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"It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority" (Acts 1:7).
`
Any
given time we prepare these messages we are mindful of those enduring
heartache. It may be in our own family, neighborhood, our church body, or our work
associations.
Most certainly, as we read the news, we become aware of heartache being experienced by people in so many places all over the world. This morning we read of the tornado in Joplin, Missouri, where Brooksyne and I spent the first night of our honeymoon on our way to the Branson area and Table Rock Lake. We have friends in that area and two years ago had lunch with a Daily Encouragement reader from Joplin on our way to Oklahoma. My folks lived there for awhile and my older brother Pat was born there.
"It is not for you to know". That's a response children don't like to hear when they're wondering about a matter, pestering their parents for answers. But we don't like that response either, as adults. We want to know; we want answers to the five W questions; who, what, when, why and where. And we especially want the answers to "What if?" to those situations that affect us personally or those we care about!
In the previous verse the disciples asked, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" They were still anticipating the establishment of a material, political kingdom and I doubt that they expected Christ's ascension into heaven that would follow only moments later. I wonder if they were disappointed when He ascended? There were surely many more questions for which they sought answers.
Christ's answer to their question, His final words prior to His ascension back to heaven, was that it was not for them to know the times or dates the Father had set by His own authority, but that the Spirit would empower them to be His witnesses (v. 8).
Do you think the disciples were satisfied with that answer? Did some grumbling take place among them, "That's not what we asked about. Did He not hear us? Why doesn't He tell us more? What if?"
The disciples had a specific question but I also believe there is a general principle here in regard to God's dealings in our lives. We also have questions, but like the disciples, we don't get all the answers we want. Sometimes we get essentially the same message, "It is not for you to know." That's hard, particularly in the midst of a trial.
We
can find assurance in the last phrase of the daily text, which contains
a powerful spiritual principle regarding any great question of life: "The Father has set by His own authority."
Remember, God is in control, and He has a set purpose for all that He's doing and for when He chooses to do it. What peace to know that our times are in His hands! (Psalm 31:15).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, You have called us to a journey of faith where we learn to
trust You for all that we have need of, for the present and the
future - in our relationships, our health, our earthly provisions
and our spiritual needs. Like the songwriter, Louisa Stead,
wrote; "I'm so glad I learned to trust You, precious Jesus, Savior,
Friend; For I know that You are with me; Will be with me to the end.
Jesus, Jesus How I trust You, How I've proved You o'er and o'er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, O for grace to trust You
more." Help us to find the sweetness of wholeheartedly trusting
in You, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Update On Ester: Ester remains in the hospital today. Her INR, thanks to frozen plasma along with Vitamin K on Friday, and much prayer throughout her ordeal, dropped from the huge number of greater than 16.23 to 5. It was a greater drop than doctors would have anticipated so they kept her another night. Sunday's number took her up again to 10.1. The mystery continues but thankfully her INR is 8.1 this morning so it's in the right direction (3 bags of plasma given yesterday). Doctors have not done their rounds today so we await word on the next course of action. Thank you for your continued prayers and interest.
Today's text would also fit well for yet another failed attempt this weekend at projecting the end of the world/return of the Lord, the most recent of such attempts through the church age and surely not the last. However this one got a lot more publicity. Of course such attempts bring an excuse for mocking. Here's an interesting article on the matter from one of my favorite writers.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Farther Along" Video The Grascals Now this is really country bluegrass!
"Farther Along" Video Gaither Homecoming
"God Is In Control" Video Kristian & Shannon Walker
"Wrap Me In Your Arms" Video Kristian & Shannon Walker
Send
a message to Stephen &
Brooksyne.
Monday, May 23,
2011
Our friends Gene and Doris Wenger told me their swan couple, Buford and Beauty, had baby swans. Saturday I drove by for a look and was able to get surprisingly close. Baby swans are known as cygnets (something I just learned this morning). Notice the large nest in the background.
Our friends Gene and Doris Wenger told me their swan couple, Buford and Beauty, had baby swans. Saturday I drove by for a look and was able to get surprisingly close. Baby swans are known as cygnets (something I just learned this morning). Notice the large nest in the background.
"Farther Along"
"It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority" (Acts 1:7).
`
When we see Jesus coming in glory,
When He comes from His home in the sky.
Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion,
We'll understand it all by and by.
When He comes from His home in the sky.
Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion,
We'll understand it all by and by.
Any
given time we prepare these messages we are mindful of those enduring
heartache. It may be in our own family, neighborhood, our church body, or our work
associations. Most certainly, as we read the news, we become aware of heartache being experienced by people in so many places all over the world. This morning we read of the tornado in Joplin, Missouri, where Brooksyne and I spent the first night of our honeymoon on our way to the Branson area and Table Rock Lake. We have friends in that area and two years ago had lunch with a Daily Encouragement reader from Joplin on our way to Oklahoma. My folks lived there for awhile and my older brother Pat was born there.
When death has come and taken our loved ones,
It leaves our home so lonely and drear.
Then do we wonder why others prosper,
Living so wicked year after year.
It leaves our home so lonely and drear.
Then do we wonder why others prosper,
Living so wicked year after year.
"It is not for you to know". That's a response children don't like to hear when they're wondering about a matter, pestering their parents for answers. But we don't like that response either, as adults. We want to know; we want answers to the five W questions; who, what, when, why and where. And we especially want the answers to "What if?" to those situations that affect us personally or those we care about!
In the previous verse the disciples asked, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" They were still anticipating the establishment of a material, political kingdom and I doubt that they expected Christ's ascension into heaven that would follow only moments later. I wonder if they were disappointed when He ascended? There were surely many more questions for which they sought answers.
Christ's answer to their question, His final words prior to His ascension back to heaven, was that it was not for them to know the times or dates the Father had set by His own authority, but that the Spirit would empower them to be His witnesses (v. 8).
Do you think the disciples were satisfied with that answer? Did some grumbling take place among them, "That's not what we asked about. Did He not hear us? Why doesn't He tell us more? What if?"
Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder,
Why it should be thus all the day long.
While there are others living about us,
Never molested though in the wrong.
Why it should be thus all the day long.
While there are others living about us,
Never molested though in the wrong.
The disciples had a specific question but I also believe there is a general principle here in regard to God's dealings in our lives. We also have questions, but like the disciples, we don't get all the answers we want. Sometimes we get essentially the same message, "It is not for you to know." That's hard, particularly in the midst of a trial.
Faithful till death said our loving Master,
A few more days to labor and wait.
Toils of the road will then seem as nothing,
As we sweep through the beautiful gate.
A few more days to labor and wait.
Toils of the road will then seem as nothing,
As we sweep through the beautiful gate.
We
can find assurance in the last phrase of the daily text, which contains
a powerful spiritual principle regarding any great question of life: "The Father has set by His own authority." Remember, God is in control, and He has a set purpose for all that He's doing and for when He chooses to do it. What peace to know that our times are in His hands! (Psalm 31:15).
Farther along we'll know all about it.
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine,
We'll understand it all by and by.
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine,
We'll understand it all by and by.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, You have called us to a journey of faith where we learn to
trust You for all that we have need of, for the present and the
future - in our relationships, our health, our earthly provisions
and our spiritual needs. Like the songwriter, Louisa Stead,
wrote; "I'm so glad I learned to trust You, precious Jesus, Savior,
Friend; For I know that You are with me; Will be with me to the end.
Jesus, Jesus How I trust You, How I've proved You o'er and o'er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, O for grace to trust You
more." Help us to find the sweetness of wholeheartedly trusting
in You, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.Update On Ester: Ester remains in the hospital today. Her INR, thanks to frozen plasma along with Vitamin K on Friday, and much prayer throughout her ordeal, dropped from the huge number of greater than 16.23 to 5. It was a greater drop than doctors would have anticipated so they kept her another night. Sunday's number took her up again to 10.1. The mystery continues but thankfully her INR is 8.1 this morning so it's in the right direction (3 bags of plasma given yesterday). Doctors have not done their rounds today so we await word on the next course of action. Thank you for your continued prayers and interest.
Today's text would also fit well for yet another failed attempt this weekend at projecting the end of the world/return of the Lord, the most recent of such attempts through the church age and surely not the last. However this one got a lot more publicity. Of course such attempts bring an excuse for mocking. Here's an interesting article on the matter from one of my favorite writers.
Here's a photo I took of "Beauty" several years ago.
We continue to serve a small rural congregation about 20 miles from Lancaster and yesterday we had two former pastors in attendance. To the right are Jesse and Wilma Dourte, who served the church in the late-sixties through mid-seventies and to the left is Jim and Eva Ketner, who served from the mid-seventies through mid-eighties. I find great joy in fellowshipping with faithful servants of God who stay the course years after their pastoral service is completed.
In the course of getting around our agricutural area we often see some interesting farm machinery. This is a self-propelled sprayer. The spray arms are folded in for transport but this is what the machine looks like in the field when in use.
Last night I saw some activity in a bush near our barn with Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal flying in and out. I went to carefully explore and sure enough it was a cardinal nest with two remaining crowded baby cardinals. When I checked later only one was left. This morning the nest is empty. Here's a photo from several years ago when I managed to find another cardinal nest a lot younger along with an unhatched egg.
We continue to serve a small rural congregation about 20 miles from Lancaster and yesterday we had two former pastors in attendance. To the right are Jesse and Wilma Dourte, who served the church in the late-sixties through mid-seventies and to the left is Jim and Eva Ketner, who served from the mid-seventies through mid-eighties. I find great joy in fellowshipping with faithful servants of God who stay the course years after their pastoral service is completed.
In the course of getting around our agricutural area we often see some interesting farm machinery. This is a self-propelled sprayer. The spray arms are folded in for transport but this is what the machine looks like in the field when in use.
Last night I saw some activity in a bush near our barn with Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal flying in and out. I went to carefully explore and sure enough it was a cardinal nest with two remaining crowded baby cardinals. When I checked later only one was left. This morning the nest is empty. Here's a photo from several years ago when I managed to find another cardinal nest a lot younger along with an unhatched egg.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Farther Along" Video The Grascals Now this is really country bluegrass!
"Farther Along" Video Gaither Homecoming
Farther along we'll know all about it.
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine,
We'll understand it all by and by.
Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder,
Why it should be thus all the day long.
While there are others living about us,
Never molested though in the wrong.
When death has come and taken our loved ones,
It leaves our home so lonely and drear.
Then do we wonder why others prosper,
Living so wicked year after year.
Faithful till death said our loving Master,
A few more days to labor and wait.
Toils of the road will then seem as nothing,
As we sweep through the beautiful gate.
When we see Jesus coming in glory,
When He comes from His home in the sky.
Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion,
We'll understand it all by and by.
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine,
We'll understand it all by and by.
Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder,
Why it should be thus all the day long.
While there are others living about us,
Never molested though in the wrong.
When death has come and taken our loved ones,
It leaves our home so lonely and drear.
Then do we wonder why others prosper,
Living so wicked year after year.
Faithful till death said our loving Master,
A few more days to labor and wait.
Toils of the road will then seem as nothing,
As we sweep through the beautiful gate.
When we see Jesus coming in glory,
When He comes from His home in the sky.
Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion,
We'll understand it all by and by.
"God Is In Control" Video Kristian & Shannon Walker
"Wrap Me In Your Arms" Video Kristian & Shannon Walker
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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."
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Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com
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Copyright 2011
Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
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