A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Monday, June 10,
2019
Farm view on Flory Road, Lancaster County, PA
We pass this peaceful scene as we ride our bikes through our neighborhood.
(Click to enlarge)
"Living Boldly"
Message
summary:
Today in the power
of the Holy Spirit let us
live boldly
for Christ in our
generation.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak Your word with great boldness" (Acts 4:29). "And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the Word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31).
I saw a newer friend at church yesterday who uses a rather interesting means of remembering my name, addressing me as "Stephen, who was stoned". His name happens to be Paul and I address him as "Paul, who consented to my stoning". Of course at that time Paul was known as Saul and had not yet been converted to Christ. Both Stephen and Paul were Spirit-filled, bold witnesses in the early church and examples for all of us.
Yesterday was "Pentecost Sunday" when we commemorate the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.* Peter, who just 53 days earlier, had cowered in fear and denied the Lord, now stood up and boldly proclaimed the living Lord, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36). This demonstrates the power of the Holy Spirit promised in Acts 1:8 when Jesus said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you".
The daily text is from a portion of Scripture when the disciples first faced persecution following the Day of Pentecost. Their petition was not, as we might expect, for a removal of the threat or a ceasing of opposition and certainly not an appeal for an easy life. Jesus had made it very clear they would face opposition, "in this world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33) and they seemed to have accepted this. The heart of their prayer was, "Enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness".
That prayer was answered as the Spirit-empowered disciples went forth and "began to speak the Word of God with boldness". The next chapter records continued and increasing persecution and ends with this summary: "Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ".
Then the focus turns to Stephen who, even as he faced his brutal stoning, boldly proclaimed Christ and is recorded as being "full of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 7:55). Later Paul wrote "Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold" (2 Corinthians 3:12).
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak Your word with great boldness" (Acts 4:29). "And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the Word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31).
I saw a newer friend at church yesterday who uses a rather interesting means of remembering my name, addressing me as "Stephen, who was stoned". His name happens to be Paul and I address him as "Paul, who consented to my stoning". Of course at that time Paul was known as Saul and had not yet been converted to Christ. Both Stephen and Paul were Spirit-filled, bold witnesses in the early church and examples for all of us.
Yesterday was "Pentecost Sunday" when we commemorate the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.* Peter, who just 53 days earlier, had cowered in fear and denied the Lord, now stood up and boldly proclaimed the living Lord, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36). This demonstrates the power of the Holy Spirit promised in Acts 1:8 when Jesus said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you".
The daily text is from a portion of Scripture when the disciples first faced persecution following the Day of Pentecost. Their petition was not, as we might expect, for a removal of the threat or a ceasing of opposition and certainly not an appeal for an easy life. Jesus had made it very clear they would face opposition, "in this world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33) and they seemed to have accepted this. The heart of their prayer was, "Enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness".
That prayer was answered as the Spirit-empowered disciples went forth and "began to speak the Word of God with boldness". The next chapter records continued and increasing persecution and ends with this summary: "Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ".
Then the focus turns to Stephen who, even as he faced his brutal stoning, boldly proclaimed Christ and is recorded as being "full of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 7:55). Later Paul wrote "Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold" (2 Corinthians 3:12).
And the
list goes on and on
through the
remainder of the New
Testament and all
throughout the
church age; men and
women boldly
declaring their
faith in Christ.
Today let us follow
that example and in
the power of the
Holy Spirit live
boldly for Christ in
our generation.
Who dares to go against the grain and works without applause;
A man who'll raise the shield of faith, protecting what is pure;
Whose love is tough and gentle; a man whose word is sure.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, in
this depraved
generation,
darkness is
sweeping
across the
land. Enable
us to speak
Your Word with
great boldness
like Peter on
the Day of
Pentecost. May
we not be
intimidated or
allow
ourselves to
be bullied
into a
position that
contradicts
that which is
revealed in
Your Holy
Word. We rely
on the power
of Your Holy
Spirit to live
out our lives
in a way that
honors You. In
Jesus' name we
pray. Amen.* Last Monday I mistakenly wrote that the previous day was Pentecost Sunday! (I suppose I was thinking of the association of Ascension Day which was the previous Thursday.)
Brooksyne
has taught
children since
she committed
her life to
Christ in
Junior High
School. That's
now been
almost 50
years and
she's stored
up many funny
memories. Once
she was
teaching on
Elijah and she
described
Elijah as a
bold man.
Making sure
that she was
not talking
over their
heads, she
asked her
preschoolers,
"Who can tell
me what the
word, 'bold'
means?" Little
three-year old
Mandy quickly
raised her
hand and with
a self-assured
smile
answered, "It
means he
didn't have no
hair."Actually it was Elisha who at one time was mocked for being bald (2 Kings 2:23). But both he and Elijah also demonstrated living boldly for God, as have millions down through the ages.
Yesterday
we had a child
dedication at
Calvary
Church. You
can see we sat
behind the
proud
grandparents
with the
cameras and
video cams!
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"A Few Good
Men" Video
Gaither Vocal Band
This older song came to mind
during preparation of this
message. The words used to
conclude the message
especially grip my heart and
is a great challenge for all
men of God as we consider
Father's Day next Sunday. Of
course the call to being
bold is to both men and
women and is demonstrated in
the Bible by women like
Deborah.
"A Mighty
Fortress Is Our God"
(different than traditional
hymn with same title) Video
Calvary Church worship team.
Our worship leader, David
Ross, does a nice job of
introducing the song.
Finally today:
We had dinner with
Mark and Carolyn Pulliam at
the Red Robin yesterday. We
wondered if the restaurant
is aware they are quoting a
Scripture verse on their
salt shakers!
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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