Daily Encouragement Net - A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
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 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, March 17, 2010  Donegal Creek, Lancaster County PA Yesterday afternoon we took a walk along this creek, which is about 1/2 mile from our home, and noted how high the water was. (Click on photo to enlarge)  Listen to this message on your audio player. Note: Today's message is a follow-up to our message Monday on "Spiritual Downsizing". "Spiritual Upgrades" "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness" (2 Peter 1:3).  I first started using computers about twenty years ago. "Upgrade" is a term computer users are quite familiar with and I've been through several since I began with an XT, 386, 486 and several generations of Pentiums. Of course the same is true of operating systems. As I recall when I began it was Windows 3.1. The newest Windows system, Windows 7, now comes on new computers, although I haven't yet upgraded to it. Each version is new and exciting but soon becomes old stuff in a few years. That's just the nature of progress! Of course one of the main features we look for in computers is "power". Each time we upgrade, the processor is faster and has more power. This is one measurement that I have a hard time understanding but do observe when I am at work. Memory is another important consideration. The latest computer I am looking into as I consider my next upgrade has speed, power and memory many, many times greater than the one I started on!Today let us consider "spiritual upgrades". Those in the fellowship, today, and I suppose all through church history, have promoted a new upgrade. Although not said exactly in these words, the message conveyed is "You've been completely missing out and you just must hear this new teaching, have this experience, or be in this setting." People clamor to hear the latest preacher, the newest teaching, the hot new musical group, or jet off to wherever the current life-changing conference is located. Since I've been in ministry I've seen many fads come and go and some come around a second and third time! (I used to hear that saying from older ministers when I was a young minister and now I am experiencing it myself.) Now let me clarify this. Surely we all need to grow in faith and be on a lifelong quest to deepen our understanding and knowledge of God. There are many enriching opportunities where we will be challenged to deeper levels of growth in our walk with the Lord. In fact Peter was concerned for his readers and at the end of his book he challenges them to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (3:18). Do we need spiritual upgrades? I realize any illustration can be misunderstood, particularly seeking to apply a technical concept to a spiritual matter, but I believe the truth in our daily verse is vitally needed today. Peter, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, made the powerful assertion to the early believers 2,000 years ago that Christ's "divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…" I especially find richness in the phrase "everything we need." Perhaps in seeking to use the operating system analogy I could put it this way. The initial version, "the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3), is altogether complete and adequate. We will spend a lifetime learning and applying the features! In regard to computers and most software programs I only scratch the surface regarding utilizing the capabilities. How much more so is this true in regard to God's Word! Is the "everything we need" in regard to God's divine power that was sufficient for Peter's original readers also sufficient for us living in 2010? A billion times yes!!! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, when we place our trust in You we've only begun to tap into the unlimited resources You make available to the believer. You have blessed us with Your special favor and Your unsurpassed peace and it only gets better and better as we grow to know You more and more. The illumination of Your Word is truly a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path revealing the mystery of the Gospel to us. May we be found consistent from day to day growing in the grace and knowledge You give to us in the midst of varying daily experiences of life. It is in Christ's name that we pray. Amen. Brooksyne's Note: In considering our message today I think of some believers I've known who crawl along spiritually until the next Christian retreat is scheduled or their favorite music group is back in town or whatever it is that moves them out of complacency. When I was a teen I went to church regularly but I didn't expect growth spiritually until youth camp came around every year. It was almost like I "saved up" for the spiritual charge directed at my age group instead of feasting on God's manna daily and realizing God's power is altogether sufficient to meet all my spiritual and physical needs through His divine Word everyday. As I matured I realized I didn't have to wait for a special occasion to grow in His grace and knowledge. I could do it each day in my quiet time with Him. And that was my biggest problem since I didn't have a devotional life. It was in Bible College that I finally began this essential spiritual discipline, not only because we were challenged regularly to do so, but it was my best friend, Debbie, from Ohio who modeled a faithful devotional life that inspired me to begin this discipline as well. May you find Christ to be all-sufficient as you make time for Him each day. And may you also find those special occasions such as retreats, camps, conferences, revivals and such to be like frosting on the cake as you taste and see that the Lord is good! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources Click on the link (usually a Youtube video) to open and play. (In some cases you may also need to click again to start the song.) "Everything We Need" Video This is the 2 Peter passage from above set to Acapella music. "Enough" Video Chris Tomlin We recall first hearing this song in a church near Hartford Connecticut a number of years ago when we visited a friend in that area. It struck us both at the time as a very powerful song! |
  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 3/16/10 $2,303.00 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 |
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