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Friday, March 2, 2018
Every
week we pass many one room Amish Schools. You can
almost always see the students and their teacher during recess playing
softball, volleyball and other sports. They're fast and competitive in a fun way. We saw this school yesterday.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
"Divine Preservation"
Message summary: "We'll understand it all by and by." We may not understand the current pain, nor may we always see the end purpose on this side, but let's keep trusting our Lord for divine preservation!
Listen to our
message on your
audio player.
"Preserve me O God, for in You I put my trust" (Psalm 16:1).
Among Brooksyne's many homemaking interests one
she especially enjoys
is making jams and preserves. Her favorite preserve recipe is her
strawberry/rhubarb preserves which she processes during the summer and
fall months so that
we can
enjoy it throughout the year. Last night she made some strawberry
muffins that tasted great all by themselves but were especially good
when I asked her to top them with her strawberry/rhubarb
preserves. They're called preserves because the rhubarb and
strawberries are preserved in chunks of fruit in a syrup or a jam
rather crushed fruit or fruit juice.
Some 3,000 years ago the Psalmist refers to a different type of preserve. "Preserve me O God, for in You I put my trust."
Psalm 16 is a short Psalm with only eleven verses that can be read in a few minutes providing a great source of Scriptural comfort. It's known as a "miktam" of David with "miktam" thought to be a literary or musical term.
This Psalm, unlike several others written by David, gives no background regarding the source of his distress. We can find comfort in this general, non-specific description since our distresses vary greatly, yet the prayer we find in this Psalm is applicable to any need.
David experienced many days when despair would cloud his faith blurring his vision of a loving and faithful God who provides an overcoming attitude or deliverance from the troublesome circumstances of life. But as he began to meditate on the Scriptures his hope was renewed and his faith preserved.
We all need divine preservation don't we? Joseph is a tremendous example with whom most readers are familiar (Genesis 37-50). Perhaps you are going through a "Joseph" type trial and are at the point where Joseph was thrown into the pit. Unable to pull himself out Joseph could overhear his brothers plotting for his death. God preserved his life, in spite of those who plotted his death, but He certainly put him through the pressure cooker of injustice and godless authority.
In severe times of testing the enemy thoroughly enjoys playing mind games with us where we second guess our every thought or action. Fear and insecurity replace our confidence. Sometimes the God-ordained circumstances of life make the appeal for divine preservation more urgent and heartfelt. The word "preserved" translates a very descriptive Hebrew word that literally means, "to hedge about."
Psalm 16 ends with this wonderful testimony of assurance, a result of steadfast trust: "You have made known to me the path of life. You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand." Some of you reading this may especially need this reassuring Scripture today. Our responsibility is placing our confidence in the One who changes not and deepening our trust in Him.
The late Bible teacher James Montgomery Boice observes, “The God of the Bible is not weak; He is strong. He is all mighty. Nothing happens without His permission or apart from His purposes, even evil. Nothing disturbs or puzzles Him. His purposes are always accomplished. Therefore those who know Him rightly act with boldness, assured that God is with them to accomplish His own desirable purposes in their lives.”
For many years we have been blessed by this statement by Blaine Allen, another Bible teacher, "Tuck this thought away: Never in eternity will we want to walk up to Jesus and say, 'I surely wish you had answered my prayer differently'".
Deep in my spirit I believe that to be true. A hymn writer expressed it another way in his words, "We'll understand it all by and by." We may not understand the current pain, nor may we always see the end purpose on this side, but let's keep trusting our Lord for divine preservation! "For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father,
as You call us to walk the narrow path the vast majority
rejects, we thank You for the godly examples who have gone before us
and shown us the way. Such giants of the faith as Abraham, Moses,
Joseph, Paul and countless others throughout the generations including
our own. We thank You, Father, for the sterling example in our
godly brother, Billy Graham, who has left a spiritual mark upon
millions of lives in our own lifetime. These giants of the faith
have shown us the way to be faithful even in the midst of adversity.
They
made great sacrifices in their lifetime to gain an eternal inheritance
in heaven. Their sacrifice was temporal and short in duration
compared to the eternal pleasures they now enjoy. Help us not to
resent the struggles that lead us to seek You in a deeper more intimate
relationship. May we, like Job, declare “I know that you can do
all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. My ears had heard
of You but now my eyes have seen You” (Job 42:2,5).
Yesterday afternoon I stopped to visit with some electricians working on major renovations to a car dealership. One was installing lighting and I was curious as to what this was. It reminded me of a railway turntable but I didn't see what use they would have for that in an auto dealership. Does anyone have any idea what this will be used for? See below for answer.
