A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
Home About Us Archives Free email subscription
Listen to these
messages
Text only for
printing
<Previous
Message
Next
Message
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Gordonville Mud Sale
The carriage sale was a major source of interest to the Amish.
"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" (Jude 1:3).
When we lived in New England our local paper had a section called "Church Briefs" which gave a brief preview of coming activities in local churches. In a stunning example of apostasy one local "church" announced "First Parish Church will have children dressed in costumes parade in the sanctuary Sunday. They will then sit down and hear the Rev. Bill Wagner read to them from the new Harry Potter book on how Harry learned to fly a broomstick." I recall speaking to a layperson who attended this church who told me that his church was really growing with young families in search of "religion". They apparently find the "faith" expressed in this "church" fits in well with what they already believe!
Jude, who wrote a single chapter book near the end of the New Testament felt a compulsion from the Holy Spirit to write to the early church with the exhortation expressed in our daily Scripture verse. He was concerned about apostasy (falling away from the faith). We must heed Jude's warning today. The ongoing faithfulness to Christ's truth requires that each generation do so.
We are urged to "contend for the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints." "Contend" means to "struggle for" and indeed maintaining sound doctrine in the midst of Biblical error, prevailing philosophies or even political correctness can be a struggle.
False doctrines, which are contrary to the Scripture, abound. Some are new, others are ancient errors resurfacing. Early in my ministry I recall Thomas F. Zimmerman, an older preacher respond to a popular, but unscriptural fad that was sweeping through the churches at that time. "Some of us are old enough that we have seen these errors come around, go away, and come back again." Now, all these years later, I too can say that I've seen the recycling of false doctrine over my over 35 years of ministry.
We are to hold to "the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints." This is the Apostle's doctrine expressed in the Holy Scriptures. Faithful ministry in every age subsequent to the Apostles has been a declaration of this faith.
Preacher friends, Bible teachers, and Bible students stay true to this faith today. Contend for it and declare it unashamedly to those whom you influence. Paul wrote, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions" (2 Timothy 4:3).
Faithful lay person, be like the Bereans, "who received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11). We must all do our part to abate apostasy.
Thank God for the faithful remnant who continue to proclaim "the faith once for all handed down." Let us be counted among them today as we stand up boldly for this faith and confront the heresies of our day.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father,
as we earnestly contend for the faith once for all entrusted to the
saints, we recognize the great responsibility we have to carry out this
command in our own generation. Doctrinal error, intentional or
unintentional, brings confusion and division. It can very well lead to
eternal damnation instead of eternal life in heaven when we force
Scripture "to suit our own passions." We want to be conveyors of
the pure gospel, accepting Your standard of truth, and live righteously
through Jesus our Lord. It is in His name that we pray.
Amen.
Note: We expect to continue with a study from Jude in the next several messages dealing with the specific error he encountered and refuted. It still exists today.
Brooksyne's Personal Note: Thank you for your prayers that went up on my behalf. I have been under the weather since Friday but today I was up at 6 A.M. and am starting to feel more like myself. Not there all the way, but thanking and trusting God that I soon will be.
More photos from the Gordonville Mud Sale held this last Saturday
"I Believe In Jesus" Video Marc Nelson
Gordonville Mud Sale Video Video
2011 Lancaster County Mud Sale schedule for any who may be interested! This coming Saturday we plan to go to the Penryn Mud Sale which is closer to us.
Like many of you we continue to pray for the people in Japan. Here's a prayer by John Piper that Brooksyne and I prayed together this morning.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Gordonville Mud Sale
The carriage sale was a major source of interest to the Amish.
"Contend Earnestly"
"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" (Jude 1:3).
When we lived in New England our local paper had a section called "Church Briefs" which gave a brief preview of coming activities in local churches. In a stunning example of apostasy one local "church" announced "First Parish Church will have children dressed in costumes parade in the sanctuary Sunday. They will then sit down and hear the Rev. Bill Wagner read to them from the new Harry Potter book on how Harry learned to fly a broomstick." I recall speaking to a layperson who attended this church who told me that his church was really growing with young families in search of "religion". They apparently find the "faith" expressed in this "church" fits in well with what they already believe!
Jude, who wrote a single chapter book near the end of the New Testament felt a compulsion from the Holy Spirit to write to the early church with the exhortation expressed in our daily Scripture verse. He was concerned about apostasy (falling away from the faith). We must heed Jude's warning today. The ongoing faithfulness to Christ's truth requires that each generation do so.
We are urged to "contend for the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints." "Contend" means to "struggle for" and indeed maintaining sound doctrine in the midst of Biblical error, prevailing philosophies or even political correctness can be a struggle.
False doctrines, which are contrary to the Scripture, abound. Some are new, others are ancient errors resurfacing. Early in my ministry I recall Thomas F. Zimmerman, an older preacher respond to a popular, but unscriptural fad that was sweeping through the churches at that time. "Some of us are old enough that we have seen these errors come around, go away, and come back again." Now, all these years later, I too can say that I've seen the recycling of false doctrine over my over 35 years of ministry.
We are to hold to "the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints." This is the Apostle's doctrine expressed in the Holy Scriptures. Faithful ministry in every age subsequent to the Apostles has been a declaration of this faith.
Preacher friends, Bible teachers, and Bible students stay true to this faith today. Contend for it and declare it unashamedly to those whom you influence. Paul wrote, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions" (2 Timothy 4:3).
Faithful lay person, be like the Bereans, "who received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11). We must all do our part to abate apostasy.
