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Wednesday, December 17, 2014
"He Will Abundantly Pardon"
Listen to this
message on
your
audio player.
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:7).
We
use a form of old-fashioned supplemental heat in our
home, a coal stove. It uses a type of coal that comes from the
northeast part of Pennsylvania known as Anthracite or hard coal. This
coal burns clean and very hot with hardly any emissions. The photo
shows Roxie and Dottie enjoying the warmth in front of the stove on a
cold winter day.
Normally I have an annual delivery but so far this year I have been picking up the coal myself from an old-fashioned coal yard. Mellinger and Sons Coal has been family owned and operated since 1878, four years before my grandfather was born!
Richard
and Robert Mellinger, identical twins, presently run the business. They were born nine hours apart on October 28, 1955 which was one
week after Brooksyne came along. Since we
serve a company as chaplains in the area I load my van with several weeks
of coal that I scoop into 5 gallon drywall buckets. Loading the coal is
somewhat fulfilling, sort of like when we had a wood stove our first
year of marriage in 1976, and I cut my own firewood.
But I also enjoy visiting with Richard and Robert, bachelors who never married and continue to live in the same home they grew up in. I observed some evidence of Christian faith on the wall of the small office but last week Richard (or it might have been Robert) began to tell me a story and I realized he was witnessing to me!
He told me about George Wilson who was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for robbing the US mail on a route between Philadelphia and Reading Pennsylvania in 1829. But just before the time set for his execution President Andrew Jackson pardoned him. However Wilson refused the pardon and the Supreme Court ruled that a pardon was not in effect until accepted. Wilson was executed even though he had been pardoned, since he refused to accept it.
He went on to relate this to God's offered pardon and the necessity that we accept it. The Bible says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). An old hymn ends with this inviting line, "Will you this moment His grace receive?" *
Because God is just, He must punish our sins. But because God is merciful, He Himself suffered the awful penalty when Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby with the mission to redeem and offer pardon. He suffered the wrath of God when He died on the cross of Calvary. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Isaiah has a powerful, timeless call to the human race, "Let
the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let
him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our
God, for He will abundantly pardon" (55:7).
Just consider the wonderful words. "He will abundantly pardon." You can easily memorize them, And He will! Don't be like George Wilson. Accept God's freely offered pardon. "Will you this moment His grace receive?"
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Loving Father, Paid In Full
is engraved on the loving hands and feet of our Lord Jesus Christ
who gave His all that we could be fully pardoned. We accept this
marvelous provision though it is incomprehensible by our finite minds to fully grasp.
So many refuse Christ's substitutionary death and continue to bemoan
their pitiful plight in life, wallowing in their dismal existence. But
for those of us who accept Christ's full pardon we enjoy an abundant
life, freed from the guilt of our past, and unfearful of our future.
Our reservations for the New Jerusalem were secured upon our acceptance
of Your free gift of salvation. It's a win/win situation for all who
forsake their sinful life and take up the cross of Jesus. We will still
be praising You and giving thanks one million years from now, for never
has there been such a gift offered by human hand. It's because of Jesus
and Your amazing grace that we have access to the throne. Amen.
Special Note: We
want to thank all who have financially supported our ministry this past
year. We typically see a spike in giving at the end of the year for
which we are most thankful. We realize there are many fine ministries
and causes requesting support at this time but if the Lord would lead
you we surely need and appreciate the financial support from our
readers and listeners. Our ministry (and support) is essentially comprised of half
our time to Daily
Encouragement and the other half to our chaplaincy ministry to
companies (of course, this varies week by week). Each of these
ministries essentially is the same as a
part-time job
for each of us (20+
hours weekly). Our goal for many
years is that each phase would provide half of our ministry expenses
and
family income. You can donate by check, online or using PayPal. If you would like to make a donation see here
for more information or donate directly online here. Thank you!
Brooksyne's Note: What a spiritual lift I received upon attending a dramatic word-for-word presentation of Luke 1-2. "Piercing Word" is a dramatic team named from Hebrews 4:12 (ESV):"For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." They perform Scripture word perfect in compelling dramatic presentations as they challenge and encourage people to memorize God's Word. They also offer summer Theatre camps, spring and fall discipleship teams and workshops on memorizing the Bible. Based in Lancaster, PA, they travel all over the country igniting passion for the Word of God. We include a YouTube sample of the Luke presentation that was similar to the dramatization I witnessed. Their love for the Bible is evident and contagious. I love memorizing Scripture, but admittedly I do it intermittently so I was challenge afresh. They do it faithfully. I encourage you to check out their website. Piercing Word Ministries
Piercing Word Christmas Trailer (Video)
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
* "Grace Greater Than All Our Sin" Video Congregational singing This is how I like church to sound!
* "Grace Greater Than All Our Sin" Video Bart Millard (A bit more contemporary sounding)
"Grace Will Always Be Greater Than Sin" Video The Hoppers A powerful song! I like this line:
"Seek The LORD While He May Be Found" (Isaiah 55:6-9) Video Esther Mui
"Let Him Return" (Jeremiah 17:10 & Isaiah 55:7) Video Scripture Memory Songs
I found the story of the George Wilson pardon online and also for those who want to read the law aspect here.
Each year we share several online resources that we have used over the years and that may be a blessing to families and churches during this Christmas season.
"In Remembrance of Me" pdf This is a passion-filled Scripture reading for two adults. We have used this reading with great receptivity during Christmas Eve services over the years. We suggest, if possible, a musical background as the message is read. It is also a great lead-in to a Communion service. It should be thoroughly practiced and read with great feeling.
"When Christ Was Born" pdf This is an adaptation to the tune of "How Great Thou Art". It's a great song to sing as a congregation since most are familiar with and love the tune.
Responsive Christmas Scripture readings for church or family:
John 1:1-18 pdf
"O Come Let Us Adore Him" pdf
My First Christmas In Heaven This is a blessed reminder for all who lost a loved one this year. This is the poem that Brooksyne read and wrote about in this message.
Christmas Knowledge Test
We have also posted two Christmas carol quizzes here (scroll down).
Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Amazon. Any orders placed to Amazon using this link or any specific product link to a recommended resource in a message will help our Daily Encouragement ministry through a small commission on the sale. Thank you for considering using these links when purchasing online through Amazon! Tip: If you are a regular Amazon customer consider bookmarking this link and using it whenever you shop on Amazon.
Looking for a very special Christmas gift for your parents?
Here's an idea! "The Best Gift You Can Ever Give Your Parents"
Looking for a very special Christmas gift for your children?
Here's an idea! "The Blessing"
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe to our email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)
Are
our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? We ask you to
consider making a donation to Daily Encouragement Net so that we can
continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is
accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily
Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support
of its readers and podcast listeners. See here
for more information on supporting this
ministry. Gifts are tax deductible.
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!
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."
© Copyright 2014 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
<Previous Message Next Message>
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
"He Will Abundantly Pardon"
Listen to this
message on
your
audio player."Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:7).
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
We
use a form of old-fashioned supplemental heat in our
home, a coal stove. It uses a type of coal that comes from the
northeast part of Pennsylvania known as Anthracite or hard coal. This
coal burns clean and very hot with hardly any emissions. The photo
shows Roxie and Dottie enjoying the warmth in front of the stove on a
cold winter day.Normally I have an annual delivery but so far this year I have been picking up the coal myself from an old-fashioned coal yard. Mellinger and Sons Coal has been family owned and operated since 1878, four years before my grandfather was born!
Richard
and Robert Mellinger, identical twins, presently run the business. They were born nine hours apart on October 28, 1955 which was one
week after Brooksyne came along. Since we
serve a company as chaplains in the area I load my van with several weeks
of coal that I scoop into 5 gallon drywall buckets. Loading the coal is
somewhat fulfilling, sort of like when we had a wood stove our first
year of marriage in 1976, and I cut my own firewood.But I also enjoy visiting with Richard and Robert, bachelors who never married and continue to live in the same home they grew up in. I observed some evidence of Christian faith on the wall of the small office but last week Richard (or it might have been Robert) began to tell me a story and I realized he was witnessing to me!
He told me about George Wilson who was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for robbing the US mail on a route between Philadelphia and Reading Pennsylvania in 1829. But just before the time set for his execution President Andrew Jackson pardoned him. However Wilson refused the pardon and the Supreme Court ruled that a pardon was not in effect until accepted. Wilson was executed even though he had been pardoned, since he refused to accept it.
He went on to relate this to God's offered pardon and the necessity that we accept it. The Bible says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). An old hymn ends with this inviting line, "Will you this moment His grace receive?" *
Because God is just, He must punish our sins. But because God is merciful, He Himself suffered the awful penalty when Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby with the mission to redeem and offer pardon. He suffered the wrath of God when He died on the cross of Calvary. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Isaiah has a powerful, timeless call to the human race, "Let
the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let
him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our
God, for He will abundantly pardon" (55:7).Just consider the wonderful words. "He will abundantly pardon." You can easily memorize them, And He will! Don't be like George Wilson. Accept God's freely offered pardon. "Will you this moment His grace receive?"
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Loving Father, Paid In Full
is engraved on the loving hands and feet of our Lord Jesus Christ
who gave His all that we could be fully pardoned. We accept this
marvelous provision though it is incomprehensible by our finite minds to fully grasp.
So many refuse Christ's substitutionary death and continue to bemoan
their pitiful plight in life, wallowing in their dismal existence. But
for those of us who accept Christ's full pardon we enjoy an abundant
life, freed from the guilt of our past, and unfearful of our future.
Our reservations for the New Jerusalem were secured upon our acceptance
of Your free gift of salvation. It's a win/win situation for all who
forsake their sinful life and take up the cross of Jesus. We will still
be praising You and giving thanks one million years from now, for never
has there been such a gift offered by human hand. It's because of Jesus
and Your amazing grace that we have access to the throne. Amen.Special Note: We
want to thank all who have financially supported our ministry this past
year. We typically see a spike in giving at the end of the year for
which we are most thankful. We realize there are many fine ministries
and causes requesting support at this time but if the Lord would lead
you we surely need and appreciate the financial support from our
readers and listeners. Our ministry (and support) is essentially comprised of half
our time to Daily
Encouragement and the other half to our chaplaincy ministry to
companies (of course, this varies week by week). Each of these
ministries essentially is the same as a
part-time job
for each of us (20+
hours weekly). Our goal for many
years is that each phase would provide half of our ministry expenses
and
family income. You can donate by check, online or using PayPal. If you would like to make a donation see here
for more information or donate directly online here. Thank you! Brooksyne's Note: What a spiritual lift I received upon attending a dramatic word-for-word presentation of Luke 1-2. "Piercing Word" is a dramatic team named from Hebrews 4:12 (ESV):"For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." They perform Scripture word perfect in compelling dramatic presentations as they challenge and encourage people to memorize God's Word. They also offer summer Theatre camps, spring and fall discipleship teams and workshops on memorizing the Bible. Based in Lancaster, PA, they travel all over the country igniting passion for the Word of God. We include a YouTube sample of the Luke presentation that was similar to the dramatization I witnessed. Their love for the Bible is evident and contagious. I love memorizing Scripture, but admittedly I do it intermittently so I was challenge afresh. They do it faithfully. I encourage you to check out their website. Piercing Word Ministries
Piercing Word Christmas Trailer (Video)
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
* "Grace Greater Than All Our Sin" Video Congregational singing This is how I like church to sound!
* "Grace Greater Than All Our Sin" Video Bart Millard (A bit more contemporary sounding)
"Grace Will Always Be Greater Than Sin" Video The Hoppers A powerful song! I like this line:
In Holy pages this truth can be found
A promise to stand on when darkness abounds
Oh, right never loses and wrong never wins
And grace will always be greater than sin
A promise to stand on when darkness abounds
Oh, right never loses and wrong never wins
And grace will always be greater than sin
"Seek The LORD While He May Be Found" (Isaiah 55:6-9) Video Esther Mui
"Let Him Return" (Jeremiah 17:10 & Isaiah 55:7) Video Scripture Memory Songs
I found the story of the George Wilson pardon online and also for those who want to read the law aspect here.
Resources
for Christmas Celebrations
Personal, family and church
(We will leave these resources posted below our daily messages through Christmas)
(We will leave these resources posted below our daily messages through Christmas)
Each year we share several online resources that we have used over the years and that may be a blessing to families and churches during this Christmas season.
"In Remembrance of Me" pdf This is a passion-filled Scripture reading for two adults. We have used this reading with great receptivity during Christmas Eve services over the years. We suggest, if possible, a musical background as the message is read. It is also a great lead-in to a Communion service. It should be thoroughly practiced and read with great feeling.
"When Christ Was Born" pdf This is an adaptation to the tune of "How Great Thou Art". It's a great song to sing as a congregation since most are familiar with and love the tune.
Responsive Christmas Scripture readings for church or family:
John 1:1-18 pdf
"O Come Let Us Adore Him" pdf
My First Christmas In Heaven This is a blessed reminder for all who lost a loved one this year. This is the poem that Brooksyne read and wrote about in this message.
Christmas Knowledge Test
We have also posted two Christmas carol quizzes here (scroll down).
Are you Christmas
shopping online?
Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Amazon. Any orders placed to Amazon using this link or any specific product link to a recommended resource in a message will help our Daily Encouragement ministry through a small commission on the sale. Thank you for considering using these links when purchasing online through Amazon! Tip: If you are a regular Amazon customer consider bookmarking this link and using it whenever you shop on Amazon.
Looking for a very special Christmas gift for your parents?
Here's an idea! "The Best Gift You Can Ever Give Your Parents"
Looking for a very special Christmas gift for your children?
Here's an idea! "The Blessing"
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe to our email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)
Are
our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? We ask you to
consider making a donation to Daily Encouragement Net so that we can
continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is
accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily
Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support
of its readers and podcast listeners. See here
for more information on supporting this
ministry. Gifts are tax deductible.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!
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."
© Copyright 2014 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA