​PASTOR CECIL · Pastor Cecil's Devotional: “SAVING FAITH PRODUCES LIFE!” James 2:26

SAVING FAITH PRODUCES LIFE!

James 2:26 – Devotional

James 2:26

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without accompanying works is also dead.”

Having stood beside many open caskets in my life, I know what it is like to look upon the empty shell that was once a living and breathing person. The fact that I could not detect life did not mean that there was no longer life for that person.

The fact of the matter is that after physical death a person is more aware of their surroundings than ever before. The born-again believer is enveloped in peace and bliss that words cannot explain. The person who refused to respond to the call of God for salvation now knows the agony of eternal defeat!

The time for choice is not after our eyes close in death, it is now. That is why it is so important to share the gospel with those people the Lord brings across our path. We have the precious gift of eternal life with Christ available for each of us to not only possess ourselves, but also offer to others.

Just think of the eternal joy that we can offer to the person who happens to be next to us. The Holy Spirit will give us the words to speak if we step forward in faith to share life with those who are dead in their trespasses and sin!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Subscribe to Daily Evotional

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

​PASTOR CECIL · Pastor Cecil's Devotional: “LOOKING FORWARD!” Philippians 3:13b

LOOKING FORWARD!

Philippians 3:13b – Devotional

Philippians 3:13b

” – – forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”

After being freed from the bondage of slavery, Moses sent out twelve spies. Only two returned with a positive report and urged them to go in immediately to possess the land God had given them. One of those two spies was Joshua, the other was Caleb. Upon the death of Moses, Joshua sends out only two spies to Jericho.

Let’s consider a sinner that is introduced in the book of Joshua. Her name was Rahab. She was a foreigner and a prostitute. But she was ready to accept the God who loved her just as she was!

Rahab and her family were spared when Israel defeated Jericho. She did not look back on her sordid past. She took a risk to save the Israelites and God blessed her for it. In Hebrews 11:31, she is mentioned along with the faithful of the ages. In James 2:25-26 she is considered righteous in the eyes of God.

When God’s Word says our sins are forgiven, does that mean we are free or do we carry the terrible burden of sin with us? I fear that there are many who actually receive God’s forgiveness but fail to recognize that He also cleanses (I John 1:9).

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Subscribe to Daily Evotional

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

​PASTOR CECIL · Pastor Cecil's Devotional: “GOD’S DIRECTION!” Proverbs 3:6

GOD’S DIRECTION!

Proverbs 3:6 –  Devotional

Proverbs 3:6

“In all your ways keep your eyes on the LORD and He will direct your steps.”

Listen to Pastor Cecil’s Message of the Week & Prayer by clicking above on the play button.

Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today and be a blessing!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Subscribe to Daily Evotional

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

​PASTOR CECIL · Pastor Cecil's Devotional: “GOD’S WORD ABIDES!” 1 Peter 1:24

GOD’S WORD ABIDES!

1 Peter 1:24 –  Devotional

1 Peter 1:24

“For all flesh is like grass, and all the glory of man is like a flower or grass. The grass withers and the flower fades, but God’s Word abides forever.”

Listen to Pastor Cecil’s Message of the Week & Prayer by clicking above on the play button.

Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today and be a blessing!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Subscribe to Daily Evotional

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

​PASTOR CECIL · Pastor Cecil's Devotional: “WHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED UP YONDER!” Revelation 21:27

WHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED UP YONDER!

Revelation 21:27 – Devotional

Revelation 21:27

“But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

In 1893, James Black was a Meth­od­ist Sun­day school teach­er in Wil­liams­port, Penn­syl­van­ia. As he was call­ing roll one day for a youth meet­ing, young Bes­sie, daugh­ter of a drunk­ard, did not show up, and he was dis­ap­point­ed at her fail­ure to ap­pear. He com­mented to a friend, “Well, I trust when the roll is called up yon­der, she’ll be there.” He tried to find an appropriate song for the situation but could not find one in his song book.

Here is how Mr. Black describes how he came to write the hymn: “This lack of a fit­ting song caused me both sor­row and dis­ap­point­ment. An in­ner voice seemed to say, ‘Why don’t you write one?’ I put away the thought. As I opened the gate on my way home, the same thought came again so strong­ly that tears filled my eyes. I en­tered the house and sat down at the pi­a­no. The words came to me ef­fort­less­ly…The tune came the same way—I dared not change a sin­gle note or word.”

“When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder”

(1) When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Refrain: When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll, is called up yonder,
When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.

(2) On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of His resurrection share;
When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Refrain: When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll, is called up yonder,
When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.

(3) Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;
Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Refrain: When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll, is called up yonder,
When the roll, is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.

Enjoy this week’s free inspirational video. To access: When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder, please go to: http://www.gloryscapes.com/whentherolliscalledupyonder

Blessings dear hearts! May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Subscribe to Daily Evotional

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

​PASTOR CECIL · Pastor Cecil's Devotional: “KEEP ME SAFE!” Psalm 119:117

KEEP ME SAFE!

Psalm 119:117 – Devotional

Psalm 119:117

“Hold me up and I will be safe and I will observe Your laws forever.”

When I hear the word “safe” I often imagine a baseball game where the runner slides into home plate while the umpire stands ready to render the verdict as to whether the runner was tagged “out” or was called “safe.”

There are other thoughts that crowd into my mind about being safe. If you have ever been in a small boat on a rough body of water and finally enter a sheltered cove, you would know that you were now safe from the waves.

There are many more circumstances of life when we escape a dangerous episode to a safe place. I guess we could say that this life that we live is a series of dangerous events that threaten us. We need a safe haven, don’t we?

The Psalmist assures us that our safe haven is the Word of God. When we live our life in accordance with His Word, we can know that special peace and safety that surpasses human understanding. Praise the Lord for that PEACE!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Subscribe to Daily Evotional

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

​PASTOR CECIL · Pastor Cecil's Devotional: “GOD’S FIRST CLASS TICKET!” Psalm 118:1

GOD’S FIRST CLASS TICKET!

Psalm 118:1 – Devotional

Psalm 118:1

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good and His mercy endures forever.”

The senseless violence that is rampant around the world can cause us to feel that the forces of hell are winning the battle for men’s souls. In a sense that is true if we look only at the results of sin and not the redemption that God offers.

Years ago I read about a man who was travelling across the Atlantic Ocean on a great liner. He had packed as much food as he could stuff into his suitcase, but it soon ran out and he was week with hunger and the aroma from the dining area almost was more than he could stand.

At last he approached a ship’s steward and asked if he might be able to work at some job in order to be able to earn enough to eat. When the steward examined his ticket he was informed that it entitled him to meals as well as transportation.

How often do we as God’s children, who are on our journey to heaven, live like spiritual paupers? Instead of relishing in the rich spiritual resources God gives to those who have been born again, we live like spiritual beggars. Remember – – Jesus purchased us a first class ticket with His own blood!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Subscribe to Daily Evotional

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

​PASTOR CECIL · Pastor Cecil's Devotional: “THERE’S JESUS NOW!” Psalm 49:16-17

THERE’S JESUS NOW!

Psalm 49:16-17 – Devotional

Psalm 49:16-17

“Do not be afraid by a rich man, when his riches are increased; for when he dies he shall take nothing with him: his glory shall not accompany him.”

Across the years my wife Joyce and I had the honor of visiting many shrines and tombs of men and women of wealth and prominence. Some of these people were proclaimed atheists or agnostics. It literally broke our hearts to imagine the suffering that greeted them when they breathed their last breath!

Then I recall visiting a small cemetery in Camas, Washington, and standing beside the weathered grave-marker of my beloved grandpa, Earnest Thompson. He is the beloved saint whose last words on this earth were; “Well there’s Jesus now!”

It may have been the Lord who greeted Grandpa Thompson or an angel sent by Jesus to welcome him home to glory, but regardless there was joy and rejoicing in his entrance to eternity.

Across the years of our life we may experience joys as well as sorrows. In either case we need to constantly remind ourselves that the things of this world are only temporary. Our eternal home is waiting for our arrival. That is why we believers can rejoice when a born-again family member marches into glory to be with Jesus and all of the believers who have gone on before us!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Subscribe to Daily Evotional

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.

​PASTOR CECIL · Pastor Cecil's Devotional: “THE TERRIBLE TONGUE!” James 3:5

THE TERRIBLE TONGUE!

James 3:5 – Devotional

James 3:5

“The tongue is a fire; we might say it is a world of iniquity. Even though it is small it contaminates the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”

Over the years I have recalled the witty saying of a judge I worked for back in the 1950’s. “You can keep your mouth shut and look stupid, or you can open it and remove all doubt!”

That cynical statement seems to be expressed by James in today’s Scripture. With our tongue we create a firestorm of destruction that cannot be contained. Even after the flames of destruction have been quenched, there are embers waiting to combust into open flames once again!

So how do we go about taming the tongue? A quick answer is to keep our mouth shut. We know that is impossible so the next best thing is to yield our words to the Lord. Early in the morning and all through the day remind yourself that the Holy Spirit is beside us and will help us control our lips.

We also can control the tongue by memorizing portions of Scripture and all through the day quoting them aloud, or when that is not appropriate, thinking of them in your mind. God will be pleased!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

Subscribe to Daily Evotional

Share a blessing by inviting your friends and family to subscribe to Pastor Cecil’s Daily E-Votional by clicking on the Subscribe button above.

Share the Lord with someone by directing them to https://PastorCecil.com.