A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Tuesday, June
11, 2019
We passed
this creative example of repurposing yesterday in
Northumberland County. It's a good thing the grill isn't
working lest the flowers go up in smoke!
"Repurposed Lives"
Message
summary:
God
has a purpose for
each of us. There
are aspects of this
purpose common to
all who follow
Christ. Although we
may not choose to
word it the same
way, it would be
very similar to my
"personal mission
statement" that I
wrote many years
ago. This, of
course, could also
be called my
"personal purpose
statement." I
purposefully place
it in the footers of
each daily
encouragement
message. It reads,
"I am created by God
to bring Him glory.
Through God's Son
Jesus Christ I have
been redeemed and I
make it my life's
goal to please the
Lord. My mission in
life is to honor God
through my faith and
obedience and to
prepare myself and
all whom I may
influence for
eternity."
Listen
to our message on your
audio player.
"Saul
was still
breathing out
murderous threats
against the Lord’s
disciples" (Acts
9:1). "This man is
my chosen
instrument to
proclaim my name
to the Gentiles
and their kings
and to the people
of Israel" (Acts
9:15). "You,
however, know all
about my purpose"
(2 Timothy 3:10).
"When David had
served God's purpose
in his own
generation" (Acts
12:36).
We enjoy
the challenge and
sometimes savings of
repurposing, that
is, finding a
purpose for an item
different than its
original intent. In
the last several
months I have used
discarded material
from various
companies for
projects around my
home including
balusters for my
deck railing (that
were originally
purposed for water
lines in chicken
houses), stainless
steel lattice
material (scrap from
a cut piece), Azek stair
risers
(scrap pieces from a
fencing company),
etc. See photos
below.
Today let
us consider a much
greater intent of
repurposing that
will far surpass
that of temporal
repurposing; that
is, repurposed
lives. Prior to his
conversion on the
Damascus road Saul
had a purpose
described in Acts
9:1, "Saul was
still breathing
out murderous
threats against
the Lord’s
disciples."
He was a great
persecutor. I
suppose his mission
statement would read
"persecutor of
Christians."
But his life was transformed. At his conversion his new purpose was made known, "This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel" (Acts 9:15). You might say at conversion Paul's life was repurposed. Paul, as he came to be known, is often considered the greatest missionary of all time and faithfully fulfilled that purpose. Toward the end of his life in his final letter he wrote in confidence to Timothy, "You, however, know all about my purpose" (2 Timothy 3:10). A vital question we should ask is, "Why do I exist?". God created each one of us with purpose. One of the greatest innate needs common to all people is a purpose for our existence. Many aimlessly drift throughout their lives with little sense of direction or purpose. As a young Christian I learned to share my faith using a booklet called "The Four Spiritual Laws" which begins with the phrase, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." Of course the noun "plan" can be equally understood as "purpose" and truly God has a purpose for each one of us. 2 Timothy is considered the last letter that Paul wrote. The first nine verses in chapter three list over twenty-three godless characteristics evident in a period that Paul describes as "terrible times in these last days". In fact it is also a description of the world in which we live today. Paul seems to sum the list up with the phrase, "these men oppose the truth". But beginning in verse 10 Paul lists a number of positive personal characteristics he was confident that Timothy had observed in his life and thus was well acquainted with: "You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me, the persecutions I endure". Paul demonstrated these characteristics day by day; during periods of peace and during times of testing, when he had plenty and when he was in need. It wasn't just the words Paul used to teach, but his way of life that reinforced that which he professed. Among the characteristics he listed was "my purpose". The word "purpose" means a plan or a resolve, denoting that a decision has been made. Another reference states this purpose to be the guiding motive of my life and work. God has a purpose for each of us. There are aspects of this purpose common to all who follow Christ. Although we may not choose to word it the same way, it would be very similar to my "personal mission statement" that I wrote many years ago. This, of course, could also be called my "personal purpose statement." I purposefully place it in the footers of each daily encouragement message. It reads, "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity." But we believe God has also specifically equipped each of us for the unique purpose He has for our life. This purpose varies depending on the gifts, challenges, and callings God has granted us. In Acts 12:36 we read, "When David had served God's purpose in his own generation". My goal is to serve God's purpose for my life in my generation. What about you? Here are three questions to consider today as you live a repurposed life: • Do I
know my main
purpose in life,
both general and
specific?
• Do the people who know me clearly observe me living according to my purpose? • Do my priorities in life reflect this purpose? Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Whenever you
repurpose it's
a good idea to
have some
sense as to
what the
original item
was used for.
Brooksyne and
I are both
"repurposers"
and find
fulfillment in
discovering
unusual
bargains along
life's way and
a use for many
disposed
items.
Yesterday
afternoon,
following our
chaplaincy
visits, we
drove up to
Northumberland
County to
transport our
friends back
home from a
Pentecost
Monday
gathering with
family where
over 60 joined
together in
this home! The
older girl
cousins were
sitting on the
porch enjoying
the last few
minutes of
their visit
together
before the
families
shared hugs
and said their
good-byes.
With
a little elbow
grease perhaps
some hard
workers could
get this
Northumberland
County home
back in shape
in no time!
Jesse pointed
out an
interesting
feature. The
house had a
cement parged
on the left
side with
scoring to
make it look
like cement
blocks. See here
for close-up.
Apparently
there was a
time when
cement blocks
were new and
considered a
prestigious
look!
We
drove past the
Millersburg
Ferry
which still
operates as
the last
operating
ferry on the
Susquehanna
River. It
crosses the
river between
Millersburg in
Dauphin County
and Buffalo
Township in
Perry County,
Pennsylvania.
The ferry was
established in
the early 19th
century. Many
years ago we
crossed the
river on this
ferry. It
still
transports
nearly 20,000
people per
year including
bicycles and
Amish buggies.
Here's a great
video.
The
balusters are
the vertical
pieces between
the top and
bottom rails.
The material I
used is a
slight bit
smaller than
the rails that
Lowes sells
for $4.23 each
but no one
notices! Each
section
between posts
takes 15 so I
saved a lot of
money by
repurposing.
Stainless
steel lattice
on my front
porch keeps
the critters
from getting
under it and
we think it
looks rather
nice. I really
doubt if you
can find
stainless
steel lattice
anywhere
without it
being custom
made.
These
white Azek
stair risers
were cut from
fencing
material that
a fencing
company no
longer needed.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"Amazing Grace"
Video
Wintley Phipps with a
powerful, very moving
introduction. The song was
written by John Newton, the
former slave trader, who is
a great example of a
repurposed life!
Finally today:
I
always enjoy visiting our
employees at their field
work when possible.
Yesterday I visited Charlie
(left) and Keith, two JK
Mechanical HVAC installers
who are renovating a bank in
Lebanon, PA. Charlie is
studying for ministry at
Lancaster Bible College.
When I took the photo
Charlie was inside the vault
and Keith was fiddling with
a switch to try to turn on a
light in the vault. I told
him better be careful or the
door might close and Charlie
would be locked inside!
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