 A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Message · Archives ·  Archive/print editionThursday November 20, 2008  A porch arrangement of autumn color. As we prepare to send this out we are getting light snow flurries but nothing sticking.  Listen to us share this message on your audio player.Play podcast instrumental music only "The Great Chasm" "And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us" (Luke 16:26). "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:17,18).  Right up the road from us is an old country cemetery. It is well maintained and still receiving earthly remains. Often the line of cars coming to a burial service comes right in front of our house giving us pause for consideration of another one "for whom the bell has tolled".Last week we learned of a young girl our daughter's age who died unexpectedly. We were especially prayerful as we saw the long line of cars pass our home headed toward the cemetery this past week. Having lost our parents, other loved ones, and a number of friends we consider one emotion in particular that many experience; the sense of finality and a desire that in some way we could communicate with the departed. But of course we cannot. In considering the Scriptures the first daily text comes to mind. It is the story of the rich man and Lazarus. It is a powerful portion from the very words of Jesus and much can be gleaned from the conversation. (A link to the entire passage is noted below.) However I am especially intrigued by the phrase, "a great chasm has been fixed." Now this is specifically referring to the chasm between the rich man in hell and those who remained on earth whom he desperately wanted to warn. However, clearly this same chasm exists between heaven and earth as well for it is equally true that, "Those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us." We just can't willingly pass back and forth between heaven and earth. Once we die this chasm is indeed fixed, that is until the appointed time. That's what we experience at the death of a loved one with this great chasm. The two way communication we may have been so accustomed to is suddenly completely curtailed. This is so hard! But the second daily verse has a wonderful promise. It's the great "rapture" passage and the entire context is linked to below. It's a promise concerning the coming of the Lord and expressly addresses a concern the Thessalonian believers had regarding their deceased loved ones. Paul assured them that actually the dead would rise first, then those living will be caught up together with them. That will be a glad reunion day (sounds like an old hymn, doesn't it). "We will be with the Lord forever." Think about it, we will be with our loved ones who lived for Christ and the Lord forever! Paul wanted them to "encourage each other with these words." The word encourage is also translated comfort. The basis of this encouragement and comfort is that they would once again be together with their loved ones, no longer deceased and separated but very much alive and reunited. This is a Biblical truth so we also have the very same promise. Let us be filled with anticipation for this future heavenly reunion. I pray that each reader will find similar encouragement and comfort in this wonderful truth! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily Prayer: Father, we know that living in the light of eternity gives us an unending hope that surpasses our journey here below. It takes our spirit to heights that soar beyond the brutish world we live in and motivates us to lay up our treasures in heaven where greed and corruption do not exist. It gives us a deep, settled peace that our loved one who walked with You on earth now worships You in heaven. We anxiously await that wondrous day when we will be joined with our loved ones in giving praise, glory and honor to our everlasting King of Kings around the heavenly throne. Our hearts are encouraged and our spirit is strengthened as we meditate on these wonderful future events. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Stephen's note: I remember, as a child, the custom in Missouri was to pull over when a funeral was in procession - out of respect for the deceased whether you knew them or not. Several weeks ago I was mowing our front lawn when a long line of cars passed on the way to the cemetery. I stopped the mower and paused, bowing my head till the group passed. Later Brooksyne ran into one of our local readers who had observed this and considered it a thoughtful gesture. It was a reminder to me that we are being observed whether we realize it or not! It's also a reminder of the breakdown in consideration during my lifetime. Brooksyne's Note: The custom Stephen speaks of is (or at least was) also observed in the state of Oklahoma where I grew up. I remember while preparing to take my driver's exam that we were quizzed on the appropriate protocol for a driver during a funeral procession. I also remember a few times being a little on the late side in getting to work. It seemed that I'd end up getting caught in a long funeral procession on those days and I wasn't always as patient and respectful as I should have been. Now many, many years later I certainly have a more respectful and appreciative perspective. Today's Scripture passages: Luke 16:19-31 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Today's suggested Music and Supplemental Resources (Click on the link to open and play) "What A Day It Will Be" Audio A powerful persepctive! Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement. Yesterday I shared about our mice problem (I caught two more last night) and received several comments of those with similar issues. Nancy writes: We have an old glass greenhouse which we heat with 2 coal stoves. Before it got cold this fall the squirrels ran in and out and buried hundreds of kernels of corn in the beds. Now that it is all closed up and the stoves are lit the squirrels can't get in to retrieve their stash but the mice are taking advantage of the situation and being a real nuisance by tunneling under the plants to get the kernels. I've trapped 8 in the last 3 days and think I feel as much satisfaction as any big game hunter. Kathy writes: We have a mouse problem here where I work (we are in cubes in a trailer in a parking lot). We had a trap set for the past week or so and can’t seem to catch the mouse – he is enjoying my candy stash though. This morning when I came in someone had put a plastic mouse in the trap as a joke. We also ‘caught’ one last week that fell into our paper recycle container and couldn’t get out. |
 Stephen and Brooksyne Weber "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 10/21/08  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 11/19/08: $17,506.00) 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" - A blog simply posting the daily prayer. We keep this up each day since it's merely the prayer from the Daily Encouragement Net message! "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the faithful believer and church. "A Little Foolishness" - A humor/satire blog (a great outlet for non-serious writing but at times with a subtle message!) I haven't had time or "inspiration" for this for awhile but it has several stories that get regular page views. "Hymns of Hope" - Brooksyne along with two friends made a CD using classic hymns. Brooksyne tells the background story of the 11 hymns. We are distributing this CD without charge in our ministry. All of these songs are also available for download on the site. If any reader in this series would like a CD merely write us and request one.  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, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. 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 |
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