Friday, March 30, 2007

"The True Source Of Power"

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Friday, March 30, 2007

Spring Panorama
Spring पैनोरमा

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"The True Source Of Power"

"Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" (Pontius Pilate in John 19:10). "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth" (Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18).

Already here in America we are getting into the next presidential election campaign, although it's still over 18 months away! There's lots of chatter concerning greatness and power. Claims of achievement and promises are made (usually outlandish) by our political leaders.

They should heed the Apostle Paul's words to, "not think of yourself more highly than you ought" (Romans 12:3). Now that's good, solid counsel for all of us isn't it? One of the sad elements of this power confusion in our world is that many people look to government as their source of blessings rather than to God from whom all blessings flow.

Pilate needed a good dose of reality check when he boasted about his great power. This spineless man speaks to the eternal Son of God: "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Like many before him and many since he learned the hard way about how powerless he actually was when he faced eternal judgment.

Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of the Babylonian Empire, was walking on the roof of his palace as he bragged, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" (Daniel 4:30). Daniel 4:31ff reveals how Nebuchadnezzar was put in his proper place. And finally Herod gloated when he heard the people proclaim praise toward him: "This is the voice of a god, not of a man" (Acts 12:22). Failing to immediately give glory to God, "an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died" (v. 23).

Jesus did not let Pilate's proud claim to power stand unchallenged: "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above" (John 19:11). In Acts 4 the disciples are facing persecution and utter a wonderful prayer with a stunning truth: "Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen" (Acts 4:27,28).

Does verse 28 capture your attention? The disciples recognized that God was the ultimate source of blessing, authority and power, even when facing confusing or troubling circumstances. We too should recognize that God at times uses undesirable circumstances and the very people who seek to harm us in carrying out his overall plan in our lives. And that is a tremendous key to finding peace and living the abundant life. Remember, no power or force on earth exceeds the almighty power of the One who said, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth."

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, while we were powerless, You sent Jesus at just the right time to die for the ungodly. Though we were unworthy and helpless the sacrificial death of Christ has given us great worth and hope in this life and the life beyond. Our hearts are deeply touched as we focus on the account of Christ's suffering and death. What consolation it brings to know that nothing happened apart from Your will and that You released a reservoir of mercy to Christ in the midst of His agony and suffering. You also grant us unending mercy for our suffering in this life. We stand not in our own power for that would be futile, but we stand in the power of Christ alone! Amen.



What better song to suggest today than the classic hymn "All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name"



Amish buggies (click to enlarge)
"Farewell neighbors"
This morning I helped our neighbors and very good friends, Jesse and Anna, move to the eastern part of the county. We are sure going to miss them though we will continue to see them from time to time!



(We apologize for the lateness of our message today. Due to helping our neighbors move as well as dealing with significant technical difficulties we're much later than usual!)


Administration Information
Weber family photo 9/30/06
The Weber Family Stephen, Brooksyne & Ester
"Our family wants to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" (Click on photo to enlarge)

Donate Each weekday Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all around the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this encouragement ministry? See here for details.
Brooksyne and I thank God for another year of service for Him through our internet ministry and welcome readers to view our 2006 ministry report.

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Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
How to become a child of God Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

© Copyright 2007 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

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Thursday, March 29, 2007

"Living On The Bottomland"

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Thursday, March 29, 2007

Donegal Creek in the Springtime
Donegal Creek (Click on photo to enlarge)

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"Living on the Bottomland"

"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers" (Psalm 1:3).

We live near Donegal Creek, a beautiful trout stream that meanders through a meadow about ¼ mile from our house.  Across the street is an old tractor trail between farm fields that leads us to the clear stream that runs alongside a lush, green meadow.  Yesterday Brooksyne and I took a walk and especially observed the stately old trees that have thrived through the years, benefiting from the excellent soil and their proximity to the creek.

The early sign of spring I especially noticed during our walk  was the slight wisp of green as the weeping willows are now budding. (This is visible in the featured photo.) Interestingly you can only see this from a distance but not directly under the trees. 

