"Faulty Assumptions"

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home · About Us · · Podcast · Free email See here for more info. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive/print edition Monday, May 5, 2008 Japanese Maple leaf (photo by Doris High) Listen to us share this message on your audio player. "Faulty Assumptions" "But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). David Fisher is a sports chaplain and fellow encourager friend of ours from Canada. Several years ago we met after he stopped by our home and joined us for dinner. He was here for a game when the Toronto Blue Jays played Baltimore. Today I want to share an illustrative experience that David sent us regarding a visit to a Canadian Drive Thru restaurant: "Recently I was with several family members and we stopped for a coffee at Canada's favorite watering hole, "Tim Hortons". We didn't go into the coffee shop; we went through the famous Drive Thru. We paused to give the attendant our order and waited for what seemed like an eternity, but nobody was coming on the intercom to take our order. One of us began to murmur and complain using phrases like: "They are awfully slow here." "I've had trouble here before." "There's nobody else in line." "What's the problem?" I added that I had experienced a few "slow" attendants at this particular Tims. The driver was getting very exasperated. It was then that I observed and realized, much to our chagrin, that we had stopped at the menu board, not at the place with the microphone and speaker where you place your order. We were "barking up the wrong tree" so to speak. We drove ahead a few feet, placed our order and were on our way in moments. Great service...and quick, once we got to the right spot!" The above illustration indicates that there was some misunderstanding among David's family members. They had drawn the wrong conclusion regarding where to place their order. I have to admit I've made the same mistake at drive through windows, but caught on just a bit quicker than his party! We can so easily draw the wrong conclusions and make faulty assumptions in life. Chapter 32 of Numbers has some interesting thoughts about misunderstandings and assumptions in human relationships. Let's consider the historical background: the new generation of Israelites is camped east of the Jordan. Leaders from the tribes of Reuben and Gad made a request to Moses to settle and consider as their inheritance the lands east of the Jordan, which were suitable for livestock. Moses initially misunderstood their request, assuming they were attempting to dodge their responsibilities in the conquest of Canaan. However, the leaders further clarified their proposal indicating that they would indeed be sending their fighting men to assist the other tribes and pledging that they would not return until the conquest was complete. Moses' tone changed with the clarification and he accepted their proposal, but reminded them of the consequences of failing to keep their word in our daily verse. Tracking through the history of the conquest we see they did indeed keep their word and were commended by Joshua for their faithfulness in Joshua 22. There's a lot of good teaching in this chapter but let me just focus on the initial faulty assumption and reaction by Moses. I believe it typifies situations that occur frequently in life which leads to strife-filled relationships in the home, church, work and elsewhere. When the tribal leaders approached Moses he drew the wrong conclusion, assuming they were not going to do their part. (Perhaps the tribal leaders also erred in not being clearer in their initial proposal.) Have you ever been like Moses and come to the wrong conclusion? I sure have. Communication and clarification can do a lot to bring healing and understanding in relationships. May God help us today to listen to one another and clarify as needed. And be careful with assumptions, you just may be "barking up the wrong tree!" Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, help us to be slow to speak, quick to listen, and eager to give the benefit of the doubt to others. We often jump to conclusions that are erroneous due to our own preconceived ideas or based on our past experiences. Give each of us an understanding heart and discerning spirit in our relations with others we intersect with on our daily paths. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen. Numbers 32 (The background of today's passage) Joshua 22 (These tribes are commended for keeping their promise) We met the Haldemans shortly after moving to Lancaster County seven years ago. Their daughter, Julie, recently returned from a YWAM missions trip to Cambodia and Thailand where she worked with children. Yesterday afternoon she shared a slide presentation of her trip. Her adventures were many and it is evident that God is doing a spiritual work in her life. Yesterday we visited the church of a new chaplain friend of ours. Here's a page from the church's hymnal. Can anyone tell me the language or would you care to venture a guess? See below for answer. Everett has worked for the very same company at the very same location for over 55 years! He always has a cheerful greeting. The photo of the above hymn (How Great Thou Art) is from a Vietnamese hymnal! A company where we serve as chaplains has quite a few Vietnamese employees and we have been unable to communicate with them each week (apart from a friendly smile and handshake) over the past year. NGUYỄN HỮU CƯỜNG (Pastor Dave) serves a Vietnamese Church here in Lancaster County and will be assisting us in this ministry. Yesterday we wanted to meet him in his church. People in the congregation were very friendly and the atmosphere quite inviting! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Story Of My Life" Audio "Praise To The Lord The Almighty" Audio "How Great Is Our God" Audio Our friend David Fisher blogs prolifically on Pilgrim Scribblings. Doris High photoblogs here, "Delight In The Lord" Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

