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Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Yesterday we drove through a crossing for the Strasburg Railroad and saw that Thomas the Tank Engine was providing motive power on the line.
"The Blessing Of Hope"
Yesterday we drove through a crossing for the Strasburg Railroad and saw that Thomas the Tank Engine was providing motive power on the line.
"The Blessing Of Hope"
Message Summary: Believing friend, today, let us continue to trust in the One who is ever dependable and let us rejoice together in the hope we have in Christ. That is the heart of being encouraged and building your life on Biblical hope!
Please note: Due to busyness and a long chaplain visitation day we will not prepare a podcast today.
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Romans 15:4).
Today there's a lot of talk about hope and people put their hope in a lot of different things. In regard to the troubles in our land so many seem to be placing their hope in a presidential candidate or the results of this fall's election. Frankly we don't see much hope there! Kings (or whatever designation we may use for leaders) and kingdoms (nations) rise and fall but the King of kings and His Kingdom will endure. Like those who have served Him in all ages we are called to follow and place our hope in the Lord.
Today we are not certain what opportunities may come our way as we serve the King and His Kingdom. In our ministry service we trust the Lord daily to lead us where we can serve and make an impact. Yesterday the course of life and God's leading led us from an Amish home for a viewing, to a conversation with two Vietnamese men to a visit with an ex-con. One thing we know is that everyone needs hope and encouragement. We have a long day of chaplaincy visitation today and fully expect to encounter many who needs hope and encouragement.
There's a great line in the classic film, "It's a Wonderful Life" where the angel Clarence is beckoned to help a troubled human. "Is he sick?", Clarence asks. "No, it's worse than being sick", the head angel replies, "he's discouraged."
Undoubtedly some of you reading this today are discouraged so it is the prayer of our heart that this brief word from "the encouragement of the Scriptures" may strengthen and renew your Biblical hope today! Let us consider the latter phrase in our daily text: "So that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope"
The Apostle Paul describes the unregenerate state as being, "without hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12). In 1 Thessalonians he writes of those "who have no hope" (4:13).
C. S. Lewis insightfully summarizes the human condition; "We try to be our own masters as if we had created ourselves. Then we hopelessly strive to invent some sort of happiness for ourselves outside of God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come human history . . . the long, terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy."
But one of the great blessings of the child of God is "hope". Notice the wonderful phrase that concludes the daily text, "we might have hope". Consider today the blessing of having hope, a confident assurance in God and the veracity and dependability of His promises. "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:19).
So believing friend, today, let us continue to trust in the One who is ever dependable and let us rejoice together in the hope we have in Christ. That is the heart of being encouraged and building your life on Biblical hope!
I can trust Jesus, I can trust Jesus
He never once has failed to meet my needs
He is my strong tower, the strength in my weakest hour
I can trust Jesus, He takes care of me
He never once has failed to meet my needs
He is my strong tower, the strength in my weakest hour
I can trust Jesus, He takes care of me
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, help
me to look beyond the immediate to the deeper meaning of each day's
task. May the hope You place within this redeemed heart of
mine stir up a joyful spirit and an overcoming attitude regarding the
difficulties I encounter throughout the day. Endurance is activating hidden strength for my tasks by keeping my eyes on future rewards. Restore to me the joy of
Your salvation and renew a steadfast spirit within me as I rejoice in
the unending hope I have in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
Brooksyne, while sitting in comfort in the front seat of our van, snapped this photo of the effort we take to get good photos on the fly for Daily Encouragement! Actually the train was running backward with Thomas the Tank pushing backwards so I was waiting for him to pass to snap today's opening photo.
Yesterday morning we went to the viewing for a young Amish man who passed way this week. Around here the custom is for the Amish is to hold the viewing in the home of the deceased. We parked in a field designated for the "English" (the term the Amish use for anyone who is not Amish) and walked past these parked buggies to the home behind this barn. Our long-time Amish friends, Jesse and Anna Ruth, met us and escorted us inside and through a room with a large group of Amish sitting in a circle to a room that had been cleared out except for the simple wood casket. We paid our respects for a view minutes before walking back out and speaking to several others we have met through the years. Amos, the young man who passed away was married to Jesse's sister who is also named Anna Ruth.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"I Can Trust Jesus" Video Collingsworth Family
"He Will Carry You" Video Brian Free & Assurance
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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