 A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Message · Archives ·  Archive/print editionThursday, May 7, 2009  Rose-breasted Grosbeak (photo by Doris High) Today's Scripture text set to music Audio "Let Us Pray" "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).  Today is the "National Day of Prayer" here in the USA. Our encouragement message goes out to believers in many different countries so we try to write for the spiritual edification of all true believers regardless of where they live. We are unaware of other countries that might have official national days of prayer as we have here in America. However I genuinely believe this is a very important day here in the country where God has providentially ordained that I should live out my life here on this earth. America is in deep trouble and is in need of genuine repentance. Although there is an active remnant of true believers, the vast majority of our population gives little or no attention to God. Our government and court systems increasingly pass laws and policies that will surely lead to persecution for the believers. Our arts and entertainment industry is a cesspool of immorality. Broken marriages and troubled households abound and in recent years a massive effort is being made to drastically redefine what constitutes marriage. Violence fills the land. Our educational system has been very successful at breaking down the moral constraints. Brooksyne and I see this brokenness first hand in our ministry to the workplace, but it's evident to anyone who turns on the news or reads a newspaper. I believe one of the greatest evidences of this escalating trouble is spiritual blindness. I have often pondered the daily verse and committed it to memory many years ago. It will surely be quoted in many prayer services today. It is initially expressed as a condition and promise to Solomon during a time of great personal and national consecration as the temple is being dedicated approximately 3,000 years ago. I believe there is an element to this promise that is unique to Israel as a nation, who as a national people were called by God's Name.  The phrase "My people" in the daily verse in its initial application applied to these people and this specific land. Thus I feel there is interpretive error when we view our specific country (wherever we live) as God's land in the same sense as that spoken of in the initial promise. True believers foundationally hold heavenly citizenship (far superior to our national citizenship). Having said that, I believe there is still great application in the condition and promise today. There is surely a sense that "My people" today refers to the redeemed in Christ who live throughout the world. God requires these conditions of His people:
Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father in Heaven, We lift our eyes toward Your Throne, where You reign in righteousness. Your Word assures us that when Your people cry out in sincerity and humility, You will never turn a deaf ear to us. We call upon You now, seeking Your forgiveness and favor. Look over this fevered landscape and heal us, Lord. Drop knees to the floor and raise eyes to the sky, for we know where our help comes from. Unite these States again in devotion to You, and blur every dividing line. Do not give us over to our sins. Give us, instead, over to passionate prayer that moves Your heart. “May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.” In the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen Today's prayer is the same as the one posted on the National Day of Prayer website. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources Click on the link to open and play. In some cases you may also need to click again to start the song. "If My People Pray" 2 Chronicles 7:14 from the Integrity Scripture memory series Audio "If My People Pray" Video by Avalon Some random notes:  One year ago today Brooksyne broke her ankle when we were out on our country walk and it changed her lifestyle for several months. We are so blessed at her full recovery. I had to get this shot in as I walked upstairs and saw her standing at the computer this morning. Here's a photo of Brooksyne a year ago. * Today's text brings to mind an incident from Bible College over 30 years ago. Once we had a US congressman from southwest Missouri as our chapel speaker and he referred to the daily verse but mistakenly said 2 Corinthians 7:14 (rather than 2 Chronicles 7:14). We had a very colorful student who came out of an addictive background who had the nickname Hallelujah Frank due to his very expressive worship nature. Hallelujah Frank ran up to the front right after chapel was over to correct the congressmen concerning the mistaken reference, embarrasing the college administrators as I recall, in the brusque way he handled the congressman's innocent error. * Yesterday Steve Higgins, a friend from Massachusetts, shared an interesting perspective: "I recently read an article in, of all places, the Boston Globe and the person being interviewed said something I found intriguing. One of the biggest dangers we face in the church today is becoming admirers of Jesus and not followers. Isn’t it great to come to church, pat each other on the back and talk about all of the good things Jesus did? It’s almost to some even in the church that he is just another cult hero. But to be a follower takes commitment. Commitment is something many of us never truly make anymore." * Our friend Doris High took the outstanding close-up of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak used at the top of today's message. See here for more from her Rose-breasted Grosbeak collection. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 01/20/09  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. (2009 YTD financial offerings through 5/6/09: $3,330.00)SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION  Were you forwarded this edition of Daily Encouragement Net? If you desire you can receive your own free! To receive these "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 either 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 these messages no longer meet your needs (providing encouragement) you can remove your address by merely use the link automatically inserted by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each email message. Weekly Version: The weekly version is designed for those who may 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! "A Little Foolishness" - Humor/satire blog (a great outlet for non-serious writing but at times with a subtle message!) Last updated with the story of Mildred Swanson, who joyfully discovers her "spiritual gift" is sending forwarded emails! (Note: This material is satire!) "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the faithful believer and church. (Actually this is my intent but I haven't done much with it!) "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 2009 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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