Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Daily Encouragement (10/31/12) "A Tribute To Rescue Workers"

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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Water Street Rescue Mission
Water Street Rescue Mission in Lancaster PA

ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"A Tribute To Rescue Workers"

"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh" (Jude 1:20-23).

Flooded field from Hurricane SandyHurricane Sandy has passed from our area and we are now dealing with the aftermath, in our case only some fallen tree branches and blown over outdoor chairs. I drove into town yesterday afternoon and saw how high the creek rose, which resulted in flooded farm fields and likely some very wet basements, but nothing as severe as we had last summer with Hurricane Irene. We never lost power at all and thus were able to observe how other parts of our region were far more impacted.

My brother Pat, who lives about 100 miles away in the Lehigh Valley lost power Monday and still has none this morning, along with all three of his adult children who live throughout the valley. According to an online power outage map for my electric company (PPL) over 250,000 customers still have no power in our region as of Noon. Of course this is just one of many electric companies.

But the most devastation and drama occurred along the shore and of course in New York City. Destruction in the northeast includes a great deal of land and property damage, but thankfully the death toll was minimized due to advance notices of the approaching hurricane and due also to the many unseen yet essential heroic efforts of rescue workers.

Rescue helicopterToday we honor rescue workers. We watched scenes of these tireless workers trudging through rising water, in some cases carrying other adults on their backs. Their work is very hard and often dangerous as they deal with downed electric wires, raging fires, flooded dwellings. Those who conduct helicopter rescues have some of the most dramatic work. We express our gratitude to those willing to serve the public in such a sacrificial way.

Tim Farrell at Water Street Rescue MissionToday we also consider another form of rescue work that's taking place in rescue missions all over the world. Last week we toured our local rescue mission, Water Street, with Tim Farrell, a friend of ours who works there. We pass this mission weekly on the way to one of our company locations and see the people milling about waiting for breakfast to be served. Young and old, some illiterate and others with college degrees, those brought up in Christian homes and others raised in ungodly settings. They all need rescued and their stories will tug at your heartstrings.

Fanny CrosbyFanny J. Crosby was the blind American hymnist who wrote, "Rescue the Perishing" after an experience in a New York Mission. She worked for many years with the boys and men in the mission referring to them as "my boys". When she was asked about how she came to write the hymn that has now touched millions of lives she shared,

"I remember writing that hymn in the year 1869. Like many of my hymns, it was written following a personal experience at the New York City Bowery Mission [a homeless shelter with many derelicts of the time]….I was addressing a large company of working men one hot summer evening, when the thought kept forcing itself on my mind that some mother's boy must be rescued that night or he might be eternally lost. So I made a pressing plea that if there was a boy present who had wandered from his mother's home and teaching, he should come to me at the end of the service. A young man of 18 came forward – 'Did you mean me, Miss Crosby? I promised my mother to meet her in heaven, but as I am now living, that will be impossible.' We prayed for him and suddenly he arose with a new light in his eyes and spoke these words, 'Now I am ready to meet my mother in heaven, for I have found God.'"

After arriving home that evening Fanny completed the hymn before retiring. Perhaps she was reflecting on the young man's conversion when she wrote the second verse, "Tho' they are slighting Him, still He is waiting, Waiting the penitent child to receive; Plead with them earnestly, Plead with them gently, He will forgive if they only believe." 


The apostle Jude used a vivid metaphor in describing the critical rescue mission the church and every true believer has; the call to "snatch others from the fire and save them", which is an ongoing description of the Great Commission. We know, of course, that ultimately God does the saving, but He has called each of us to participate in the saving mission!

The challenge to receive Christ may come through an altar call to a group of people. It might come from a caring brother or sister to an individual who needs Christ. These are examples of only two of the many ways we seek to snatch unbelievers from the fire. We are all involved in the process, including those who faithfully pray for these lost souls to be saved. In Jude's descriptive phrase the emphasis is on the urgency and seriousness with which we are to take up our call.

Today let us remember God's call in our lives as followers of Christ. All around us there are people who need the Lord; people who need to be snatched from the fire and saved from eternal damnation. As we reach out to those living in sin, we must love the sinner but hate the very sin that has entrapped them.  Just as firemen suit up in their fire repellent uniforms for personal protection, we too must suit up in our spiritual armor to protect ourselves from the spiritual forces of evil as we reach out to those greatly damaged by the evil influences of Satan. (Ephesians 6:11-17).


Be encouraged today!


