Administrative/personal note: The Daily Encouragement website was down for about 14 hours since last night, when the hosting server changed and I was working out the technical issues with numerous calls to tech support. Finally, it got ironed out about 10:00 this morning. During the time the site was down it also affected any email or Wordpress blog readers since all the photos are hosted on the website!

Message summary: Have you been hurt by others? Of course you have. We all have. Hurtful situations I've experienced over the years come to mind even as I type this.

Listen to our message on your audio player.

"When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them" (Luke 9:54,55).

Now to tell you the truth I am feeling an irritation in my spirit right now. All morning I've been receiving telemarketer calls. Some are very realistic sounding recordings that make me feel foolish when I do respond. They tell me they are responding to my inquiry which is a lie since I never inquired in the first place. Others are real people who abruptly hang up when I inform them I am not interested in their product, such as the "senior hearing center" call I repeatedly get.

Now that I've reached the age where many have hearing impairment they've targeted me though I don't have that problem yet, at least it's not bad enough to require a hearing aid(s). But I'm sure they'll call back again. I am on the "Do Not Call" list but that doesn't seem to help. We don't ignore unknown numbers since it may be someone in need of our chaplain services.

Have you ever felt like calling fire down on someone? Is there a person or situation in your life today that naggingly prompts a spirit of vindictiveness? You want to get even and see God take care of the matter. If you're really honest perhaps a lightning bolt would be OK with you.

In our daily text the disciples felt their Master was being insulted, as He was not welcomed in a Samaritan village on His way to Jerusalem. James and John asked Jesus, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" This, by the way, is the same John we know of as the "apostle of love"! 

"But Jesus turned and rebuked them." That sure must have stung as they felt they were protecting His honor.

But God is not vindictive. The tremendous benefits from the sun and rain are bestowed upon both the righteous and unrighteous. At times we would like to see our Father acting in a manner that we reckon as just, particularly when we've been wronged or when He is being dishonored. And the sooner the better as far as we're concerned!

Surely this non-vindictiveness does not negate the truth of future judgment.  But judgment is in His hands and in His time. The Bible plainly teaches this. But as "sons of our Father in heaven" we are called to demonstrate this non-vindictive character in our walk with Christ. 

Have you been hurt by others? Of course you have. We all have. Hurtful situations I've experienced come to mind even as I type this.  But I have learned (well, really I'm still learning) that a vindictive approach is more harmful to me than to my enemy. God will, in His time, take care of the matter and I, like the disciples, also need rebuked when I'm tempted to "call fire down from heaven."


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, in Your time, You make all things beautiful. You can take the hurtful situations I'm dealt in life and turn them into blessing. You turn my mourning into gladness and my weeping into dancing as You lift the heavy burdens that weigh me down. O God, by Your strength, I will look to You and not allow the heartache I am dealing with to overwhelm me, for "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Amen.

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"In His Time"  Video  Maranatha! Singers

Finally today: