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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 Friday, July 25, 2014  "God's Rich, Steadfast Love" Listen to us read this message on your audio player."O give thanks to the God of heaven, for His steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 136:26). "The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love" (Psalm 145:8). "Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!" (Jeremiah 33:11). "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases" (Lamentations 3:22). You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger Your name is great, and Your heart is kind For all Your goodness I will keep on singing Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find  Sunday afternoon we led a service at Longwood Manor, a local nursing home. As is often the case I wear a tie with a Scripture verse on it. Prior to the service an elderly resident approached me, looked at my tie and slowly read the verse (John 3:16). During my message I had the folks recite the verse together. A reminder of God's love, regardless of our age or how long we've walked with God, is always a great source of encouragement.Today let us consider God's rich and steadfast love. Our daily verse makes a statement that I believe is often taken for granted even by devout believers. "The Lord is ... rich in love". Perhaps when Matt Redman wrote his popular song, "Ten Thousand Reasons" that has the line "You're rich in love" he had this verse in mind. Consider the multitude of ways that God's attribute of rich or abundant love is extended to this world, waiting to be received. Contrast God's rich, steadfast love with the often fickle love that is expressed by humans. A couple may stand before the altar of the church being united in marriage, pledging their love to one another, "till death do us part." But so very often that pledge just doesn't hold. Surely marital love is to be the greatest form of human love, along with that of parents to their children. In contrast we consider the searing pain in the voice of one who has been rejected. We've heard it more than once through our years of ministry. "He (or she) left and said, 'I just don't love you anymore'." Due to the vacillations of human love we may tend to transfer that over to our understanding of God's love. But the Scriptures abundantly teach about the immutable character of God, as expressed in our fourth daily text, "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases." The verse has a repetitive impact for emphasis. His love is steadfast and it never ceases. Other versions translate: "Certainly the faithful love of the Lord hasn’t ended." "The faithful love of the Lord never ends!" "The Lord's unfailing love and mercy still continue." "The Lord’s love never ends." "How enduring is God’s loyal love." God's love is rich and steadfast. "The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love." Another version states "abounding in steadfast love." Today we know there are many reading this encouragement who have been deeply wounded by faltering human love. You may be an abandoned spouse or you may be a child who never knew the love of a responsible, caring parent. Sadly we have observed parents essentially abandoned by their adult children who are too busy to give them the attention they need in life's twilight years. You may be experiencing the rejection of those whom you considered friends or even your brothers and sisters in Christ. Hear the words of Holy Scripture today and rest in God's rich, steadfast love. It is steady, sure and unfailing. He continues to express His love to us without ceasing, without vacillation, and without condition. "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness" (Jeremiah 31:3). No matter the troubles before us today, we can declare the praises of Him who is rich and steadfast in love toward those whom He created, and that includes you! The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, new every morning, Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord. Great is Thy faithfulness. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, we are a blessed people because You choose to be "merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" toward Your creation. These complimentary characteristics of mercy, grace, longsuffering and steadfast love are evident in Your choice to forgive those who repent and believe Your promises in Christ Jesus. If You had merely sent Jesus to teach us about Himself and serve as our example, that would have been far more than we deserve. But You sent Him to die for our sins. He was rich in love toward us, not after we cleaned up the mess of our lives, but even while we were dead in our trespasses and sins. Such love is supreme, steadfast and unending in supply. Thank You for meeting our greatest need and caring about our smallest one. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.The Psalmist asks "Has His steadfast love for ever ceased? Are His promises at an end for all time?" (Psalm 77:8). "Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days" (Psalm 90:14). "Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy" (Psalm 103:4). "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" (Psalm 103:8). "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him" (Psalm 103:11). "But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children" (Psalm 103:17).  Our longtime friend Junnbug surprised us with a visit this week. He now lives in his native Puerto Rico but came to visit family in this area. We met Junnbug over 10 years ago when we served as chaplains at Turkey Hill Dairy.  This morning we joined two friends for breakfast, Nick Nichols & Dick Shellenberger.  Nick Nichols took this photo of a Lancaster County windmill. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" Video Matt Redman "The Steadfast Love Of The Lord Never Ceases" Video Maranatha Singers "If That Isn't Love" Video The Isaacs An outstanding example of family harmony with a rich old song with a different arrangement common to the Isaacs style of singing. "Remember O Lord (Psalms 25:6-7 & 36:7)" Video Scripture Memory series "Satisfied (Hallelujah I Have Found Him)" Video GVB "At Calvary" Video The Collingsworth Family For fun! Tomorrow evening we are going to see the Lancaster Barnstormers minor league baseball and watch some Cowboy Monkey Rodeo! Video This is especially interesting to us since Ester has stuffed monkeys all over her room and the monkey cowboys ride on border collies, which we know from having Mollie, they can never get enough play, NEVER! 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. 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If you want to send a personal message use the 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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