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Friday, March 18, 2016
College verse for Lancaster Bible College
Message Summary: Today, we urge you to faithfully serve the Lord. Our immutable God continues to set our feet on the eternal, impenetrable rock so that every time the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord raises up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19). As we live out our lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and in obedience to His ever-enduring Word, we will appreciate the deep-settled assurance He gives as He establishes our way and keeps our path firm and secure!
Listen to this
message on your
audio player.
"When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3). "He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand" (Psalm 40:2b). "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
All
this week we have been sharing photos of our trip to the Philadelphia
Flower Show from last Friday. The show is over and we've wondered what they do
with the millions* of fresh flowers that had been so beautifully displayed.
Perhaps they are able to dry some surely most have begun the
inevitable drooping, shriveling, browning process. Indeed "the grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God stands forever.”
Yesterday I had a meeting on the campus of Lancaster Bible College and was heartened to learn that they have absolutely no plans to change the name of the school, specifically removing "Bible" from the school's name, which has been the case with many formerly named Bible Colleges since Brooksyne and I attended a Bible college in the mid- seventies. I suppose some think it sounds too simple or religious.
But
a study of the Bible provides a firm foundation for life whether
preparing for ministry or any other field. The world may mock but those
with spiritual and Scriptural discernment see the direction the world's
going and the absolutely pathetic state of so many institutions
of higher learning and academia, especially those deemed by the world as elite.
At this point an old song from childhood came to me and yes I suppose it's simple:
Many years ago I recall passing a sign in front of a stone farmhouse here in Lancaster County that proclaims this simple, but assuring truth: "When your world is shaking run to the Rock."
Our world is certainly shaking. We watch the news and presently read of so much turmoil all over the world. In our country we are in what appears to be a race to moral anarchy, with time honored Biblical values being steamrolled daily. This week the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that traditional (and Biblical) terms such as husband, wife, mother and father must be changed to "gender neutral" terms. (I'm not kidding, see below for link.) I officiated at a wedding in Massachusetts shortly after their Supreme Court perverted the meaning of marriage. Where the traditional marriage license form had a line for "husband" and "wife" the newly "fixed" form asked for the names of "Party A" and "Party B". See Romans 1:22.
We
also realize that many of you are being shaken with personal and family
trials. This
week we have heard some very heart breaking stories during the course
of our chaplaincy ministry. And of course many of you are dealing with
loss. Several days
ago Tony Barber (left), a friend from our church in New England had a
massive heart attack and died while on the job. (We will share a
tribute about him next
week.)
When we sing “The Solid Rock” we are reminded that our hope is built on Jesus. Repeated twice in the refrain is the line, "All other ground is sinking sand." The "other ground" may be an erroneous philosophy, false doctrine, a prideful heart, a wrong pursuit. There are a host of other foundations that people build their lives upon that will eventually tumble or crumble.
And yet the vast majority build their lives with materials that are flawed or intended only for this life. At times the "other ground" can be appealing and may even appear steady and firm, for Satan is a master deceiver. But it really is like sinking sand. The reality is that all other ground, apart from the solid foundation of Christ and His Holy Word, is sinking sand whether or not others perceive it to be so. Truly, Christ alone is the Solid Rock!
In the first daily verse the Psalmist asks a probing question: "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" In the second daily verse he makes a statement of resolve and describes a place of security that can only be found in God, "He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." We need to be reminded of our position in Christ and the unchanging stability we have as we cling to His promises, uphold His truths, and trust Him wholly.
Today, we urge you to faithfully serve the Lord. Our immutable God continues to set our feet on the eternal, impenetrable rock so that every time the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord raises up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19). As we live out our lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and in obedience to His ever-enduring Word, we will appreciate the deep-settled assurance He gives as He establishes our way and keeps our path firm and secure!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, You want us to build our lives on the firm
foundation of Your Holy Word through our salvation in Jesus. And yet
the devil perpetually beckons us to build our lives on the temporal,
the popular, the physical and the mindset of this world instead. To
counteract such deadly influence we will delight in Your Law and
meditate on it day and night so that we will be like a tree firmly
planted and grounded in Your Word. When the waters surge our roots will
cling to that which holds as the foundations are crumbling. We choose
not to be pulled down by the sinking foundations of this world, but to
be lifted up by Your timeless, imperishable truths. Amen.
*I don't think we are exaggerating that there would have been well over 1,000,000 blooms
Yesterday I had an opportunity to share in a panel discussion at Lancaster Bible College with the Lancaster Convene group. It occurred to me that many of the owners we work with as chaplains were present at the meeting so I arranged to get this group photo. I first became associated with Convene in 2007. Ron Hoover (sixth from the left) chairs the local group and has been very supportive of our chaplaincy ministry.
This photo will enlarge and show the names and their business for any who may be interested.
The discussion concerned staying active in God's work through retirement and I issued a challenge to run the race faithfully to the very end.
We toured the new Frey Academic Center at LBC and I greeted Dr. Peter Teague, the president of the college. This college is thriving with new buildings all through the campus. It was moving to me since my Bible College shut down several years ago. Lancaster Bible College continues to prepare students for various forms of vocational ministry but also has a new center for marketplace ministry, preparing business leaders with a heart to do God's work. I first met Dr. Teague about 15 years ago when he had read an article about our business chaplaincy in the local paper and invited me to lunch to discuss it. He seems to have a heart to learn about and develop creative ways to minister to our world.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"How Firm A Foundation" Video Fernando Ortega
"I Will Delight" Video Maranatha! Singers
Information about Convene or Lancaster Convene
Ohio High Court Adopts Use of Gender-Neutral Language By The Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mar 15, 2016
College verse for Lancaster Bible College
"The Word Of The Lord Endures Forever"
Message Summary: Today, we urge you to faithfully serve the Lord. Our immutable God continues to set our feet on the eternal, impenetrable rock so that every time the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord raises up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19). As we live out our lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and in obedience to His ever-enduring Word, we will appreciate the deep-settled assurance He gives as He establishes our way and keeps our path firm and secure!