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily prayer: Merciful Father, we confess that we can be impatient and judgmental toward those who reject You. We've come to realize that we can't live without You but the unbeliever feels he or she has no need for You.  It seems we're worlds apart in our outlook.  Use this passage from Jude to speak to our hearts about applying Your mercy to those who are not of the faith. They do not see through eyes of faith, but are blinded to spiritual truth. Jude also reminds us that while we must embrace the sinner in mercy and love, we must never embrace or endorse the sin. The allurement to sin is always before us, so we ask You to keep us safe. Do not let us deceive ourselves, but show us how to set up safeguards, while reaching out to those who are in sin's entrapment.  Father, we don't want to be complacent but want to be spiritually burdened with the critical need of reaching out to "the penitent child" who needs You.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

"A Prayer For Rescue Workers" Loving Father, we thank You for those who represent You in the flesh as they save others who would otherwise perish due to their own personal ground zero. These rescue workers do not simply do their work out of duty, but they do it as a conscious effort to reach one in peril as though he or she was their brother or sister, mother or dad, son or daughter. You come to us through their love, care, and sacrificial effort in saving us from an otherwise certain death. Heal their sorrowful memories of those rescue attempts that did not fare well and strengthen them in body and spirit. They serve as examples to us who are in the rescue mission of saving the lost from the eternal consequences of a life lived apart from You. Keep us diligent and faithful, never giving up or giving in to discouragements that come our way or from those who choose not to heed our spiritual counsel. We pray this through Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Brooksyne's Note: Out of respect for their privacy we didn't photograph those in the mission, but I was especially touched in the learning center where men and women were working on their resumes, some working toward their GED, and others were simply learning to read and do math. A woman, possibly in her 70's, sat there among two grown men working with them on their math calculations. She was most pleasant and appeared to be a loving teacher as she patiently guided them in understanding the mathematical process. It doesn't matter our age or our giftings, if we make ourselves available to God, He will use us as rescue volunteers to further His kingdom and help others in life's struggles.



Service at Water Street rescue mission
Several years ago a group from our church served at Water Street Rescue Mission by staffing the breakfast line. Ester is smiling with a big spoonful of scrambled eggs
  
Water Street rescue mission plaque
This plaque hangs in the Water Street Rescue Mission dining hall using knots as a theme.
Click here for a larger version with detail.



Today's Suggested Music
and Supplemental Resources

"Rescue The Perishing"  Video  Billy and Cindy Foote A powerful modern rendition of an old hymn showing rescue photos.

"Rescue The Perishing"  Video  Musicians not specified A traditional version with onscreen lyrics.

"Master The Tempest is Raging"  Video  Jesse Dixon on Homecoming series. This song was suggested by a reader in referring to our recent storm.

Water Street Rescue Mission  Rescue mission here in Lancaster PA. referred to in today's message.

City Union Mission  Rescue mission in Kansas City Missouri where my mom worked as a young adult and carried a burden for her entire life.

Pacific Garden Mission  
Rescue mission in Chicago that produces radio series "Unshackled".

The Bowery Mission  
Famous rescue mission in New York City.

Se
nd
a message to Stephen & Broo
k
syne.
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber 9/11/12
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber
(Click on photo to enlarge)
"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update  (Revised 10/12)

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 an offering 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.

Donate online
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2012 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 10/30/12: $14,846.00. We express thanks to all who support our ministry!



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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.)


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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.


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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

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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Daily Encouragement (10/30/12) "Keep Me Safe Till The Storm Passes By"

Daily Encouragement Net
A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
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A daily, Bible-based message of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
.
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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Hurricane Sandy 10/29/12
Hurricane Sandy

ListenListen to this message on
your audio player.

"Keep Me Safe Till The Storm Passes By"

"And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?'" (Mark 4:37,38).

We both grew up in the Midwest and weather events were mostly thunderstorms and the threat of tornadoes. When we moved to New England where we lived for 7 1/2 years I thought that we'd experience a hurricane and more than once we prepared for the worst. Although we had some severe storms we were spared the forecasted hurricanes. Today, although we live over 100 miles inland in Southeast PA, we are experiencing a hurricane or perhaps more precisely a tropical storm.

Storm view from our front door 10/29/12The winds are howling so loudly that Mollie, our nearly 2 year old border collie, is very troubled. She wants to go out to investigate but can't identify where the noise is coming from. The photo to the left shows our front lawn with heavy rain late yesterday afternoon and one small bush that blew over. We have had 4 inches of rain and more is coming.

