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"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me" (John 14:1). Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).
I
went to my first Billy Graham Crusade as a child in 1967 at the old
Municipal Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Throughout my lifetime I've
attended several other crusades and was always blessed by Billy
Graham's simple and earnest presentation of the Gospel.
I continue to be inspired by his faithfulness to God's call on his life. As he nears the end of the race he has maintained his integrity, a great example to all of us, and in particular for those in vocational ministry. Billy Graham will turn 92 this November. Just prior to his death Paul made an assessment of his Christian testimony; "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).
Even in his later years he has demonstrated his remarkable communication skills. Civic leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, his home town, invited him to a luncheon in his honor. He initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed.
After wonderful things were said about him, he stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of a story concerning Albert Einstein, the great physicist. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger.
When
he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't
find his ticket so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't
there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it.
Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.
The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.' Einstein nodded appreciatively.
The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.
The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.'
Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.''
Having said that Billy Graham continued, 'See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My children and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.
You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am. I also know where I'm going.'"
Knowing where we are going and the way to get there is important for any journey. This of course is vitally true in regard to our eternal destination. In the section of Scripture in which our daily texts are found the disciples had asked two questions: "Lord, where are You going?" Peter asked in John 13:36. "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" Thomas asked in John 14:5.
Jesus answers this question with one of the most memorized and quoted verses in the Bible. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." In His answer He doesn't give either a specific location as to where He is going nor a specific route in which to get there.
Rather He states, "I am the way" as to the route and "to the Father" as the destination.
He
gave this word of direction and assurance as He was preparing His
disciples for the climactic events that would take place over the next several days. He knew
their hearts were troubled. However His words are very applicable to
any situation or trouble that His followers all through the ages deal
with.
Let us again hear these solemn words from our Lord: "Do not let your hearts be troubled". Just as Jesus knew all the events that would transpire for the disciples, He also knows the events that will unfold in our lives. He will lead us through the perplexing mazes of life as we keep our focus centered on Him who is "The Way". He will reveal to us that which we need to know when we need to know it, though our full understanding may not come at the same time. We saw with the disciples and other biblical characters such as Joseph, the three Hebrew children, and Daniel.
"Trust in God; trust also in Me," Jesus said. The key to having peace in our heart in the midst of trouble is to keep our trust and focus on the Lord. Today we pray that trust and assurance will flood your heart so that you will be filled with His peace though you may not have complete understanding.
The antidote for a fearful heart is a trusting heart. "O for grace to trust Him more!" Above all He offers "peace of heart" in the midst of troubling circumstances because His followers know where they are going and the way to get there.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, help me not to be anxious about perplexing matters before me, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, I want to present my requests to You so that Your peace which surpasses human understanding will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. Keep my eyes on Jesus who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life because that is the way to You, our Heavenly Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
The "I Am" statements of Jesus: Jesus asserted His deity in using this phrase to describe Himself, particularly in the Gospel of John. They are known as the ego eimi (ἐγώ εἰμι) statements from the Greek words for "I am".
1. I AM the bread of life. John 6:35,48
2. I AM the light of the world. John 8:12, 9:5
3. I AM the door. John 10:7
4. I AM the good shepherd. John 10:11-14
5. I AM the resurrection and the life. John 11:25
6. I AM the way, the truth and the life. John 14:6
7. I AM the true vine. John 15:1,5
And among the last words in the Bible is our Lord's powerful self-declaration, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Revelation 22:13).
(In some cases you may also need to click again to start the song.)
"Still" Video
"In Your Presence" Video
"Many Decades One Message - Billy Graham" Video This is an interesting collection of brief video segments of Billy Graham preaching from 1949-2004.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The Corner Acre is a small Amish run farm at the end of of our road that sells mums and other fall decorative items.
The Corner Acre is a small Amish run farm at the end of of our road that sells mums and other fall decorative items.
Listen to this
message on
your
audio player."Knowing The Way"
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me" (John 14:1). Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).
