A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Friday, October
26, 2018
Today
let us consider occupational hazards and
a special device we see on many machines
called a "safety light curtain". This is
a device that has a beam of light around
the perimeter of a dangerous machine. If
you step through the light while the
machine is running the machine will
instantly shut down. Yesterday morning I
observed one at Smucker Laser and a
spiritual application came to mind.
"Is He Worthy?" Video Andrew Peterson A most unusual song filled with questions and Biblical responses to those questions. This was introduced to our choir Wednesday night and we are planning to sing it on a November Sunday. Listen to this very different and moving song - it will touch your heart!
Finally today: Yesterday's quiz was the text of John 3:16 in binary code, the language computers use. We commend several readers who managed to translate this. Here's the nifty tool I used to translate. This was spurred on by a visit to the Intel museum and purchasing this mug. So what do you suppose the mug says?
Foliage
from Fenton Covered Bridge
(Click to
enlarge)
"Hazards
Ahead"
Message
summary:
Four action steps provide the key to
Spirit-empowered victory as we deal with
the common hazards in the course of
life.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"Be
self-controlled and alert. Your enemy
the devil prowls around like a roaring
lion looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, standing firm in the
faith" (1 Peter 5:8,9a).
Drivi
ng
along the coast in California we drove
through hazardous areas with very steep
drop offs into the ocean, then through
the mountains and steep drop-offs down
ravines. Then there are the hazards of
driving through the city! You have to be
on the lookout for bikes which run right
through traffic. It was especially
hazardous when we walked across the
Golden Gate Bridge and bikers sped by
with little consideration for walkers.
ng
along the coast in California we drove
through hazardous areas with very steep
drop offs into the ocean, then through
the mountains and steep drop-offs down
ravines. Then there are the hazards of
driving through the city! You have to be
on the lookout for bikes which run right
through traffic. It was especially
hazardous when we walked across the
Golden Gate Bridge and bikers sped by
with little consideration for walkers.Life
is full of hazards. There are road
hazards, relationship hazards, sports
hazards and many others. We sing of this
in Amazing Grace, "Through many dangers,
toils and snares."
Today
let us consider occupational hazards and
a special device we see on many machines
called a "safety light curtain". This is
a device that has a beam of light around
the perimeter of a dangerous machine. If
you step through the light while the
machine is running the machine will
instantly shut down. Yesterday morning I
observed one at Smucker Laser and a
spiritual application came to mind.We
all need something like this when we
step into danger and a knowledge of and
respect for God's Word can meet this
need.
Our daily Scripture portion is a
tremendous source of strength and godly
counsel as we deal with the hazards in
our spiritual life.
This may seem like strange logic, but the continued work of the tempter and his many minions actually increases my faith in God. The Scriptures are so clear regarding good and evil and the cosmic battle we are in the midst of, whether we acknowledge it or not. We are not spectators but active participants in this battle.
Considering the constant assault directed at those of the Christian faith, let us cry out to God for renewed strength to "be self-controlled and alert". A Study Bible I use makes this observation in regard to this phrase: "Perhaps Peter remembered his own difficulty in staying awake during our Lord's agony in Gethsemane".
There are scores of ways our "ancient foe" works his deadly woe. He's adept at using the latest technology and now scores are battling the wiles of the devil in ways never imagined by previous generations.
"Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Matthew Henry comments on this verse. "The whole design of Satan is to devour and destroy souls. He always is contriving whom he may ensnare to eternal ruin. Our duty plainly is, to be sober; to govern both the outward and the inward man by the rules of temperance".
Today may we all realize, regardless of the nature of Satan's attack in our area of weakness, that our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Four keys to victory in dealing with this hazard are found in this short portion of Scripture:
* Be self-controlled
* Be alert
* Resist him
* Stand firm in the faith
These four action steps provide the key to Spirit-empowered victory as we deal with the common hazards that are ahead of us in the course of life.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
though Satan's temptations swirl about
me in many forms and in various venues I
resist the enemy's desire to reside in
my life. Even as the devil seeks to wrap
his noxious tentacles around my heart, I
stand firm against him because the Holy
Spirit is the Protector of my soul, who
stands guard at all times. I am grateful
for the warning signals often repeated
throughout the Bible that teach me about
Satan's strategy. Thank You for Your
still, small voice regularly reminding
me that I am a child of God purchased by
Your life-giving blood. May everything
that passes before my eyes and all
activities I engage in reflect the light
of Your redeeming love within me. It is
through Your power that I resist the
devil and stand firm in the faith. Amen.
This may seem like strange logic, but the continued work of the tempter and his many minions actually increases my faith in God. The Scriptures are so clear regarding good and evil and the cosmic battle we are in the midst of, whether we acknowledge it or not. We are not spectators but active participants in this battle.
Considering the constant assault directed at those of the Christian faith, let us cry out to God for renewed strength to "be self-controlled and alert". A Study Bible I use makes this observation in regard to this phrase: "Perhaps Peter remembered his own difficulty in staying awake during our Lord's agony in Gethsemane".
There are scores of ways our "ancient foe" works his deadly woe. He's adept at using the latest technology and now scores are battling the wiles of the devil in ways never imagined by previous generations.
"Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Matthew Henry comments on this verse. "The whole design of Satan is to devour and destroy souls. He always is contriving whom he may ensnare to eternal ruin. Our duty plainly is, to be sober; to govern both the outward and the inward man by the rules of temperance".
Today may we all realize, regardless of the nature of Satan's attack in our area of weakness, that our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Four keys to victory in dealing with this hazard are found in this short portion of Scripture:
* Be self-controlled
* Be alert
* Resist him
* Stand firm in the faith
These four action steps provide the key to Spirit-empowered victory as we deal with the common hazards that are ahead of us in the course of life.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
though Satan's temptations swirl about
me in many forms and in various venues I
resist the enemy's desire to reside in
my life. Even as the devil seeks to wrap
his noxious tentacles around my heart, I
stand firm against him because the Holy
Spirit is the Protector of my soul, who
stands guard at all times. I am grateful
for the warning signals often repeated
throughout the Bible that teach me about
Satan's strategy. Thank You for Your
still, small voice regularly reminding
me that I am a child of God purchased by
Your life-giving blood. May everything
that passes before my eyes and all
activities I engage in reflect the light
of Your redeeming love within me. It is
through Your power that I resist the
devil and stand firm in the faith. Amen.We walked through an
old growth redwood grove at
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
(Google map).
This tree, called "The Giant" is
the largest tree in the grove at
270 feet tall.
I look pretty puny
walking among these trees!
The Roaring
Camp Railroad with this
engine, dolled up as Thomas the
Tank engine, goes through the
Redwood Grove.
The Fenton Covered
Bridge, built in 1892 and one of
only ten remaining in all of
California, is the tallest in
the nation.
Yesterday we mentioned
visiting the Apple headquarters
and visitor's center. I
mistakenly drove into the
employee entrance to the
underground parking garage with
tunnels right out of the Jetsons
but couldn't get any farther
than these gates before being
surrounded by Apple security
guards! (Actually there was only
one friendly guard who directed
us to a bypass out.) The
"spaceship" main office building
is to the left. Yesterday I
shared a photo while it was
under construction. Here's one
after construction was complete.
Back to Realville -
we resumed our chaplain duties
yesterday.
We stopped by to visit
a group of Val-Co employees who
were serving at Blessings of
Hope, a ministry that
provides bulk foods to food
banks.
Aaron Fisher, the
founder of Blessings Of Hope
explained a new program that he
was excited about called "Hands
of Hope" whereby individuals can
make a modest donation and fill
a box to give directly to
someone in need. Apart from
those in his church we chose to
be the first to utilize this
program today so we filled a box
with food and gave it to a
family who has limited income.
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Is He Worthy?" Video Andrew Peterson A most unusual song filled with questions and Biblical responses to those questions. This was introduced to our choir Wednesday night and we are planning to sing it on a November Sunday. Listen to this very different and moving song - it will touch your heart!
Finally today: Yesterday's quiz was the text of John 3:16 in binary code, the language computers use. We commend several readers who managed to translate this. Here's the nifty tool I used to translate. This was spurred on by a visit to the Intel museum and purchasing this mug. So what do you suppose the mug says?
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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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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