The online
Bible teaching ministry of Stephen
& Brooksyne Weber
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home About Us Free email subscription ![]() Follow Daily Encouragement on ![]() ![]() ![]() <Previous Message Next Message> Message Summary: The political leadership chosen tomorrow certainly influences the fate of our nation, but the greatest need is for individuals, families, churches, and communities to follow the pattern of 2 Chronicles 7:14 that teaches us to humble ourselves, pray, seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways. We pray for a restoration of righteousness in our land! ![]() "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people" (Proverbs 14:34 NASV). Well, tomorrow, Election Day 2016 will finally arrive. The USA will select its presidential leader for the next 4 years, along with many other elected positions in government. Our family will all vote and participate in our constitutional right. However, especially in regard to the highest office, we do so with great grief. To use the words of a pastor we esteem, "They're both scoundrels". We live in a swing state (nominally) so we are now inundated with nasty ads from both major candidates, most of them true and deeply troubling. During the final days it is at such a frenzied pace that they run the same ad over and over which can torment the viewer and ruin a good football game. We look forward to this nasty phase very soon ending but really don't expect much unity on Wednesday morning. Our country is terribly and deeply divided and apart from divine intervention we don't see this changing. We need a restoration of righteousness. Our polling place is in a Bible believing church and, although there is no electioneering allowed by the church, it's still interesting to pass through the foyer area on the way to the polling place. It's a blessing to be exposed to expressions of Biblical truth and righteousness even while pursuing patriotic duties! When we pastored in New England in the 1990's our church was also used as a polling place. It was on a very busy US highway Rt 44 that ran through our city with lots of traffic. We had a large road sign with a changeable message at the entrance. On Election Day, Veda Shibilo, my dedicated church secretary placed this message on both sides of the sign: "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people" (Proverbs 14:34). For many voters, especially in that region of the country, that was probably the extent of their exposure to Scripture! Hopefully some paused to consider the truth in that short biblical phrase. Over half a century ago Peter Marshall made the following prophetic statement: "No nation has ever made any progress in a downward direction. No people ever became great by lowering their standards. No people ever became good by adopting a looser morality. It is not progress when the moral tone is lower than it was. It is not progress when purity is not as sweet. Whatever else it is, it is not progress!" We are being disgraced as a nation. To be sure sin has always been present but we are seeing such an increase, approval and even celebration of behavior described in the Bible as sin. Now those who believe in and stand up for Biblical righteousness are increasing vilified. The disgrace of sin abounds, yet so many are blind to it. ![]() The righteousness that exalts a nation is fundamentally attained when individuals, families and churches turn to Christ and live daily in submission to His will. This has an accumulative impact on our community, state and entire nation. Thus a nation's leadership reflects the righteousness or unrighteousness of the people. I often refer to our Scripture text which is so powerful. Today I want to share it in a variety of translations that vary the wording slightly but may provide further insight: "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people." (NIV) "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." (KJV) "Uprightness and right standing with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) elevate a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Amplified Version) The political leadership chosen tomorrow certainly influences the fate of our nation, but the greatest need is for individuals, families, churches, and communities to follow the pattern of 2 Chronicles 7:14 that teaches us to humble ourselves, pray, seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways. We pray for a restoration of righteousness in our land! We each individually have the decision regarding the fate of our soul. I urge you all to accept or reaffirm your personal decision to follow Christ today and experience God's great hope and peace as a citizen of heaven! We emphasize again and again the most important decision that we will make in this life is to love and serve Jesus this day and every day and forever. If we do we will seek to please the Lord and obey His commands, thereby doing our part to make our country righteous! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber ![]() (Prayer adapted from a "A Prayer For The Election" by John Piper)
Today we will show some Autumn scenes from our home and neighborhood ![]() A distant view of our home from walking trail ![]() The start of the wonderful trail that we've walked for 14 years right across from our house. ![]() The view up Kraybill Church Road from our home ![]() This is a very attractive farm setting with a farm house that sits empty most of the year. The story goes that the owners died and left the property to heirs who only visit a few weeks of the year. Perhaps they are city dwellers and only like to visit country rather than live there. ![]() An Autumn view of our home Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
"If My People" Video This song was popular when we were young in the seventies. "If My People" Video Promise Keepers "Heal Our Land" Video Randy Rothwell Friday we shared a photo of John, a friend of ours, assembling a part. It may not sound very exotic but it is a manure drive! These are used in chicken houses to remove the waste and are a vital component in modern food production. Chickens produce a lot of waste!!! 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.) ![]() ![]() 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. 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 2016 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA |