A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
 A daily, Bible-based message of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Click here to support our ministry.The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber. <Previous Message · Archive edition  Listen to this message on your audio player. Note: Due to travel a podcast was not prepared for this message.*"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God" (Psalm 20:7). "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13). We are accustomed to seeing horses on farms in our county since we live in an Amish and old-order Mennonite area. Many of these are work horses, pulling implements and buggies. We drove through Kentucky yesterday and saw a different type of horse scenery. The area from Lexington to Louisville has many large horse farms and, of course, it is the home of the Kentucky Derby. Years ago it was very common to hear Scripture put to a musical tune, making it rather natural and pleasurable to memorize Scripture without the added discipline of rote repetition. That's how Brooksyne and I learned today's Scripture text and I suppose some of you sang this Jewish tune as well in years past. I especially recall Freda, a very enthusiastic older lady who attended our church in northern Pennsylvania who just loved this song. (Like me, don't you have certain songs you tend to associate with people who liked them alot?)  This verse is a great reminder of where our source of trust should be. At first glance, the Scripture phrase may make no sense to us in our present culture. After all, we do not put our trust in horses and chariots today. Most of us only know horses for their recreational value and they are certainly no longer a significant component in modern warfare. Although horses are a more practical and utilitarian part of Amish life than the average household, even they do not put their trust in horses. We have an Amish friend whose horse died and I recall his expression of trust in God even at the time of such financial, functional, and personal loss. The daily verse is speaking militarily, using the tactical methods common at the time it was written. Chariots and horses were a major component of military strength. Of course today's military vehicles used throughout the world far surpass the finest of chariots and horses of David's day. Yesterday we visited with my aunt and uncle and they showed me a photo of their granddaughter along with her husband and children standing in front of an F-16 since he is pilot. Much strategic planning goes into training modern warriors to utilize and rely on their machinery for defense and combat against the enemy. Their security is reliant on their machinery much like the Bible warriors depended on their chariots and horses. So many place their trust in political leaders who clamor for votes with promises they never fulfill. Candidates and political leaders can even have a messiah-like following, but hope does not come from politicians. Militarily many trust in the latest weaponry to assure us of safety and security, but really, nothing leaders do can protect us from evil people intent on bringing terror. Economically many trust in the status of their bank account or latest report from Wall Street or the Commerce Department, but real financial security is a pipe dream. Medically it may be the latest wonder drug or medical procedure, but we know there are many situations beyond the wisdom or control of even the very best medical care. Our ultimate trust in all areas of life should always be in the Lord our God. He alone is "Mighty To Save." Yet failure to trust God is so often at the very heart of our problems. We place our trust in Jesus to be saved yet we must live daily in a trustful attitude to experience the abundant, fulfilling life He has for us. Paul prayed for the Romans, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13). Are you living in trust today? Some of you have a problem that's robbing you of the peace and joy that Christ provides. The words of a great old hymn, "Like a River Glorious" tell us how to experience God's perfect peace: "We may trust Him fully all for us to do. They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true. Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest. Finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest." Turn your fears and doubts into absolute trust so that you may experience His abundant peace and rest today! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, the day to day circumstances in our lives are not scripted so that we know ahead of time what will unfold. Some events will be welcomed and even applauded, but others will be perplexing and even beyond our grasp to control. You don't expect us to have all the right answers or to fully understand all that concerns us, anymore than Job who was hard-pressed when he tried to understand his multiple losses and hardships. You simply want us to trust You, as we hold on to Your unchanging hand, while You go before us making our crooked paths straight and extending Your right hand as we walk the steep mountains together. We have trusted You over and over throughout our lives, and today we pray for grace to trust You even more. It is in the name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.* Due to travel we are temporarily suspending the preparation of regular podcasts with each message. It is a complex set-up and very difficult and time-consuming to prepare in a hotel room. We expect to periodically prepare some messages as podcasts while on the road and resume regular podcasts when we return home. Some scenes along our journey  Last night we visited with my (Stephen's) Uncle Don and Aunt Mary who live near Louisville Kentucky. Uncle Don is my dad's younger brother and resembles him alot in his expressions. We always enjoy visiting with them along with Aunt Mary's good food such as the refreshingly cool mandarin pineapple cake she mixed together from a blender. I think Brooksyne's going to want that recipe!  We usually use the PA turnpike heading west but on this journey we took I-64 through western Maryland into West Virginia. The turnpike uses tunnels through several of the mountain ridges but here we have a massive cut through a mountain. I suppose a lot of dynamite was used for this!  We walked up on a trail along the cut and had a nice vista view looking back east toward the Shenandoah Valley.  We've seen lots of painted cows but near Frankfort we passed this painted horse!  We passed the processing plant for "Old Folks" sausage near Simpsonville, KY. They had an interesting repurposing for an old propane tank. Friday we shared this mystery photo and inquired among our readers what it might be. Many of you correctly guessed a spiral staircase. However hats off to Mel, who specified that it is a spiral staircase in a lighthouse. It is the interior winding staircase to the Bodie Island Lighthouse on the Outer Banks in North Carolina! Our friend Ken Leaman shared the photo along with the lighthouse photo below.  Bodie Island Lighthouse, NC "Some Trust In Chariots" Video Robin Mark "Some May Trust In Chariots" Video Bob Fitts "Like A River Glorious" Video Messiah College Concert Choir "Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus" Video Jadon Lavik Old Folks sausage - How's that for a folksy name! In Friday's message we shared about a Lancaster city house fire with 4 deaths. That number has increased to seven with six of them being one entire family.  |
 Stephen and Brooksyne Weber (Click on photo to enlarge) "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 12/31/12)  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. Click here to donate online. 2013 YTD financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 7/7/13: $10,903.00 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION  If a friend forwarded this to you, you can subscribe here.These messages are never sent by us unsolicited. It was sent to you because you either signed up to receive it OR it was forwarded to you. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or as an email subscription through Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.) Cancel: These messages are only sent from us to people who request it; please accept our apologies if it reached you in error. You can unsubscribe from this list at any time. 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. Daily Encouragement on Facebook and Twitter:  The daily message and prayer on Facebook. The daily message and prayer on Twitter.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! 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 2013 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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