A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Thursday, May
23, 2019
My
finished deck railing project! Now it will be easier
to keep little Sadie on the deck.
"Post-it Notes For The Soul"
Message
summary:
Listen to our
message on your
audio player.
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). "So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things" (2 Peter 1:12-15).
Yesterday I completed a home improvement project of installing railing around my deck. I had procrastinated due to some odd angles but managed to come up with solution. Projects like this go slower than when I was younger. Not only is my physical strength and endurance less than it used to be but memory becomes an issue as well. I got lots of exercise walking!
While working I realized I needed a tool and walk to the barn to get it, then when I got to the barn I forgot what I went in for. But walking back out to the work area would prompt what the need was and back to the barn again, hopefully not forgetting a second time!
It's not unusual as we get older to have short-term memory loss (like forgetting where we put our wallet, coffee cup, car keys, cell phone, etc.) These are increasingly common sources of minor frustration in our home as we transition through life's cycles. Apparently a different part of our brain is used for long-term memory and it is not necessarily related.
As John Newton aged his memory began to fail him. This is demonstrated in a poignant scene from the movie "Amazing Grace" when Newton is shown in his aged condition declaring, "Although my memory is fading I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior." His sight is also fading. He quotes a line from his own hymn, "I once was blind but now I see" and asks, "Did I write that?" He was assured that he had written those very words. Then Newton said, "Now at last it's true."
Post
it notes can be an
effective aid to
short-term memory.
We all need certain
prompts to keep us
on track, like using
Post-it notes. Today
we want to share
about the most
important memory
prompts, reminders
of spiritual truths,
which we will call
"Post-it notes for
the soul"!
In
the first daily text
Moses shares some
ideas regarding
primitive post-it
notes used to help
the people remember
spiritual truths.
They are known as
phylacteries. The
Law of Moses
prescribed the
wearing of
phylacteries to
serve as a constant
reminder of God's
Holy Word. These
were small boxes
containing slips of
parchment on which
were written
portions of the Law.
They were worn
ostentatiously by
the Jews on the head
or left arm. In fact
among the orthodox
Jews they are still
used to this day.
In
the second text
although Peter was
confident his
readers not only
knew the truths he
had shared but were
also established in
them. Nevertheless
he pledged to be
steadfast in
reminding them of
these things. He was
determined to "make
every effort to
see that after my
departure you will
always be able to
remember these
things."
That's a faithful
minister!Today we consider the nature of post-it notes for the soul. Actually in our own home these may very well be literal post-it notes with a Scripture verse that serve as a memorization aid. However in a spiritual sense we need to consider God-ordained means which will keep us on the right path.
Let us list several that we believe serve as these post-it notes for the soul:
- Daily time in God's Word and prayer.
- Resources such as books, music, magazines, radio programs, internet sources and so forth that build up our faith.
- Faithful attendance in a Bible believing church.
- Restricting influences that tend to draw us away from spiritual things and a godly outlook. There are many influences that we must fully eliminate, but in reality there are situations such as an unbelieving household or work situations that are out of our control, so we must ask God to guard our hearts and minds from ungodly influences in these matters, seek to be a solid witness and declare I John 4:4, "Greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world."
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, we
thank You for
the
inspiration of
Your Holy
Spirit that
enabled the
writers of
Scripture to
record that
which would
show us the
way to You
through Your
Son, Jesus.
The words of
Scripture not
only show us
the way to
salvation but
guide us in
our life's
journey. May
Your Words be
impressed upon
our hearts as
we give
regular
attention to
them through
reading and
memorizing the
Scriptures,
participating
in Bible
Studies,
listening to
godly leaders
expound Your
Word, teaching
them to our
children. We
don't want a
casual
attitude about
Your Holy
Word, but
rather we want
to be earnest
students of
Your Word
contending
always for the
faith once for
all entrusted
to the saints.
Amen.
Additional thought:
I have on occasion
taught a senior
class. Most class
members have been
believers for many
years and are
familiar with the
teachings of the
Bible. I realize
particularly with
this group my
function as a
teacher is to remind
and reinforce truths
they already know
and spur them on to
faithfulness toward
God. Certainly I
hope that I
periodically share a
new insight or
perspective on an
old truth but I am
fundamentally
committed to
"earnestly
contending for the
faith once for all
delivered to the
saints" (Jude
3). I am not
interested in
tickling ears (2
Timothy 4:2-4).
Let me ask you a question as a maturing believer (if we are a believer we should all be in the process of maturing whether young or old in age). How do you respond when you receive teaching that you are familiar with? Among some I have noticed a critical spirit expressed by a "I already know that" attitude, while many clamor after "new teachings". I so appreciate those who have a sweet, receptive spirit and accept the reminders of truth with joy often declaring a hearty "amen". That's how I want to be as I "mature" in years and Christian experience. May old well-known truths bring reassurance and refreshing to my inner soul.
Let me ask you a question as a maturing believer (if we are a believer we should all be in the process of maturing whether young or old in age). How do you respond when you receive teaching that you are familiar with? Among some I have noticed a critical spirit expressed by a "I already know that" attitude, while many clamor after "new teachings". I so appreciate those who have a sweet, receptive spirit and accept the reminders of truth with joy often declaring a hearty "amen". That's how I want to be as I "mature" in years and Christian experience. May old well-known truths bring reassurance and refreshing to my inner soul.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
Finally
today:
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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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