Daily Encouragement Net - A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
 The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive edition Tuesday, August 3, 2010  This interesting carriage sits in front of the Shady Maple Farm Market and advertises Shady Lane Wagons, a local buggy dealership.  Listen to this message on your audio player."Lessons From A Broken Axe" "But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, 'Alas, my master! For it was borrowed'" (2 Kings 6:5). Yesterday I bought a small hatchet to clear some brush and remove some enduring roots from cut down bushes shooting up through the ground. Now anyone realizes a hatchet can be a dangerous tool, especially if the head falls off or if we lose control of the handle or miss our aim, but surprisingly this is the single warning on the packaging: "This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm." A hatchet is essentially a handheld hammer-like axe which brings to mind a story in the Bible concerning an axe head. Elisha's school of prophets had gone down near the Jordan and were building a place to live. It was a cooperative effort with each cutting down a tree for the project (sort of like a barn-raising).  One of them had an accident which most all of us who've worked with tools can easily imagine. As he was cutting down a tree the axe head flew off! Now his reaction is informative and instructive. Surely initially he was relieved that it didn't fly off and hit him or another worker! But he looked on with angst as the axe head fell into the water and sunk. Very distressed he cried out to Elisha, "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed." Elisha, sensitive to the worker's dilemma, recovered the axe head by throwing in a stick in the spot where the axehead sunk which caused the axe head to float in the water. (Something iron just doesn't do naturally!)Today I want to consider the unnamed prophet's sense of personal responsibility and stewardship; "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed." He was distressed that he had lost something belonging to another.  On Memorial Day weekend our neighbor's barn blew down. It was right alongside one of our favorite spring trails and I had taken photos several months earlier. The neighbors asked if they might have copies of the photos. After all, who would have expected a brick barn built in 1815 to blow over! I placed several of the photos on a thumb drive so they could select the ones they wanted and then print them at whatever size they chose. Last night their young son, Jandon, rode his bike over to our place and returned the thumb drive to me. A few minutes later his mother came by and verified that I had indeed received the drive and they both individually apologized for keeping it beyond the time originally planned (though we had given no thought to the time span and had even forgotten about the drive). How good it is to have parents who model and teach responsibility to their young children which is so important for the next generation. That in itself is a commendable lesson for today and so needed in our careless society. But I want to consider a deeper level of responsibility and stewardship; our stewardship to God. Essentially stewardship means using something belonging to another. Our very lives are essentially on loan from God. Job shared this perspective that all believers should express when dealing with the variables of life, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away" (Job 1:21). Paul had this outlook concerning ministry: "Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy" (1 Corinthians 4:1,2). The prophet's distress over losing a part of the borrowed axe is commendable but let us consider today, in a far more extensive sense, that which God has entrusted into our care! Are we using it properly, sharing it generously, and dedicating it to God's service? Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, may we be found trustworthy in our relationship to you and others. Help us as we seek to understand and communicate the teachings of Scripture so that we are faithful stewards of all that is entrusted to us. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Today's Scripture account is from 2 Kings 6:1-7  We enjoyed watching this persistent goldfinch cling to the sunflower upside down for a very long period of time this morning. Brooksyne hasn't been feeding the birds lately so they have to work a little harder to get their seeds. In fact, as they do every summer, they plant their own sunflower plants from droppings from their bird feeder - it's a good thing this finch might be thinking!!  We followed this pickup truck over-loaded with hay the other day on Donegal Springs Road. Now I suppose there's nothing especially interesting to most about this but for me it brings back some memories. When we first got married in May 1976 I worked that summer on a large hay crew that custom harvested on farms north of Springfield, MO. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources (In some cases you may also need to click again to start the song.) "Lord, I Offer My Life To You" Video Don Moen "Take My Life And Let It Be" Video Chris Tomlin Video A more traditional version by "Christ For The Nations" choir "In Christ Alone" Video Keith and Kristyn Getty Correction: Yesterday Brooksyne incorrectly stated that Greensleaves was the tune for "He Looked Beyond My Fault" and the Getty song. Later she realized (thanks to me) that Greensleaves is the tune to "What Child is This", not the other songs mentioned. We had a chuckle but wanted to set the record straight. Danny Boy Londonderry Air Audio sample  Photo of 1815 barn referred to in today's message. Photos of the barn after it blew over.(Click on photo to enlarge) Photos of the new barn being built in a new barnbuilding. Shady Lane Wagons A dealership I suppose very few of you have in your area! Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
  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 8/2/10 $8,898.00 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 by us 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 through feedburner.Cancel: We respect and value your time and privacy. If you no longer desire to receive these messages you can remove your address from the list by merely using 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 or who may desire less frequent mailings. It is Friday's message with a link to previous messages. To receive the free weekly version, send a blank email to this address. Reader Survey: Please take a few minutes to assist us in improving our ministry effectiveness by filling out this online reader survey. To take the survey click here. 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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