A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Thursday, October
4, 2018
But we all have occasionally fallen down. We can linger in a fallen position or choose to get up, brush off the debris, and trudge on. And when we are unaware of what made us fall we're wise to examine the terrain and see what obstacle we stumbled over. That's a good lesson for the Christian life as well.
Have you ever fallen? Of course you have! You did so a lot when you were learning to walk but have probably forgotten that. But just ask your parents. You've also fallen a few times after being full-grown and how embarrassing is that! Some of us will remember the low budget TV ad from the eighties with the memorable line, "I've fallen and I can't get up."
We've also fallen spiritually; all of us. The Apostle James says, "We all stumble in many ways" (3:2). Sometimes we stumble "big time", but more commonly in the "small ways". The seasoned Christian pilgrim has experienced the spiritual bruises from these falls. The persevering believer has a testimony of overcoming falls. They don't give up.
Visiting
on Tuesday morning at Audrey's,
a wholesale distributor of home decor
items, I found
a "Do Not Give Up" sign for sale. Jason
who is holding the sign is a man who has
had some real tough bumps in life but is
not giving up and keeps on keeping on.
(He gave me permission to share this.)
In the latter part of the first daily text the Psalmist has a wonderful promise, "The steps of a good man* are ordered by the LORD, and he delights in His way."
"Though he fall". This passage acknowledges that the "good man" falls, but gives us two great assurances.
1) "He shall not be utterly cast down." Thank God that we have no excuse for staying down after we fall. God has promised that we will not "be utterly cast down". Be sure to remind the devil when he tells you otherwise.
2) "For the Lord upholds him with His hand." Cling to this encouraging truth and cling to His hand today, believing friend. The immutable God continues to uphold His children. What an assuring promise for today and for always.
Have you goofed up, messed up, or even blown it big time? Perhaps you are in the process of trying to stand again after you've fallen. Call on the name of the Mighty God of the universe. As you take hold of the Lord's righteous right hand He will pick you up. He will come and save you. Do not give up!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father,
we thank You that You are our guide;
that our footsteps are ordered by
You. Though we stumble or
fall, we are not cast down for You
uphold us with Your righteous right
hand. In ourselves we may be clumsy,
weak, or nearsighted, but following
You, our Great Shepherd through
dangers, toils and snares to the
high places of Your love, we will be
like that of hind's feet in high
places. When we unexpectedly find
ourselves in a fallen position we
feel pretty foolish and somewhat
helpless though usually we bounce
right back to an upward position.
But there are times, Lord, when we
get trapped in a fallen position and
especially need Your help and even
assistance from others to help us
walk upright again. When we're in a
fallen position spiritually, Lord,
it is Your hand that we reach for.
You do not abandon us nor cast us
down for You only want to lift us up
again. Our hope is in You alone so
help us to cling tightly to Your
hand as we walk the potholed terrain
of this life. In the name of Jesus
we pray. Amen.
* "Good man" Of course the principle here applies to women as well.
Berks County barns
are well known for their Hex
signs, which are a type of
Pennsylvania Dutch folk art.
Some consider these to have some
mystical meaning while others
see them as being merely
decorative. According to this article in
Wikipedia, "Barn paintings,
usually in the form of "stars in
circles," began to appear on the
landscape in the early 19th
century, and became widespread
decades later when commercial
paint became readily available.
By the 1950s commercialized hex
signs, aimed at the tourist
market, became popular and these
often include stars, compass
roses, stylized birds known as
distelfinks, hearts, tulips, or
a tree of life. Two schools of
thought exist on the meaning of
hex signs. One school ascribes a
talismanic nature to the signs,
the other sees them as purely
decorative, or "Chust for nice"
in the local dialect. Both
schools recognize that there are
sometimes superstitions
associated with certain hex sign
themes, and neither ascribes
strong magical power to them.
The Amish do not use hex signs."
Click to enlarge
Coming
down off Hawk Mountain on Tuesday afternoon we passed
this peaceful setting on Hawk Mountain Road. Someone
has built this small covered bridge over their pond!
Click
on photo for larger view
"Order
My Steps In Thy Word"
Message
summary:
Have you goofed up, messed up, or
even blown it big time? Perhaps you are in
the process of trying to stand again after
you've fallen. Call on the name of the
Mighty God of the universe. As you take
hold of the Lord's righteous right hand He
will pick you up. He will come and save
you.
Listen to our message on your audio player
"Order my steps in Thy word" (Psalm 119:133). "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and he delights in His way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand" (Psalm 37:23,24). "Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from men of violence who plan to trip my feet" (Psalm 140:4). "We all stumble in many ways" (James 3:2).