Psalm 1 describes a righteous man who is thriving in his spiritual walk. "He is like a tree planted by streams of water."  Now trees grow virtually everywhere but the Psalmist makes a special observation about trees that grow along the water. Colloquially we called this "bottomland" and thus the basis of the title of today's message!

My mother's only brother, Uncle Gentry, had a farm in southern Missouri. He was a colorful man who brings a smile as I recall his many antics. After Brooksyne and I had married he gave us some pecans and stressed that they were "bottomland" pecans, having a characteristic of being especially oily and tasty.

Vernon County, Missouri, where he lived is at the heart of pecan production in Missouri. These pecans grow naturally in the rich river bottom soils in the northernmost region of pecan production.  Although slightly smaller than pecans grown in the south, the unique sweetness and higher oil content of these pecans result in extremely flavorful nutmeats.  I can almost taste them as I type out this message and it sure makes me wish I could smell Pecan Pie baking in the oven!  It's one of Brooksyne's and my favorite desserts.

I encourage you to read all of Psalm 1 (only 6 verses) and receive the wonderful blessings of God through His Holy Word.  Read, study, meditate and apply these timeless truths.  May we "delight in doing everything the Lord wants."  And may the foundation of our lives be like a tree which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. In this sense may we all experience living on the bottomland!


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily Prayer: Jesus, our source of nourishment comes from You.  You are the Living Water and as we draw our sustenance from You we bear healthy and fruitful actions that reflect our Heavenly Father.  We prosper in the things of the Lord and influence others for the Kingdom.  Our dependence is on You, Lord, which is vital for growth, health, and vitality. 



Brooksyne's Note: Speaking of pecans: I have fond memories of shelling pecans while growing up in Oklahoma.  Mom would buy unshelled pecans and take them to the feed mill to be cracked. We children then had the job of picking them out of the shells. Of course our reward was Pecan Pie for dinner.  Many years later my sister married and bought a house that had 10 or 11 pecan trees in her yard.  Daddy was retired by then so he picked up gallons of fallen pecans and took on the big job of picking the pecan meats out of the shells.  At Christmas Mom would send me about 10 pounds of pecans in the mail that he had shelled.  That made it extra special, because Daddy had been a truck driver for about 40 years and this kind of tedious work was certainly not in his line of work.  He did it out of love for his children.



Information about Missouri pecans



Steincross farm
"The Farm"
(click on image to enlarge)
The old farmouse was built in the 1800's and my grandpa was born there in 1882. It was in the Steincross family for over 100 years and before my uncle passed away it received the designation "Centennial Farm."

Stephen's note: Today's message brings back some great memories of my Uncle Gentry. He was the oldest child and only living son of my grandparents (a second son died in infancy). They then had seven daughters with my Mom being the next to the youngest. Uncle Gentry and Aunt Dora lived on a farm about 1 mile outside of the tiny town of Harwood, where my grandparents lived. I have many childhood memories of that farm; playing in the barn, the old Allis Chalmers tractor, the huge cast iron dinner bell (from a church) and large gatherings with many aunts and uncles and cousins.  In fact this morning I had occasion to speak to my aunt (Mom's youngest sister) and two of my cousins.

Today I share one memory that illustrates my Uncle Gentry's colorful personality. A farmer friend was visiting and dropped off a bucket of something really yucky looking. I asked my Uncle what they were and he said, "Rocky Mountain Oysters" and offered me some. I didn't know what they were at the time but declined.  Now with my teasing personality (perhaps in part from my Uncle) I have often used the same tease and it causes some puzzlement here in the Northeast. Within the last couple of weeks I had a chaplain friend over to help with a website and Brooksyne was also fixing us a light lunch. I asked him if "Rocky Mountain Oysters" would be OK and he said to the effect, "Sure, I don't know what they are and I've never had them but that would be OK with me."  (We didn't have them.)