I
went to my first Billy Graham Crusade as a child in 1967 at the old
Municipal Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Throughout my lifetime I've
attended several other crusades and was always blessed by Billy
Graham's simple and earnest presentation of the Gospel. I continue to be inspired by his faithfulness to God's call on his life. As he nears the end of the race he has maintained his integrity, a great example to all of us, and in particular for those in vocational ministry. Billy Graham will turn 92 this November. Just prior to his death Paul made an assessment of his Christian testimony; "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).
Even in his later years he has demonstrated his remarkable communication skills. Civic leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, his home town, invited him to a luncheon in his honor. He initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed.
After wonderful things were said about him, he stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of a story concerning Albert Einstein, the great physicist. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger.
When
he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't
find his ticket so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't
there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it.
Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.
The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.' Einstein nodded appreciatively.
The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.
The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.'
Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.''
Having said that Billy Graham continued, 'See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My children and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.
You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am. I also know where I'm going.'"
Knowing where we are going and the way to get there is important for any journey. This of course is vitally true in regard to our eternal destination. In the section of Scripture in which our daily texts are found the disciples had asked two questions: "Lord, where are You going?" Peter asked in John 13:36. "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" Thomas asked in John 14:5.
Jesus answers this question with one of the most memorized and quoted verses in the Bible. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." In His answer He doesn't give either a specific location as to where He is going nor a specific route in which to get there.
Rather He states, "I am the way" as to the route and "to the Father" as the destination.
He
gave this word of direction and assurance as He was preparing His
disciples for the climactic events that would take place over the next several days. He knew
their hearts were troubled. However His words are very applicable to
any situation or trouble that His followers all through the ages deal
with.Let us again hear these solemn words from our Lord: "Do not let your hearts be troubled". Just as Jesus knew all the events that would transpire for the disciples, He also knows the events that will unfold in our lives. He will lead us through the perplexing mazes of life as we keep our focus centered on Him who is "The Way". He will reveal to us that which we need to know when we need to know it, though our full understanding may not come at the same time. We saw with the disciples and other biblical characters such as Joseph, the three Hebrew children, and Daniel.
"Trust in God; trust also in Me," Jesus said. The key to having peace in our heart in the midst of trouble is to keep our trust and focus on the Lord. Today we pray that trust and assurance will flood your heart so that you will be filled with His peace though you may not have complete understanding.
The antidote for a fearful heart is a trusting heart. "O for grace to trust Him more!" Above all He offers "peace of heart" in the midst of troubling circumstances because His followers know where they are going and the way to get there.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, help me not to be anxious about perplexing matters before me, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, I want to present my requests to You so that Your peace which surpasses human understanding will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. Keep my eyes on Jesus who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life because that is the way to You, our Heavenly Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Philippians 4:6, John 14:6
The "I Am" statements of Jesus: Jesus asserted His deity in using this phrase to describe Himself, particularly in the Gospel of John. They are known as the ego eimi (ἐγώ εἰμι) statements from the Greek words for "I am".
1. I AM the bread of life. John 6:35,48
2. I AM the light of the world. John 8:12, 9:5
3. I AM the door. John 10:7
4. I AM the good shepherd. John 10:11-14
5. I AM the resurrection and the life. John 11:25
6. I AM the way, the truth and the life. John 14:6
7. I AM the true vine. John 15:1,5
And among the last words in the Bible is our Lord's powerful self-declaration, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Revelation 22:13).
Corner Acre
The mums are planted earlier in the season to be ready for fall. Brooksyne wanted some which were still tiny buds so she picked them right out of the field.
Various colors and stages of blooming.
The collection on the old farm wagon
The mums are planted earlier in the season to be ready for fall. Brooksyne wanted some which were still tiny buds so she picked them right out of the field.
Various colors and stages of blooming.
The collection on the old farm wagon
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
Click
on the link to open and play.(In some cases you may also need to click again to start the song.)
"Still" Video
"In Your Presence" Video
"Many Decades One Message - Billy Graham" Video This is an interesting collection of brief video segments of Billy Graham preaching from 1949-2004.
Send
a message to Stephen &
Brooksyne.
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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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Copyright 2010
Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
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