea, he could have become bitter. Instead he penned the words of the beautiful hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul.”
I pray that God’s love touches you with the words of this hymn as you delight in the inspired arrangement of Liebestraum & It Is Well With My Soul.
“It Is Well With My Soul!“
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul
Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
To access It Is Well With My Soul, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/liebestraum 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
by Pastor Cecil | May 6, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 37:7
“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.”
Perhaps we are all tempted to worry from time to time, but there are some folks who seem to take it on as their task in life. They even go so far as to worry that they are not worrying enough. (Just kidding ― I think).
One of the greatest illustrations I think I ever heard about worry was given by one of my all- time favorite preachers, Donald Grey Barnhouse, who was pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. Barnhouse tells the story of his wife worrying about everything. She would be after him about the most trivial matter she was worrying about. He finally gave her a small notebook that he called her “worry book.” He asked her to write all of her worries in the book and each Saturday morning they would sit down and she could go over all of her worries, and only then would she mention them.
The first Saturday morning he asked her to open her worry book and tell him what she was worrying about. Every item she had written in the book had not been worth the worry, so she had scratched them off. He asked if there were not some legitimate issues and she said there were, but she did not have time to worry about them before they resolved themselves.
After a few weeks she agreed that all of her fruitless worry was only trying to do what God alone can do. He holds our future in His hand and knows what is best for us. What are you worrying about? Do you need a worry book?
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 | Apr 30, 2010 | 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.
Refrain:
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.
Refrain:
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.
Refrain:
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,?
I?m hiding in Thee.
To access Piano Concerto No. 2 & Hiding In Thee, this week’s inspirational video from GloryScapes.com, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/pianoconcertono2 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
by Pastor Cecil | Apr 26, 2010 | Psalm
Psalm 116:15
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”
For many years we have been blessed by supporting the Mexican Indian Training Center. The latest newsletter contains an article by our dear brother, Dan Hall. I want to share his words with you.
“Don Beto Medinilla, was one of the first Christians in the village of Usila. Soon after his conversion and as his faith in the Lord Jesus became evident to all in the area, the once mayor of Usilla suffered the stoning of his house for hours by angry townsmen. His fellow Chinanteco bretheren felt betrayed because he renounced idolatry and the common sinful lifestyle of the place. They were trying to make him recant and turn back to the old ways. But Don Beto’s new faith was rooted in the Rock of our salvation and he continued to believe and serve Jesus Christ. Soon the Gospel was received by others and they began meeting in Don Beto’s house, which became the Usila Church.
To testify of his new life in Christ, he poured out a storehouse full of beer and liquor and used the empty bottles to make a monument in his back yard. There were no half-way thoughts in this man. God used him to bring Luis Pacheco, a Catholic priest, to a living and true faith in Jesus, and was also instrumental in spreading the Gospel to at least fifteen other villages in his region. His home was also the place we stayed at, ate and had medical/dental clinics for many years.
His home and heart was always open to those who served the Lord Jesus. Two years ago, we received word that he was very ill and that preparations were being made for his funeral. But he got well. When we went back to Usila for a Bible Conference a few weeks later, we were greeted by Don Beto who then said, “Hermano Dan (Brother Dan), don’t call me Beto anymore, call me ‘Lazarus’, because the Lord raised me up from my deathbed so that I can go share the Gospel with some people in a nearby village.”
He shared the need of salvation with every friend and relative he could. We visited with Beto a few weeks ago as we heard again the news of his deteriorating health. I asked him, “Beto, you know that the Lord is our Shepherd and He will lead us even beyond death.” He replied, “Dan, Our God is a great God, of course I know He is with me always. I am ready to see Him.”
The Lord finally called Don Beto home on April 6th of 2010. He was known by believers and non-believers alike as one who served Christ faithfully and lived the Gospel to the end of his days. We thank God for blessing us with the life of this special Chinanteco servant and dear brother in the faith.”
I thank Dan for sharing this wonderful story of a fellow saint of God. I look forward to meeting Beto in heaven and rejoicing with him about the goodness of God in giving us salvation that prepares us for eternity.
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
