"Understanding God's Statutes"

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 Tuesday, May 27, 2008 Red geraniums on an Amish farm in eastern Lancaster County Listen to us share this message on your audio player. "Understanding God's Statutes" "I am Your servant; give me discernment that I may understand Your statutes" (Psalm 119:125). Among the issues our daughter, Ester, has to overcome is hearing loss. We are told her hearing loss is a result of medication she received as a baby for her heart condition that was later determined to cause hearing problems when given to infants. She has profound hearing loss in the high frequency range which means, although she hears volume at a normal level, she misses a part of the range that is necessary to understand properly. Thus, her speech can become unclear at times. I really came to understand this when we consulted with an audiologist at Children's Hospital in Boston several years ago. She explained that certain speech sounds in the upper frequencies are confused with other sounds to her. For instance we may say "they", but she might hear it as "day". You can imagine how confusing this can be in certain instances! She wore hear aids as a child but they were of only minimal help. Thankfully, as she's gotten older, she is able to process more and more due to lip reading, gestures, context and her ability to read. But it is among the issues that has slowed her development. There is certainly a spiritual parallel to this physical condition. Psalm 119 is well-known as the longest chapter in the Bible with 176 verses. What is not quite as familiar is that each verse, in one way or another, has a reference to God's Word; His laws and statutes, etc. I believe the various Scriptural expressions are used synonymously and all reveal the heart's desire of the writer; to live according to God's revelation. Another interesting feature in this long Psalm is that it consists of 22 parts, according to the number of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet, with the names of which these letters stand for between each part. Each part consists of eight verses, all of which begin with the same letter in the Hebrew: thus, for instance, the first eight verses begin with the letter a, "aleph," and the second eight verses begin with the letter b, "beth," and so on throughout; hence the Masorah calls this Psalm the Great Alphabet. * In today's Scripture the Psalmist prays in humility: "I am your servant." I find blessing in the Psalmist's humble approach to God. We must always remember who's in control; Who is the Master and who is the servant. The nature of his request is so needed by those who live by faith today. "Give me discernment that I may understand your statutes." The Hebrew word for discernment means "to separate mentally." We need to be clear-minded in properly discerning God's Word. The specific request is to "understand Your statutes." God's statutes; His laws and precepts are good and we need to understand them clearly. We are barraged with information. The "information superhighway" provides an abundance of information that can be helpful but also much that can confuse or sidetrack the more important message. Not only life-giving truths but disastrous errors also crowd the superhighway. We do well to often repeat the Psalmist's prayer; "Give me discernment that I may understand Your statutes." May we not only read about God's statutes but understand their meaning and then implement them into our lives. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, I ask for discernment that I may understand Your statutes. I pray for understanding that I might know how to implement these truths into my life. I also pray that I will grow to love and embrace Your laws so that it becomes a natural outflow of my commitment to following You. Amen. How sure the Scriptures are, God's vital urgent Word. As true as steel and far more sharp than any sword, So deep and fine at His control. They pierce where soul and spirit join. They test each human thought, refining like a fire. They measure what we ought to do and to desire For God knows all. Exposed it lies Before His eyes to whom we call. Let those who hear His voice confronting them today, Reject the tempting choice of doubting or delay. For God speaks still, His word is clear. So let us hear and do His will. "How Sure The Scriptures Are" Idle, Christopher / Darwall, John (to the tune of "Rejoice, the Lord is King") * from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible Brooksyne was blessed by a visit from two friends, Brenda and Glenda, from Vallorbs - a company we serve as chaplains. They brought with them 2 large boxes filled with gifts from the employees who were extending their well wishes for a speedy healing of her broken ankle. We have been amazed and greatly blessed by the loving acts of our many friends who have reached out to us in extraordinary ways over the past 2 1/2 weeks! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Thy Word" Video A beautiful version sung by the Maranatha Singers. "How Firm A Foundation" Video Audio "Word Of God Speak" 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 5/26/2008 $9,037.00) 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"

"Making Known His Faithfulness"

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 26, 2008 Teams at Lancaster County farmer's market Listen to us share this message on your audio player. "Making Known His Faithfulness" "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations" (Psalm 89:1). "One generation will commend Your works to another" (Psalm 145:4). In the USA today we celebrate Memorial Day. Its origin dates back to the period following our Civil War in the 1860's and was primarily a remembrance of those who died in that war and other previous wars. But it has expanded to be a day when many tend to remember all who have gone before us. Later today I'll push Brooksyne in the wheelchair up the road to Kraybill Cemetery where fresh flowers will decorate the graves as loved ones remember and honor their deceased family and friends. Certainly today we will be remembering those in our own family, as Brooksyne and I have each seen our parents pass on to their eternal reward over the last ten years. Last year Brooksyne's sister died reminding us of the quick progression of life and how that our own transition is growing closer as the years quickly pass. Today we will also be remembering those who have impacted us on our journey of faith but are now with the Lord. Allow me to honor them with a partial list using their first names only: Joe, Tracy, Beulah, Karin Joy, Ines, John, Gene, Bill, Earl, Al & Thata, my very first pastor as a Christian, Bro. Howard and many, many others. Why don't you take a moment to personally reflect by making a similar list and remembering those people who've touched your life? Yesterday we had a special time in our church service where four generations of the Martin family helped lead us in a couple of older children's choruses. Four generations faithfully serving Christ is a very inspirational sight, but the additional blessing of each of these families attending the same church brought spiritual refreshing as well. It's rare these days that the grandparent(s) in their 80's would have grown up singing the same songs that are taught to our children today such as "Deep & Wide" and "He's Got the Whole world in His Hand." Moses, in his final message prior to his death, hearkens the people to "Consider the generations long past." A powerful oral history had been maintained about the creation and origin of their national identity (children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.) That was about 3,500 years ago and I believe his words are still very appropriate for the people of God. We need to remember those who have gone to be with the Lord before and during our lifetime. The writer of Hebrews speaks of these men and women as "a great cloud of witnesses." They indeed witness and testify to the power of faith and of the faithfulness of God. This great cloud is surely comprised of all the Biblical greats that are mentioned in Hebrews 11 and others in the Bible period. But I believe it also includes all those throughout the ages of the church who have died in faith; people such as great men and women of church history like Evangelist D.L Moody and Songwriter Fannie Crosby. Today, I am thankful for the impact in my generation of nationally (and perhaps internationally) known people like D. James Kennedy, Bill Bright and Larry Burkett, who have in recent years gone on to their reward. It surely also includes the many, many throughout the ages who have lived their lives for Christ in relative obscurity, serving Him faithfully in their work settings, homes, churches, and communities. They loved their family, sought to raise their children right, worked hard, served as Sunday School teachers, janitors, prayer leaders, nursery workers and in other ways. These are the people whom I have personally known and observed over time. I believe God has ordained that we are to live in close community with those whom He has placed in our lives, giving and receiving. Our friend, Doris High, has a thought-provoking saying on her blog: "There is no way of belonging to Jesus Christ except by belonging gladly and irrevocably to the glorious ragbag of saints who make up the Church!" I'm certain that You have a number of people to remember today who are with the Lord. If they're now in the great cloud of heavenly witnesses thank God for them! And let us all continue to sing of the mercies of the LORD forever. With our mouths and with our lives let us make known His faithfulness to all generations! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, we give thanks for the men and women of great valor who have given their lives for our freedoms over the centuries. We also give thanks for those who have impacted our spiritual lives as we seek to live faithfully for You; the Biblical saints, the early church fathers, the martyrs of the faith, the evangelists, preachers, and teachers of Your Holy Word, our family members who showed us the way and we thank You for those extraordinary believers who not only lived for You but lived as an example of faith to those of us who were watching and learning along the way. Above all, we thank You for the person of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life to our eternal Home in heaven. Amen. Friday night Ester attended her class prom with classmate, Matt Stahlnecker. He was a last minute fill-in for Ester's boyfriend who couldn't get off work. We were glad it worked out for Matt to be Ester's escort and from all we heard, "A good time was had by all!" To save on gas, while Ester was at the prom, I went to the Green Dragon farmer's market near Ephrata, Pennsylvania and walked around for a couple of hours. Farmer's Markets are an interesting part of our rural area and the Green Dragon is considered the grand-daddy of them all. A lot of Amish and old-order Mennonites attend the market and the first photo shows one of their special parking areas. I tried to get a photo of one of the livestock auctions but it was too dark. I found this Conestoga wagon style buggy interesting! More info about the Green Dragon Farmer's market Yesterday we were blessed by a visit from our friend, Oren and Naomi Hostetter, who brought over a meal to share with us. Oren and Naomi are faithful servants for Christ who for many years served on a Navajo Indian reservation in mission work. They both have tremendous servant's hearts and continue to impact many lives for the Lord. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Find Us Faithful" Video This video was prepared by a pastor for his parent's 50th wedding anniversary. His mother was in the hospital with leukemia at the time and she passed away five days before the anniversary. Fortunately she was able to view the video before her death. The song is the (now classic) Steve Green version. "When The Tears Fall" Video This song has a wonderful message of faith and assurance. 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 5/25/2008 $8,982.00) 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"

"The Path Of Life"

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 23, 2008 Path across from our home Listen to us share this message on your audio player. "The Path Of Life" "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever" (Psalm 16:11). Since Brooksyne's ankle injury two weeks ago we've been missing our customary walks together. (So has our dog Roxie!) On a couple occasions Ester and I pushed her in the wheelchair alongside our country road but it doesn't compare to walking on an old well-worn path. But the uneven terrain is not suitable for a wheelchair, especially for one with a tender ankle. Today's photo is my favorite part of our walking path across from our house, an old road between tree lines with farm fields on each side. It's actually a long abandoned public road still deeded to the township that ends right across from our house where a church meeting house once stood. It can still seen on maps as "Meeting House Run Road". Presently it's accessible only with a tractor or four-wheel drive vehicle and that's just fine with us since we enjoy the solitude of the quiet country setting! Roxie really loves this part of the walk and often gets very distracted with all the smells of critters buried in the ground or she chases squirrels up the trees. She runs rabbits ragged as she sets about chasing them in and out of burrows, rock piles, and other accessible hiding places. The above photo really doesn't do the scene justice since I can't convey in a photo all the sights, let alone the sounds and smells that are part of the enjoyable experience. Scripture in numerous places speaks of the "path of life" with today's passage being the first. It's from a Psalm of David, written some 3,000 years ago. In addressing God he asserts, "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." God continues to make known the path of life to those who earnestly seek Him. Today the path of life is the road less travelled since many by default follow the broad road where the majority travel. There are several references to the path of life in the Proverbs such as "He is on the path of life who heeds instruction" and "The path of life leads upward for the wise." But the final reference to the "path of life" in Scripture may surprise you. Peter quotes several verses from Psalm 16 in his sermon on the day of Pentecost concluding with the daily verse, "You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence" (Acts 2:28). He makes it clear that ultimately in this Psalm David was referring to Jesus Christ as the path of life! Of course Jesus Himself tells us, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." I thank God for making known to me the path of life through the person of Jesus Christ, His Son! What a great joy and blessing to follow Him. And that's something we all can do regardless of where we live. Please join us! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily Prayer: Father, I consider today the path of life laid out for those who are wise. It certainly isn't the shortest, most traveled, or least difficult trail. There are times when the incline may be so steep it forces me on all fours, but that's a posture in which I'm most humbled. It forces me to kneel down before You, the Lord my Maker. Your strength is perfect when my strength is fleeting. It is a place where I realize it is no longer my strength but it is in Your perfect strength that I walk. It is no longer my plan but Your perfect plan that I follow. It is no longer my wisdom but Your perfect wisdom that instructs me. You give perfect direction and adequate strength to walk the upward path that leads to life everlasting. Thank You that I will never walk the path of life alone, for You lead the way as You make my feet like hind's feet on high places. Amen. Yesterday we learned about Steven Curtis Chapman's tragic loss in the death of his youngest daughter, Maria. We pray that God will use the very song He inspired Steven to write years ago to bring much needed comfort and understanding, along with physical and spiritual strength to each one of the family members. "His Strength Is Perfect" Video I can do all things Through Christ who gives me strength, But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me; No great success to show, No glory on my own, Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know . . . CHORUS His strength is perfect when our strength is gone; He'll carry us when we can't carry on. Raised in His power, the weak become strong; His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect. We can only know The power that He holds When we truly see how deep our weakness goes; His strength in us begins Where ours comes to an end. He hears our humble cry and proves again . . . (chorus) Song by: Steven Curtis Chapman Psalm 16 Today's text I enjoy maps and like many of you have enjoyed puttering around with Google earth and maps. If you're interested, here is a satellite view of our typical walk. Our home is on the right side of the map and we normally walk a mile to Colebrook Road. In the middle I have placed a placemarker on the trail where today's photo was taken. What is this? Several of our Amish friends enjoy music. But they do not use electricity or have any types of music players. However ... they do use phones and voice mail. So we have a creative means of sharing music they enjoy. This morning I had to call a friend and when I was done I left a song from yesterday's message on his voice mail. This is a rather unique form of ministry! Our rhododendrens are in full bloom and after several days of wet, cold, gloomy weather we have a beautiful day here in Lancaster County PA! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "In The Garden" Video "He walks with me and talks with me." "In The Garden" Video A nice instrumental violin duet by a husband/wife team! 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 5/19/2008 $8,982.00) 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"