A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Thursday, January
31, 2019
Purple finch
Photo by
Ester
"Cold
And Heat"
Message
summary:
Hebrews 1:3 says that
Christ is "sustaining
all things by His
powerful Word".
Today I am confident
that He will continue to
uphold and keep the
earth as long as He
ordains its existence.
He will also continue to
sustain you and me.
After all, "all things"
covers it all!
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"While the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease” (Genesis 8:22). "Sustaining all things by His powerful Word" (Hebrews 1:3).
We
are experiencing the
effects of a polar
vortex, a term I don’t
ever recall hearing
until about five years
ago. Sometimes we also
hear the term arctic
blast. That means it's
very cold outside! This
morning my online
weather page showed -4°
when I began this
message. However my
cousin in Wisconsin told
us they had wind chills
of -40° to
-60° so
I suppose you
could say it's
relatively warm where we
live!
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"While the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease” (Genesis 8:22). "Sustaining all things by His powerful Word" (Hebrews 1:3).
We
are experiencing the
effects of a polar
vortex, a term I don’t
ever recall hearing
until about five years
ago. Sometimes we also
hear the term arctic
blast. That means it's
very cold outside! This
morning my online
weather page showed -4°
when I began this
message. However my
cousin in Wisconsin told
us they had wind chills
of -40° to
-60° so
I suppose you
could say it's
relatively warm where we
live!This morning we have drifts in our driveway from the blowing snow and the photo to the left shows how the snow managed to blow through the gap around our poorly self-installed storm door. Mollie insisted on going out, because she insists on trampling through the snow, but within a couple of minutes she lifted her right paw and then her left paw, rotating them back and forth as she was uncomfortably struck by the intense cold. Most schools in our area are closed but it's a bright sunny day in spite of the frigid temps.
A polar
vortex is a whirling
mass of cold air
circulating in the mid
to upper-levels of the
atmosphere, present
every winter. It usually
stays closer to the
poles but sometimes
breaks apart, sending
chunks of Arctic air
southward into the U.S.
during winter (from CBS
news). The wind is a lot
less today but yesterday
it was blowing so hard
my recyclables blew all
over the yard and
beyond. It was just too
cold to try to retrieve
them. We also lost power
again yesterday due to
downed power lines, but
it was restored quickly
before our electric feed
coal stove went out,
unlike the day before!
Listening to
the howling winds and
feeling the cool air in
our otherwise warm house
makes us long for sunny
summer weather. But
right now the U.S. and
many of our friends
overseas are in the
midst of the winter
extreme "fallout". We
experience cold temps
each year, though
sometimes more than
others.
God
made a standing promise
to Noah after the flood
which is known as the
Noahic Covenant:
"As long as the earth
endures, seedtime and
harvest, cold
and heat,
summer and winter, day
and night will never
cease" (Genesis
8:22).
Each of the events and seasons described in the covenant are easily observable. Here in our rural area we regularly witness "seedtime and harvest" across the road from our house as the farmers plant and harvest. And of course no one would contest that we still have "summer and winter, day and night".
We also all experience "cold and heat" in varying extremes depending on where we live. We have friends in San Diego where "cold" might be when it gets in the 40°s. Right now for me that would be practically short sleeve weather!
As long as the earth endures, these "will never cease". The earth is still enduring and each of these easily observable characteristics have not ceased! God continues to faithfully keep these promises. Using a powerful phrase from the Book of Hebrews He is "sustaining all things by His powerful Word".
Although it is forecast to be very cold all day we expect this blast of cold from the polar vortex to soon cease and temperatures to return to more normal tomorrow with a high of 22° (which is still pretty cold).
But an aspect of God's sustaining care is seen when we consider how much colder or hotter it could get! I have read that if the earth was just a small fraction closer or farther from the sun we would have extremes that would make life as we know it intolerable. The same is true for the earth's design in its rotation on its axis and its revolution around the sun. Yet God has designed and sustains the earth in an extremely predictable pattern.
There are design limits in God's continuing care over the earth as He faithfully sustains it. We may grumble about the cold or the hot, but I've never met anyone that is terribly worried that the earth will move just a fraction closer to or farther from the sun causing us to suddenly boil or plunge to 100 degrees below zero!
Hebrews 1:3 says that Christ is "sustaining all things by His powerful Word". Today I am confident that He will continue to sustain and keep the earth as long as He ordains its existence. He will also continue to sustain you and me. After all, "all things" covers it all!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father,
You
sustain all
things by Your
powerful Word
and through Your
sovereign
control. The
natural order of
Your creation is
the means by
which we live
day after day,
year after year.
Just as there
are variables in
the seasons
there are
variables in our
lives as we walk
this pilgrimage
on earth. There
are bright,
clear days in
which we feel on
top of the
world, and there
are dark, cold
days when we
feel our world
will soon come
to a halt. But
we are
encouraged as we
look to Your
powerful Word
that reminds us
You are our
loving God who
sustains us in
the variables of
our daily
circumstances.
Because of that
we can trust You
even in the
extremes of
life. We thank
You in the
powerful name of
Jesus who is
Your exact
representation
on earth. Amen.
God
made a standing promise
to Noah after the flood
which is known as the
Noahic Covenant:
"As long as the earth
endures, seedtime and
harvest, cold
and heat,
summer and winter, day
and night will never
cease" (Genesis
8:22). Each of the events and seasons described in the covenant are easily observable. Here in our rural area we regularly witness "seedtime and harvest" across the road from our house as the farmers plant and harvest. And of course no one would contest that we still have "summer and winter, day and night".
We also all experience "cold and heat" in varying extremes depending on where we live. We have friends in San Diego where "cold" might be when it gets in the 40°s. Right now for me that would be practically short sleeve weather!
As long as the earth endures, these "will never cease". The earth is still enduring and each of these easily observable characteristics have not ceased! God continues to faithfully keep these promises. Using a powerful phrase from the Book of Hebrews He is "sustaining all things by His powerful Word".
Although it is forecast to be very cold all day we expect this blast of cold from the polar vortex to soon cease and temperatures to return to more normal tomorrow with a high of 22° (which is still pretty cold).
But an aspect of God's sustaining care is seen when we consider how much colder or hotter it could get! I have read that if the earth was just a small fraction closer or farther from the sun we would have extremes that would make life as we know it intolerable. The same is true for the earth's design in its rotation on its axis and its revolution around the sun. Yet God has designed and sustains the earth in an extremely predictable pattern.
There are design limits in God's continuing care over the earth as He faithfully sustains it. We may grumble about the cold or the hot, but I've never met anyone that is terribly worried that the earth will move just a fraction closer to or farther from the sun causing us to suddenly boil or plunge to 100 degrees below zero!
Hebrews 1:3 says that Christ is "sustaining all things by His powerful Word". Today I am confident that He will continue to sustain and keep the earth as long as He ordains its existence. He will also continue to sustain you and me. After all, "all things" covers it all!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father,
You
sustain all
things by Your
powerful Word
and through Your
sovereign
control. The
natural order of
Your creation is
the means by
which we live
day after day,
year after year.
Just as there
are variables in
the seasons
there are
variables in our
lives as we walk
this pilgrimage
on earth. There
are bright,
clear days in
which we feel on
top of the
world, and there
are dark, cold
days when we
feel our world
will soon come
to a halt. But
we are
encouraged as we
look to Your
powerful Word
that reminds us
You are our
loving God who
sustains us in
the variables of
our daily
circumstances.
Because of that
we can trust You
even in the
extremes of
life. We thank
You in the
powerful name of
Jesus who is
Your exact
representation
on earth. Amen.Ester
took our bird
photos we
share today
Our
birdfeeders were
very busy during
the snowfall,
mostly finches.
Mr.
cardinal is
enjoying a black
oil sunflower
seed.
Of
course Mrs.
cardinal is
nearby.
Downy
woodpecker at
suet feeder
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
"Faithful To The End" Video Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir (This song would have gone well with yesterday's message and we dedicate it to those on an unplanned journey.)
When I'm feeling afraid,
full of uncertainty
When the plans that I've made all fall apart
When the futures unclear, and all that I can do is wait
There is a promise echoing in my heart.
That he will be faithful to the end
He will provide time and time again
He will be faithful, So faithful to the end
When the plans that I've made all fall apart
When the futures unclear, and all that I can do is wait
There is a promise echoing in my heart.
That he will be faithful to the end
He will provide time and time again
He will be faithful, So faithful to the end
Finally today:
It must have been
cold in this buggie which
passed by our house about
9:00AM this morning when the
temperature was about 3°!
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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