Daily Encouragement Net - A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
Trouble reading this message? Read online or see archives
Trouble reading this message? Read online or see archives
 The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive edition Wednesday, February 10, 2010  This morning Brooksyne took this photo of the goldfinches. We have three couples hanging out at our birdfeeders. You can see one of them coming in for the landing. Here's a larger version.  Listen to this message on your audio player. "God's Voice" "God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'" (Job 37:5,6).  We are in the midst of another large snowstorm here in Pennsylvania. As I look out my window this morning the snow is falling steadily and just before sending our message out I measured over 12 inches of new snow. Brooksyne is enjoying watching the birds, especially the finches, snowbirds and cardinals. As noted several times in our messages the cardinals capture our attention since their scarlet color is like a red fluorescent light gleaming in the broad landscape of white snow. The Bible doesn't mention snow a lot as it was not that common in the region where Bible events took place. But the Bible peoples certainly knew of snow and it is periodically used as an illustration. The daily verse is part of the speech of Elihu, who spoke following the exchange between Job and his three friends. I have always enjoyed Elihu's perspective, although God certainly has the final word at the end of the book. The falling snow is another reminder of God's providential care and ruling over all the earth. "God's voice thunders in marvelous ways." I desire to have a perspective on life in which I hear God's voice in the silent falling snow, the splattering rain, the mighty winds and even the occasional pelting hail that falls from the sky. I marvel at the variety of ways God speaks to us and provides for our spiritual and physical needs. Each element of nature has a divine and practical purpose. We may choose to focus on how it inconveniences our lives and alters our schedules. Or like Elihu, we may simply remember this plainly spoken truth, "He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'" It's God's ways and we do well to recognize His sovereign rule over humankind. Witnessing God's almighty power puts mankind's limited power into proper perspective. "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail?" (Job 38:22). God did not intend that snow or hail take up permanent residency like the giant oaks, the mighty seas or mountainous structures that have stood for thousands of years. Our lives and this world are subject to His sovereign design and His eternal time table. "He does great things beyond our understanding." This is a great verse to ponder. What He does is great although it may go beyond our finite understanding. In fact, it might not make any sense at all to us. In researching music for this message I came across a song written by Steven Curtis Chapman. The lyrics indicate that we have an underlying trust that God is in control though circumstances may not always be to our liking. We declare God to be holy, sovereign, and His will for our lives will not be fully understood on this side of heaven. Full understanding comes when we step on heaven's shore. Today let me encourage you to again keep the focus on God, who continues to do "great things beyond our understanding." He who works in the storm is also working in our lives this day. Often it's in the precipitous storm that He is speaking. Be sure to listen. He is in control and will have the final say! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, we recognize Your handiwork in nature and we welcome Your handiwork in our lives. Help us to look to You and trust Your sovereign plan to unfold in our lives day by day, year by year while we look to You as our Hope and Stay! It is the only real and lasting stability we have in this life. We thank You for it in Jesus' name. Amen. Photos of today's storm  I took this during the snowfall.  It took a lot of persuading but we managed to get Roxie out in the snow two days ago. She'd probably be buried under the snow if I were to take this photo today. She would much rather be here.  The goldfinches lose their vibrant colors in the winter, but we were able to capture some of their yellow color amidst the white background. A friend responded to yesterday's message. She tells a cute story from her childhood: Growing up in Illinois I can relate to having to shovel the snow off the roof....well, actually, my DAD can relate. Many a winter he would be up on our roof with shovel in hand. It was real life out there, a necessity, and I remember my sister's Jr High School having to cancel school one day due to a roof caving from too much weight. The up side to shoveling all that rooftop snow is that it made for a natural toboggan run! As kids we'd form the snow that had just been pushed off the house into curves and bumps in efforts to make our "run" all the more exciting....it was our own little Olympic luge. It kept us out from under Mother's feet for hours. I even have memories of one winter when my little brother had ramped up his pesty-ness. After repeated warnings, my father opened an upstairs window, grabbed my brother by an arm and a leg, who was still in his pj's, and threw him outside, much like one would throw someone in the pool. With all the freshly shoveled off rooftop snow he had a cushioned, albeit, startling awakening to help turn his bothersome attitude around. Sometimes we all just need a sharp reminder to get ourselves back on track, and that winter plunge helped my little brother do just that. Or....at least for the rest of the morning! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources Click on the link to open and play. (In some cases you may also need to click again to start the song.) "Our God Is In Control" Video Stephen Curtis Chapman "Whiter Than The Snow" Video "Because Of Who You Are" Video "More Than Enough" Video Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir "God Will Carry You" Video Shannon Wexelberg Monday's message was titled "The One True God" and was a defense of Biblical orthodoxy. This morning I came across a great article on this matter titled, "Doctrine Divides" |
 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 10/21/09  Each weekday morning Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all over the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this daily encouragement ministry? Donations are tax deductible and will be receipted directly by my chaplaincy endorsing ministry. Thanks! See here for details.2010 YTD financial offerings as of 2/9/10 $740.00 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION  Were you forwarded this edition of Daily Encouragement Net? If you desire you can receive your own free! To receive these "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you either signed up to receive it OR a friend forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. or as an email subscription update through feedburner. You can also subscribe to Daily Encouragement feed updates by email.Cancel: We respect and value your time and privacy. If these messages no longer meet your needs (providing encouragement) you can remove your address by merely use 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. It is merely the Friday message with a link to previous messages. To receive the free weekly version, send a blank email to this address. Please feel free to pass these messages on! "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!) Last updated with the story of Mildred Swanson, who joyfully discovers her "spiritual gift" is sending forwarded emails! (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.  Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com. Any orders placed to Christian Book Distributers using this link or any specific product link to a recommended resource in a daily encouragement message will help our Daily Encouragement ministry through a small commission on the sale. Thank you for using these links when purchasing online through CBD!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. © Copyright 2010 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us  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 |  |
