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 ![]() Daily Encouragement on ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() <Previous Message Next Message> Tuesday, July 18, 2017
![]() Sunset July 15, 2017 (Photo by Ester) "A Consideration Of The Greater Light" Message summary: Each predictable sunrise and sunset provides a witness to the truth of the creation account, which in part declares, "God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." Today let us again faithfully serve the God of creation! ![]() "God made two great lights - the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth" (Genesis 1:16,17). We have, in our admittedly biased opinion, outstanding sunset views from our front porch. We often share photos of what the Bible calls "the greater light" such as today's photo which Ester took Saturday evening. For some reason it looks like the kind of photo you would see from Africa but indeed that's an authentic Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA sunset! The setting of the sun is a tremendously predictable aspect of God's created order. It's true that future sunrise and sunset times are precisely known many years ahead. For instance in 37 years, July 18, 2054 (the year I will turn 100) sunset in Mount Joy will be at 8:33 PM (just in case I want to plan ahead for any social gathering). See this site. Note: The date range on this widget only goes to 2099 so if you have plans beyond that year you will have to find your own site. Isn't it amazing to consider the great faith many people have that all of this is just a matter of random chance! Consider what it would be like if just as the sun set it suddenly stopped and then began to rise again from the west. (Of course I am aware that this would actually involve an abrupt reversal of the earth's rotation and that would probably be rather painful.) If this were to happen all the problems we presently have would be infinitely trivial in comparison. Yet it's really not something we worry about! And sure enough this morning we had another sunrise, right on schedule at 5:52 AM. (Actually, due to an early morning chaplain visit in Lebanon County we had to prepare this the night before so we will need to correct this statement if the sun does not rise.) Just as predictable as the sun that rises in the east and sets in the west we have a firm, unwavering belief in the Genesis creation account in spite of the relentless assault of modernism. We are aware that many mock our view and would call us simpletons for still believing the Bible. We believe this account forms an inviolable foundation for God's redemption plan. However we are aware that there are those who make a profession of faith in Christ, yet concede to the shifting whims of the world on this issue, many asserting the creation account is really not important but just part of a myth. Many Christians may not be aware of the excellent resources available defending the Biblical record.* "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible" (Hebrews 11:3). Regardless of what view one has concerning creation and origins it takes faith. Each predictable sunrise and sunset provides a witness to the truth of the creation account, which in part declares, "God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." Today let us again faithfully serve the God of creation! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber ![]() A part of today's text that always interests me is the phrase, "He also made the stars." Consider the immensity of the universe and the growing number (in man's estimation) of how many stars there are and yet the first reference in Scripture merely states concerning God, "He also made the stars." What a mighty God we serve! * Here are links to two sites that provide abundant resources in defending the Biblical account of creation: Institute for Creation Research Answers in Genesis Today we share some photos we've each taken these last several beautiful summer days. ![]() As Ester and I departed for a Sunday afternoon drive I looked back as I was leaving and saw Brooksyne tossing the frisbee to Mollie. ![]() Later she took an evening walk in our neighborhood with her friend, Tho. They stopped to admire the beautiful flowers at the Brubaker farmhouse and snapped this photo. ![]() We drove to Columbia with this view coming down Chique's Hill. The Susquehanna River is in the background. ![]() The majestic Columbia/Wrightsville bridge from the Wrightsville side. (Click to enlarge) ![]() Another view of the bridge from Wrightsville looking across the river to Columbia. ![]() Ester caught this photo of a charter fishing boat, "Catch Your Own River Monster" on the Susquehanna River. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "The Love of God" Video Triumphant Quartet For local readers: This coming Sunday evening, July 25, The Triumphant Quartet will be in Lebanon, PA for the Music In The Park summer concert series. See here for info. This is a free concert! (A free-will offering is received) Finally today: ![]() It appears this Amish grandpa took the grandkids with him to fill gas cans. We both enjoyed going for rides with our grandpas! Brooksyne does not remember her grandpa ever driving a vehicle but remembers riding in the wagon when he drove the team of mules to large fields of pasture land where he was either plowing, planting or harvesting vegetables on the mountain in Arkansas. We look forward to visiting Mountain Top in just over two weeks. ![]() 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.) ![]() ![]() 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. We 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 2017 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA |