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 A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home About Us Archives Free email subscription  Listen to these messages  Text only for printing  See here for more info. <Previous Message · Archive edition Wednesday, July 2, 2014  Mount Pleasant VBS "SonTreasure Island" (Photo by Ester) "Pleading With Jesus To Leave" Listen to us read this message on your audio player."Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region" (Mark 5:17). "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). Yesterday I read an article concerning the growing rejection and discrimination toward evangelical Christian groups on many college campuses. Christian groups are no longer welcome or even allowed on many of these campuses. When we were young campuses had many thriving Christian groups such as Inter Varsity, Campus Crusade for Christ and Chi Alpha. My niece goes to Vanderbilt University, a school that now bans these groups from campus. This quote from the article especially caught my attention, "a discomfort in academia with conservative forms of Christianity". * Evidence of the spreading spiritual darkness abounds. God's instruction manual for life, the Bible, continues to be ignored, violated and tampered with and this is leading to chaos and destruction. This will certainly get worse unless we have a revival. Sometimes it seems I can practically hear Satan's hideous laughter since he delights in destruction (John 10:10). The daily verse ends a section that deals with one of the most remarkable and dramatic deliverances Jesus accomplished; that of the Gerasene demoniac. More detail is given to this deliverance than any other in Scripture, with each of the synoptic Gospels recording it. You can read the full account in Mark 5:1-20 and I would encourage you to do so. In a nutshell Jesus frees a man who was horrifically bound by demons. But all are not joyful when the Lord of the universe comes in and cleans house! The pig owners lost a great source of wealth, the chain-maker a steady repeat customer, and the village novelty was now dressed and in his right mind. Those who had benefitted from this man's demonic possession were afraid (v. 15). Life had been interrupted and it seemed little regard was given for the man who had been delivered from years of demon possession. The daily verse is so indicative of the reaction of those lost in darkness, "Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region." This happens today as well. Many would prefer to have a world void of the influence of Jesus and His followers. For most the miracle of salvation is not as outwardly dramatic as that of the Gerasene demoniac's deliverance; but inwardly, genuine regeneration is every bit as miraculous. Genuine conversion has many consequences. Smokey's Bar loses a steady customer; the gambling casino has one less patron to be "entertained", the vile pornographic industry loses a source of profit. And this world has one more little light to remind them of how dark the darkness really is. To those profiting in darkness that's scary. Those most accustomed to darkness don't want light. A powerful Scripture that teaches this is John 3:19: "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." Today, as then, many unregenerate people continue to plead with Jesus to leave. Jesus did move on and the redeemed man wanted to go with Him but Jesus told him to stay and spread the message. And he did so! Today redeemed people all over the world continue to share the message. And many still don't want to hear it. They'll still plead to those walking in the light, "Leave and take your Jesus with you." But until we are called home let us remain obedient to Christ and keep letting our lights shine in the darkness that surrounds us lest we too be swept into the darkness! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, You didn't command us to change the hearts of those walking in darkness, for only You can do that. But You did command that we let our light shine so that others will see Your work in our lives and glorify You, our Father in heaven. May the work of our hands and the words that flow from our lips be expressions of Your indwelling light that guides us day by day. We desire, along with multitudes of other believers, to be a sunbeam shattering the spreading darkness as we walk circumspectly in Your ways. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Yesterday I received a photo of yet another Kember print from Zion Illinois (near Chicago) that had hung in a Christian school. For more information about these prints see here (scroll down to footnote) If you have or see a Kember print I would appreciate your sending me a photo of it similar to the photo above. I am developing a photo montage in honor of Walter Kember, who made the framed prints as a means of outreach.. Please send an email to this address with the photo as a .jpg attachment. In the subject line put "Kember print" and specify where you are from and if you want to tell the story behind it or how it has been meaningful to you. This week our church is having Vacation Bible School and Ester is enjoying her role as the official photographer! Here are some of her photos.     Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "What The Blood Is For" Video Jason Crabb "Jesus Paid It All" Video Homecoming singers "I Will Sing of My Redeemer" Video Homecoming singers with Larry Ford * Here's the article I quoted from as well as an interesting summary. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne  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. 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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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