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Monday, April 27, 2015
Pink Heartbreaker Redbud
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 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 2015 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
<Previous Message Next Message>
Monday, April 27, 2015
Pink Heartbreaker Redbud
"The First Excuse"
Listen to this
message on
your
audio player.
"The woman you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it" (Genesis 3:12).
During our first fifteen years of marriage we were
foster parents to many children from our own country and several from
overseas for medical care. This last Saturday one of them stopped by to visit with us.
Chrissy lived with us for 2 1/2 years about 35 years ago from ages 5-7. Here she is trying to comfort our troubled dog, Enoch, who had just gotten into a tussle with a porcupine and doesn't look too happy. It was a nasty and painful job to pull the quills out of his mouth! He had several porcupine encounters, this photo showing Enoch with only two quills, the most minor porcupine attack he endured over the years.
We recall a humorous way Chrissy would confuse words or explanations when she was first learning their meanings. When she did something by accident, she would take on a defensive posture and quickly blurt out, "I did it on purpose" rather than correctly stating "I didn't do it on purpose." Eventually she learned the correct expression which helped clarify the matter and greatly improved the consequences she was dealt.
We all look for ways or expressions that will quickly excuse us from negative consequences. When Ester was little she liked to pretend she was our waitress. She took down our food order on a tablet and then later served us. One time as she brought out our meal she dropped a main food item on the floor and, before we could even say a word, she immediately cried out, "It's not my fault!"
Brooksyne and I looked at each other and burst out laughing, "Then whose fault is it?" we asked simultaneously. Making excuses or blaming others for our own mistakes has a long history doesn't it? And if we're open and honest we too must admit to having done it a few times ourselves, perhaps even made a pattern of it.
Adam offered the very first excuse shortly after his first transgression. God's straightforward question to Adam following his transgression was, "Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" That's a yes or no question. But Adam replied, "The woman you put here with me - she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it."
I'm particularly intrigued by the first phrase in Adam's reply, "The woman you put here with me." Now certainly he's blaming his wife Eve whom he rather bluntly calls "the woman". And of course she was the first to partake of the forbidden fruit, but he was with her and, without hesitation, he also took of the fruit offered him and ate it.
In an attempt to shift the blame Adam words his defense carefully. He shifts the blame not only toward Eve but also toward God. He uses careful wording when he refers to his wife as, "the woman You put here with me." Indeed God's first special gift to Adam at Creation was his companion-helpmeet. Now Adam manages to blame both her and God for his willing act of disobedience! This is the very first excuse in human history.
The world we live in today mirrors Adam's attitude of making excuses for just about everything under the sun, whether it's outright rebellion or an inappropriate response to the injustices from which one might suffer.
Taking responsibility is at the very heart of our relationship with God and each other. A fundamental component of restoration is not denial of the sin, but taking responsibility for it and then confessing it to God. David, when finally coming to repentance concerning his sin with Bathsheba, cried out, "I have sinned against the Lord." That's essentially how we get restored when we make our initial "sinner's prayer", turning away from our sin and toward obedience. And as we grow in our walk with the Lord confession is a wonderful antidote to excuse making. Let us be quicker to make confession than we are to find excuses. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Today let us live our lives responsibly and stop making excuses. That only prolongs or exasperates the growing problem. Whether we fail or fall God has graciously made a provision for our restoration and it begins with confession not excuses. That's good news!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father,
as we confess our sins we thank You that You are faithful and just to
forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Help us to be
honest enough to admit our sin, welcome Your cleansing, and invite the
Holy Spirit to help us courageously deal with personal consequences
from our sinful defiance. You are a gracious Father who does not cast
us down in our failures, but You uphold us with Your gracious and
loving hand. Amen.
Chrissy with Brooksyne on Saturday as they sat outside on a breezy afternoon. Chrissy was with her husband and 2 of their 3 sons. We are pleased they attend a Bible faithful church regularly pastored by a man I met before leaving that area.
Chrissy with us 35 years ago when we were in our mid-twenties. Those were the days of three piece suits and wide ties!