Yesterday we shared a song about relationships in regard to the theme of refreshing others and after we sent it we found a song that actually goes even better in our view. It's called "Be Love In Me"
Lyrics     Listen



Here is another view of Donegal Creek looking downstream from where I took the photo above.
Donegal Creek in the Springtime

Administration Information
Weber family photo 9/30/06
The Weber Family
Stephen, Brooksyne & Ester
"Our family wants to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" (Click on photo to enlarge)
Donate Each weekday Brooksyne and I prepare these messages  and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all around the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this encouragement ministry?  See here for details.
Brooksyne and I thank God for another year of service for Him through our internet ministry and welcome readers to view our 2006 ministry report.

Join:
To receive this free "Daily Encouragement" devotional through email use our form.

Cancel:  To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link at the very bottom. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.)
Please feel free to pass this message on!

Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com
Search:
Christianbook.com
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

How to become a child of God
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

© Copyright 2007 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

Daily Encouragement Net

495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552
Contact us
 
Chaplaincy logo
"Living securely today anchored
in God's solid foundation"


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 You are receiving these recurring messages as a subscriber to Daily Encouragement Net because you signed up on our website or requested it.  You are currently subscribed to dailyencouragement as: stephencweber.dailyencouragement@blogger.com To unsubscribe (be removed from this email list) click on the following link  (or copy and paste it into your web browser). http://zip.netatlantic.com/u?id=33466174P&l=dailyencouragement By clicking "yes" on the screen that opens your email address will automatically be removed from the mailing list. Note: Please do not use the above link if you are reading a pass-along copy of this message, because it will delete your friend's address. To subscribe to these free weekday messages go to http://www.dailyencouragement.net/freeemail.html 

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

"Refreshing Others"

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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

David and Troy
David and Troy

ListenClick here to listen to us read this message on your audio player.

"Refreshing Others"
 
"He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed" (Proverbs 11:25).  "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints" (Philemon 1:7).

Today I shared God's Word with a group of men following a breakfast at Lancaster Bible College we enjoyed together. I meet regularly with these businessmen of CBMC (Connecting Business Men to Christ) and today I encouraged them to let their light shine where they work. I challenged them to seek opportunities throughout the day to speak a word of refreshing and encouragement to all who come their way.  It's a theme you see often in these daily encouragements!
 
Two of my CBMC friends are pictured above.  I met David (left in the photo) about six years ago shortly after I moved to this area.  His physical distinction for me is the interesting manner in which he wears his glasses. He's a soft-spoken man with a relaxed, easy-going demeanor.  I see him at the meetings every couple of months and each time I find his presence and my brief visit with him uplifting. Today he left right after breakfast because he had another meeting to attend.  Just as I started to speak he walked in again with his usual friendly smile. It turns out that his other meeting was cancelled and upon seeing him unexpectedly with the usual distinctive smile it refreshed me once again.
 
I met Troy four or five years ago. He has an outgoing, demonstrative type personality and greets me by calling me "Mr. Encouragement."  Troy is the kind of person who brings a smile and uplift even in his initial greeting!
 
Several years ago I heard a speaker use an interesting illustration of how we impact other people. He spoke of being around those who always take you "up" on the elevator. It's as if being around them is like getting on an Up Elevator. They're energy givers, encouragers, refreshers, who have a powerful way of uplifting. As I consider my long string of friends through life I am blessed to have so many who invite me to go up with them.
 
Then there are those who have only one button on their elevator; the basement! They're energy drainers who discourage and have a way of sucking the very breath right out of you. And yes, I have also met my share of these as well. (But thankfully not nearly as many.) Getting on the Down Elevator with them is never an "uplifting" experience.
 
Let me encourage each daily encouragement reader to consider the blessing of having a refreshing spirit. As the Proverb states, "He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."  I hope you are blessed by those having this quality today.
 
I also encourage you to conscientiously demonstrate this quality from your heart. Like David and Troy we are all different and will thus express refreshing qualities distinctly. As I think about my long list of those who refresh I consider how they are all different, yet each uses his giftings to uplift others. Of so many I can proclaim, "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."
 
