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 Friday, May 18, 2012  Hunsecker's Mill covered bridge over the Conestoga River in Lancaster County, PA.  Listen to this message on your audio player."Divine GPS" "You will make known to me the path of life" (Psalm 16:11). Here in Lancaster County we treasure our covered bridges. I have been through most of the covered bridges in the County in the course of my travels the eleven years we have lived here. I took the photo of the Hunsecker's Mill covered bridge seen above several years ago. I listened in at a safety meeting at one of our companies this week and Ken, the service manager, shared an interesting story. The drivers use GPS and he was encouraging them to use common sense as well.  He shared a news story about an out of state truck driver who drove an 18 wheeler though the Hunsecker's Mill covered bridge. It seems he was relying on his GPS while ignoring both the weight and height restrictions clearly posted on the bridge, in addition to using common sense! Thankfully the bridge held up as he managed to get through it but as he exited there was a dip in the road and he got stuck. He was 12 tons over the weight limit! Our text today almost sounds like the description of a GPS, doesn't it? Brooksyne enjoys using GPS but I would rather just find out where I am going and how to get there beforehand the old-fashioned way by eying the route out on a map!As the trucker hopefully learned you really need to use some God-given directional sense when using the GPS. The dirt path across from our home is still on the records as a public road called "Meeting House Run Road", although it's been abandoned for many, many years and is now the walking trail we often write about. Several times a lost motorist has stopped for directions and told me their GPS directed them to take "Meeting House Run Road" as they gave a perplexing look while pointing toward the dusty tractor trail. Another aspect of using the GPS is that it provides the directions step by step. If you follow it you don't know your next turn till shortly before it's time to make the turn. Essentially it provides doses of information as you need them. (Of course you can also look at the entire route if you want.) There's a spiritual application here, of course. We may very well want directions from the Lord long before He gives them to us. It would be interesting if, following our birth, we received not just a birth certificate but a life map. The path of life would be highlighted from our first breath to our last. But of course this isn't the way our life's journey is laid out except maybe in an old rerun of Twilight Zone. That would be a robotic existence, not a faith-based, day by day journey where we refuse, neglect, or choose to walk in the ways of the Lord. Thankfully, we do have a life map to follow since the Bible is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. The Psalmist expressed his assurance that "You will make known to me the path of life." As we walk this pilgrim pathway we only get daily doses of God's leading. All through our lives we need to remain sensitive to the leading of the Spirit and providential ministry opportunities that may spontaneously open up. James captures this sentiment. Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that" (James 4:13-15). God directs our lives each day, whether it's a day of routine or whether it's a day(s) of upheaval. But it's during those times of upheaval that we often have difficulty hearing His voice and knowing which step to take next. Uncertainty looms over us and we want to make the right choice or give the proper response. How good it is when we take our concern to the Lord and we hear His voice in our spirit directing us, "This is the way, walk in it." God has certainly not been silent and actually the sense of His faithfulness increases during times of uncertainty. I suppose in part that's due to the way we lean on Him, which is just what he wants us to do! I want to encourage all of my fellow believers today. Whether you are in a time of comfort and stability or in transition and shifting, keep an ear tuned to hear His voice. His daily dosage of direction is a divine GPS which is always available, always reliable, and will always keep you on the right path! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, we recognize from Scripture that You long to be gracious to Your children, to show them compassion and give them direction. You bless those who wait upon You. Though you give us the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, you also give us teachers, prophets, and believing friends who affirm or challenge us as we seek Your face and Your will for our lives. As we hold up the lamp of Your Word to lighten the path before us, how good it is to hear Your voice behind us saying, "This is the way, walk in it." You've promised that You will never leave us or forsake us. Darkness will not overtake us, for You are the Light of the World, and in You there is no darkness at all. Thank You for Your reassuring presence that You walk with us step by step on this day of our journey. We're en route now but we're assured that our final destination will have an eternal glorious address where our dwelling will be with You in heaven forevermore. Amen. View of the Conestoga River from an open window in the Hunsecker's Mill covered bridge.  We attended a memorial service near Washington DC yesterday for Jim Schmidt who died from cancer this past Saturday. Jim, 55, was the son of friends, Jim and Dorothy Schmidt, some very special people whom we've featured from time to time in our daily encouragements. It was a touching visitation and service as Jim had a big heart and was appreciated by so many. He leaves behind a wife, three daughters, a younger brother and a heartbroken mom and dad. Shown here is a photo of him with the naval academy women's softball team that he coached in recent years. Scores of young ladies were present who had been coached by Jim in their high school years as well as the entire Naval Academy women's softball team. Please remember Jim and Dorothy and Jim's family in your prayers. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "He Leadeth Me" Video London Fox Singers "Savior Like A Shepherd Lead Us" Video "I Am" Video This is a local church and they get excited! "End Of the Beginning" Video Another song by the same church choir. "God Is In Control" Video Kristian and Shannon Walker are a musical couple here in Pennsylvania. I shared how I enjoyed their music but was unable to find several songs online to share in this series and how I especially liked this song. They gave me permission to place them up on YouTube. This was my first attempt at making a pictorial video using photos I had taken in New England several years ago. "The Greatest Thing" Video Shannon Wexelburg A local news report regarding truck stuck in bridge with video. |
 Stephen and Brooksyne Weber Our 36th anniversary photo (Click on photo to enlarge) "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 4/12)  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 supporting 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 5/17/12: $5,600.00 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. These messages are 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. 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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