Friday evening we enjoyed a Gaither Homecoming concert at the Giant Center in Hershey. I first heard Bill Gaither as part of the "Bill Gaither Trio" in Kansas City as a teenager. In the early 80's the Vocal Band was formed and with a variety of personnel it has been together over 30 years. In the nineties Bill and Gloria Gaither, while in their middle-aged years began to have "Homecoming" concerts honoring the older members of the gospel music community. We went to our first Homecoming Concert when we lived in New England in the nineties. Even in that notoriously spiritually frigid part of the country they filled a large arena. Most of the Homecoming old-timers have gone on up yonder. Bill himself is almost 80 and good naturedly takes lots of joking about his age from the younger ones. Actually it's amazing to me that he still has the will and energy to carry this on. As would be expected the overall crowd was older, but there were some younger families! Ester has come to enjoy the vocal band over the years, especially David Phelps and Wes Hampton.
Ester with Wes Hampton, one of the Gaither Vocal Band members.
On Saturday, friends Mike and Nicole Martin, stopped over and we enjoyed fellowship over dinner. They are diligent workers for the kingdom of God; at Triple Tree Ministries, a biker ministry, and in our own church fellowship.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Excuses" Video The Kingsmen How many old-timers recall this song!
"I Then Shall Live" Video Gaither Vocal Band This is a thought provoking, heart searching song of conviction the GVB sang on Friday night, written by Gloria Gaither.
"You Are My All in All With" Canon in D [Live] Video Gaither Vocal Band
"Yes, I Know" Video GVB
"Jesus Saves" Video Wes Hampton backed by orchestra and huge robed choir
The story of "My Dog Enoch" This has been up for many years but we have many new readers and others may enjoy reading it again. Perhaps it will prompt a memory about a dog you have had.
Listen to this
message on
your
audio player."The woman you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it" (Genesis 3:12).
During our first fifteen years of marriage we were
foster parents to many children from our own country and several from
overseas for medical care. This last Saturday one of them stopped by to visit with us.Chrissy lived with us for 2 1/2 years about 35 years ago from ages 5-7. Here she is trying to comfort our troubled dog, Enoch, who had just gotten into a tussle with a porcupine and doesn't look too happy. It was a nasty and painful job to pull the quills out of his mouth! He had several porcupine encounters, this photo showing Enoch with only two quills, the most minor porcupine attack he endured over the years.
We recall a humorous way Chrissy would confuse words or explanations when she was first learning their meanings. When she did something by accident, she would take on a defensive posture and quickly blurt out, "I did it on purpose" rather than correctly stating "I didn't do it on purpose." Eventually she learned the correct expression which helped clarify the matter and greatly improved the consequences she was dealt.
We all look for ways or expressions that will quickly excuse us from negative consequences. When Ester was little she liked to pretend she was our waitress. She took down our food order on a tablet and then later served us. One time as she brought out our meal she dropped a main food item on the floor and, before we could even say a word, she immediately cried out, "It's not my fault!"
Brooksyne and I looked at each other and burst out laughing, "Then whose fault is it?" we asked simultaneously. Making excuses or blaming others for our own mistakes has a long history doesn't it? And if we're open and honest we too must admit to having done it a few times ourselves, perhaps even made a pattern of it.
Adam offered the very first excuse shortly after his first transgression. God's straightforward question to Adam following his transgression was, "Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" That's a yes or no question. But Adam replied, "The woman you put here with me - she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it."
I'm particularly intrigued by the first phrase in Adam's reply, "The woman you put here with me." Now certainly he's blaming his wife Eve whom he rather bluntly calls "the woman". And of course she was the first to partake of the forbidden fruit, but he was with her and, without hesitation, he also took of the fruit offered him and ate it.
In an attempt to shift the blame Adam words his defense carefully. He shifts the blame not only toward Eve but also toward God. He uses careful wording when he refers to his wife as, "the woman You put here with me." Indeed God's first special gift to Adam at Creation was his companion-helpmeet. Now Adam manages to blame both her and God for his willing act of disobedience! This is the very first excuse in human history.
The world we live in today mirrors Adam's attitude of making excuses for just about everything under the sun, whether it's outright rebellion or an inappropriate response to the injustices from which one might suffer.
Taking responsibility is at the very heart of our relationship with God and each other. A fundamental component of restoration is not denial of the sin, but taking responsibility for it and then confessing it to God. David, when finally coming to repentance concerning his sin with Bathsheba, cried out, "I have sinned against the Lord." That's essentially how we get restored when we make our initial "sinner's prayer", turning away from our sin and toward obedience. And as we grow in our walk with the Lord confession is a wonderful antidote to excuse making. Let us be quicker to make confession than we are to find excuses. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Today let us live our lives responsibly and stop making excuses. That only prolongs or exasperates the growing problem. Whether we fail or fall God has graciously made a provision for our restoration and it begins with confession not excuses. That's good news!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father,
as we confess our sins we thank You that You are faithful and just to
forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Help us to be
honest enough to admit our sin, welcome Your cleansing, and invite the
Holy Spirit to help us courageously deal with personal consequences
from our sinful defiance. You are a gracious Father who does not cast
us down in our failures, but You uphold us with Your gracious and
loving hand. Amen.Chrissy with Brooksyne on Saturday as they sat outside on a breezy afternoon. Chrissy was with her husband and 2 of their 3 sons. We are pleased they attend a Bible faithful church regularly pastored by a man I met before leaving that area.
Chrissy with us 35 years ago when we were in our mid-twenties. Those were the days of three piece suits and wide ties!
Friday evening we enjoyed a Gaither Homecoming concert at the Giant Center in Hershey. I first heard Bill Gaither as part of the "Bill Gaither Trio" in Kansas City as a teenager. In the early 80's the Vocal Band was formed and with a variety of personnel it has been together over 30 years. In the nineties Bill and Gloria Gaither, while in their middle-aged years began to have "Homecoming" concerts honoring the older members of the gospel music community. We went to our first Homecoming Concert when we lived in New England in the nineties. Even in that notoriously spiritually frigid part of the country they filled a large arena. Most of the Homecoming old-timers have gone on up yonder. Bill himself is almost 80 and good naturedly takes lots of joking about his age from the younger ones. Actually it's amazing to me that he still has the will and energy to carry this on. As would be expected the overall crowd was older, but there were some younger families! Ester has come to enjoy the vocal band over the years, especially David Phelps and Wes Hampton.
Ester with Wes Hampton, one of the Gaither Vocal Band members.
On Saturday, friends Mike and Nicole Martin, stopped over and we enjoyed fellowship over dinner. They are diligent workers for the kingdom of God; at Triple Tree Ministries, a biker ministry, and in our own church fellowship.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Excuses" Video The Kingsmen How many old-timers recall this song!
"I Then Shall Live" Video Gaither Vocal Band This is a thought provoking, heart searching song of conviction the GVB sang on Friday night, written by Gloria Gaither.
I then shall live as one who's been forgiven.
I'll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father;
I am His child and I am not afraid.
So, greatly pardoned, I'll forgive my brother;
The law of love I gladly will obey.
I then shall live as one who's learned compassion.
I've been so loved, that I'll risk loving too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges;
I'll dare to see another's point of view.
And when relationships demand commitment,
Then I'll be there to care and follow through.
Your Kingdom come around and through and in me;
Your power and glory, let them shine through me.
Your Hallowed Name, O may I bear with honor,
And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor,
And may You feed a hungry world through me.
Amen, Amen, Amen
I'll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father;
I am His child and I am not afraid.
So, greatly pardoned, I'll forgive my brother;
The law of love I gladly will obey.
I then shall live as one who's learned compassion.
I've been so loved, that I'll risk loving too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges;
I'll dare to see another's point of view.
And when relationships demand commitment,
Then I'll be there to care and follow through.
Your Kingdom come around and through and in me;
Your power and glory, let them shine through me.
Your Hallowed Name, O may I bear with honor,
And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor,
And may You feed a hungry world through me.
Amen, Amen, Amen
"You Are My All in All With" Canon in D [Live] Video Gaither Vocal Band
"Yes, I Know" Video GVB
"Jesus Saves" Video Wes Hampton backed by orchestra and huge robed choir
The story of "My Dog Enoch" This has been up for many years but we have many new readers and others may enjoy reading it again. Perhaps it will prompt a memory about a dog you have had.
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 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 2015 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA