Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Daily Encouragement (06/12/12) "Keeping A Firm Grip On The Truth!"

Daily Encouragement Net
A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
Having trouble reading this message?  Read mobile edition online
Daily Encouragement Net Header
A daily, Bible-based message of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
.
Home · About Us · Archives · Podcast · Free email · Daily Encouragement on Facebook  ·  Daily Encouragement on Twitter   ·  RSS feed
 
<Previous Message       ·       Archive edition

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Lancaster County homestead
This photo was taken by Doris High of her family's homestead.

ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"To avoid being pulled into error, Keep a firm grip on the truth!"

"Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings" (Hebrews 13:9). "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ" (Ephesians 4:14,15).

The daily texts describe the volatility of those who fail to grow and mature in Christ and become properly grounded. They become unstable like "infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming." The writer of Hebrews warned, "Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines".

Today we see a departure from the course of
Biblical faith and standards that our forefathers could hardly have imagined. Even in my own lifetime who would have predicted just thirty years ago that something as foundational as the basic constitution of holy marriage between a man and a woman would be a serious issue of departure?

Some of our readers have been forced by biblical conviction to leave their church due to leadership that has deviated from God's Holy Word. Tragically, some pastors are basing their teaching more on the popularity of opinion polls than the unwavering truths presented by our Creator. I am very wary of "evolving views" based on current opinion polls and the views of popular entertainers and supposedly elite academics.

False teaching is a perpetual danger for God's people. It was a concern in the New Testament age, all through church history and certainly abounds in our own day

1) I call on my pastor peers to "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2) and "Teach what is in accord with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1). Resist the temptation to preach so you will be loved by the world or following after the fads that flood the church.

2) I call on dedicated followers of Christ to implement the God-ordained means to stability and health in your spiritual lives. Through our unwavering commitment to read God's Word and through the practice of other spiritual disciplines the character of Christ is developed in us as we are rooted and grounded in Him who is the Head, which results in long-term spiritual stability.


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily prayer:
 Father, Your warnings regarding the deluge of deceitful tactics from the enemy is evidenced all around us – through the media, books, false prophets and even well-meaning but confused individuals. Your Word is the stabilizing and authoritative doctrinal manual for all that we need for life and godliness. Help us to be wise, studied, and vigilant so that we correctly discern good from bad, truth from error. In Your holy name we pray, Amen.



Galilean service
Early Sunday evening we attended a "Galilean service" sponsored by our church. The service is based on the time when Christ taught along the water's edge. "Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to Him, and He began to teach them" (Mark 2:13).

Galilean service 6/10/12
A number of folks gathered outdoors from our congregation to worship  and witness a new believer's baptism.

Galilean service 6/10/12
The group gathered along the pond.

Galilean service 6/10/12
I had the opportunity to preach from a boat. The pastor encouraged me with some good advice, "Stay in the Word and stay in the boat."  I sat on a folding chair so my center of gravity created a potential tipsy situation, but Galen kept the boat steady.

Galilean service 6/10/12
Pastor John prepares to baptize Mike, a man who had a religious upbringing but lacked a personal relationship with Christ until recently. His new profession of faith reminded each one present of the power of the Gospel to transform lives into the likeness of Christ.

Galilean service 6/10/12
Our friend Mike, accompanied by Angela
, wrote a song with a baptismal theme based solidly on Scripture.

Galilean service 6/10/12
Following the service Galen takes the grandchildren for a boat ride!

Galilean service setting 6/10/12
The background for the outdoor service was beautiful, unlike the Galilean Service scheduled last year, when we ended up having it inside the church due to inclement weather!



Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"How Firm A Foundation"  Video  Sovereign Grace Music

"Thy Word Is A Lamp Unto My Feet"  Video  Maranatha Singers

For those who enjoy history our friend Doris High has posted an interesting photo blog post about her homestead. Today's lead photo comes from that collection.



Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.
Photo of 36th anniversary Stephen and Brooksyne Weber (click to enlarge)
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)

Make A DonationAre 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 6/11/12: $6,745.00. We express thanks to all who support our ministry!

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Free email subscriptionWere 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:
Daily Encouragement on Facebook
The daily message and prayer on Facebook.
Daily Encouragement on Twitter
 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."

Four Spiritual Laws

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

Chaplaincy logo
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
Net Atlantic