 A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Messages · Archives ·  Archive/print editionTuesday, July 7, 2009  Steadfast and sure while the billows roll Fastened to the Rock that cannot move Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love!  Listen to us share this message on your audio player"God Is My Anchor" "We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:18b, 19a). I just received a note from a longtime friend I haven't heard from for awhile giving me a brief update concerning his life. He's had some trials lately but shared this interesting perspective of faith: "Today I received an email from one of my friends whose wife just ran off with another man and left him with 5 kids. He says, “GOD IS MY ANCHOR.” What troubles do I have when compared with that?"  I took this photo at Plymouth Harbor several years ago. Though the anchor serves a ship much like the parking brake serves a car, it also holds a lot more meaning for the believer. Contemplate this thought-provoking quote, "In order to realize the worth of the anchor, one needs to feel the stress of the storm." Faith is put to the test and best demonstrated during the deepest trials of life.  How thankful we should be for the blessed anchor of hope we have in Jesus! This anchor is "firm and secure." The daily verse is the only place in the Bible where the word "anchor" is used figuratively. (It is used literally in Acts 27 during Paul's shipwreck.) The CCLI song database lists 79 songs that refer to the spiritual anchor and this list doesn't even include many of the old hymns. The Greek word for anchor is Aγκυρα (ankura) Our English word anchor is merely a transliteration of this word! The anchor was used in the Greek world as a picture for hope.  Believers all throughout the ages have received assurance in their hearts as they consider the security an anchor provides in the midst of battering storms. I am so gripped by the early part of the daily verse, "We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged." This hope is what the believer has "fled to take hold of." We flee from all the worldly sources of temporal hope to the only true and lasting source of hope. Once we firmly take hold of this hope we are indeed "greatly encouraged." Hope, as used in the Bible, is not a wishful thought but a confident expectation of absolute certainty. The Holman Bible Dictionary offers this insight: "Hope is the confidence that what God has done for us in the past guarantees our participation in what God will do in the future."  There are two qualities to this anchor of hope that may seem similar in the English, but indeed express two complimentary truths. It's a firm and secure hope. It's as if the Holy Spirit wants to make it absolutely clear to us, beyond the shadow of a doubt, just how dependable this anchor is!  Today we want to encourage you to take hold of the anchor that is immovable. It will weather the worst storm. Truly, this anchor of hope we have in Jesus Christ is firm and secure! Rest in this blessed assurance today. Perhaps you're in that wind-tossed storm right now. Or there may be a storm on the horizon. God and His Word provide the steady anchor and sure foundation. Today let us focus on the immutable God, whose Word has promised: "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal" (Isaiah 26:3,4).Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, help us not to resent the storms of life or be fearful of their effects. Much like we prepare for a ravaging storm by anchoring valuables to a firm foundation, help us to anchor our hearts in the firm foundation of Your Word that will help us to withstand the testings and trials of life that are certain to come our way. Even as a ship is proven to be seaworthy over its lifetime, may our faith be proven trustworthy as we hold onto You, the Anchor for our soul. Amen. Here's a quote written about 350 years ago by Jeremy Taylor. It fully embraces the timetable of the Gospel journey and is a great focus for the believer: "Faith is the Christian's foundation, hope is his anchor, death is his harbor, Christ is his pilot, and heaven is his country." 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.) "We Have An Anchor" Video I am so very blessed by this grand old hymn and this is an especially beautiful version musically and includes photos. (I only regret this version only has one verse). Sung by Robin Mark. Here's the entire hymn Verse 1 Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, When the clouds unfold their wings of strife? When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain, Will your anchor drift or firm remain? Chorus We have an anchor that keeps the soul Steadfast and sure while the billows roll, Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love. Verse 2 It is safely moored, 'twill the storm withstand, For 'tis well secured by the Savior's hand; And the cables, passed from His heart to mine, Can defy that blast, thro' strength divine. Verse 3 It will firmly hold in the straits of fear, When the breakers have told the reef is near; Tho' the tempest rave and the wild winds blow, Not an angry wave shall our bark o'erflow. Verse 4 When our eyes behold thro' the gath'ring night The city of gold, our harbor bright, We shall anchor fast by the heav'nly shore, With the storms all past forevermore. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne |
 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 05/08/09  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 7/6/09: $5,870.00)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. or as an email subscription update through feedburner. Subscribe to Daily Encouragement Updates by EmailCancel: 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. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Weekly Version: The weekly version is intended 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. 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  Endorsed chaplain "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation" www.dailyencouragement.net |
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