Wherever we may live we are accustomed to passing new car dealerships. This is the Weavertown Coach Shop, a carriage dealership along the Old Philadelphia Pike near Bird In Hand, PA.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
"Divine Preservation"
Message summary: "We'll understand it all by and by." We may not understand the current pain, nor may we always see the end purpose on this side, but let's keep trusting our Lord for divine preservation!
Listen to our
message on your
audio player."Preserve me O God, for in You I put my trust" (Psalm 16:1).
Among Brooksyne's many homemaking interests one
she especially enjoys
is making jams and preserves. Her favorite preserve recipe is her
strawberry/rhubarb preserves which she processes during the summer and
fall months so that
we can
enjoy it throughout the year. Last night she made some strawberry
muffins that tasted great all by themselves but were especially good
when I asked her to top them with her strawberry/rhubarb
preserves. They're called preserves because the rhubarb and
strawberries are preserved in chunks of fruit in a syrup or a jam
rather crushed fruit or fruit juice.Some 3,000 years ago the Psalmist refers to a different type of preserve. "Preserve me O God, for in You I put my trust."
Psalm 16 is a short Psalm with only eleven verses that can be read in a few minutes providing a great source of Scriptural comfort. It's known as a "miktam" of David with "miktam" thought to be a literary or musical term.
This Psalm, unlike several others written by David, gives no background regarding the source of his distress. We can find comfort in this general, non-specific description since our distresses vary greatly, yet the prayer we find in this Psalm is applicable to any need.
David experienced many days when despair would cloud his faith blurring his vision of a loving and faithful God who provides an overcoming attitude or deliverance from the troublesome circumstances of life. But as he began to meditate on the Scriptures his hope was renewed and his faith preserved.
We all need divine preservation don't we? Joseph is a tremendous example with whom most readers are familiar (Genesis 37-50). Perhaps you are going through a "Joseph" type trial and are at the point where Joseph was thrown into the pit. Unable to pull himself out Joseph could overhear his brothers plotting for his death. God preserved his life, in spite of those who plotted his death, but He certainly put him through the pressure cooker of injustice and godless authority.
In severe times of testing the enemy thoroughly enjoys playing mind games with us where we second guess our every thought or action. Fear and insecurity replace our confidence. Sometimes the God-ordained circumstances of life make the appeal for divine preservation more urgent and heartfelt. The word "preserved" translates a very descriptive Hebrew word that literally means, "to hedge about."
Psalm 16 ends with this wonderful testimony of assurance, a result of steadfast trust: "You have made known to me the path of life. You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand." Some of you reading this may especially need this reassuring Scripture today. Our responsibility is placing our confidence in the One who changes not and deepening our trust in Him.
The late Bible teacher James Montgomery Boice observes, “The God of the Bible is not weak; He is strong. He is all mighty. Nothing happens without His permission or apart from His purposes, even evil. Nothing disturbs or puzzles Him. His purposes are always accomplished. Therefore those who know Him rightly act with boldness, assured that God is with them to accomplish His own desirable purposes in their lives.”
For many years we have been blessed by this statement by Blaine Allen, another Bible teacher, "Tuck this thought away: Never in eternity will we want to walk up to Jesus and say, 'I surely wish you had answered my prayer differently'".
Deep in my spirit I believe that to be true. A hymn writer expressed it another way in his words, "We'll understand it all by and by." We may not understand the current pain, nor may we always see the end purpose on this side, but let's keep trusting our Lord for divine preservation! "For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father,
as You call us to walk the narrow path the vast majority
rejects, we thank You for the godly examples who have gone before us
and shown us the way. Such giants of the faith as Abraham, Moses,
Joseph, Paul and countless others throughout the generations including
our own. We thank You, Father, for the sterling example in our
godly brother, Billy Graham, who has left a spiritual mark upon
millions of lives in our own lifetime. These giants of the faith
have shown us the way to be faithful even in the midst of adversity.
They
made great sacrifices in their lifetime to gain an eternal inheritance
in heaven. Their sacrifice was temporal and short in duration
compared to the eternal pleasures they now enjoy. Help us not to
resent the struggles that lead us to seek You in a deeper more intimate
relationship. May we, like Job, declare “I know that you can do
all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. My ears had heard
of You but now my eyes have seen You” (Job 42:2,5).Yesterday afternoon I stopped to visit with some electricians working on major renovations to a car dealership. One was installing lighting and I was curious as to what this was. It reminded me of a railway turntable but I didn't see what use they would have for that in an auto dealership. Does anyone have any idea what this will be used for? See below for answer.
Wherever we may live we are accustomed to passing new car dealerships. This is the Weavertown Coach Shop, a carriage dealership along the Old Philadelphia Pike near Bird In Hand, PA.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
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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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