A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
 A daily, Bible-based message of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber. <Previous Message · Archive edition Tuesday, February 7, 2012  "Hold On!" "Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life" (Proverbs 4:13). "Test everything. Hold on to the good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown" (Revelation 3:11).  Each of our daily verses instructs the reader to "hold on". We hope you noticed that!We must press on daily in our walk with the Lord and we must hold on to His truths if we are to be victorious. Today we consider the spiritual concept of "holding on." We often hear this expressed in the phrase, "I'm hanging in there." In some instances it can be a very trite saying but at other times, when talking to one who is going through a very difficult trial, I am blessed to hear them repeat these words with a resolve to stay faithful especially in the midst of adversity. Let us consider the "hold on" in our three daily verses: 1) "Hold on to instruction" I feel this is best understood as the instruction we have received based upon the Holy Scriptures from godly people who have gone before us; people we know personally (2 Timothy 3:10) where we are able to witness the outcome of their way of life (Hebrews 13:7). I hear this expressed in the New Testament by the apostle Paul: "You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them" (2 Timothy 3:14a). 2) "Hold on to the good" I respond to this command today with a resounding AMEN, as evil increasingly abounds and permeates our world. We find out what is good by learning the Scriptures. The Lord spoke through Jeremiah 6:16: "This is what the LORD says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls'." Romans 12:9 puts it so succinctly, "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."  3) "Hold on to what you have" I believe this is foundationally a call to hold on to our faith in God. This is a command from Christ to the church in Philadelphia (ancient Philadelphia of course). This is an actual city in present day Turkey presently named Alasehir (see here for map). At the time of John's writing the church had remained faithful to the Lord during a time of persecution, receiving this wonderful commendation from the Lord, "I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My Name." He goes on to state, concerning these ancient Christians, "You have kept My command to endure patiently" (Revelation 3:10). Indeed let us hold on and remain steadfast as we maintain our faith in God! God is strategically planning a future date when conflict will be vanquished, righteousness will prevail, and the everlasting crown will be awarded those who patiently hold on in their faithfulness to God. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily Prayer: Father, help us to contend with those obstacles that are a part of our strict training so that we will receive an everlasting crown. Help us to patiently endure and prayerfully endear the important truths You teach us in our spiritual training. We want to hold on to Your unchanging hand as we build our lives not on the shifting sands of time, but on that which will never perish! Amen.Personal note: The theme of "holding on" is applicable on many fronts and we're especially mindful of recent calls and emails that we've received from our readers; those asking for prayer regarding disrespectful neighbors, troubled children, critical medical diagnoses, etc. These are the testing grounds in which we play out our claims of faith, to see if it is genuine or just talk. The "play by play" actions of our faith will bring glory, honor and praise to our Heavenly Father as we hold onto His truths and act in accordance to His will. Hold on to His unchanging Hand, dear friend, for He will see you through. This is but a journey; reaching our final eternal destination will make the toils of our present life worth it all! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "When Trials Come" Video Keith and Kristyn Getty "Find Us Faithful" Video Let There Be Praise Singers "Hold On To Jesus" Video Steven Curtis Chapman "Jesus, Hold Me Now" Video Casting Crowns "Hold On" Video James Pullin and Remnant "I'm Still Holding On" Video Luther Barnes and Red Budd Choir "The Lord's Prayer" Video Selah This beautiful rendition of the Lord's Prayer played on our local radio station, WDAC-FM, yesterday and it captured my (Brooksyne's) full attention. As the solemn words from our Lord's model prayer in the Gospels were sung, it reminded me that this is a prayer we should pray regularly. Jesus' prayer honors our Father in heaven even as He is mindful of our physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. Remember, friends, whatever is on your heart today, "Take it to the Lord in prayer." "It Will Be Worth It All, When We See Christ" Video Musicians not identified. |
 Weber family Christmas 2011 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 12/11)  Are our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? Each weekday morning Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all over the world. We ask you to consider making a donation to Daily Encouragement Net so that we can continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support of its readers and podcast listeners. See here for more information on supporting this ministry. Gifts are tax deductible.2012 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 2/6/12: $1,355.00 We express thanks to all who support our ministry! 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!) (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 2012 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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