Daily Encouragement Net
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 Tuesday, October 8, 2013  Springpoint Ledge Lighthouse, Portland Maine (photo by Greg Schneider) "Drastic Action"  Listen to this message on your audio player."If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell" (Matthew 5:29,30). Last night I was visiting with Oren, a friend who accidently crushed his finger last week in the course of a construction project. Many of us who use hammers have missed the nail and ... ouch! In his case he was using a sledge hammer! He described the throbbing pain most can identify with. It's not unusual in our farming area to meet men who have lost part of a finger or their lower arm in a farming accident.  Many years ago I read an article in "Yankee" magazine about a lone Maine lobsterman who got his hand caught in a winch while out at sea. The harder he pulled to remove it the more the governor on the motor would turn up, and it was progressively consuming his arm. In a desperate move he had to cut off his arm with a twine knife to save his life and he made it ashore to tell the story. His perspective: "There were no options. I just cut. You'd trade your arm for your life at any moment."The daily text and the story I just shared don't seem like topics for a devotional dedicated to encouragement! But we are committed to all the teachings and themes of the Bible including those that are harder to understand. Bible commentators take these words of Jesus in Matthew 5:29,30, to indicate how serious we should view sin. The worth of your eye or hand is comparatively nothing in comparison to the worth of your soul. The lobsterman recognized that principle in regard to his physical life. Although he greatly valued his hands, as we all do, he made the excruciatingly painful choice that ultimately saved his life. The principle of this verse is that we need to examine anything in our life that we highly value. Is it helpful, neutral, or is it hindering our eternal progress, potentially causing us to lose our way. God leads us in the paths of righteousness and Jesus warns us in Matthew 7:10: "Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it." The writer of Hebrews instructs to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles" (Hebrews 12:1). And to "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness" (3:12,13). Sin is deceitful but we have discernment from the Holy Spirit to carefully examine our hearts. Let us solemnly ask God to reveal any unhealthy affection, attitude, or action that might entangle us once again to a sinful, unbelieving way of life. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, Your divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. It is through Your engrafted divine nature that we are able to escape the corruption in this world caused by evil desires. As we add to our faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love, then we possess these godly qualities in increasing measure and they will keep us from being swayed by the deceitfulness of the enemy who masquerades as an "angel of light." It is in the powerful name of Jesus that we discern good from evil and it is in His strength that we are able to cast off that which hinders our spiritual growth. Amen.See I Peter 1:5-8 Today's Springpoint Ledge Lighthouse photo at the top of our message was taken by our long-time friend Greg Schneider who travels up and down the east coast taking lighhouse photos. Greg worked as a photographer for a newspaper we served over ten years ago in a chaplain role. Careful observers may note that the photo at the top appears to be the same lighthouse that is in the background of our lobstermen illustration photo.  Egg Rock Light Maine (photo by Greg Schneider) Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "The Lighthouse" Video Jason Crabb and the Crabb family Admittedly this song has little to do with the theme in today's message but since we shared some photos of lighthouses it fits! In listening to the song which was popular when we were young a line stands out, "Everybody that lives about us says tear that Lighthouse down." Indeed so many (but thank God not everybody) are wanting the Lighthouse of God's truth torn down. Here's a fuller account of the Maine lobsterman cutting off his arm. |
 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 10/07/13: $14,548.00 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   Endorsed chaplain "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation" www.dailyencouragement.net |
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