Thank God for the faithful remnant who continue to proclaim "the faith once for all handed down." Let us be counted among them today as we stand up boldly for this faith and confront the heresies of our day.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father,
as we earnestly contend for the faith once for all entrusted to the
saints, we recognize the great responsibility we have to carry out this
command in our own generation. Doctrinal error, intentional or
unintentional, brings confusion and division. It can very well lead to
eternal damnation instead of eternal life in heaven when we force
Scripture "to suit our own passions." We want to be conveyors of
the pure gospel, accepting Your standard of truth, and live righteously
through Jesus our Lord. It is in His name that we pray.
Amen.Note: We expect to continue with a study from Jude in the next several messages dealing with the specific error he encountered and refuted. It still exists today.
Brooksyne's Personal Note: Thank you for your prayers that went up on my behalf. I have been under the weather since Friday but today I was up at 6 A.M. and am starting to feel more like myself. Not there all the way, but thanking and trusting God that I soon will be.
More photos from the Gordonville Mud Sale held this last Saturday
You bought it, now you have to get it home!
The sale site is right next to the main rail line and every time a train went by a group would walk over for a look.
The sale site is right next to the main rail line and every time a train went by a group would walk over for a look.
The Amish boys are ready to help haul the items purchased for a tip. They were kept very busy.
The teenage girls helped out in the food booths or gathered like other American teenagers and fiddled with their cell phones.
It was a great outing for the family and these boys who enjoyed looking out over the sale site.
The teenage girls helped out in the food booths or gathered like other American teenagers and fiddled with their cell phones.
It was a great outing for the family and these boys who enjoyed looking out over the sale site.
"Pom Pom" Flower
This exotic looking "flower" is really not a flower! We had quite a number of thoughtful responses to a rather tricky question (somewhat rascally really!) We didn't think anyone would get it but, lo and behold, when I opened the computer this morning we had a correct answer from Patrick in Perth, Australia who wrote, "Looks like chicken wishbones to me! Could it be?"
Indeed that is correct.
Now Brooksyne shares the rest of the story!
This exotic looking "flower" is really not a flower! We had quite a number of thoughtful responses to a rather tricky question (somewhat rascally really!) We didn't think anyone would get it but, lo and behold, when I opened the computer this morning we had a correct answer from Patrick in Perth, Australia who wrote, "Looks like chicken wishbones to me! Could it be?"
Indeed that is correct.
Now Brooksyne shares the rest of the story!
Jim
Showers of Elizabethtown created this most unusual, if not unique,
"flower" arrangement. It's a total of 225 wishbones from chicken,
duck, turkey and geese that his Aunt Catherine Fry saved following the
special holidays she hosted for her family. She gave them to Jim
recently and suggested he find something to do with them, and he did
just that. Of course the pom poms are the wishbones and the
two stems are made of pliable electrical cord. Once the
arrangement was painted and placed in the lovely piece of pottery one
would think it to be a flower.
I was visiting Catherine at the nursing home and she said, "What kind of flower do you think this is?" I had no idea and when she told me I knew we had to share this with our readers. Catherine is a devout woman of faith who, along with her husband, raised a godly family on a large farm near Elizabethtown, PA. Jim told me this morning, "She was a Martha Stewart of her generation...housekeeping, decorating, baking, and gardening." Jim has had many years of experience in gardening himself as he worked at Longwood Gardens and headed up many projects there including the beautiful topiary gardens. He presently works at a nursery near Hershey.
I was visiting Catherine at the nursing home and she said, "What kind of flower do you think this is?" I had no idea and when she told me I knew we had to share this with our readers. Catherine is a devout woman of faith who, along with her husband, raised a godly family on a large farm near Elizabethtown, PA. Jim told me this morning, "She was a Martha Stewart of her generation...housekeeping, decorating, baking, and gardening." Jim has had many years of experience in gardening himself as he worked at Longwood Gardens and headed up many projects there including the beautiful topiary gardens. He presently works at a nursery near Hershey.
Today's
Suggested Music
and Supplemental
Resources
"I Believe In Jesus" Video Marc Nelson
Gordonville Mud Sale Video Video
2011 Lancaster County Mud Sale schedule for any who may be interested! This coming Saturday we plan to go to the Penryn Mud Sale which is closer to us.
Like many of you we continue to pray for the people in Japan. Here's a prayer by John Piper that Brooksyne and I prayed together this morning.
Send a message to Stephen &
Brooksyne
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.
Text only version for printing: To make a text only version for printing (without photos or any of the supplemental materials)
1) Open the basic text editor that comes with all computers (known as wordpad, textpad, etc.) You can also use a program like Word and select paste text only.
2) Select and copy the text from the portion of the message you want to print.
3) Paste into the text pad. (The photos won't show up but you will have a brief text description of the photo which you can delete or just ignore.)
4) Format if you desire (change font, increase or decrease size, etc.)
5) Print!
Text only version for printing: To make a text only version for printing (without photos or any of the supplemental materials)
1) Open the basic text editor that comes with all computers (known as wordpad, textpad, etc.) You can also use a program like Word and select paste text only.
2) Select and copy the text from the portion of the message you want to print.
3) Paste into the text pad. (The photos won't show up but you will have a brief text description of the photo which you can delete or just ignore.)
4) Format if you desire (change font, increase or decrease size, etc.)
5) Print!
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.
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."
Daily
Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com
©
Copyright 2011
Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
Home
www.dailyencouragement.net
Contact us
This device counts unique
visitors by nation and
state. I
installed the international version in mid April 2010 and the state
version later. They thus register unique
visitors to since then.
"Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"