A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Tuesday, June 4,
2019
A good use for this old chair as a flower planter in this well-watered garden!
"Like A Well-Watered
Garden"
Message
summary:
Today may we indeed
be like a
well-watered garden,
like a spring whose
waters never
fail.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"The LORD will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11).
The last several days we have been doing a lot of work in both our vegetable and flower gardens. We've scaled down a bit as we have aged but Brooksyne still planted several tomato and pepper plants. We have found we can get good prices on fresh vegetables at roadside stands as we travel the rural roads in our area, but there's nothing like picking your own home-grown tomato!
Brooksyne focuses on the flowers with annuals in the front of our house and several hanging baskets and potted plants. Yesterday I dug out and relocated a barberry bush and a holly bush to a more suitable location for growth.
Our gardens are well-watered right now due to recent heavy downpours in our area. In Isaiah the illustration is given that as God's children we are "like a well-watered garden" in a "sun-scorched land".
Let's consider this verse phrase by phrase.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"The LORD will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11).
The last several days we have been doing a lot of work in both our vegetable and flower gardens. We've scaled down a bit as we have aged but Brooksyne still planted several tomato and pepper plants. We have found we can get good prices on fresh vegetables at roadside stands as we travel the rural roads in our area, but there's nothing like picking your own home-grown tomato!
Brooksyne focuses on the flowers with annuals in the front of our house and several hanging baskets and potted plants. Yesterday I dug out and relocated a barberry bush and a holly bush to a more suitable location for growth.
Our gardens are well-watered right now due to recent heavy downpours in our area. In Isaiah the illustration is given that as God's children we are "like a well-watered garden" in a "sun-scorched land".
Let's consider this verse phrase by phrase.
- "The LORD will guide you always." What a blessing to have an assurance of God's guidance in all our life. The Psalmist prayed, "Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long" (Psalm 25:5). Jesus taught concerning the work of the Holy Spirit, "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth" (John 16:13).
- "He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land." Life can certainly at times be described as "sun-scorched". It may be a time of intense and/or lasting trial. Others live in very harsh conditions. But God promises to satisfy our needs. A beloved verse many of us have memorized is Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus".
- "and will strengthen your frame." Thank God for His strength imparted to us! It's a truth taught all through the Bible. After the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea Moses and the Israelites sang a song with these words, "The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory" (Exodus 15:2). Isaiah wrote, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10). Nehemiah reminded the people, "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). Paul wrote, "For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10).
- "You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail". Today most get their food from a supermarket and their water from a tap, with little consideration given to the source. But both of these images would have meant so much to the ancient people in an agricultural society and still do for all today who grow their own food and use water from a spring or well.
Today let
us rejoice in the
spiritual
application of this
verse. May we indeed
be like a
well-watered garden,
like a spring whose
waters never fail.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, we
want our soul
to be like a
well watered
garden, like a
spring that
never runs
dry. Therefore
we rely on
Your guidance,
for You guide
us in Your
truth and
teach us, and
our hope is in
You all the
day long. You
satisfy our
needs in a
sun-scorched
land, for You
supply all our
needs
according to
Your riches in
glory through
Christ Jesus
our Lord. You
strengthen our
frame and give
us victory,
for You uphold
us with Your
righteous
right hand so
we will not
fear since You
are for us and
not against
us, for when
we are weak
then You are
strong in and
through us.
Amen.(Prayer based on Scripture texts used in our message today.)
Note: We were incorrect in yesterday's message in stating this last Sunday was Pentecost Sunday, which will be next Sunday, June 9! I guess I was so excited to get that teaching in I jumped ahead!
Our
Amish neighbor
Eli is growing
lettuce in
this long
patch beside
other crops.
Perhaps you
buy this type
of lettuce in
the grocery
store as we
often do. It
was neat to
see it
commercially
grown right in
our
neighborhood.
Saturday
the
Susquehanna
River was high
at the
Columbia-Wrightsville
bridge
indicative of
the abundant
rain we have
had.
Saturday
we had our
first seasonal
hummingbird
sighting in
front of our
home.
These
Amish
greenhouse
owners at the
Hillside Acres
Nursery are
very
entrepreneurial,
offering these
old chairs for
sale to be
used as
planters!
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"Satisfied"
Video
Gaither Vocal Band
"Big Enough"
Video
Joseph Habedank
Finally today:
For those who
enjoy quizzes here's one
that Brooksyne prepared.
1. _______________ is used to smother weeds, beautify flower beds and base of trees, and help retain moisture.
2. Old organic waste such as coffee grounds and vegetable peelings can be turned into __________ which is used to enrich soil and stimulate plant growth.
3. What pesty insect has a problem with drinking beer, much to its demise? ______________.
4. A product that helps plants grow in quality and quantity is called _____________________.
5. Name two early spring vegetables that will withstand light frosts. __________________.
6. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map shows your area to be in which growing zone? ________. (This answer will vary based on where you live.)
7. The process of the sprouting of a seed is called ________________.
8. The method of gardening utilizing only materials derived from living things (i.e. composts & manures) is called ______________________.
9. The process of digging up a plant and moving it to another location is called _______________________.
10. The science of growing plants in mineral solutions or water, instead of in soil is called ___________________.
11. A flower that only grows only one growing season is called an _____________________.
12. A plant or ornamental that returns year after year is called a _________________________.
We will post the answers to this quiz tomorrow!
Testing
Your Gardening
Knowledge
1. _______________ is used to smother weeds, beautify flower beds and base of trees, and help retain moisture.
2. Old organic waste such as coffee grounds and vegetable peelings can be turned into __________ which is used to enrich soil and stimulate plant growth.
3. What pesty insect has a problem with drinking beer, much to its demise? ______________.
4. A product that helps plants grow in quality and quantity is called _____________________.
5. Name two early spring vegetables that will withstand light frosts. __________________.
6. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map shows your area to be in which growing zone? ________. (This answer will vary based on where you live.)
7. The process of the sprouting of a seed is called ________________.
8. The method of gardening utilizing only materials derived from living things (i.e. composts & manures) is called ______________________.
9. The process of digging up a plant and moving it to another location is called _______________________.
10. The science of growing plants in mineral solutions or water, instead of in soil is called ___________________.
11. A flower that only grows only one growing season is called an _____________________.
12. A plant or ornamental that returns year after year is called a _________________________.
We will post the answers to this quiz tomorrow!
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe to our email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)
We realize there are many fine
ministries and causes requesting support
but if the Lord would lead you we surely need
and appreciate the financial support from our
readers and listeners.Our ministry labor is comprised of approximately half our time to Daily Encouragement and the other half to our chaplaincy ministry to companies for which we receive compensation. Each of these ministries essentially is the same as a part-time job (20+ hours weekly) for each of us. Our goal for many years is that each would provide half of our ministry expenses and income.
If you would consider making a donation to our ministry see here for more information.
Please Note:
We also provide this easy option due to the
convenience, for international supporters, and
for those who may not be concerned regarding
receiving an official tax deductible receipt. Click here
to send an offering using PayPal. This
will open to a page that states "Brooksyne
Weber"Permissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
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."
© Copyright 2019 Stephen
C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA