A
daily, Bible-based
perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
Home About
Us Archives
Free
email subscription 
Listen to this
message Donate
to this ministry
Friday, October 21, 2005
"Spiritual Arteriosclerosis"
Listen to this
message Donate
to this ministry
Friday, October 21, 2005
"Spiritual Arteriosclerosis"
"But
encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that
none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness" (Hebrews 3:13).
Today is a special day for me. First of all it's Brooksyne birthday so that's real special! She is penthkonta, which I share as a purposeful challenge to any who might want to figure out her age.
This is also the day this ministry started nine years ago in 1996 with a short email to two friends. I had preached a sermon the night before on encouraging one another daily and that was the leading I had from the Holy Spirit as to how I was to encourage daily. This Friday is still called today so here it goes out again!
I want to consider the word "hardened" in the text. This translates the Greek word "skleruno" which is the very same word from which we get the word sclerosis in English. You may be most familiar with this word in the description of a disease called arteriosclerosis, which is the hardening and thickening of the arteries.
If you're over 40 you've probably had your cholesterol checked. High cholesterol contributes to the build up of gunk in the blood vessels and that's not good. This is a health issue I struggle with, although it has decreased and I'm still working on it. The problem is that the kind of foods I like seem to have a lot of the stuff that causes high cholesterol. It's a constant battle due to the abundance of great food. Today I am taking Brooksyne to a famous restaurant here in Lancaster County called the "Shady Maple Smorgasbord."
Taking care of your physical health is important but it's even more important to take care of your spiritual health. The warning in the daily text is every bit as needed today. We all know people that have become hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Satan is a crafty, creative, and persistent foe. His specific weapons will change, but his strategy and goal are always the same. He wants to harden our hearts.
Today, I urge you to look for someone to encourage. It seems to me from reading the text the act of encouraging is beneficial both to the encourager as well as the one being encouraged. Be vigilant in the fight against spiritual arteriosclerosis caused by the cholesterol of sin!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen C. Weber
Brooksyne's Note: The Shady Maple Restaurant has a great marketing strategy. Anyone having a birthday gets a free meal. But of course, few would eat a birthday meal without family and friends, so thus my escort today is none other than my faithful husband.
Brooksyne's Prayer – "Jesus, when it comes to my heart, I need it to remain soft and pliable so that I do not lose my spiritual sensitivity to hear and obey Your voice. I think of some Christians who allowed their hearts to become hardened over the years and they became dull of their spiritual senses. They no longer heard You or felt Your presence in their life and their spiritual vision darkened. Help me, Lord, once again to taste and see that You are good. You are the Bread of Life. You satisfy my hunger and forever quench my thirst as I drink from Your springs of living water. The world only has temporary substitutes that can entrap me and draw me away from Your eternal pleasures. May I remain vigilant and never turn a deaf ear to Your voice which will only lead to the build up of sin in my life that eventually hardens my heart toward You. In Your name I pray. Amen."
We periodically like to share regarding the progress of this ministry and God's dealings in our lives, particularly during this time we have left our regular "jobs" and are focusing primarily on this online ministry. Here's a revised ministry update.
Here's an audio clip of a song that expresses my heart as I ponder today's message. I first heard this song in a church up in Connecticut last year and it has really blessed me ever since.
Today is a special day for me. First of all it's Brooksyne birthday so that's real special! She is penthkonta, which I share as a purposeful challenge to any who might want to figure out her age.
This is also the day this ministry started nine years ago in 1996 with a short email to two friends. I had preached a sermon the night before on encouraging one another daily and that was the leading I had from the Holy Spirit as to how I was to encourage daily. This Friday is still called today so here it goes out again!
I want to consider the word "hardened" in the text. This translates the Greek word "skleruno" which is the very same word from which we get the word sclerosis in English. You may be most familiar with this word in the description of a disease called arteriosclerosis, which is the hardening and thickening of the arteries.
If you're over 40 you've probably had your cholesterol checked. High cholesterol contributes to the build up of gunk in the blood vessels and that's not good. This is a health issue I struggle with, although it has decreased and I'm still working on it. The problem is that the kind of foods I like seem to have a lot of the stuff that causes high cholesterol. It's a constant battle due to the abundance of great food. Today I am taking Brooksyne to a famous restaurant here in Lancaster County called the "Shady Maple Smorgasbord."
Taking care of your physical health is important but it's even more important to take care of your spiritual health. The warning in the daily text is every bit as needed today. We all know people that have become hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Satan is a crafty, creative, and persistent foe. His specific weapons will change, but his strategy and goal are always the same. He wants to harden our hearts.
Today, I urge you to look for someone to encourage. It seems to me from reading the text the act of encouraging is beneficial both to the encourager as well as the one being encouraged. Be vigilant in the fight against spiritual arteriosclerosis caused by the cholesterol of sin!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen C. Weber
Brooksyne's Note: The Shady Maple Restaurant has a great marketing strategy. Anyone having a birthday gets a free meal. But of course, few would eat a birthday meal without family and friends, so thus my escort today is none other than my faithful husband.
Brooksyne's Prayer – "Jesus, when it comes to my heart, I need it to remain soft and pliable so that I do not lose my spiritual sensitivity to hear and obey Your voice. I think of some Christians who allowed their hearts to become hardened over the years and they became dull of their spiritual senses. They no longer heard You or felt Your presence in their life and their spiritual vision darkened. Help me, Lord, once again to taste and see that You are good. You are the Bread of Life. You satisfy my hunger and forever quench my thirst as I drink from Your springs of living water. The world only has temporary substitutes that can entrap me and draw me away from Your eternal pleasures. May I remain vigilant and never turn a deaf ear to Your voice which will only lead to the build up of sin in my life that eventually hardens my heart toward You. In Your name I pray. Amen."
We periodically like to share regarding the progress of this ministry and God's dealings in our lives, particularly during this time we have left our regular "jobs" and are focusing primarily on this online ministry. Here's a revised ministry update.
Here's an audio clip of a song that expresses my heart as I ponder today's message. I first heard this song in a church up in Connecticut last year and it has really blessed me ever since.
Sign
up
for the free daily email encouragement at www.dailyencouragement.net
Permissions:
Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on
Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided
that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the
cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not
protect or restrict
it. I do request that you keep the
contact,
copyright and subscription information intact.
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.
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.
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."
©
Copyright 2005 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved ׀
Daily
Encouragement
Net - PO
Box 714 - Mount Joy, PA 17552
"Living
today anchored in
God's solid foundation"