Daily Encouragement Net - A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
 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, July 28, 2010  Sunflowers These are being grown commercially on a wholesale flower farm up the road from us. As we passed by yesterday the field workers were harvesting them. This photo does not capture the beauty of the setting. It appeared as though there were little faces with yellow hair and whiskers or colorful periscopes peeping through the rows of green foliage!  Listen to this message on your audio player."Fixing Our Eyes" "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).  About fifteen years ago SIRDS were very popular. SIRDS are images like the one above that appear to make no sense at all until you focus your vision a certain way. Then a powerful image or word just seems to lift right out of the panoramic picture. I found an online SIRDS creator and created the image above but frankly I must admit for the life of me I can't see the words I intended to create, though I do know what I wrote and will likely be viewed by our skilled SIRDS interpreters. I welcome readers to try and report to me if they see it. Lorna was a lady in our church who knew that I enjoyed these SIRDS and gave me one with a Christian message. We hung it in on a wall in the overflow area of our church. People would attempt to show me just how to squint or how to look at it at a certain angle, but even then I just couldn't see it. After someone would go to great lengths to help me find the missing picture they'd say, "You see it now don't you?" I actually felt rather foolish and pressured to say "O yeah, now I see it." But truth be told I never did. It seems to me that the spiritual realm is in some respects like a SIRDS. As we look about we see the temporal realm. Now in many ways it's beautiful since we are looking at God's design, unlike the initial random, meaningless image in a SIRDS. But like a SIRDS there's more to reality that we do not initially see and that is what the apostle Paul calls the "unseen" in the daily Scripture verse. Now I believe that by grace we can all see this realm, but it does require an intentional fixing of our eyes on this unseen realm. This is the essence of faith. One version states we "consider and look." The underlying Greek word is where we get the word "scope". This illustrates a great spiritual principle. I am especially mindful of readers who are going through difficult times as they read this. We hit upon this theme repeatedly for that is a large focus of our Daily Encouragement messages. The verse that precedes our text declares, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Corinthians 4:17). In God's plan of redemption the temporal troubles we see from day to day are one of the ways we share in Christ's suffering. But the future reward invisible to our physical eyes is that we will eternally share His glory. "If we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering" (Romans 8:17). We encourage you to call this verse to mind when enduring a lengthy trial, keeping in mind that the trial is temporary but sharing His glory is eternal. We joyfully claim the first part of the verse and choose not to focus on the latter half especially when we get to the dreaded word, "suffering", but suffering and glory are both experienced in the life of the believer. This is evident throughout Scriptural teaching and also in the lives of Bible characters in their experiences throughout life. There's also one other danger that the text addresses: Not only do we need the awareness of the temporariness of what is seen when going through the hard times but also when we're enjoying the good times. We are a blessed people! Moses warned the Israelites that when you prosper, don't forget the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:10ff). Remember in our present existence that which is seen is temporary, but that which we see through spiritual eyes is eternal. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily Prayer: Jesus, in the maze of life's events where we're often a passenger on the rollercoaster of life's ups and downs, may we never lose sight of You. You are the unseen but ever-present Shepherd who protects, guides and tenderly comforts us in all our trouble. Thank You, Lord, that when change is constantly about us, You remain steadfast, faithful, and dependable. You are the Anchor that keeps us grounded in the unseen eternal truths that we build our lives upon. Keep us faithful and help us to always believe! Amen. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources (In some cases you may also need to click again to start the song.) "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" Video Selah Video (Nice instrumental version followed by congregational singing) "How Great Thou Art" Video "Open The Eyes Of My Heart Lord" Video MercyMe SIRDS stands for Single Image Random Dot Stereogram Here's the website I used this morning that allows you to generate an image. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
  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 7/27/10 $8,888.00 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 by us 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 through feedburner.Cancel: We respect and value your time and privacy. 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. 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! "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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