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<Previous Message Next Message> Thursday, October 4, 2012 ![]() We passed this colorful autumn wagon at an Amish farm south of New Holland, PA ![]() "Thankful For Warnings" "So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears" (Acts 20:31). ![]() ![]() Several days ago I received a large postcard from Exelon (shown above). It informs residents that at 12:30 PM today they will test the new state of the art siren system at full volume. (Local readers beware.) We regularly drive by one of these large sirens about three miles from our home and I've noticed the new ones. The announcement states that, although the sirens are an outdoor warning system, the volume will be so loud it may be heard inside. I suspect it's a good idea to provide this notification or some people may panic. ![]() Warnings are for our good though we may not necessarily like them. We might even find them unnecessary, interruptive and annoying. Today let us consider spiritual warnings. When we hear repeated spiritual warnings we can give attention or grow annoyed at the message directed to us. Just consider the attitude of Ahab when he expressed disdain toward the prophet, Micaiah, who would not tell him what he wanted to hear if it wasn't what God told him to do. Though he was advised by Ahab's messenger to "speak favorably to the king" his response was, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me" (I Kings 22:14). We need spiritual leaders who faithfully proclaim God's Word and give warning like Paul in our second daily text, "So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears". Paul's specific warning is in regard to his knowledge that after his departure "savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them" (Acts 20:29,30). These "savage wolves" come in a variety of forms; such as bad teaching, licentiousness, and other such evils. The daily Scripture portion is from Paul's final message to the Ephesian elders. This message is a great model for all preachers and has actually served as the text for the final messages I preached in the churches I have pastored. "So be on your guard!" A word with timeless urgency regardless of where and when we live. The brief daily verse truly shows Paul's transparent heart filled with love and genuine concern. We all must be on our guard and view warnings from our spiritual leaders as evidence of their care. The immediate threat was false teachers whom Paul had called "savage wolves" had come among the innocent flock (v. 29). Paul said to these believers, "I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." Try to picture Paul's sincerity and consider the genuine ongoing burden that his message conveys. Today, as faithful ministers like Paul, our mission includes warning others to "be on their guard." And as the Spirit leads let us show our deep burden perhaps even as the Apostle Paul did with tears. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber ![]() Here's another photo of the farm where our lead photo was taken. Nancy, a local friend observed the photo of Brooksyne holding a large sweet potato and shared one from her garden that weighed 3.5 pounds! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "The Lighthouse" Video Monte Ingersoll Three Mile Island siren test article Annual instruction pamphlet we received from Exelon (pdf) ![]() 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." Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com © Copyright 2012 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA |