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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>
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Listen
to us read this
message on
your
audio player.
"And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD. 'See!' he said to all the people. 'This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God'" (Joshua 24:26,27).
Here in the United States this is "Memorial Day" and we remember those who gave their lives for our freedoms, especially service in the military which was the original intent for Memorial Day. But we also extend this remembrance to include those who have enriched our lives, whether they be family, friends or fellow believers. Although we don't know if other countries have a day similar to this, wherever we live we can use this day to consider our heritage and remember those who have gone on before us.
As Joshua's life was coming to an end he called the people to Shechem and made a powerful appeal to serve God which includes a proclamation memorized by many Christians, "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord." We, as a family, often end our prayers by reciting this verse together. I silently smile when Ester adds the word "forever" at the end. It's not in the original text but I certainly believe it is an appropriate expression!
After Joshua made the personal proclamation and challenged the people to do the same he then took a large stone and set it up in a place clearly identifiable to the people. He said the stone would be a "witness against us." The sense seems to be that of a memorial that would remind the people of their solemn commitment to follow the Lord. The root Hebrew word for witness carries the meaning "to duplicate or repeat."
The oak tree at Shechem* is first referenced in Scripture in Genesis 12:6 where Abraham received assurance from God that He would keep His promises. Later, as Abraham's grandson Jacob grew in his faith, this oak tree was the place where Jacob's family made a firm stand for God in burying their false gods under it (Genesis 35:4). And many years later the oak tree at Shechem was a place where Joshua made a tangible memorial to the people concerning their covenant renewal to faithfully serve God. The large stone under the oak tree was intended as a reminder to the people of the commitment that they had made that day. Today, let us personally renew our covenant to serve and obey the Lord!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
* I realize that it cannot be stated with certainty that this was the very same oak tree in each instance. However given the lifespan of an oak tree, and the clear landmark status this oak tree in Shechem had, it very well could have been. Here are the verses referenced above:
Genesis 12:6 "Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem."
Genesis 35:4 "So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem."
Last week I attended the Watchmen on the Wall Pastor's briefing in Washington DC. The photo above shows several of the pastors that tended to group with us during the meetings. Four of us drove down together from Lancaster County together; L to R, Pastors John Keefer (3rd), Pat Weber (4th) and Alan Walter (5th) from Lebanon PA. While there we met up with Pastors Bill Silver (1st) from the Pittsburgh area and Jack Martin (2nd) from Florida. We were challenged to remain true to the God's Word amidst the tide of apostsy sweeping our land. We were heartened to see an increase in attendance this year including many younger pastors. To give any of our readers a sense of our experience here is the entire message that Franklin Graham preached. Video (24 minutes)
Here is the message preached by Tony Perkins Video (40 minutes)
Take a look again at the first pastor, Bill Silver. Does he resemble any famous western movie star from the past? If you guessed John Wayne, you'd be on the right track since Wayne was his cousin.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Finish Well" Video Greater Vision
"Pray For The Watchmen"
Note: Due to my attendance at the pastor's briefing mentioned in today's message we will not be posting a message on Friday May 23, 2014. Expect the next Daily Encouragement post on Monday, May 26. (Although Brooksyne and I prepare these messages together she has shown no inclination to learning the technical aspects of posting the messages!)
I am attending this meeting with my pastor John Keefer and my brother Pat Weber, who is a pastor in the Lehigh Valley in eastern PA. Alan Walter, a pastor from Lebanon, PA will also be joining us this year. We welcome any who would care to pray for us and the many other pastors from all over America who will be in attendance.
The "Watchmen On The Wall" pastor's briefing in Washington DC encourages pastors to be a "watchman pastor", standing up for Biblical values and against the tide of evil that is sweeping our land.
On Tuesday, May 21, a judge here in Pennsylvania ruled that the traditional and Biblical understanding of marriage was "unconstitutional". To use the proverbial phrase, our founding fathers must be "spinning in their graves". The judge wrote, "We are a better people than what these laws represent, it is time to discard them into the ash heap of history." We can only wonder how much longer our nation can survive with such a mockery of God and His laws.
The conference is full this year, I believe in part due to a sense of urgency regarding the state of our land. This conference will challenge pastors to take a strong, uncompromising stand for Biblical truth.
Our basic commission as "Watchman Pastors" in this regard is to:
1) Pray for our nation.
2) Preach the Bible without apology.
3) Partner with those who also hold Biblical values.
Pastor friends: I urge you to examine this ministry and join me in being a "Watchman Pastor".
Lay people: Consider sending this message to your pastor with a note asking him to look into this.
What is a Watchman Pastor? The name is from Isaiah 62:6: "I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest." A Watchman Pastor is called to do the following:
* Watch what is going on in the culture.
* Pray for the wisdom to engage Biblically, courageously, and winsomely.
* Sound the alarm from the pulpit.
* Take a bold stand with others to defend and advance faith, family, and freedom.
Watchmen On The Wall Overview Video
Watchmen Pastors
"Remembering Our Covenant"
Listen
to us read this
message on
your
audio player."And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD. 'See!' he said to all the people. 'This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God'" (Joshua 24:26,27).
Here in the United States this is "Memorial Day" and we remember those who gave their lives for our freedoms, especially service in the military which was the original intent for Memorial Day. But we also extend this remembrance to include those who have enriched our lives, whether they be family, friends or fellow believers. Although we don't know if other countries have a day similar to this, wherever we live we can use this day to consider our heritage and remember those who have gone on before us.
As Joshua's life was coming to an end he called the people to Shechem and made a powerful appeal to serve God which includes a proclamation memorized by many Christians, "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord." We, as a family, often end our prayers by reciting this verse together. I silently smile when Ester adds the word "forever" at the end. It's not in the original text but I certainly believe it is an appropriate expression!
After Joshua made the personal proclamation and challenged the people to do the same he then took a large stone and set it up in a place clearly identifiable to the people. He said the stone would be a "witness against us." The sense seems to be that of a memorial that would remind the people of their solemn commitment to follow the Lord. The root Hebrew word for witness carries the meaning "to duplicate or repeat."
The oak tree at Shechem* is first referenced in Scripture in Genesis 12:6 where Abraham received assurance from God that He would keep His promises. Later, as Abraham's grandson Jacob grew in his faith, this oak tree was the place where Jacob's family made a firm stand for God in burying their false gods under it (Genesis 35:4). And many years later the oak tree at Shechem was a place where Joshua made a tangible memorial to the people concerning their covenant renewal to faithfully serve God. The large stone under the oak tree was intended as a reminder to the people of the commitment that they had made that day. Today, let us personally renew our covenant to serve and obey the Lord!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
* I realize that it cannot be stated with certainty that this was the very same oak tree in each instance. However given the lifespan of an oak tree, and the clear landmark status this oak tree in Shechem had, it very well could have been. Here are the verses referenced above:
Genesis 12:6 "Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem."
Genesis 35:4 "So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem."
Last week I attended the Watchmen on the Wall Pastor's briefing in Washington DC. The photo above shows several of the pastors that tended to group with us during the meetings. Four of us drove down together from Lancaster County together; L to R, Pastors John Keefer (3rd), Pat Weber (4th) and Alan Walter (5th) from Lebanon PA. While there we met up with Pastors Bill Silver (1st) from the Pittsburgh area and Jack Martin (2nd) from Florida. We were challenged to remain true to the God's Word amidst the tide of apostsy sweeping our land. We were heartened to see an increase in attendance this year including many younger pastors. To give any of our readers a sense of our experience here is the entire message that Franklin Graham preached. Video (24 minutes)
Here is the message preached by Tony Perkins Video (40 minutes)
Take a look again at the first pastor, Bill Silver. Does he resemble any famous western movie star from the past? If you guessed John Wayne, you'd be on the right track since Wayne was his cousin.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Finish Well" Video Greater Vision
"Pray For The Watchmen"
Note: Due to my attendance at the pastor's briefing mentioned in today's message we will not be posting a message on Friday May 23, 2014. Expect the next Daily Encouragement post on Monday, May 26. (Although Brooksyne and I prepare these messages together she has shown no inclination to learning the technical aspects of posting the messages!)
I am attending this meeting with my pastor John Keefer and my brother Pat Weber, who is a pastor in the Lehigh Valley in eastern PA. Alan Walter, a pastor from Lebanon, PA will also be joining us this year. We welcome any who would care to pray for us and the many other pastors from all over America who will be in attendance.
The "Watchmen On The Wall" pastor's briefing in Washington DC encourages pastors to be a "watchman pastor", standing up for Biblical values and against the tide of evil that is sweeping our land.
On Tuesday, May 21, a judge here in Pennsylvania ruled that the traditional and Biblical understanding of marriage was "unconstitutional". To use the proverbial phrase, our founding fathers must be "spinning in their graves". The judge wrote, "We are a better people than what these laws represent, it is time to discard them into the ash heap of history." We can only wonder how much longer our nation can survive with such a mockery of God and His laws.
The conference is full this year, I believe in part due to a sense of urgency regarding the state of our land. This conference will challenge pastors to take a strong, uncompromising stand for Biblical truth.
Our basic commission as "Watchman Pastors" in this regard is to:
1) Pray for our nation.
2) Preach the Bible without apology.
3) Partner with those who also hold Biblical values.
Pastor friends: I urge you to examine this ministry and join me in being a "Watchman Pastor".
Lay people: Consider sending this message to your pastor with a note asking him to look into this.
What is a Watchman Pastor? The name is from Isaiah 62:6: "I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest." A Watchman Pastor is called to do the following:
* Watch what is going on in the culture.
* Pray for the wisdom to engage Biblically, courageously, and winsomely.
* Sound the alarm from the pulpit.
* Take a bold stand with others to defend and advance faith, family, and freedom.
Watchmen On The Wall Overview Video
Watchmen Pastors
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