| A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Message · Archives ·  Archive/print editionWednesday, September 24, 2008   Listen to us share this message on your audio player."The Great Perspective" "And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also" (Genesis 1:16). "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:4). "He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit" (Psalm 147:4,5). "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing" (Isaiah 40:26). After going to sleep last night I awakened around midnight and since I couldn't go back to sleep I took our dog Roxie outside and spent a few minutes walking around our yard. (Yes, Roxie was sound asleep, but she would never say "no" to a walk, even in her sleep.) Temperatures dropped through the night and the chilly, fall-like air gave evidence to the official autumn season now in progress. The insect sounds are fading but off in the distance toward the creek I heard the shrieking cry of a wild animal. Then I heard a bawling cow, apparently delivering a calf, coming from the direction of the large dairy farm due east of us. I then looked up and scanned the skies. It was a clear night and, with the exception of the security lights at a Christian school about a half mile away, we don't have much "light pollution" out here where we live. The view is outstanding; no admission fee or limited seating! This sight, available to all who are blessed with eyesight, always gives me a perspective jolt. I am faced with feelings of my own human insignificance (or as I like to call it "puniness") when I consider the vast, vast immensity of the universe. It has been said that counting the stars in the universe is like trying to count the number of sand grains on a beach, but God made the stars and has each one of them accounted for. Consider the wording from the creation account, "He made the stars also" (Genesis 1:16). He has determined their number and calls them each by name. I picture the Psalmist scanning the skies as far as the eye can see on a cloudless night, overcome by a sense of awe toward Almighty God. He extols God's most massive works at creation as "the work of His fingers." He recognizes that God has set these objects in place. They are not "set in place" as the result of some "big bang" or whatever current scientific theory is presently in vogue. The prophet Isaiah in proclaiming the vastness of God declares, "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name." What a spectacular description of an omnipotent God who not only created the universe but makes it subject to His divine authority. Though it is awesome to contemplate the mighty universe and the magnificent power of God revealed through His creative works, I humbly consider that He values humankind so much that He clothed Himself in flesh and came to this imperfect world to save us from our sins. Though I might view myself as insignificant God certainly does not. He loves me and the entire human race so much that He sent His one and only Son, so that all who believe in Him, will not perish but have everlasting life. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, our hearts rejoice with resounding thanksgiving, as we consider that You chose us before the world was made so that we could be Your holy people; people without blame before You. Because of Your love, You chose to make us Your own children through Your Son, Jesus Christ. We are set free by the blood of His death as You forgive us of our sins. Your awesome power is seen not only in the vast universe but in the hearts of men and women, boys and girls whose lives are submitted to Your divine authority. What a magnificent God we serve! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources (Click on the link to play) Interesting perspective - I have directed readers to this website before but am reminded of it again today as I write on today's topic. I have no idea as to how they did this. It reveals the wonder of God's creation beginning with a view of the Milky Way at 10 million light years from the Earth. Then it moves through space toward the Earth in successive orders of magnitude until you reach a tall oak tree just outside the buildings of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. (My niece Carolina graduated from this college!) After that, it begins to move from the actual size of a leaf into a microscopic world that reveals leaf cell walls, the cell nucleus, chromatin, DNA and finally, into the subatomic universe of electrons and protons. WOW! Tip: I would set it to "manual" and read the description of each picture. I am amazed by the incredible faith demonstrated by anyone who can view a presentation like this and see a mere random naturalistic rather than the absolute intelligent design of the Creator. Yet I suspect most involved in this project probably had such an outlook. When you view this site I'm curious as to the emotion you feel when earth comes into view. I absolutely marvel when I consider the God who created the universe loved this world so much that He gave His only begotten Son! "How Great Is Our God" Audio "God Of Wonders" Audio Scripture Memory Songs - Last week we referred to a selection of Scripture verses we had recorded in our home with some friends. The words are set to familar music as an aid to memorization in a discipleship training class. Here's the full selection! Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
 Stephen and Brooksyne Weber - May 6, 2008 "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 daily 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 to Daily Encouragement Net through 9/22/2008: $15,149.00)SUBSCRIPTION INFO  Were you forwarded this edition of Daily Encouragement Net? To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you signed up to receive it OR a friend forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. Cancel: We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address from the list immediately. To remove your address merely use the link automatically inserted 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 these messages on! "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" www.dailyencouragement.net |
