 A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Messages · Archives ·  Archive/print editionTuesday, August 4, 2009  An old water pump on a farm about 1/2 mile from our home  Listen to us share this message on your audio player"Lessons From A Cistern" "Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Cushite, 'Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.' So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went to a room under the treasury in the palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and let them down with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. Ebed-Melech the Cushite said to Jeremiah, 'Put these old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.' Jeremiah did so, and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern" (Jeremiah 38:10-13). While I was growing up in Missouri my parents were good about visiting my grandparents regularly. Following each long trip from Belton to Harwood my sister Genelle and I would jump out of the car after we pulled up to my grandparent's little white frame house and race over to the pump in front of it. We would vigorously pump the handle several times until water surged out of the spigot. However we knew not to drink the unhealthy water since it was merely runoff which had gathered in a shallow cistern. I never did get to see what that cistern looked like down inside, but I know I wouldn't want to be trapped in it! But today we will look at a famous Bible character who was intentionally imprisoned in a cistern. The story is found in Jeremiah 38:1-13. King Zedekiah was certainly not favorably disposed to the prophet Jeremiah, viewing him as a pest with his discouraging, negative prophetical pronouncements (Jeremiah was merely proclaiming the truth). Jeremiah summed up the king's attitude this way, “If I tell you the truth, you will kill me. And if I give you advice, you won’t listen to me anyway". At one point Zedekiah had Jeremiah brought to the palace where he asked him privately, "Is there any word from the LORD?" "Yes," Jeremiah replied, "you will be handed over to the king of Babylon." Now that's a bold, truthful prophet! The officials viewed the prophecies of Jeremiah to be demoralizing to the remaining soldiers who fought in this war. In retribution, and with the king's consent, wicked men lowered Jeremiah down into an empty cistern to torment him. It wasn't his first time to be held captive as Jeremiah had been whipped, imprisoned, put in stocks and ridiculed (Jeremiah 20). In each of these instances he was finally released but here he is once again held in seclusion which would render his prophecies silenced and seemingly powerless. It would also lead to his eventual death as they withheld food from him while he sunk deep into the mud-filled cistern. Talk about claustrophobia! One thing the evil captors could not do was keep Jeremiah from praying to God for release from his miserable captivity.  Risking his life he approached the king and appealed for Jeremiah's rescue. The two-faced king granted permission and and also sent thirty unnamed men to assist Ebed-Melech in lifting Jeremiah out of the cistern. (I certainly wonder why he sent these 30 men!) A small detail in the rescue itself catches my attention and is the source of today's encouraging challenge. Note the consideration of Ebed-Melech in taking along old rags and worn-out clothes to pad the rope. Anyone who has ever held onto rope or been lifted with a rope knows how it can burn and cut deep into the skin if not padded. We aren't told how long Jeremiah remained in the well but being deprived of sunshine and food his skin was even more sensitive to ropeburn. What a kind act of consideration at such a time as this! Later after Jerusalem fell captive to the Babylonians Ebed-Melech received a very encouraging word of hope through Jeremiah's prophecy (39:15-18). Figuratively speaking, is there someone you know that needs a rope pull; someone sinking at the bottom of a muddy, stinky cistern? Ask God how you can be part of His rescue plan for this discouraged individual. Make sure you take along some "padding" to make the rescue less painful. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, we are so grateful for the rope holders who've helped pull us out of despairing situations. Those who have given us an uplifting message, interceded in prayer on our behalf, given of their time and expertise to help us in our dilemma. We too want to be a rope holder and offer a word of encouragement, be a listening ear, and extend tender compassion and mercy to one in need. Help us to be Your hand extended to those in need we pray. Amen.  Personal note: The next couple of weeks we will be on vacation. We still plan to prepare daily encouragement messages, but not necessarily daily. 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.) Today's message brings this song and evangelistic resource to mind: "Love Lifted Me" Video Gaither Homecoming These people sure enjoy singing! "A Man Fell Into A Hole" Video A Living Parable illustrating salvation. A very touching presentation! 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 8/03/09: $7,015.00)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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