In yesterday's message we mentioned our rigorous hike up a stony path on Hawk Mountain on Tuesday to get to a dramatic overlook. Brooksyne shares there's a bit more that precedes our strenuous hike up on Hawk Mountain. She'll tell her story:
Listen to our message on your audio player
"Order my steps in Thy word" (Psalm 119:133). "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and he delights in His way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand" (Psalm 37:23,24). "Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from men of violence who plan to trip my feet" (Psalm 140:4). "We all stumble in many ways" (James 3:2).
In yesterday's message we mentioned our rigorous hike up a stony path on Hawk Mountain on Tuesday to get to a dramatic overlook. Brooksyne shares there's a bit more that precedes our strenuous hike up on Hawk Mountain. She'll tell her story:
After
enjoying breakfast at Cracker Barrel we
stopped at a Lowe's Store in
Hamburg, Pennsylvania before we drove up
to Hawk Mountain. Stephen went into
Lowe's while I walked in front of Lowe's
toward another store.
I was walking a normal pace, holding my
coffee-to-go from Cracker
Barrel in one hand and looking straight
ahead.
Lickety split, with no sense of where it
came from, I lost my balance
and fell on the Lowe's parking lot, my
arm getting the worst of the
pain and scratches. I went down all the
way and was so stunned by the
unexpected fall that I couldn't get up
for a moment. Of course I was
hopeful that no one saw my fall or my
full cup of coffee that sprayed
the pavement.
But I was spotted by a Lowe's employee who had her walkie-talkie and was ready to call in the reinforcements. "Are you hurt, Mam" she repeatedly asked and I repeatedly assured her that I was fine and thanked her for her concern.
As I got up and walked away with no injury Psalm 37:23,24 came to mind. I began to sing "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord...though he fall, he shall not be cast down for the Lord upholds him with His hand." The words brought a smile and I thanked God that I wasn't hurt.
The analogy that came to mind was that there are times we may fall; sometimes it's a physical fall, other times it's a spiritual fall but God is there to help us up. The Lowe's employee was there to help me if I needed it which made me think of how God sends others to aid us when we have fallen. We are never abandoned by our ever faithful God.
After I picked myself up I studied the pavement where I took my tumble and saw that there was a stone probably 2" in diameter that I didn't see while walking and it must have thrown off my stride when I stepped on it wearing my wedge sandals.
While walking on smooth surfaces we get comfortable and don't even pay attention to the terrain. But today let's consider the Christian journey like a long hike through rocky terrain which has some laments like that of John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress". Because of the uneven terrain and the extensive tree roots, rocks and now lots of fallen acorns and walnuts in our yard and neighborhood, we may stumble as we walk along though we usually compensate and stay upright.
But I was spotted by a Lowe's employee who had her walkie-talkie and was ready to call in the reinforcements. "Are you hurt, Mam" she repeatedly asked and I repeatedly assured her that I was fine and thanked her for her concern.
As I got up and walked away with no injury Psalm 37:23,24 came to mind. I began to sing "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord...though he fall, he shall not be cast down for the Lord upholds him with His hand." The words brought a smile and I thanked God that I wasn't hurt.
The analogy that came to mind was that there are times we may fall; sometimes it's a physical fall, other times it's a spiritual fall but God is there to help us up. The Lowe's employee was there to help me if I needed it which made me think of how God sends others to aid us when we have fallen. We are never abandoned by our ever faithful God.
After I picked myself up I studied the pavement where I took my tumble and saw that there was a stone probably 2" in diameter that I didn't see while walking and it must have thrown off my stride when I stepped on it wearing my wedge sandals.
While walking on smooth surfaces we get comfortable and don't even pay attention to the terrain. But today let's consider the Christian journey like a long hike through rocky terrain which has some laments like that of John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress". Because of the uneven terrain and the extensive tree roots, rocks and now lots of fallen acorns and walnuts in our yard and neighborhood, we may stumble as we walk along though we usually compensate and stay upright.
But we all have occasionally fallen down. We can linger in a fallen position or choose to get up, brush off the debris, and trudge on. And when we are unaware of what made us fall we're wise to examine the terrain and see what obstacle we stumbled over. That's a good lesson for the Christian life as well.
Have you ever fallen? Of course you have! You did so a lot when you were learning to walk but have probably forgotten that. But just ask your parents. You've also fallen a few times after being full-grown and how embarrassing is that! Some of us will remember the low budget TV ad from the eighties with the memorable line, "I've fallen and I can't get up."
We've also fallen spiritually; all of us. The Apostle James says, "We all stumble in many ways" (3:2). Sometimes we stumble "big time", but more commonly in the "small ways". The seasoned Christian pilgrim has experienced the spiritual bruises from these falls. The persevering believer has a testimony of overcoming falls. They don't give up.
