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 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.  Wednesday, January 1, 2014 New Year's Day Message  Lure Lake in North Carolina with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background. Here's a larger version of the same photo with a different Scripture verse.  Listen to this message on your audio player. (Please note: The podcast will not be ready till later this afternoon for this message.)"God Of The Ages" "From everlasting to everlasting You are God" (Psalm 90:2). "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:15-17). God of the ages, history’s Maker, planning our pathway, holding us fast, shaping in mercy all that concerns us: Father, we praise you, Lord of the past. Early this morning we discussed whether to prepare a daily encouragement message since it is a holiday. But we feel the Lord may have someone that needs the perspective we will share concerning "God of the Ages" and as typically the case we also are blessed by God's Word as we study and prepare! Our first daily text makes a glorious proclamation especially fitting as we begin a new year, "From everlasting to everlasting You are God". From eternity past to eternity future God is God! Hebrews 13:8 states, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." As we sing in old hymn, "All may change, but Jesus never." Our second daily text asserts the supremacy of Christ in all things. Note the four times in these three verses we read the words "all things". But today let us focus on the final one. "In Him all things hold together." Hebrews 1:3 declares that He is "sustaining all things by His powerful Word." From the sub-atomic level to the farthest reaches of the universe Christ is upholding and sustaining all things, from the micro to macro. The word "sustaining" is translated "upholding" in the KJV. The Amplified Bible seeks to bring out the richness of the Greek by stating "upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power." The Greek word (pheron) is in the present active indicating a concept that is dynamic, not static. The Son's work of sustaining involves not only support, but also movement. He is the One who carries all things through on their appointed course. Warren Wiersbe tells a story about a guide who took a group of people through an atomic laboratory. During the tour he explained how all matter was composed of rapidly moving electric particles. The tourists studied models of molecules and were amazed to learn that matter is made up primarily of space. During the question period, one visitor asked, “If this is the way matter works, what holds it all together?” For that, the guide had no answer. But the Christian does have the answer: Jesus Christ! Because “He is before all things,” He can hold all things together. Again, this is another affirmation that Jesus Christ is God. Only God exists before all of Creation, and only God can make Creation cohere. To make Jesus Christ less than God is to dethrone Him. There are many things in our lives that cause anxiety and distress. For some of you it might be a health issue you or a loved one is dealing with. Brooksyne will share brief report below concerning Ester's heart catheritization yesterday. AlthougGiant Hershey kiss raised New Year's Eveh the procedure went fine the cardiologist informed us that Ester is beginning to demonstrate some of the longterm effects of someone who has had a heart correction like she had (The Fontan procedure), specifically damage to her liver due to the rerouting of blood flow which causes increased pressure on her liver. For others the anxiety and distress may be a related to our marriage, children, finances, and many other matters. For all of us it may be condition of the world with all the turmoil and uncertainty. At the present we don't know how these and many other issues will all work out. But we can experience great comfort in this eternal truth: God is sustaining all things by His powerful word! God is sustaining every single microchip and every single cell in my body and everyone else's. "Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" (Psalm 107:15). The God who is sustaining all things is also sustaining each one of us. He speaks through the prophet Isaiah to the ancient people of God and thus through the Scriptures to all of us: "Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth" (Isaiah 46:3). Let us begin 2014 resting in the wonderful assurance of this powerful truth and raise our eyes heavenward to declare: "You are sustaining all things by Your powerful Word and You will accomplish what concerns me for You are my Sustainer; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting" (Hebrews 1:3, Psalm 138:8). So here's the word of encouragement today, fellow believer. He who sustains all things will surely sustain you. He is ever dependable. Troubles that weigh you down today are under His absolute authority and as they run their course Jesus calls us to trust Him – yes, even in the midst of them. Let's do that! "Teach us to know You, always among us, quietly sovereign – Lord of our now." Be encouraged today and have a blessed New Year! Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, we thank You for sending Jesus who came as God in the flesh, revealing to us Your character and personhood. You created all things and sustain them by Your powerful hand. That includes us, Your human creation. All that You created You also test. The plant life has tests of stress and endurance in the harsh elements and we, Your human creation, must endure the tests of endurance common to the flesh; whether it is relational, physical, spiritual, emotional or financial. We will endure these tests and turn them into a testimony as we rely on You, for "You will accomplish what concerns me; for You are my sustainer". You existed before anything else and You hold all creation together. We are immensely grateful and trusting You for another year of blessing, challenge and growth. Amen. Ester with Dr. Weber prior to her heart cath procedure. She is resting this morning (we came home late last night) and will take it easy for the next few days. Her oxygen sats remain in the low to mid eighties and this will continue which has been one of the hardest things to take away from her procedure yesterday. I expected them to find the problem and fix it as they have in the past. But we have the opportunity to put into practice, that which we preach: Troubles that weigh us down today are under His absolute authority and as they run their course Jesus calls us to trust Him – yes, even in the midst of them. In this time of testing we trust God that He will grow all three of us. Thank you for your concerns and prayers. Now for a moment of humor: Our pastor joined us yesterday and prayed with Ester prior to the surgery and we visited throughout the afternoon. He has become a good friend. He was with us and listened along when we received the surgeon's report. The doctor explained that among the possible drug treatments for Ester's condition, pulmonary arterial hypertension, will be Sildenafil citrate also using its much more familiar marketing name (which the curious can look up). He looked up at John and Stephen and with a twinkle in his eye said to the affect, "Now this would be for Ester, not for you!" I know we all blushed a bit! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources There are at least three songs written titled "God of the Ages" One is an older hymn with these lyrics. Our selected portion in our message is from a hymn with that title written by Margaret Clarkson which we enjoyed singing in our churches although I don't recall singing it for many years. I was unable to find a video version on line. It is set to the Gaelic tune BUNESSAN, which most people sing as "Morning Has Broken." The writer of this hymn lived a long life and died in 2008. Like so many hymn writers she had considerable adversity in life. See here. Here are three more stanzas: These lyrics are theologically thoughtful and encouraging! God of this morning, gladly your children worship before you, trustingly bow; teach us to know you always among us, quietly sovereign ”Lord of our now. God of tomorrow, strong overcomer, princes of darkness own your command: what then can harm us? We are your people, now and forever kept by your hand. Lord of past ages, Lord of this morning, Lord of the future, help us, we pray: teach us to trust you, love and obey you, crown you each moment Lord of today! We have also enjoyed a more recently song with the same title which is easily found on YouTube "God Of The Ages" Video Charles Billingsley "Another Year Is Dawning" Video (Instrumental)  Yesterday I passed the giant 300 pound Hershey kiss that was raised last night in Hershey. |
 Stephen and Brooksyne Weber(Click on photo to enlarge) Stephen and Brooksyne Weber (Click on photo to enlarge) About Us "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 10/21/13) 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 12/30/13: $27,222.00 (Note: Due a lag in reporting from my chaplain agency all 2013 gifts may not be reported for several days. When all gifts are accounted for we will share our final accounting of offerings) 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 2014 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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