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, November 1, 2013  Praying Mantis on Pepper Plant "God's Glory In Creation"  Listen to this message on your audio player"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible" (Hebrews 11:3). "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being" (Revelation 4:11). We've had some beautiful Indian Summer-like weather in our area this week although it was dreary and overcast yesterday. Brooksyne enjoys her flowers and gardens during planting season and all through the growing season. We sure enjoy sharing these scenes with our readers and over the years have quite a collection, which opens whenever my computer goes to screensaver.  But in the fall season I enjoy clean-up. I like to pull up annuals and trim everything that should be trimmed including some things that shouldn't be (according to Brooksyne). I sort of like our yard to have a crew cut look. Then I rake up, load up the wagon or wheelbarrow and dispose of the vegetative debris from a long summer of growth. These piles of biodegradable waste will enrich the soil and gives me satisfaction as a good steward of the earth's resources.You never know what you might see living quietly among the vegetation when you pull it up. I could easily have missed it, but at least one pepper plant had a praying mantis clinging to the vine. (Main photo above.) As I removed the peppers it was easy to overlook due to the way it blended into the background. Of all the shades of green it's amazing to me and a testimony to the Creator/Designer of how well the colors on the praying mantis matched the colors of the pepper plant. Years ago we grew broccoli and a pesty worm that had an identical color to the broccoli was feasting on our plants. It was so easy to miss when picking and preparing the broccoli that we likely ate a little "meat" along with our vegetable!  Ester is terrified when I bring in critters like the praying mantis, but Brooksyne, being the country girl she is, has no problems picking it up and demonstrating its colors against her skin for my camera!There's so much debate today about origins. An evolutionary worldview would draw an entirely different conclusion based on the observation of the praying mantis. It would assert that over millions of years this creature slowly evolved in this manner so that its colors matched the plants it would adhere to. But I adhere to the teaching of Scripture so succinctly expressed in question 9 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism answering the question: "What is the work of creation? The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of His power, in the space of six days, and all very good." We all start with some assumptions and beliefs and I wholeheartedly hold to the great faith statement that begins the first text of our Bible: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Hebrews 11:3 states, "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." I believe in the altogether intelligent (omniscient) Creator/Designer. Our third daily verse so powerfully states, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being." Amen! Be encouraged today! Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father of creation, when I consider the infinite variety of Your handiwork I stand in awe at Your unlimited power, Your incredible creativity, and Your attention to detail. How amazing that You care for the birds, animals, insects, water and plant life and You have a purpose for each of these creations. How much more amazing that You created human life for Your good pleasure and for fulfilling Your purpose to redeem mankind. By the testimony of my life may I bring You glory and honor as I, with exuberant and victorious joy, proclaim with the twenty four elders in heaven, "You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power!" In the glorious name of Jesus I pray, Amen. Here's another Praying Mantis that Mike Book, a friend of ours is holding. Looks like the mantis had his sight fixed on a potential grasshopper meal. (Click on photo for even larger photo and note the praying mantis has an amputated limb!)  Here's a view of our home from across the farm field on a beautiful autumn day. As you can see our trees are changing  We went over to our Amish neighbors for some mums and saw this wagon with butternut squash "seconds" that we thought were for sale, but they were actually placed at the end of their lane for pick up by another family. Annie took us up to their barn and showed us yet another category: "thirds" that will not make it to market and many of them will eventually be tossed (mostly just defects on the peel, but the "squash" inside is fine). We paid even less money and now have more butternuts than we need. But Brooksyne will get busy processing them when our lives slow down a little and we will enjoy them during the winter months.Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Creation Calls" Video Brian Doerksen Just outstanding!!! "Thou Art Worthy" Video America's 25 Favorite Praise & Worship Choruses Many of our older readers will recall singing this. "Thou Art Worthy, Great Jehovah" Video "All Creatures Of Our God And King" Video Sovereign Grace Worship "Tonight the Stars Speak" Video The Glorious Unseen "God's Glory In His Creation" Video John Piper This is such a powerful video and I so often appreciate John Piper's teaching, along with outstanding photographs. I just wonder why whoever made the video has such loud background music! |
 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.2013 YTD financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 10/31/13: $17,169.00 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION  If 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:  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 Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552   Endorsed chaplain "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation" www.dailyencouragement.net |
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