Daily Encouragement Net
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 Tuesday, October 15, 2013 Benches along Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk (Notice the hinged back that allows people watching or wave watching) "Seeking The Things Above" Listen to this message on your audio player. "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1,2). The last several days we've been enjoying walks up and down the boardwalk at Rehoboth Beach. Being at the shore for a couple of days each year we try to get our fill of ocean scenery, which of course is such a contrast to our normal Lancaster County rural scenery! This year was an exception with a brief visit pre-season and our brief visit post-season ending today. It's certainly not as busy here at the shore as the summer months but even on a weekday there's still plenty of people walking along the boardwalk. (Of course yesterday was Columbus Day so there were many familes at the shore for a long weekend.) In Rehoboth Beach they have benches along the boardwalk with an interesting feature. The bench backs are hinged so you can either sit looking out at the beach and ocean or you can face the boardwalk without turning the entire bench around. You just flip the bench back! It occurs to me that's how our mind can work as well. We can move from being spiritually-minded to worldly-minded in just a matter of seconds. Our thoughts can go from the sacred to the profane quicker than I can flip that bench back on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk! This morning we both walked along the boardwalk prior to sunrise. Although it was not as pronounced as yesterday's view due to clouds on the horizon it was a beautiful morning. We prayed together and discussed the wonder of God's creation. Yet walking back to the house we are staying we passed a store entirely devoted to a perverted lifestyle. Modern technology can further facilitate this. The pastor made this very point in the church we attended on Sunday. He said to the congregation: "Some of you could be surfing the internet even as you sit out there since we have wireless internet. You could even be viewing pornography while sitting in a church service." Since we have been raised with Christ we are to set our hearts and minds on things above. This is an act of the will and must be an ongoing attitude in the life of the believer. The NASV catches the continual tense with the phrase, "keep seeking the things above." I'm so thankful for the continual presence of the Holy Spirit that prompts us when we begin to pursue that which is earth based and gets us off track from our "high calling of God in Christ Jesus". We must seek to live with a heavenly perspective as we daily sort through any setbacks, losses or luring temptations that line our earthly path. Many years ago I committed the daily Scripture portion to memory. Today I want to keep this heavenly perspective and do so by personalizing the verse, "Since, then, I have been raised with Christ, I set my heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. I set my mind on things above, not on earthly things. For I died, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God." Will you join me today? Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, I thank You for deliverance from the dominion of darkness and being transferred into the kingdom of Your Son where I find redemption, the forgiveness for my sins. It is in Your holy Kingdom that my heart is transformed from an earthly nature to that of a heavenly nature. As I walk in newness of life I must deny myself of any sinful craving for that which was familiar to my earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed. "I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the world's desires. Things that are higher, things that are nobler; these have allured my sight." Remind me of this lifelong resolve when I am tempted to give up that which brings lasting joy for that which brings momentary pleasure. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen. See Colossians 1:13; 3:5, lyrics to "I am Resolved" We have been at the Delaware shore the last couple of days and will be returning to Lancaster County this morning. Yesterday we had a beautiful day and walked over 10 miles! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources Last night we attended a concert with "Indelible Grace". Matthew Smith is the composer and lead singer in the middle. "Come Ye Sinners" Video Indelible Grace "On Jordan's Stormy Banks" Video Indelible Grace "All I Owe" Video Indelible Grace Indelible Grace takes older hymns and sings them to a newer arrangement while maintaining the rich lyrics. Indelible Grace Music was begun to help the church recover the tradition of putting old hymns to new music for each generation, and to enrich our worship with a huge view of God and His indelible grace. "Indelible" means that which is impossible to remove or forget. For information about Indelible Grace see here. "I Am Resolved" Video Acapella group (Song used in prayer) |
(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. 2013 YTD financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 10/14/13: $14,929.00 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION 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 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: These messages are only sent from us to people who request it; please accept our apologies if it reached you in error. You can unsubscribe from this list at any time. 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. Other versions are also occasionally used. © Copyright 2013 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Endorsed chaplain "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation" www.dailyencouragement.net |
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