Today you will interact with others in various settings. May God bless you with those who will encourage and refresh you.  May they strengthen you and take you up on the elevator!  And may you seek to be that provision today for the weary, discouraged soul whom you meet in the course of this day who is in need of uplift. Today you have a choice; will you be an upper or a downer?
 
 
Be encouraged today,
 
 
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
 
Daily prayer: "God help me to be an energy giver and refresher to others as you daily energize and refresh me through my consistent, daily communion with you.  Amen."



Note from Brooksyne:  I identify with those who try to avoid the people who bring us down.  They consume our time and drain us of energy.  But I'm very aware that God brings them into our lives so that we can pray for them.  I'm also aware that we can have that same negative impact on others if we're not going regularly to the Lord with the normal everyday burdens of life.  I'm so thankful that God doesn't turn His ear in the other direction when He sees us coming to Him in prayer.  "Behold the Lord's hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear" (Isaiah 59:10). 



Here's a wonderful relationship song we both enjoy titled, "I Thank The Lord For You, My Friend"
Listen to audio             Lyrics
This site has a lot of interesting music with lyrics.



About CBMC



Fawn
A friend of mine found this baby fawn which had died along the road several years ago and had it mounted.
It is amazingly lifelike.


Administration Information
Weber family photo 9/30/06
The Weber Family
Stephen, Brooksyne & Ester
"Our family wants to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" (Click on photo to enlarge)
Donate Each weekday Brooksyne and I prepare these messages  and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all around the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this encouragement ministry?  See here for details.
Brooksyne and I thank God for another year of service for Him through our internet ministry and welcome readers to view our 2006 ministry report.

Join:
To receive this free "Daily Encouragement" devotional through email use our form.

Cancel:  To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link at the very bottom. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.)
Please feel free to pass this message on!

Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com
Search:
Christianbook.com
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

How to become a child of God
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

© Copyright 2007 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

Daily Encouragement Net

495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552
Contact us
 
Chaplaincy logo
"Living securely today anchored
in God's solid foundation"


Daily Encouragement Net
 You are receiving these recurring messages as a subscriber to Daily Encouragement Net because you signed up on our website or requested it.  You are currently subscribed to dailyencouragement as: stephencweber.dailyencouragement@blogger.com To unsubscribe (be removed from this email list) click on the following link  (or copy and paste it into your web browser). http://zip.netatlantic.com/u?id=33466174P&l=dailyencouragement By clicking "yes" on the screen that opens your email address will automatically be removed from the mailing list. Note: Please do not use the above link if you are reading a pass-along copy of this message, because it will delete your friend's address. To subscribe to these free weekday messages go to http://www.dailyencouragement.net/freeemail.html 

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

"Amazing Grace"

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Tuesday, March 27, 2007
John Newton (1725-1807)
John Newton

ListenClick here to listen to us read this message on your audio player.

"Amazing Grace"

"Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD" (Isaiah 26:10).

John Newton's great hymn "Amazing Grace" is a song that I am sure practically all who read this message have been blessed by many times. Most of us would list it among our favorite songs.

Chris Tomlin recently added a refrain that we feature as a video link at the end of the message today:

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace.

As John Newton aged his memory began to fail him. This is demonstrated in a poignant scene from the recent movie "Amazing Grace" when Newton is shown in his aged condition declaring, "Although my memory is fading I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior."  His sight is also fading. He quotes a line from his own hymn, "I once was blind but now I see" and asks, "Did I write that?" He was assured that he had written those very words.  Then Newton said, "Now at last it's true." 

Our daily verse presents an interesting and often overlooked Biblical truth. "Grace is shown to the wicked."  The grace of the almighty God of the universe is abundantly demonstrated in His loving care to our world.  A portion of an old hymn states "In all the world around me, I see His loving care."  Theologically speaking this is referred to as "common grace."

This demonstration of common grace goes on moment by moment in a multitude of ways to all, even the vilest offender; the air we breathe, the livable climatic conditions, the food and water. 

Of course there is the special demonstration of grace extended to us through Jesus for our eternal salvation. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). This grace is available exclusively for those who earnestly believe in Him and accept His gift of salvation.  This gift comes with the highest price tag and far exceeds the worth of all other gifts given to us by God!

Unbelief and ingratitude have blinded many to this marvelous grace so the vast majority of the world's peoples "do not learn righteousness" which is a result of walking in His grace.  In our New Testament understanding they do not accept God's grace through Jesus Christ. "They go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD."  Is this not a glimpse of our world today? 

How do we, God's chosen people, regard the grace of God today?
  • Let us thank God for His amazing grace and never cease to be amazed by it.
  • Let us "learn righteousness" and live our life in a manner that pleases Him. 
  • Let us regard the majesty of the Lord and reverently declare His praises daily. 

Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, Your abundant grace is poured out on humankind like showers of blessings, both for believer and unbeliever alike.  Yet it is only as we appropriate Your saving grace that we turn away from evil and walk in the ways of righteousness. Many leaders and rulers have come and gone, but You, Father, are the eternal One whose kingdom knows no end.  We humble ourselves in the light of Your majesty as we bring honor to Your holy name.  Amen.



Brooksyne's Note: In my personal devotions before I read over the message today I, too, read about John Newton.  You may find his self-written epitaph (which follows) to be a blessing and perhaps it will prompt you to consider what you would like your personal epitaph to say.  Maybe this would be a good spiritual exercise that you could write while you have the presence of mind.  A great place to write out your epitaph would be the inside cover of your most commonly used Bible.  It may very well be the most treasured "possession" you will ever leave for your loved ones.

John Newton, clerk,
Once an infidel and libertine,
A servant of slaves in Africa,
Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ
Preserved, restored, pardoned
And appointed to preach the faith he
Had long labored to destroy.

(It sounds similar to the apostle Paul's personal story doesn't it!)



"Amazing Grace" with the verse quoted in today's message. (video featuring Chris Tomlin) Apart from the beautiful music this video features a very interesting piano!

Here's aother song that comes to mind titled "Your Grace Still Amazes Me" (video)

(I was unable to find audio-only resources for the above)


Administration Information
Weber family photo 9/30/06
The Weber Family
Stephen, Brooksyne & Ester
"Our family wants to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" (Click on photo to enlarge)
Donate Each weekday Brooksyne and I prepare these messages  and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all around the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this encouragement ministry?  See here for details.
Brooksyne and I thank God for another year of service for Him through our internet ministry and welcome readers to view our 2006 ministry report.

Join:
To receive this free "Daily Encouragement" devotional through email use our form.

Cancel:  To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link at the very bottom. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.)
Please feel free to pass this message on!

Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com
Search:
Christianbook.com
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

How to become a child of God
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

© Copyright 2007 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

Daily Encouragement Net

495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552
Contact us
 
Chaplaincy logo
"Living securely today anchored
in God's solid foundation"


Daily Encouragement Net
 You are receiving these recurring messages as a subscriber to Daily Encouragement Net because you signed up on our website or requested it.  You are currently subscribed to dailyencouragement as: stephencweber.dailyencouragement@blogger.com To unsubscribe (be removed from this email list) click on the following link  (or copy and paste it into your web browser). http://zip.netatlantic.com/u?id=33466174P&l=dailyencouragement By clicking "yes" on the screen that opens your email address will automatically be removed from the mailing list. Note: Please do not use the above link if you are reading a pass-along copy of this message, because it will delete your friend's address. To subscribe to these free weekday messages go to http://www.dailyencouragement.net/freeemail.html 

Monday, March 26, 2007

"Pride Deceives"

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Monday, March 26, 2007

Sign
Sign along rural Pennsylvania Route 897.

ListenClick here to listen to us read this message on your audio player.

"Pride Deceives"

"The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, 'Who can bring me down to the ground?'" (Obadiah 1:3).

