A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Monday, January 7,
2019
Traveling
home from the Old Windmill Farm yesterday afternoon there
was a lot of Amish traffic on Paradise Lane. Most were
young people going to their youth group!
(Click
on photo for larger view.)
"The
Agony Of Almost"
Message
summary: Today
let us consider the
"agony of almost".
Listen to our message on your audio player.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"Then
Agrippa said to Paul,
'You almost persuade
me to become a
Christian'" (Acts
26:28). "For this
reason I also suffer
these things;
nevertheless I am not
ashamed, for I know
whom I have believed
and am persuaded that
He is able to keep
what I have committed
to Him until that Day"
(2 Timothy 1:12).
Once again I
begin this message with
a football illustration,
which I realize will not
connect with everyone,
but please give it a
try! If not scroll down
to, "Exposition
begins here:"
This last
weekend there were four
NFL playoff games and
three of them were very
close. In any game loss
whether it's close or
not there is
disappointment for the
losing team and its
fans. But some
losses are agonizingly
close. Last
night's final minutes of
the game between the
Chicago Bears and
Philadelphia Eagles was
very suspenseful. Living
in this area most are
Eagles fans but the
coach of the Bears, Matt
Nagy, is from a
neighboring town
(Manheim) so there is
some division in the fan
base even in our area.
The game came
down to what should have
been the game winning
field goal for the Bears
from a distance where
almost all field goals
are successful. The
kicker, Cody Parkey (who
used to play for the
Eagles), lined up for
the kick and, a second
before kicking the ball
successfully through the
uprights which would
have won the game, the
Eagles coach called a
timeout in a desperate
effort to "ice"
(frazzle) the kicker.
After the
brief time-out once
again there was another
attempt at the
game-winning field goal.
(Pause: I was
very conflicted at this
point. Although I
favored the Eagles I
really hate to see a
game won by a missed
field goal.)
The kicked
football hit the
goalpost upright and
then bounced down and
hit the crossbar before
bouncing out
for an agonizingly close
miss. The Eagles won the
game. Elated joy for one
side and unbelievable
agony for the other! The
Bears had almost
won the football game.
I felt for the
kicker who was
experiencing, along with
the rest of the Bears
team and fans, the
"agony of almost".
However a brief glimpse
of him joining a group
of other players on the
field for a post-game
prayer was an inspiring
moment.
Exposition
begins here:
Today let us
consider an infinitely
more important "agony of
almost".
Anyone who has
witnessed for Christ,
whether one on one, or
in a group setting has
dealt with rejection or
a lack of receptiveness
to their message and
appeal to renounce sin
and follow Christ.
Paul
experienced this when he
was testifying before
King Agrippa and the
Spirit led him to pour
his heart out and
challenge Agrippa to
become a Christian.
Agrippa responded, "You
almost persuade
me to become a
Christian". This
is how the scene ends
and we are left to
wonder if Agrippa ever
chose the way of Christ.
Some 1900
years later songwriter
Philip P. Bliss was
assisting an evangelist
named Rev. Brundage.
During the sermon, the
evangelist quoted Acts
26:28 and declared: "He
who is almost persuaded
is almost saved, and to
be almost saved is to be
entirely lost." This
prompted P.P. Bliss to
write a hymn titled
"Almost Persuaded".
In today's
two texts we have a
contrast between the
peril of "almost
persuaded" and the
blessing of "fully
persuaded". Where do
you stand? Join
us in this
declaration: "For
this reason I also
suffer these things;
nevertheless I am
not ashamed, for I
know whom I have
believed and am
persuaded that He is
able to keep what I
have committed to
Him until that Day"
(2 Timothy 1:12).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father,
there are scores and
scores of people who
hear the gospel
message, wrestle with
the changes it would
bring in their life
should they follow
You, and then delay or
ultimately deny You
access. But it isn't
until we fully
surrender ourselves to
You that we can
experience Your love,
peace, forgiveness and
eternal life which are
the greatest blessings
that come to those who
walk by faith and not
by sight. We thank You
for courageous
believers who share
the gospel message as
they seek to persuade
unbelievers to come to
faith. May we be among
them is my prayer.
Amen.
After
church yesterday we
had dinner with the
Lapp family at the
Old Windmill Farm.
They have renovated
their old farmhouse
and now have this
panoramic view
outside their
kitchen window.
After our
meal Eli took me out
to the hay loft in
the barn to show me
the swing that he
and his brother
Moses rigged up
which was hanging
from the rafters.
When I was young I
sure enjoyed playing
in my Uncle Gentry's
barn out in the
country near
Harwood, MO. However
I should disclose
that I didn't swing
out across the barn
yesterday!
However,
Eli had quite a
swing ride jumping
off the hay bales!
Jesse was
given 4 pallets of
wheat pasta suitable
for animal feed
which he is using as
feed supplement.
Here the baby pigs
are crunching some
dry spaghetti.
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
"Almost Persuaded"
Video
Cedar Springs Amish-Mennonite
Youth
The story behind the hymn "Almost Persuaded" Video
"I Know Whom I Have Believed" Video Antrim Mennonite Choir
Cody Parkey Misses
Game-Winning Field Goal | 2018
NFC Wild Card Game Video (For
those who missed the suspenseful
moment!) Watch the bear mascot
fall over as he watched the missed
field goal!
"Icing The Kicker"
Video
This Pepsi commercial has been
running for several months and if
I recall correctly ran during the
game yesterday. Note the winning
coach's facial expression at the
end!
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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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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