Administration Information Stephen and Brooksyne Weber "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 04/15/08 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 encouragement ministry? Donations are tax deductible and will be receipted directly by my chaplaincy endorsing ministry. Thanks! See here for details. (2008 YTD financial offerings through 5/4/2008 $5,495.00) Join: To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link automatically placed by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each message. Weekly Version: The weekly version is designed for those who do 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. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Please feel free to pass this message on! Daily Encouragement Net Reader Survey We want to thank all of you who have taken a few minutes to fill in our online survey. Here's a brief summary of the results including some comments and tips regarding technical problems several mentioned having. If you haven't taken the survey yet and would like to do so click here. I will continue to monitor the results. Our other blogs: "A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message. "A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination. "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church. 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. Used by permission; and the King James Version. © Copyright 2008 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"

"When We Wonder Why"

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home · About Us · · Podcast · Free email See here for more info. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive/print edition Friday, May 2, 2008 Our lawn is full of these beautiful flowers (photo by Doris High) Listen to us share this message on your audio player. "When We Wonder Why" "After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah" (2 Chronicles 32:1). I consider a friend of mine whom I've known for many years. Throughout his life he sought to serve God faithfully but in the last several years he has been dealing with a severe trial of lasting consequences. I speak to him periodically and hope to visit him soon but rejoice that he is staying faithful to the Lord through the trial. When he shared his story with me it was one of those stories that makes me shake my head and wonder… "Why?" We often kid about Hezekiah being a book in the Bible (it isn't). Hezekiah was one of Judah’s greatest kings. When he became king the nation was in great apostasy (falling away from God's ways). His father Ahaz "had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD." Yet in spite of this example Hezekiah chose to follow the Lord. 2 Chronicles 29-31 records the major reforms made during Hezekiah’s time of leadership, ending with this statement: "This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD His God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered" (2 Chronicles 31:20, 21). That's a neat summary but the text doesn't stop there. The statement in our daily verse immediately follows this and illustrates a powerful spiritual principle: "After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah." That principle is this: A time of greater testing often follows obedience and blessing. The remainder of chapter 32 records Hezekiah’s response to this invasion. We desire to live our lives with a clear, sensible cause and effect relationship regarding what we face. But it doesn’t always work that way, does it? Hezekiah was faithfully serving God at the time of the enemy’s attack. Today many of you are dealing with difficult situations in your life. You’ve sought to honor God and faithfully serve Him and you too may wonder, “Why?” Many of these questions will not be answered till we get to the other side but here's a Scripture to meditate upon: "The Lord disciplines those He loves" (Hebrews 12:6). He is with us in the midst of His discipline and He provides soothing medicine for our wounded hearts through His Holy Scriptures. Rejoice in God’s faithfulness and steadfast love in the midst of His discipline! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, we are but clay in Your hands. May You break down the hardened walls of our heart and reshape us into a useful vessel that is fully yielded to Your workmanship. As we are crafted by the Master Potter, painful as it may be, let our confidence be founded upon the Rock of Ages rather than the shifting sands of our circumstances. May we be faithful and obedient so that You pour out Your glory and honor through us, Your yielded vessels. In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray, amen. Wisconsin deer Georgia McKelvey, my cousin's wife, sent this to me. She took it yesterday in her backyard near Holmen, Wisconsin. Daily Encouragement Net Reader Survey - We want to thank all of you who took a few minutes to fill in our online survey last week. Here's a brief summary of the results including some comments and tips regarding technical problems several mentioned having. If you haven't taken the survey yet and would like to do so click here. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Potter's Hand" Audio "Thank You Lord For The Trials That Come My Way" Video This is a popular song from the seventies that was one of the "contemporary" songs when we were in college. The arrangement is dated now but the lyrics have a great perspective. "Blessed Be Your Name" Video Audio I am sure many of you have sung this song in your churches. "Tears Are A Language" Video Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

Administration Information Stephen and Brooksyne Weber "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 04/15/08 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 encouragement ministry? Donations are tax deductible and will be receipted directly by my chaplaincy endorsing ministry. Thanks! See here for details. (2008 YTD financial offerings through 5/1/2008 $5,495.00) Join: To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link automatically placed by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each message. Weekly Version: The weekly version is designed for those who do 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. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Please feel free to pass this message on! Daily Encouragement Net Reader Survey Please take a few minutes to help us better develop this ministry by taking an online survey. Your response is completely anonymous. To take the survey click here. Our other blogs: "A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message. "A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination. "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church. 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. Used by permission; and the King James Version. © Copyright 2008 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"

"Prayer"

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home · About Us · · Podcast · Free email See here for more info. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive/print edition Thursday, May 1, 2008 Stairs in Charleston South Carolina (photo by Howard J. Blichfeldt) Listen to us share this message on your audio player. "Prayer" "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). Last night I watched a few minutes of a broadcasted committee hearing held in our state capitol in Harrisburg. A group was presenting their case for a very sensible moral position, one which would have not been an issue less than 10 years ago. The lead spokesperson was a mild-mannered lady who thoughtfully and graciously presented her case. One of the state senators, a vile man who is "retiring" due to his involvement with corruption, lashed out at her in a vicious and cynical verbal attack that I found extremely difficult to watch. I felt for this lady and scores of others who seek to do good in a culture that is in a deep and rapid moral decline. It's easy to become discouraged and weary under these circumstances. Today is "National Day of Prayer" here in the USA. Daily Encouragement is sent to believers in many different countries all around the world and is written for the spiritual edification of all true believers regardless of where they live. I am unaware if other countries have official national days of prayer, but I hope that they do. I genuinely believe this is a very important day in our country where God has providentially ordained that I should live out my life here on this earth. Organized efforts for prayer are held in large and small communities throughout the U.S. Here in Lancaster County we have a very well organized and focused prayer task force. The event began last night with a countywide youth rally and all through today there will be Bible reading and intercessory prayer at a large city park. Of course many communities have events as well all through the county and country. Is it worth it? I'm sure I am not the only one who turns that question over in my mind at times. After all, the moral and spiritual state of our country continues to decline. I believe the daily verse, although not specifically related to prayer addresses this question: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). In prayer (as in other acts of obedience to God) we are "sowing" in a manner ordained by the Lord. When we pray earnestly to the true God of heaven, through His Son Jesus Chris,t in faith and humility we are "doing good." Prayer does not always result in an immediate harvest but we have a wonderful promise that "we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." This harvest (reaping) will take place in the "proper time" ordained by God. The "we" in the text are the people of God. The harvest is ultimately spiritual and eternal. The moral decline may very well continue and judgment will most certainly come. The people of God in past generations saw their countries experience God's judgment as a result of their sins. Consider the godly remnant who lived at the time of the fall of Jerusalem during the time of Jeremiah. They lived through horrendous conditions yet in this very context Jeremiah declared "Great is Thy faithfulness." So let me encourage you today, wherever you live, to continue to call out to the one true God. Whatever your circumstances, however serious your situation, regardless of how long you've waited; keep believing and obeying. Keep praying, for we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up. Be encouraged today, Stephen C. Weber Daily prayer: Father, we ask you to be merciful to our land because You are a loving, forgiving God. You have called on us, Your children, to be a people of prayer and devotion. We pray for our land to repent of neglect and defiance of Your commands. We come against the powers of darkness that seek to extinguish the light of Your salvation that brings help and hope to weary souls in this life and secures their eternal place in heaven. Help us not to grow weary in our intercession, for we want to be faithful in prayer so that, at a future date, we will witness the harvest of souls. We pray for Your will to be accomplished in the name of Jesus, amen. Daily Encouragement Net Reader Survey - We want to thank all of you who took a few minutes to fill in our online survey last week. If you are interested here's a brief summary of the results including some comments and tips regarding technical problems several mentioned having. If you haven't taken the survey yet and would like to do so click here. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Seeds Of Prayer" Audio "God Answers Prayer" Audio "We Come Seeking You" Audio Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

Administration Information Stephen and Brooksyne Weber "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 04/15/08 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 encouragement ministry? Donations are tax deductible and will be receipted directly by my chaplaincy endorsing ministry. Thanks! See here for details. (2008 YTD financial offerings through 4/29/2008 $5,495.00) Join: To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link automatically placed by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each message. Weekly Version: The weekly version is designed for those who do 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. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Please feel free to pass this message on! Daily Encouragement Net Reader Survey Please take a few minutes to help us better develop this ministry by taking an online survey. Your response is completely anonymous. To take the survey click here. Our other blogs: "A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message. "A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination. "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church. 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. Used by permission; and the King James Version. © Copyright 2008 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"