A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
 A daily, Bible-based message of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Click here to support our ministry.The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber. <Previous Message · Archive edition Friday, January 18, 2013  Yesterday in the course of our work we parked beside this "Smart" car, which in part prompted today's message.  Listen to this message on your audio player."Thinking With Sound Judgment" "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith" (Romans 12:3).  We've noticed in recent years how a lot of stuff is called "smart" these days. Yesterday we wrote about an incident with a smart phone. They now have smart televisions and smart appliances and yesterday we pulled up next to a smart car. Perhaps to get any potential owner's focus off the fact that it's really a tiny car with a gigantic price tag! I remember when smart was just applied to people and, in musing for today's message, I recall a shameful incident from my own life nearly 40 years ago. I had graduated from high school and was preparing for college. I got a summer job in a huge concrete processing plant in Kansas that made precast, prestressed concrete pieces for bridges, parking lots, etc. I recall working with Butch*, a man probably twenty years older than me. He was a very simple man, way overweight, who wore Big Smith bib overalls (very uncool at the time). He always looked a bit disheveled in his appearance but he worked hard to take care of his family (a wife and several children as I recall).We shared the same faith so we should have been mutually encouraging but at the time I was a young smart aleck and recall insulting and hurting him. I was popular in high school, fit and trim, the senior class president in my class of over 500. Now my sights were set for college and much bigger things after that. I thought I was so much smarter and had far more to offer than this simple laboring man. At that point in my life I sure thought more highly of myself than I ought! It's one of those times in life you wish you could do it over or perhaps have the ability to sit down with Butch, who if still living, would probably be around 80. Perhaps he wouldn't even remember though usually such experiences in life stay with you. I'd apologize profusely and let him know of the change God made in my life. I'd let him know how God helped me get past my cocky attitude and how He changed my life completely. He enabled me to see myself for who I really was which is always the first step toward bringing about change in one's life. The online preceptaustin.org study site says this regarding today's text, "A right estimate of oneself will always be a humble estimate (Galatians 6:3-5); a recognition that, in ourselves, we can do nothing (John 15:5), but that in Christ we can be used to the glory of God (John 15:8).  In context Paul is addressing one's attitude toward spiritual gifts but the principle of how we are to view ourselves applies more broadly. He wants us not to consider our gift to be of greater value than another saint's gift but to have a humble attitude. Humility is a virtue that all believers should desire. It's also a virtue that will disappear once you boast that you have it. Humility means putting Jesus first, others second, and yourself last ("J.O.Y." is Jesus, then Others, and finally You). Humility is a lack of pre-occupation with self.  Paul further challenges his readers to think "so as to have sound judgment." This means literally to be of sound mind. The idea is to to keep one's mind safe and sound or to be in one's right mind. To think of one's self soberly. To put a moderate estimate on one's self. To curb one's passions. It means to be able to reason and think properly in a sane manner. We must have understanding about practical matters and thus we will act sensibly.Today we urge you to heed these words of Scripture and "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith" (Romans 12:3). Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, we know that in ourselves we are nothing, but in You, we are made complete. Our identity is found in Christ and that is the basis of our self-worth making us valuable and capable of worthy service through Christ who dwells within us. Help us not to be consumed with thoughts of how the world views us, but to think soberly with good judgment so that we do not look to the wrong source for approval or imitate that which deglorifies Christ. Through Christ Jesus our Lord we pray. Amen.*Butch is not the co-worker's real name. We are blessed by the people that we encounter in the course of life!   Following visitation with Joe's family we drove over to Messiah Village. Brooksyne visited with Naomi Wolgemuth, who had been a part of a church we served for several years, although she was a resident of the nursing home the entire time. Like many nursing homes they are under quarantine due to the flu outbreak and thus the mask Brooksyne is wearing (just in case anyone thought she was trying to make a fashion statement). Ruth got quite a kick out of it and thought it didn't look so good for a photo, but we followed orders!  Jeremiah, whom I presume is named after the prophet, works in a company we serve as chaplains that makes displays. Along with other team members he is currently working on a project making displays with over 1,000,000 Pilot pens.  Late yesterday afternoon right after we got home our friend Mike Book stopped by to visit. Mike works in a very interesting field with a specific product that most reading this have benefited from. He has a science background and manages a facility that produces the eggs from which flu shots are made. We got ours this year. Did you?  Total 2012 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net: $26,146.33 Here's our Thank You letter to our supporters (pdf) 2013 YTD financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 1/16/13: $295.00 We express thanks to all who support our ministry. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
 Stephen and Brooksyne Weber (Click on photo to enlarge) "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 12/31/12)  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 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. Click here to donate online. 2012 YTD financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net: $26,146.33 2013 YTD financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 1/17/13: $626.00 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 to our email list. These messages are never sent by us unsolicited. It was sent to you because you either signed up to receive it OR it was forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or as an email subscription through Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)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 2013 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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