Daily Encouragement Net - A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
Trouble reading this message? Read online or see archives
Trouble reading this message? Read online or see archives
 The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive edition Wednesday, April 7, 2010  Purple pansies  Listen to this message on your audio player.(Note: Yesterday's podcast mistakenly linked to the previous day. The correct link for Tuesday's audio message is here. "The Climate Of Heaven" "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:1-3).  We are visiting my sister Genelle and her husband Cesar here in the Greensboro, NC area. Yesterday Genelle and I took a long walk with temperatures near 90. It was unseasonably warm even for this area and of course I had a further adjustment coming down from Pennsylvania. I need to climatize myself, that is adjust to a warmer climate. The Redbud trees are in full blossom and visible everywhere. We took several walks yesterday and saw so many beautiful blooming trees and flowers.Many years ago I heard a pastor use a phrase in his pastoral prayer that especially caught my attention. He prayed on behalf of himself and the congregation that God would "climatize us to the climate of heaven." To climatize means to acclimate or become acclimated. One of the great ongoing issues believers deal with in one way or another is keeping a heavenly perspective in the midst of the stuff of life. Essentially we are naturally very acclimated to the climate of this physical life, or as the text states, "on earthly things." But today's Scripture portion is a strong call to what we'll refer to as "heavenly climatization". Spiritually we who have accepted Jesus as our personal Savior have been "raised with Christ." This speaks of our present position. I take it to mean that we are to live with an ongoing awareness of the reality and power of the resurrection of Christ. Since we have been raised with Christ we are to set our hearts and minds on things above. This is an act of the will and must be an ongoing attitude in the life of the believer. The experiences of yesterday, however wonderful, need to be regularly refreshed. We must seek to live with a heavenly perspective as we daily sort through any setbacks or losses that line our earthly path. Many years ago I committed the daily Scripture portion to memory. Today I want to keep this heavenly perspective and do so by personalizing the verse. "Since, then, I have been raised with Christ, I set my heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. I set my mind on things above, not on earthly things. For I died, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God." Will you join me today? Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, I have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of Your Son where I find redemption, the forgiveness for my sins. It is in Your holy kingdom that my heart is transformed from an earthly nature to that of a heavenly nature. As I clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience my affections for the temporary pleasures of this world diminish in light of the eternal joys to come. Remind me of this when I am tempted to give up that which is lasting for that which is but momentary. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen. A reader commented on yesterday's message "Because He Lives" with these thoughts: Many years ago, I was at a very low place in my life. I was not interested in the next day at all and was considering how to avoid it. Some of the considerations would not have allowed me to be here today. I don't remember who gave me the tape or where it came from but I put it in my player and heard the words: "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow." I took that literally. And have on a number of occasions since. In fact, in my Easter facebook status, I wrote" Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Alleluia, Happy Easter"  Last night we had dinner at the Smokey Bones BBQ and got acquainted with a friendly waitress. As our evening progressed she shared of the overcoming in her life following the death of her 16 year old son who was killed in a car accident. Through a lifelong painful ordeal, it is so helpful to have a heavenly perspective, in such monumental trials of life. She was an inspiration to us as we shared together and we hope we were also an encouragement to her. I'm sure God uses her regularly to be a comfort to others who've endured similar loss. We sure enjoy the friendly, outgoing southern hospitality we experience every time we come to this area which reminds us of our Oklahoma and Missouri upbringing! 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.) "I Am Crucified With Christ And Yet I Live" Video Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne"I Live To Worship You" Video "To Worship You I Live" Video |
  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.2010 YTD financial offerings as of 4/6/10 $3,188.00 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. You can also subscribe to Daily Encouragement feed updates by email.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. (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. All of these songs are also available for download on the site.  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 2010 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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