There is perhaps no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.*

Obadiah is the smallest book in the Old Testament having only one chapter with 21 verses. This prophecy is against the Edomites, an ancient people who had descended from Esau, Jacob's brother, and who were long-time enemies of God's chosen people.

The Edomites had rejoiced in the destruction of Jerusalem by her conquerors. (The hatred of Israel by her neighbors is ancient.) Psalm 137:7 states, "Remember O Lord what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. 'Tear it down' they cried, 'tear it down to its foundations!'" This was at the time of the Babylonian conquest. Obadiah was written to assure God's people of His judgment on the Edomites.

Our daily verse indicates a timeless principle: pride deceives. This ancient people indeed had some distinct military advantages due to the seeming invincibility of their position, which indeed was amazing. The cities of Edom were cut right into the face of the cliffs providing imposing natural defenses, which gave their inhabitants feelings of invulnerability.

They thought they could taunt the misfortunes of their neighbors and remain untouched. They had declared, "Who can bring me down to the ground?" The Lord declared, "I will bring you down" (v. 4) and the historical record indicates He did just that.

Pride continues to deceive. The hard but valuable lessons from history are often ignored by the heart of a nation and the heart of an individual.

Where is your source of hope and assurance today? In your education? Your position? Your financial plan? National defenses? The arm of flesh (yours or anyone else's) will surely fail you!

Our only firm foundation is Jesus Christ. Today and everyday let us be mindful of pride's deceitfulness! As God's redeemed people let us humble ourselves before the Lord. Let us remember His Word, "pride goes before destruction" and declare again this day, "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily Prayer: Father, I consider today that pride reflects my giftings, possessions and knowledge but thanksgiving reflects Your abundance, goodness and all-surpassing wisdom. A heart with godly gratitude instead of a prideful attitude will deflect that which is about me and reflect that which is about You. In the same spirit as John I cry out, "Help me to decrease so that You will increase in my life." Amen.



* Benjamin Franklin from his autobiography.



Brooksyne's note: I had a prideful "slap in the face" only last week that occured to me a few moments ago as I was washing my face:

A woman appeared on the television screen who gave her age which is three years younger than mine. I will shamefully admit that I thought to myself, "Wow, she looks about five years older than me and I began to feel a little prideful about how well I am hiding my age." To confirm that thought I asked Ester who was sitting beside me, "Doesn't that woman look older than me?" Ester responded quickly, "No, you look older than her." Certain in my mind that she misunderstood the wording of my question I asked again more deliberately and slowly, and yet Ester's answer remained unchanged. So much for feeling proud about hiding my age. I guess pride really is deceitful!



Today's music is a selection that brings back powerful sentimental memories for both Brooksyne and me. As young Christians Keith Green was one of our favorite musicians. He wrote a song titled "Create in Me a Clean Heart" based on Psalm 51 that is still sung in many churches. Here's an online audio version I found as we prepared today's message. This is a wonderful song to sing during an altar service.

Here's another Keith Green song that always moves me titled "Altar Call" (audio). As we played it this morning Brooksyne lifted up a prayer for a loved one for which she is burdened and this prompted me to do the same.

Finally Keith Green was an outstanding pianist and here's a piano instrumental prelude.

(Keith Green and several of his children died in a plane crash in the early eighties).



Pet unity
We've had our dog Roxie now for two years when she joined our cat Dottie whom we've had since she was born in our summer kitchen in 2001. They now get along quite well and share a spot on a pet pillow underneath our steps. This may sound kind of corny but we are so blessed that our pets get along and just sort of wonder if that's not how our heavenly Father is blessed as he sees His children getting along!



Amish boys
Finally today - Driving along a rural country road on a Sunday afternoon in Lancaster County we encountered these Amish boys playfully blocking the road! The Amish gather in homes for services and visit through the afternoon as the children go off to play.


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Weber family photo 9/30/06
The Weber Family Stephen, Brooksyne & Ester
"Our family wants to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" (Click on photo to enlarge)
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Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
How to become a child of God Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

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