Visiting
on Tuesday morning at Audrey's,
a wholesale distributor of home decor
items, I found
a "Do Not Give Up" sign for sale. Jason
who is holding the sign is a man who has
had some real tough bumps in life but is
not giving up and keeps on keeping on.
(He gave me permission to share this.)In the latter part of the first daily text the Psalmist has a wonderful promise, "The steps of a good man* are ordered by the LORD, and he delights in His way."
"Though he fall". This passage acknowledges that the "good man" falls, but gives us two great assurances.
1) "He shall not be utterly cast down." Thank God that we have no excuse for staying down after we fall. God has promised that we will not "be utterly cast down". Be sure to remind the devil when he tells you otherwise.
2) "For the Lord upholds him with His hand." Cling to this encouraging truth and cling to His hand today, believing friend. The immutable God continues to uphold His children. What an assuring promise for today and for always.
Have you goofed up, messed up, or even blown it big time? Perhaps you are in the process of trying to stand again after you've fallen. Call on the name of the Mighty God of the universe. As you take hold of the Lord's righteous right hand He will pick you up. He will come and save you. Do not give up!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father,
we thank You that You are our guide;
that our footsteps are ordered by
You. Though we stumble or
fall, we are not cast down for You
uphold us with Your righteous right
hand. In ourselves we may be clumsy,
weak, or nearsighted, but following
You, our Great Shepherd through
dangers, toils and snares to the
high places of Your love, we will be
like that of hind's feet in high
places. When we unexpectedly find
ourselves in a fallen position we
feel pretty foolish and somewhat
helpless though usually we bounce
right back to an upward position.
But there are times, Lord, when we
get trapped in a fallen position and
especially need Your help and even
assistance from others to help us
walk upright again. When we're in a
fallen position spiritually, Lord,
it is Your hand that we reach for.
You do not abandon us nor cast us
down for You only want to lift us up
again. Our hope is in You alone so
help us to cling tightly to Your
hand as we walk the potholed terrain
of this life. In the name of Jesus
we pray. Amen.* "Good man" Of course the principle here applies to women as well.
Some more scenes
from rural Berks County
during our way home from
Hawk Mountain on Tuesday.
Click to enlarge
This large active
Berks County Farm is nestled
up near the foot of the
mountain. Due to the ridge and
valley characteristic of
this part of Pennsylvania some
regions seem very remote
although they are really not
that far from urban areas.
Click to
enlarge
It's always sad to
see a barn in this condition!
Click to
enlarge
We
passed
this house as we drove back down
the mountain through a
beautiful part of rural Berks
County. It surprising that it's
still
standing and reminds us of a
post card we saw many years ago
with a
house in a similar condition
with the caption, "We finally
found a home
we can afford". Brooksyne texted
the photo to Ester and told her
"We
found a house we can afford to
buy you and they're throwing the
graffiti in for free.". Ester
was not amused.
The Dreibelbis
Station covered bridge in
Berks County, PA was
built in 1869. It is 172 feet
long without any pier support
in the middle. Now I sure
admire modern engineering but
it's pretty remarkable in my
view to make a structure this
long that has no pier support
in the middle. By the way the
method used is known as the the Burr
Arch Truss.
Click to
enlarge
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Order
My Steps" Video
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
"He Will Come And Save You " Video Bob Fitts
"You Are My All In All" Video Gaither Vocal Band This song comes to mind because the second verse includes, "When I fall down you pick me up, when I am dry you fill my cup".
"The Steps Of A Good Man" Video Musician not identified Today's text set to music.
"He Will Come And Save You " Video Bob Fitts
"You Are My All In All" Video Gaither Vocal Band This song comes to mind because the second verse includes, "When I fall down you pick me up, when I am dry you fill my cup".
"The Steps Of A Good Man" Video Musician not identified Today's text set to music.
Though dark
be the night and long be the day
Lord, make me follow in Thy perfect way
Tho cometh sorrow; tho great be my pain
Lord make me serve Thee, Come Sunshine or Rain
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord
and He delighteth in his way
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down:
For the Lord, for the Lord
For the Lord upholdeth him with His hand.
O Thou art almighty, I am so small
Lord make me trust Thee whatever be-fall
Thou art all holy; You make no mistake
Lord, make me Christ-like whatever it takes.
Lord, make me follow in Thy perfect way
Tho cometh sorrow; tho great be my pain
Lord make me serve Thee, Come Sunshine or Rain
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord
and He delighteth in his way
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down:
For the Lord, for the Lord
For the Lord upholdeth him with His hand.
O Thou art almighty, I am so small
Lord make me trust Thee whatever be-fall
Thou art all holy; You make no mistake
Lord, make me Christ-like whatever it takes.
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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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