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Thursday, September 27, 2012


Snowshoe ATV trail
Snowshoe ATV Trail

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"Staying On The Right Way"


"Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don't go one step off the right way" (Proverbs 4:27). "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12). Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

Saturday we were hiking with our dogs on a local trail when I decided to get off the main path and walked down a bank to get to the creek. It was slippery but I managed to stay upright by holding onto a tree. Brooksyne followed me and with a piercing shriek slipped and fell right on her behind. Thankfully she was OK but a bit annoyed at me for getting us off the main path in the first place!

Musing over this incident a Scripture verse came to mind.

Over thirty years ago Brooksyne led backyard Bible studies for children in the community we lived in at that time. She worked with some of the folks in our church and later with a neighbor in our own neighborhood using a teaching booklet of Proverbs which she set to music in order to aid the children in memorizing them.  I don't recall being a part of the preparations for the lessons or teaching any but I sure heard her singing the songs and, in considering Brooksyne's recent fall, a Scripture verse came to mind that I am quite sure I haven't heard in years. Due to the verse being put to music the words came back, tune and all!

"Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don't go one step off the right way" (Proverbs 4:27). What great advice for all young and old!

The concept of absolute or relative truth may seem merely philosophical to some, another inane discussion for academia. Actually though it is at the very heart of our battle against the forces of evil. Are there many right ways or just one?

Proverbs 14:12 states "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death". Many hold a view that there are many ways that lead to heaven and no single right way. In fact to many even asserting that there is a single right way is unloving and intolerant.

A faithful minister of the Gospel who boldly and unashamedly asserts the Biblical exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven is maligned as an ignorant and narrow-minded bigot. Well, label me. So be it. That is just what my Lord Jesus and the New Testament epistles teach.

Our Lord's statement recorded in our third daily verse might be labeled the very essence of intolerance.
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

The early apostles proclaimed "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). And later the apostle Paul wrote, "there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).

Let us recognize the right way, avoid evil, walk straight ahead and not go one step off the right way.


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily prayer: Father, we contend earnestly for the faith once for all entrusted to the saints! The opinions of people are vast and man-centered, but we choose to follow the Scriptures that teach us, Jesus is the only way to the Father, whereby we receive salvation and life forevermore. We seek to avoid evil and walk straight ahead, not going one step off the right path. By Your grace we will be found faithful. Amen.



Tom and Fred visiting their Mom at Longwood
I met Tom (left) due to his visits with his mother each Sunday at Longwood Manor where we serve as chaplains.  He joins her for the afternoon church service and lately his brother Fred, a longtime friend from church, has been joining him as well. It's a pleasure to look out and see a son sitting on each side of Mom, certainly making her day.

Tom read my post last week about the snowshoe rail trail and shared some photos he took this last weekend. I like wooded trails and the photos prompted today's consideration of Proverbs 4:27, a Bible verse that I see from my notes I have never considered in the nearly sixteen years we have been writing these daily encouragement messages.

Here are several of the photos Tom shared of his ride on the Snowshoe ATV trail.

Snowshoe ATV trail bridge
The view from the bridge (non guardrail side). The yellow warning tape is new since the photos I shared last week but is of little assurance! See (Job 8:13-15). I-80 can be seen in the distance. I had previously only seen the railroad bridge from I-80 which is about the same height above the creek.

Snowshoe ATV trail bridge
Tom drove down into the Moshannon Creek to get this view looking up at the bridge.

Snowshoe ATV trail bridge
Bridge approach. Note the warning signs.

Snowshoe ATV tunnel
Not far away the bridge is an old railroad tunnel which is now part of the trail.

Snowshoe ATV tunnel
The view coming out of the tunnel. As you can see the autumn colors are arriving in northern PA.

This Snowshoe ATV (rail to trail) is located here. (Google map)



Today's Suggested Music
and Supplemental Resources

"Show Me Your Way"
 Video  
Brian Doerksen

"My Help"  Video  The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Making Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling (from yesterday's message)

28 cups (7 quarts) chopped fresh rhubarb (about 1" size pieces)
12 large peeled and cored, finely chopped apples
8 cups granulated sugar
1 cup orange juice
4 tbsp. grated orange peel
*l6 C. washed strawberries, hulled and halved

In a large Dutch oven size pan, combine the prepared rhubarb, apples, sugar, orange juice and orange peel.
Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil gently for about 30 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender (soft).
Add the prepared strawberries to the rhubarb mixture, and bring to a boil.
Remove mixture from heat.
Ladle the hot strawberry-rhubarb mixture into clean, hot jars, allowing for a 1 inch headspace.
Should Make about 10 quarts. Process about 15 minutes.

*This recipe was adapted from a recipe from: "Bernardin Guide to Home Preserving".
(a highly recommended book)
(I adapted recipe 4 X original size.
*If you don’t have strawberries during canning add 2 C. for a quart of pie filling when you bake the pie.)

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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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