 A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Messages · Archives ·  Archive/print editionMonday, August 24, 2009  An old stretch of Route 66 in Pulaski County Missouri. Compared to Interstate 44 just a few miles away it seemed abandoned.  Listen to us share this message on your audio player"A Lesson From Route 66" "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12).  On the way back from our Midwestern trip last week we drove along old Route 66 for several miles. Up through Oklahoma and Missouri old Route 66 generally parallels Interstate 44 and that's a much faster route of course. Charles Kuralt has observed, "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything. From the Interstate, America is all steel guardrails and plastic signs, and every place looks and feels and sounds and smells like every other place." But we intentionally got off the faster route and moseyed along a far more interesting route for sentiment's sake. Brooksyne grew up on a small farm right off Route 66 southwest of Tulsa, Oklahoma. We met in Bible College right off Route 66 in Springfield MO. We were married in a church near Route 66 in Sapulpa Oklahoma. As Bible students our very first pastoral experience was in a tiny country church in Northfield, MO near Route 66. Route 66 is probably the most famous US route, the historic main highway from Chicago to LA and popularized in John Steinbeck's book, "The Grapes Of Wrath". He termed it the "Mother Road". Although it's been abandoned as a US route it is still 85% active with state and county road designations. Most old US highways like Route 1 up the east coast or Route 40 through the midsection are still active highways and are generally the commercial roads with ever-changing business locations. Route 66 in many places seems locked in time and driving on it gives you some sense as to what a family road trip might have been like in 1950. Well of course I draw a spiritual application here. An early designation of the Church was "The Way", used 5 times in the Book of Acts. I am sure this was based on a statement of Christ, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). Today we want to consider "the way" we are on. We want to stay on the Bible Road. The spirit of lawlessness is evident in our time. Our world is dealing with indescribable evil resulting in rampant sinful behavior that signals a return to the turbulent Biblical period of the Judges when the people became their own authority. They completely ignored the laws God had laid down and acted on their own opinions of right and wrong. The writer portrays the spiritual climate with these words, "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). It is also descriptive of our own time period. We pray that God will give each reader deep discernment to understand the times. We pray that you will have a firm resolve to be faithful to God. In a remarkable prophetic statement in Daniel 12:10 we read, "The wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand."  "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12). An interesting aspect of our daily verse is that it's repeated twice verbatim in the book of Proverbs. It seems that the Holy Spirit wants to make doubly sure that we absolutely get this one! It's a clear and straightforward saying with an enduring truth. Indeed there are many ways that seem right to man. Our world is full of these other "ways." Today, there are indeed many ways that seem right. The vital question of life we all must consider and answer for ourselves is, "Am I going His way?" "Am I on the Bible Road?" Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, I am thankful for the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures that provides an objective and accurate guide for every season of my life. The Bible is a lamp unto my feet and a light for the path that lies before me. It teaches, convicts, corrects, and trains me in the ways of godliness. Though many will choose other authorities to guide their lives, I choose Your Holy Book to equip me for the works You've called me to do in Your name. I rely on its inspired texts to sustain me in my lifetime commitment to walk in Your ways as I travel the Bible Road that leads to eternal life. Amen. Some more Route 66 photos There's a lot of neat photos we took along Route 66 but here are several.   We drove by this old tractor and I couldn't resist getting on it.  We passed this giant rocking chair. I thought maybe we could get a photo sitting in it as a family like we did here, but this one was just too big for that! Besides that, climbing wasn't allowed on this 20' chair. A vintage filling station along old 66. No longer selling gas but sure fixed up nice! You can see our van's reflection as Brooksyne took this photo.  Quite a number of business owners tend to seize the sentiment of being on Route 66 to decorate their businesses.  I don't know how vintage this place is but thought it had an interesting name and I suspect some pretty good BBQ! Tomorrow we will share some photos from a great time we had at the Indiana State Fair last Tuesday.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.) "The Way You Should Go" Psalm 32:8 from the Integrity Scripture Memory series. Audio "God's Guidance" Audio This entire album has Scripture songs on the theme of God's guidance. A great playlist someone has compiled of Old Testament memory verses from this series. Audio Brooksyne and Ester singing a verse alluded to in the prayer. Audio Here's some more info about Route 66 Legends of America/Route 66 Historic Route 66 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 8/23/09: $7,460.00)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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