"The Path Of Life"

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home · About Us · · Podcast · Free email See here for more info. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive/print edition Friday, May 23, 2008 Path across from our home Listen to us share this message on your audio player. "The Path Of Life" "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever" (Psalm 16:11). Since Brooksyne's ankle injury two weeks ago we've been missing our customary walks together. (So has our dog Roxie!) On a couple occasions Ester and I pushed her in the wheelchair alongside our country road but it doesn't compare to walking on an old well-worn path. But the uneven terrain is not suitable for a wheelchair, especially for one with a tender ankle. Today's photo is my favorite part of our walking path across from our house, an old road between tree lines with farm fields on each side. It's actually a long abandoned public road still deeded to the township that ends right across from our house where a church meeting house once stood. It can still seen on maps as "Meeting House Run Road". Presently it's accessible only with a tractor or four-wheel drive vehicle and that's just fine with us since we enjoy the solitude of the quiet country setting! Roxie really loves this part of the walk and often gets very distracted with all the smells of critters buried in the ground or she chases squirrels up the trees. She runs rabbits ragged as she sets about chasing them in and out of burrows, rock piles, and other accessible hiding places. The above photo really doesn't do the scene justice since I can't convey in a photo all the sights, let alone the sounds and smells that are part of the enjoyable experience. Scripture in numerous places speaks of the "path of life" with today's passage being the first. It's from a Psalm of David, written some 3,000 years ago. In addressing God he asserts, "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." God continues to make known the path of life to those who earnestly seek Him. Today the path of life is the road less travelled since many by default follow the broad road where the majority travel. There are several references to the path of life in the Proverbs such as "He is on the path of life who heeds instruction" and "The path of life leads upward for the wise." But the final reference to the "path of life" in Scripture may surprise you. Peter quotes several verses from Psalm 16 in his sermon on the day of Pentecost concluding with the daily verse, "You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence" (Acts 2:28). He makes it clear that ultimately in this Psalm David was referring to Jesus Christ as the path of life! Of course Jesus Himself tells us, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." I thank God for making known to me the path of life through the person of Jesus Christ, His Son! What a great joy and blessing to follow Him. And that's something we all can do regardless of where we live. Please join us! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily Prayer: Father, I consider today the path of life laid out for those who are wise. It certainly isn't the shortest, most traveled, or least difficult trail. There are times when the incline may be so steep it forces me on all fours, but that's a posture in which I'm most humbled. It forces me to kneel down before You, the Lord my Maker. Your strength is perfect when my strength is fleeting. It is a place where I realize it is no longer my strength but it is in Your perfect strength that I walk. It is no longer my plan but Your perfect plan that I follow. It is no longer my wisdom but Your perfect wisdom that instructs me. You give perfect direction and adequate strength to walk the upward path that leads to life everlasting. Thank You that I will never walk the path of life alone, for You lead the way as You make my feet like hind's feet on high places. Amen. Yesterday we learned about Steven Curtis Chapman's tragic loss in the death of his youngest daughter, Maria. We pray that God will use the very song He inspired Steven to write years ago to bring much needed comfort and understanding, along with physical and spiritual strength to each one of the family members. "His Strength Is Perfect" Video I can do all things Through Christ who gives me strength, But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me; No great success to show, No glory on my own, Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know . . . CHORUS His strength is perfect when our strength is gone; He'll carry us when we can't carry on. Raised in His power, the weak become strong; His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect. We can only know The power that He holds When we truly see how deep our weakness goes; His strength in us begins Where ours comes to an end. He hears our humble cry and proves again . . . (chorus) Song by: Steven Curtis Chapman Psalm 16 Today's text I enjoy maps and like many of you have enjoyed puttering around with Google earth and maps. If you're interested, here is a satellite view of our typical walk. Our home is on the right side of the map and we normally walk a mile to Colebrook Road. In the middle I have placed a placemarker on the trail where today's photo was taken. What is this? Several of our Amish friends enjoy music. But they do not use electricity or have any types of music players. However ... they do use phones and voice mail. So we have a creative means of sharing music they enjoy. This morning I had to call a friend and when I was done I left a song from yesterday's message on his voice mail. This is a rather unique form of ministry! Our rhododendrens are in full bloom and after several days of wet, cold, gloomy weather we have a beautiful day here in Lancaster County PA! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "In The Garden" Video "He walks with me and talks with me." "In The Garden" Video A nice instrumental violin duet by a husband/wife team! Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

Administration Information Stephen and Brooksyne Weber "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 04/15/08 Each weekday morning Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all over the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this encouragement ministry? Donations are tax deductible and will be receipted directly by my chaplaincy endorsing ministry. Thanks! See here for details. (2008 YTD financial offerings through 5/19/2008 $8,982.00) Join: To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link automatically placed by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each message. Weekly Version: The weekly version is designed for those who do not check their email regularly. It is merely the Friday message with a link to previous messages. To receive the free weekly version, send a blank email to this address. (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 Reader Survey We want to thank all of you who have taken a few minutes to fill in our online survey. Here's a brief summary of the results including some comments and tips regarding technical problems several mentioned having. If you haven't taken the survey yet and would like to do so click here. I will continue to monitor the results. Our other blogs: "A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message. "A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination. "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church. Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com Any orders placed to Christian Book Distributers using this link or any specific product link to a recommended resource in a daily encouragement message will help our Daily Encouragement ministry through a small commission on the sale. Thank you for using these links when purchasing online through CBD! 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 2008 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"