Daily Encouragement (09/27/11) "How Sweet Are Your Words!"

Daily Encouragement Net
A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.

Having trouble reading this message?  Read mobile edition online

Follow Daily Encouragement on Facebook and Twitter        The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber. Home · About Us ·· Podcast · Free email <Previous Message  ·  Archives  ·  Archive edition Tuesday, September 27, 2011 This outstanding photo of a bee collecting nectar was taken by our friend Mike Book. I am most impressed by the translucent wings! (Note however that this is not a honeybee) Click on photo for larger version! Listen to this message on your audio player. "How Sweet Are Your Words!" "Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10) "How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103). "Thy words were found and I ate them, and Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts" (Jeremiah 15:16). Mike and Kathy are longtime friends who make their home in North Carolina. On their last visit they brought us a very sweet treat; a quart of honey! I suppose honey is a universal gift that will bless virtually all. I recall a song that has this line, "Bees make honey and it sure tastes good." It was a teaching tape for children concerning the fruit of the spirit. Brooksyne's favorite candy is "Bit-O-Honey" a small, chewy morsel with a rich, creamy, honey-nutty flavor. It's been around since 1924 so she even had it when she was a little girl! (Editor's Note: I wasn't around that early, Stephen!) Preparing for a long trip we might buy a bag and share it among family members since "the chew" makes the long journey just a little sweeter (especially if we are caught in a traffic jam!) The great thing about the Bible is the universality of the illustrations. I don't know this for sure but I suppose that regardless of where you live you have bees and honey. David wrote today's Scripture portion some 3,000 years ago and he was from a part of the world far away from where I live. Even as I type my appetite is building for a piece of hot buttered toast spread with the North Carolina honey.  I've no doubt that it will be sweet to my mouth and the taste will linger for awhile. Psalm 119 is a wonderful extolling of the Scriptures. David would have had far less of the written word than we have today, since much of the Old Testament and all of the New Testament were not yet written. Yet he declared, "How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"  May we approach the Scriptures with this same attitude when we read God's Word.  Consider this text the next time you enjoy some honey! Physically, munching can lead to over indulgence and undesirable weight gain. In fact in my own life an identifiable issue of self-control is munching! I am capable of munching throughout the day. There are days where I might be taking in more through munching than regular meals. I would do well to post signs that say, "No Munching!" on the fridge and here at the desk. But there is an area of my life where munching is allowed and is in fact a good thing contributing to spiritual growth. It doesn't replace the established habits of the spiritual life such as Bible study, prayer and fellowship with other maturing believers. But I believe the ability to partake of spiritual nutrition, such as meditative munching on God's Word throughout the day, is healthy.  It might be a Bible verse shared by a friend, a brief prayer at work with a fellow worker or an edifying Christian song we hear on the radio.  I hope for many of you healthy munching on spiritual morsels throughout your day includes this brief devotional!  The Psalmist wrote, "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" As we meditate on God's Word throughout the day we can taste of the goodness of the Lord! Perhaps we need to post a sign that reads, "Spiritual munching allowed and encouraged!"  It will surely bring a smile to your face as it brightens your countenance throughout the day. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, deep in my soul I have peace and reassurance as I "chew" on a particular Scripture verse throughout my day.  You speak to me through Your Word and it refreshes and often challenges me as it lingers on my mind. It helps me to focus not just on the here and now.  Sometimes You use the words of a Christian song and it's recurring tune to fill my thoughts as I go about my work.  At times You bring to mind the words of a Christian friend or a written message that draws me from indifference or complacency and inspires me to meditate on the Living Word.  You satisfy my hungry heart and fill my thirsty soul with Your living water. Your words are a sweet savor to my soul as I walk in obedience to Your Holy Word.  Amen. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Goodness"  Video  Music Machine "How I Love You"  Video  Rick Pino "Hungry"  Video  Kathryn Scott "Bread Of Heaven"  Video   "Fill My Cup, Lord"  Video   Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update  (Revised 12/31/10) 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. 2011 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 9/26/11: $9,631.00 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. Daily Encouragement on Facebook and Twitter: The daily message and prayer on Facebook.  The daily message and prayer on Twitter. 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! Our other blogs: "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 2011 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

Daily Encouragement is issued Monday-Friday.  To make sure you continue to receive these e-mails in your Inbox (so they're not sent to a junk folder), please add scweber@dailyencouragement.net to your address book or safe sender list. You are receiving these recurring messages as a subscriber to Daily Encouragement Net because you signed up on our website or otherwise requested it unless someone forwarded the message to you. If you desire to unsubscribe use the link below.  However, please do not use this link unless your address is the subscribed address below as you will otherwise unsubscribe the person who forwarded it to you!

 

You are currently subscribed to dailyencouragement as: stephencweber.dailyencouragement@blogger.com Add scweber@dailyencouragement.net to your email address book to ensure delivery Forward to a Friend  |  Manage Subscription  |   Subscribe  |   Unsubscribe