Unlike generations before us we generally have the benefit of knowing days or even weeks before the arrival of a deadly storm and seek protection rather than getting caught in the fierce elements by surprise. That's the setting in which our Bible story takes place in today's message:

In our Scripture setting Jesus had spent the day speaking in parables to the large crowds of people who had gathered on the shore of Galilee. At the end of the day Jesus told the disciples that He wanted to cross over to the other side to the region of the Gerasenes. As they were crossing over, a furious storm suddenly rose and threatened to capsize the boat. Surely the disciples would find Jesus disturbed about the furious squall when they set out to look for Him.

Jesus asleep on a cushionBut to their utter dismay they found Him sleeping on a cushion in the stern. I recall from my ministry training days that this text is among the proofs of Christ's humanity. It's remarkable that He was able to sleep during a massive storm that caused great anxiety among the experienced fishermen. Isn't that the kind of peace we want during the inevitable storms of life, as we realize that God is in control!

These seasoned fishermen, who had plied these waters for many years, recognized the imminent danger. They awakened Jesus and asked a very pointed question, "Do You not care that we are perishing?" Isn't this the very question we have all asked or wondered thousands of times? Let's just condense it to this probing thought, "Does God really care?"

Till The Storm Passes ByJesus does not answer the disciples with words, but with a mighty demonstration of His power: "He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet. Be still'." A complete calm followed the Lord's commands. Not only were the disciples rescued, but they also learned a valuable lesson. Many years later one of those same disciples wrote, "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." After years of walking with Jesus it was no longer a question to Peter, but a settled fact that has become a cherished truth comforting believers for nearly 2,000 years: "Yes, He really cares for you."

Like the disciples we may at times wonder, "Does Jesus really care?" But His Word abundantly demonstrates and teaches that He does.

Today He has not changed. God cares for you. His care is motivated by His love, under-girded by His power, and assured by His faithfulness. May the Lord help us to secure this truth in our hearts today! Yes, He does care.

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.



Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily Prayer: Father, You assure us time and again of Your compassionate love through Your Word, through fellow believers, through extraordinary intervention and whatever other means You ordain. You respond to our needs faithfully, but we confess that our doubts begin when Your voice is silent about particular ongoing needs we're dealing with. In these instances we begin to wonder, do You really do care. But we desire to prove our faith to be genuine by trusting You even when we cannot see Your hand at work. Help us to persevere in prayer as we seek to understand Your overall plan in these troubling matters. And when we don't understand Your plan help us to trust You when our faith is being tested, because faith that cannot be tested is faith that cannot be trusted. Amen.

Prayer for those in the path of Hurricane Sandy: Almighty God, we pray for Your wisdom, guidance, and protection over those in the path of this deadly hurricane. We ask You to enable rescue workers to find those who are in harm's way and desperately need assistance. We thank You for those who are willing to lay down their lives, if need be, as they attempt to save others. We also pray for government officials as they receive news from weather officials and as they seek to lead their communities to safety. We pray for physical safety and bodily strength for the power workers who work around the clock to restore power to millions. May they be successful in their heroic endeavors. For those who have lost family, friends, or property in the midst of this devastating nor'easter we pray for Your mercy, peace, and the consoling presence of Your Holy Spirit to be a very present help in the midst of trouble. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.



Note: So far we have not lost power. Based on the weather forecast and possible power outages we may still lose power and thus may not be able to post messages in the coming days since any combination of cable and/or electric outage puts us out of Internet access. They are projecting that in some cases power may be out for several days or even longer.
We are closely watching this outage map for our electric company as long as we have power on to watch it!



Today's Suggested Music
and Supplemental Resources

"Cares Chorus"  Video  Kelly Willard

"Till The Storm Passes By"
 Video  Blue Rock Mennonite Youth Choir

"Praise You In The Storm"  Video  Casting Crowns


"Trust His Heart"
 Video  Singers not specified

Note: Neither I nor the one who posts the video has control on the ads that now often precede YouTube videos.

Se
nd
a message to Stephen & Broo
k
syne.
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber 9/11/12
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber
(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 an offering 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.

Donate online
Click here to donate online.
2012 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 10/29/12: $14,846.00. 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!

 

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Monday, October 29, 2012

Daily Encouragement (10/29/12) "Discerning The Times"

    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
 Click here to donate online.
 
<Previous Message       ·       Archive edition

Monday, October 29, 2012

Sandy preparing for Hurricane Sandy
Our friend Sandy (yes, that's her name) sent us this photo of steps they have taken in preparation for the coming storm from Hurricane Sandy. They live along a creek and last year had significant damage from flooding. They were unable to return to their home for two months.



Note: Due to the big storm resulting from Hurricane Sandy that is expected to arrive in our area tomorrow morning we are going to get our message out this Sunday evening! Based on the weather forecast and possible power outages we may or may not be able to post messages in the coming days since any combination of cable and/or electric outage puts us out of internet access.



ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"Discerning The Times"

The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?" (Matthew 16:1-3). "None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand" (Daniel 12:10b).

We have a major storm, "Sandy", now arriving on the East coast of the USA and coming our way. Yesterday there were large signs along the highway warning of the storm and we received an ominous recorded message on our cell phones from the power company advising us that we will likely lose power. "Storm could cause severe, widespread damage resulting in power outages lasting several days." Our TV stations have practically wall to wall storm coverage (mixed with scores of political ads!).

I first heard of the impending storm last Thursday morning. It's being described as "a hurricane wrapped in a Northeaster". We've had plenty of advance warning giving us ample time to get ready. On Saturday Brooksyne and I "battened down the hatches", moving anything that might blow away and filling water containers, since we have a well that depends on power to run. We even caught up on all our laundry! We will run the dishwasher shortly.

Modern forecasting can look ahead many days in the case of a storm. In ancient times forecasting was not as sophisticated of course but they nevertheless had short-term ways of forecasting weather and Jesus uses such a method today to correct the
Pharisees and Sadducees who had come to Him, not as earnest seekers, but rather to test Him. They asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.

Jesus, during the course of His ministry, demonstrated many signs and wonders but in this case he gave a weather lesson. "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.'" This expresses an ancient folksy weather observation, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailor's warning."  

But Jesus really wasn't giving a lesson on weather. He continues: "Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?" He went on to rebuke them: "A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Although Jesus did perform signs and wonders for earnest seekers he didn't oblige these Pharisees and Sadducees. Essentially He seems to point to His death and resurrection as the ultimate sign when he used the phrase, "the sign of Jonah."

Initially it seems to me
the failure of the Pharisees and Sadducees to "discern the signs of the times" resulted in their inability to understand or interpret that Jesus the Messiah was indeed among them.

But today I also consider the phrase "discern the signs of the times" in another sense. A wonderful verse in an obscure portion of the Old Testament refers to the "Men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do" (1 Chronicles 12:32). These men had insight concerning the times in which they lived resulting in a plan of action.

We need to be able to discern the signs of the times in which we live. Discernment is defined as "the activity of determining the value and quality of a certain subject or event, particularly the activity of going past the mere perception of something and making detailed judgments about that thing. As a virtue, a discerning individual is considered to possess wisdom, and be of good judgment; especially so with regard to subject matter often overlooked by others."

Daniel wrote, "None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand" (Daniel 12:10b). As we receive instruction from the Word of God and the Spirit of God may we have prayerful insight to discern the times and perceive things from an eternal and spiritual perspective.


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily prayer: Father, You have given to some the spiritual gift of discernment, and for others it's the years of reading the Scriptures, listening to godly teaching and walking in obedience to You that discernment has characterized our faith journey. We want to be observant, understanding, and discerning about our times, so that we are prepared to do battle with the enemy and show others the way to eternal life. Amen.



The science behind red sky forecasting:

Red sky at night, sailors delight.  When we see a red sky at night, this means that the setting sun is sending its light through a high concentration of dust particles. This usually indicates high pressure and stable air coming in from the west. Basically good weather will follow.

Red sky in morning, sailor's warning.  A red sunrise reflects the dust particles of a system that has just passed from the west. This indicates that a storm system may be moving to the east. If the morning sky is a deep fiery red, it means a high water content in the atmosphere. So, rain is on its way.



Today's Suggested Music
and Supplemental Resources

"Praise You In The Storm"  Video  Casting Crowns

"Hiding In Thee/Rock of Ages"  
Video
 Haven of Rest Quartet

"A Shelter In The Time Of Storm"  Video
 Ray Walker & the Dallas Adult Christian Choir

"Redemption Draweth Nigh"  Video  Gordon Jensen and the Homecoming


Se
nd
a message to Stephen & Broo
k
syne.
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber 9/11/12
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber
(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 an offering 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.

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2012 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 10/28/12: $14,791.00. We express thanks to all who support our ministry!



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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
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