Listen to this
message on your
audio player."When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3). "He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand" (Psalm 40:2b). "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
All
this week we have been sharing photos of our trip to the Philadelphia
Flower Show from last Friday. The show is over and we've wondered what they do
with the millions* of fresh flowers that had been so beautifully displayed.
Perhaps they are able to dry some surely most have begun the
inevitable drooping, shriveling, browning process. Indeed "the grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God stands forever.”Yesterday I had a meeting on the campus of Lancaster Bible College and was heartened to learn that they have absolutely no plans to change the name of the school, specifically removing "Bible" from the school's name, which has been the case with many formerly named Bible Colleges since Brooksyne and I attended a Bible college in the mid- seventies. I suppose some think it sounds too simple or religious.
But
a study of the Bible provides a firm foundation for life whether
preparing for ministry or any other field. The world may mock but those
with spiritual and Scriptural discernment see the direction the world's
going and the absolutely pathetic state of so many institutions
of higher learning and academia, especially those deemed by the world as elite.At this point an old song from childhood came to me and yes I suppose it's simple:
The B-I-B-L-E,
Yes that’s the book for me;
I stand alone on the Word of God,
The B-I-B-L-E.
Yes that’s the book for me;
I stand alone on the Word of God,
The B-I-B-L-E.
Many years ago I recall passing a sign in front of a stone farmhouse here in Lancaster County that proclaims this simple, but assuring truth: "When your world is shaking run to the Rock."
Our world is certainly shaking. We watch the news and presently read of so much turmoil all over the world. In our country we are in what appears to be a race to moral anarchy, with time honored Biblical values being steamrolled daily. This week the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that traditional (and Biblical) terms such as husband, wife, mother and father must be changed to "gender neutral" terms. (I'm not kidding, see below for link.) I officiated at a wedding in Massachusetts shortly after their Supreme Court perverted the meaning of marriage. Where the traditional marriage license form had a line for "husband" and "wife" the newly "fixed" form asked for the names of "Party A" and "Party B". See Romans 1:22.
We
also realize that many of you are being shaken with personal and family
trials. This
week we have heard some very heart breaking stories during the course
of our chaplaincy ministry. And of course many of you are dealing with
loss. Several days
ago Tony Barber (left), a friend from our church in New England had a
massive heart attack and died while on the job. (We will share a
tribute about him next
week.)When we sing “The Solid Rock” we are reminded that our hope is built on Jesus. Repeated twice in the refrain is the line, "All other ground is sinking sand." The "other ground" may be an erroneous philosophy, false doctrine, a prideful heart, a wrong pursuit. There are a host of other foundations that people build their lives upon that will eventually tumble or crumble.
And yet the vast majority build their lives with materials that are flawed or intended only for this life. At times the "other ground" can be appealing and may even appear steady and firm, for Satan is a master deceiver. But it really is like sinking sand. The reality is that all other ground, apart from the solid foundation of Christ and His Holy Word, is sinking sand whether or not others perceive it to be so. Truly, Christ alone is the Solid Rock!
In the first daily verse the Psalmist asks a probing question: "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" In the second daily verse he makes a statement of resolve and describes a place of security that can only be found in God, "He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." We need to be reminded of our position in Christ and the unchanging stability we have as we cling to His promises, uphold His truths, and trust Him wholly.
Today, we urge you to faithfully serve the Lord. Our immutable God continues to set our feet on the eternal, impenetrable rock so that every time the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord raises up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19). As we live out our lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and in obedience to His ever-enduring Word, we will appreciate the deep-settled assurance He gives as He establishes our way and keeps our path firm and secure!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, You want us to build our lives on the firm
foundation of Your Holy Word through our salvation in Jesus. And yet
the devil perpetually beckons us to build our lives on the temporal,
the popular, the physical and the mindset of this world instead. To
counteract such deadly influence we will delight in Your Law and
meditate on it day and night so that we will be like a tree firmly
planted and grounded in Your Word. When the waters surge our roots will
cling to that which holds as the foundations are crumbling. We choose
not to be pulled down by the sinking foundations of this world, but to
be lifted up by Your timeless, imperishable truths. Amen.*I don't think we are exaggerating that there would have been well over 1,000,000 blooms
Yesterday I had an opportunity to share in a panel discussion at Lancaster Bible College with the Lancaster Convene group. It occurred to me that many of the owners we work with as chaplains were present at the meeting so I arranged to get this group photo. I first became associated with Convene in 2007. Ron Hoover (sixth from the left) chairs the local group and has been very supportive of our chaplaincy ministry.
This photo will enlarge and show the names and their business for any who may be interested.
The discussion concerned staying active in God's work through retirement and I issued a challenge to run the race faithfully to the very end.
We toured the new Frey Academic Center at LBC and I greeted Dr. Peter Teague, the president of the college. This college is thriving with new buildings all through the campus. It was moving to me since my Bible College shut down several years ago. Lancaster Bible College continues to prepare students for various forms of vocational ministry but also has a new center for marketplace ministry, preparing business leaders with a heart to do God's work. I first met Dr. Teague about 15 years ago when he had read an article about our business chaplaincy in the local paper and invited me to lunch to discuss it. He seems to have a heart to learn about and develop creative ways to minister to our world.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"How Firm A Foundation" Video Fernando Ortega
"I Will Delight" Video Maranatha! Singers
Information about Convene or Lancaster Convene
Ohio High Court Adopts Use of Gender-Neutral Language By The Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mar 15, 2016
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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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 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."
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