Thursday, October 24, 2013

Daily Encouragement (10/24/13) "The Spirit's Help"

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 support our ministry.

<Previous Message       ·       Archive edition

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Dining room flowers brought in for frost 10/23/13
We were expecting our first frost last night but alas it only got down to 37. Nevertheless Brooksyne brought in all the flowers she wanted to save. Guests to our home know that our dining room can resemble a modified conservatory during the winter months.

"The Spirit's Help"

ListenListen to this message on your audio player

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever" (John 14:16). "In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness" (Romans 8:26).

We recall a touching moment in our church about ten years ago during our missions convention. A young lady was singing "People Need the Lord" as a special solo during the service and was so moved by the words that she began to softly weep. It was hindering her ability to sing and though people understood her heartstring's response to the powerful lyrics it was an awkward moment both for her and the congregation, since the sound track continued to play without her accompanying voice. However it became a means by which the Holy Spirit touched our hearts as well.

Our pastor did something that we believe illustrates the work of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives during times of weakness or perceived weakness.  Pastor Jim stood up from his chair and came alongside the young lady to sing the words with her. Sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading he indeed helped her in her time of need.

Today's first text describes the ministry of the Holy Spirit. "Helper" translates the Greek word "Paracletos" which means "one called alongside to help" which is also translated Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor. In the context of this verse Jesus is speaking of His departure back to heaven after He completed His mission on earth to die for our sins.

Let us consider the wonderful promise in our second daily text, "the Spirit helps us in our weakness." The Holy Spirit is ever faithful to help us in our time of weakness. Of course in a sense we live in a state of weakness and are in absolute dependency upon God all the time.

But there are those special times of intense weakness when we fall to our knees and cry out for divine intervention. So often at this point we experience a special work of the Spirit as He comes along to help us in our time of need. And at times the Spirit uses other believers sensitive to His leading to be His instrument of comfort, strength or guidance.

Today some of you are dealing with a period of intense weakness in your life. We pray you may find assurance in today's Scripture promise. The immutable Holy Spirit of God continues to help us in our weakness! And He very well may use another believer to accomplish His purpose in strengthening you.

This brings to mind a similar event that took place about 25 years ago in a church we served. Once again a young lady was singing a song. As I recall she was going through a difficult time in her personal life which was likely more the source of her emotion than the song itself. She started weeping uncontrollably and the congregation was unable to respond except to quietly pray. The Spirit then moved upon the heart of a woman named Nancy who walked up to the front and merely placed her arm around the singer to provide support as she completed the song and the congregation prayed.

Today we are all called to be led of the Holy Spirit. I think of the words to the song, "People Need the Lord" which I will quote below. Be sensitive to the Spirit's leading today to hear His voice and also to His agent in helping another in their time of weakness!

Ev'ryday they pass me by, I can see it in their eyes;
Empty people filled with care, headed who knows where.
On they go through private pain, living fear to fear;
Laughter hides the silent cries, only Jesus hears.

We are called to take His light, to a world where wrong seems right.
What could be too great a cost, for sharing life with one who's lost.
Through His love our hearts can feel, all the grief they bear.
They must hear the words of life only we can share.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize people need the Lord.


Be encouraged today!


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily prayer: Father, we are very grateful for the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives; thankful especially for the convicting work of the Spirit that enables us to see our need for salvation. You provide guidance, comfort, correction, and strength through the work of the Spirit that resides within our hearts. Not only are we prompted and led by Your Spirit, but we consider those who are sensitive to the Spirit's leading, who have come to us in our time of need and helped to restore our strength or helped clarify Your leading in our lives. May we also be willing messengers of Your Holy Spirit as we serve You day in and day out. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.



Dining room flowers brought in for frost 10/23/13
Another corner of our dining room/conservatory. Notice the little homemade bench that serves as a plant stand. Nelson Heisey made four of these for our children in VBS this summer who visited Mary's house. Along with their leaders they sat on them and listened to Mary tell stories about her son, Jesus. (I collected three of them and are putting them to use.)

Dining room flowers brought in for frost 10/23/13
Still another view! Stephen did take some flowers outside again this morning but once again this evening the weather report indicates a frost warning!



Today's Suggested Music
and Supplemental Resources

"People Need The Lord"
  Video  Steve Green

"The Comforter Has Come"  Video  Jars  of Clay

"It's Still the Cross "  Video  "Voices" of the University of Mobile We are blessed to see these young people singing sacred music in earnest and dignity.

"I Need Thee Every Hour"  Video  Sam Robson, Acapella, a very interesting approach - one man with many voices! Here's another one.


Contact Us
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.
Send us a voice mail message!
Click here to record a brief message on your computer's audio 
Stephen, Brooksyne and Ester Weber 04/21/13

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)

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.



2013 YTD financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 10/23/13: $15,659.00




SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

Free email subscriptionIf this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here.

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:
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.
Other versions are also occasionally used.

© Copyright 2013 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