A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
Home Archives About Us Free email subscription
Listen to these messages
Daily Encouragement on
Facebook
Twitter 
Wordpress
LinkedIn<Previous Message Next Message>
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Ravenel Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina
"The Called, Beloved, and Kept"
Message summary: Today we encourage you to place your faith and hope in Christ so that you too can experience the blessed assurance of being among those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.
Listen
to our
message on your
audio player.
"To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ" (Jude 1:4).
While we were in Charleston, South Carolina last Saturday we took a carriage tour. My sister insisted that we take one and we are glad we did. There are about 50 different horse and carriage teams and, to avoid congestion, the city randomly assigns carriage drivers one of four routes. Nevertheless we still encountered other carriages during our tour.
Our driver, John, was a knowledgeable native of the Charleston area who told history stories as the horse clip clopped along. We remember the clip clop sound because they wear very thick horse shoes. In one story we passed homes along the Bay that had at one time been a decrepit slum but now have been beautifully restored and are worth millions of dollars.
Another story he told was about Lavinia Fisher, a female serial killer, who poisoned guests at her boarding house so she could steal their belongings. When she was executed for her crimes she used her last breath to scream, "If you have a message you want to send to hell, give it to me, and I'll carry it!"
She was expressing an assurance but certainly not the same kind of assurance as that of believers. As Christians our assurance is that our sins are forgiven, we are in a right relationship with God and that our eternal resting place will be in heaven.
Fanny Crosby expressed this in her hymn "Blessed Assurance".
Jude's short letter, the final letter in the New Testament, was addressed "to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ." I believe his salutation includes me and certainly that includes you as well if you have accepted Christ as your Saviour. It is a great three part message of assurance.
Today we encourage you to place your faith and hope in Jesus Christ so that you too can experience the blessed assurance of being among those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, as the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthian believers, "If our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
But our hope and assurance exceeds our temporary dwelling on earth, for
when "our earthly bodies are planted in the ground after we die, they
will be raised to live forever." When we breathe our last on earth "our
bodies will be buried in brokenness, but they
will be raised in glory" where we will take on immortality and reign
forevermore with Jesus." Blessed be the glorious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Some more photos from our visit to Charleston, South Carolina
The historic area is extremely well kept with many flowers already planted in planters all through the city. But what caught our eye in this photo is the Bonsai tree planted in the upper middle window box.
Between the houses were well tended alleys.
A vibrant ivy is growing along these step risers.
Entry Doors that make you feel like a butler or maid might open them if you called on these well-to-do owners!
Even the driveways are attractive in beauty and design.
These magnificent homes were along the Battery Park by the waterfront
Ravenel Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina
"The Called, Beloved, and Kept"
Message summary: Today we encourage you to place your faith and hope in Christ so that you too can experience the blessed assurance of being among those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.
Listen
to our
message on your
audio player."To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ" (Jude 1:4).
While we were in Charleston, South Carolina last Saturday we took a carriage tour. My sister insisted that we take one and we are glad we did. There are about 50 different horse and carriage teams and, to avoid congestion, the city randomly assigns carriage drivers one of four routes. Nevertheless we still encountered other carriages during our tour.
Our driver, John, was a knowledgeable native of the Charleston area who told history stories as the horse clip clopped along. We remember the clip clop sound because they wear very thick horse shoes. In one story we passed homes along the Bay that had at one time been a decrepit slum but now have been beautifully restored and are worth millions of dollars.
Another story he told was about Lavinia Fisher, a female serial killer, who poisoned guests at her boarding house so she could steal their belongings. When she was executed for her crimes she used her last breath to scream, "If you have a message you want to send to hell, give it to me, and I'll carry it!"
She was expressing an assurance but certainly not the same kind of assurance as that of believers. As Christians our assurance is that our sins are forgiven, we are in a right relationship with God and that our eternal resting place will be in heaven.
Fanny Crosby expressed this in her hymn "Blessed Assurance".
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood
O what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood
Jude's short letter, the final letter in the New Testament, was addressed "to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ." I believe his salutation includes me and certainly that includes you as well if you have accepted Christ as your Saviour. It is a great three part message of assurance.
- "to those who are the called"
- "beloved in God the Father"
- "and kept for Jesus Christ"
Today we encourage you to place your faith and hope in Jesus Christ so that you too can experience the blessed assurance of being among those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, as the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthian believers, "If our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
But our hope and assurance exceeds our temporary dwelling on earth, for
when "our earthly bodies are planted in the ground after we die, they
will be raised to live forever." When we breathe our last on earth "our
bodies will be buried in brokenness, but they
will be raised in glory" where we will take on immortality and reign
forevermore with Jesus." Blessed be the glorious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
(See I Corinthians 15:19, 42b, 43)
Some more photos from our visit to Charleston, South Carolina
The historic area is extremely well kept with many flowers already planted in planters all through the city. But what caught our eye in this photo is the Bonsai tree planted in the upper middle window box.
Between the houses were well tended alleys.
A vibrant ivy is growing along these step risers.
Entry Doors that make you feel like a butler or maid might open them if you called on these well-to-do owners!
Even the driveways are attractive in beauty and design.
These magnificent homes were along the Battery Park by the waterfront
Today's
Suggested Music and
Supplemental Resources
"Blessed Assurance" Video The Isaacs
Info and stunning photos about the Ravenel Bridge seen in our lead photo today
Finally today:
Regardless of weather conditions our border collie Mollie enjoys catching frisbee, including yesterday's snow storm. Video (21 seconds)
Info and stunning photos about the Ravenel Bridge seen in our lead photo today
Finally today:
Regardless of weather conditions our border collie Mollie enjoys catching frisbee, including yesterday's snow storm. Video (21 seconds)
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.)
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. We 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, 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 make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
© Copyright 2018 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA