A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Friday, March 8,
2019
Lebanon County
farm
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
"The
Free Gift Of The Water Of Life"
Message
summary: Today
amidst the clutter of
gift offers, some free
and some costly, some
good and some bad, this
one stands out. It's the
best free offer. It is
entirely good. There are
no catches. The offer
stands steady, and
millions, living and
those now with the Lord
can testify to its
veracity.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). "Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (Revelation 22:17).
I
visited with Phil, a
salesman at Smucker Home
Improvement, as he
emptied the water from a
display of a Leaf
Terminator gutter
topper. He was preparing
to take it to a home
show this weekend. He
drained the water into
one of those big jugs
used for drinking water
and then teasingly
offered it to me free. I
rather thoughtlessly
commented, "Well, free
is good" and Marlin, who
was also observing the
draining process,
reminded me that free is
not always good!
Indeed we need to ever be on our guard against the peril of "free". We are besieged with "free offers" and we intuitively know (at least most of us do) that there's often a catch and we are conditioned to ignore them, or at least carefully scrutinize them. An example would be the offer of a street drug for free from a drug dealer with the kind sounding pitch, "the first one's on me". That's a very bad free.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). "Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (Revelation 22:17).
I
visited with Phil, a
salesman at Smucker Home
Improvement, as he
emptied the water from a
display of a Leaf
Terminator gutter
topper. He was preparing
to take it to a home
show this weekend. He
drained the water into
one of those big jugs
used for drinking water
and then teasingly
offered it to me free. I
rather thoughtlessly
commented, "Well, free
is good" and Marlin, who
was also observing the
draining process,
reminded me that free is
not always good!Indeed we need to ever be on our guard against the peril of "free". We are besieged with "free offers" and we intuitively know (at least most of us do) that there's often a catch and we are conditioned to ignore them, or at least carefully scrutinize them. An example would be the offer of a street drug for free from a drug dealer with the kind sounding pitch, "the first one's on me". That's a very bad free.
But today let
us consider the blessing
of a type of free water
that is always good!
The first
daily Scripture text was
one of the very first
verses we committed to
memory some 45 years
ago, likely while we
were Bible College
students. (It is part of
the "Romans Road", a
description of the plan
of salvation using
selected texts from the
Book of Romans.)
The words, "free gift" translates the single Greek word "charisma", (see here) which is itself derived from "charis." Charis is a wonderful word normally translated "grace" in our Bibles. In one of our companies I regularly greet a young lady named Grace using this Greek word which has on occasion prompted another employee overhearing my greeting to helpfully (they assume) correct me. Of course many will recall the simple, yet descriptive definition of grace as, "unmerited favor".
Today amidst the clutter of gift offers, some free and some costly, some good and some bad, this one stands out. It's the best free offer. It is entirely good. There are no catches. The offer stands steady, and millions, living and those now with the Lord can testify to its veracity.
Near the very end of the Book of Revelation we read, "Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (Revelation 22:17). That's free water we should all receive.
What's your response to this free gift? We urge you to receive it today and rejoice.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, You are
the giver of
many gifts, but
Yours has
qualities that
last not just
for a lifetime
here on earth,
but is extended
through all
eternity. Your
gift of the
water of life is
something I
can't buy or
earn by our own
merit. It is
free, but it
cost You the
life of Your
Son, Jesus.
Though the wages
of my sin is
death, the gift
You have made
available to me
is eternal life
through Christ
Jesus my Lord. I
wholeheartedly
and gratefully
receive this
gift of
salvation. Amen.
The words, "free gift" translates the single Greek word "charisma", (see here) which is itself derived from "charis." Charis is a wonderful word normally translated "grace" in our Bibles. In one of our companies I regularly greet a young lady named Grace using this Greek word which has on occasion prompted another employee overhearing my greeting to helpfully (they assume) correct me. Of course many will recall the simple, yet descriptive definition of grace as, "unmerited favor".
Today amidst the clutter of gift offers, some free and some costly, some good and some bad, this one stands out. It's the best free offer. It is entirely good. There are no catches. The offer stands steady, and millions, living and those now with the Lord can testify to its veracity.
Near the very end of the Book of Revelation we read, "Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (Revelation 22:17). That's free water we should all receive.
What's your response to this free gift? We urge you to receive it today and rejoice.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, You are
the giver of
many gifts, but
Yours has
qualities that
last not just
for a lifetime
here on earth,
but is extended
through all
eternity. Your
gift of the
water of life is
something I
can't buy or
earn by our own
merit. It is
free, but it
cost You the
life of Your
Son, Jesus.
Though the wages
of my sin is
death, the gift
You have made
available to me
is eternal life
through Christ
Jesus my Lord. I
wholeheartedly
and gratefully
receive this
gift of
salvation. Amen.Today we
share a few more snow photos from the
last week. Warmer weather is projected
this weekend and we are sure happy about
that!
This
farm is along Harvest Road here in
Lancaster County.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
Riverdale Manor an
1800's farmhouse now used as an event
venue.
(Click
on photo to enlarge)
Donegal
Creek runs along the trail we often walk
along.
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
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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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