A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
Monday,
September 9, 2019
We passed
this family dressed in their Sunday best returning
home from church yesterday on Donegal Springs Road.
Click
on photo to enlarge
Message
summary:
The divine toolmaker
is using us as His
tools.
Listen
to this
message
on your audio
player.
Listen
to this
message
on your audio
player."Tubal-Cain,
who forged all
kinds of tools out
of bronze and
iron" (Genesis
4:22). "For we are
His workmanship,
created in Christ
Jesus for good
works, which God
prepared
beforehand so that
we would walk in
them" (Ephesians
2:10).
We
have been blessed to
have Luis, a friend
we see in our
chaplaincy work,
assist us on several
home
maintenance/improvement
projects this
summer. He installed
two floors for us
(our office and
dining room) and
this last weekend we
finally completed a
deck and railing
replacement that
began as a DIY
project in 2016!Luis, in
his early forties,
is still very
nimble, unlike me,
where my spirit may
be willing but my
flesh is weak. Due
to several factors
getting down on my
knees is especially
hard now and so much
work requires that.
However I still help
out in the official
position as a
"gofor". Luis also
uses my tool
collection which I
have acquired
through the years,
including tools from
my dad.
The late
Bible teacher
Herbert Lockyer who
went to be with the
Lord in 1984, wrote
a book titled "All
The Promises In The
Bible". In fact he
wrote a series of
books with this
theme, "All The
_____ Of The Bible"
comprised of 21
volumes! Dr.
Lockyer’s gifts for
clearly explaining
the profound truths
of Scripture and
helping readers
apply these precepts
to their everyday
lives have made
these inspiring
books international
bestsellers and they
have lasting value.
However, I
wish he would have
written a book "All
The Tools In The
Bible". I think that
would be a popular
book, especially
with men!
A tool is
defined as "a device
or implement,
especially one held
in the hand, used to
carry out a
particular function,
an object used to
extend the ability
of an individual to
modify features of
the surrounding
environment.
Although
it seems reasonable
to assume that Adam
and Eve would have
first developed
tools to assist them
in the cultivation
of the garden, the
first specific
mention of "tool" in
the Bible is our
first daily text: "Tubal-Cain,
who forged all
kinds of tools out
of bronze and
iron."
Tubal-Cain
was a toolmaker. In
several of our
companies I visit
with the toolmaker,
still a vital role
in the manufacturing
process. Essentially
they create the
tools that make the
tools.
Today's
second text presents
God as the divine
toolmaker and us as
"His workmanship".
The word workmanship
here is "poiema" from
which we get the word
poem. It means
something that is
"composed or
constructed, something
that is made, that
which is manufactured,
a product, the thing
made, a design
produced by an
artisan". Joni
Eareckson Tada who
became quadriplegic
after a tragic
diving accident,
alludes to herself
as a "poiema" in her
book "A Place of
Healing".
"(God) has
a plan and purpose
for my time on
earth. He is the
master artist or
sculptor, and He is
the One Who chooses
the tools He will
use to perfect His
workmanship. What of
suffering, then?
What of illness?
What of disability?
Am I to tell Him
which tools He can
use and which tools
He can’t use in the
lifelong task of
perfecting me and
molding me into the
beautiful image of
Jesus? Do I really
know better than
Him, so that I can
state without
equivocation that
it’s always His will
to heal me of every
physical affliction?
If I am His poem, do
I have the right to
say, 'No, Lord. You
need to trim line
number two and
brighten up lines
three and five.
They’re just a
little bit dark.' Do
I, the poem, the
thing being written,
know more than the
poet?"
We are "created
in Christ Jesus
for good works,
which God prepared
beforehand so that
we would walk in
them". This
passage follows the
great "grace
passage" in verses
8,9 that many of us
have memorized.
These verses should
be memorized
together for it
truly continues
Paul's thought and
is necessary for the
whole picture.
Our
salvation is clearly
not a result of our
good works but the
genuinely saved will
practice good works,
for that is what we
were created in
Christ Jesus to do.
We are God's
workmanship. The
underlying word
means, "something
made, a product such
as a fabric". Today
let us remember that
the sole basis of
our salvation is
God's amazing grace.
Then let us respond
by recognizing God's
will for our lives
and aligning our
hearts to His
overall plan.
The divine
toolmaker is using
us as His tools.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
Prayer: Father,
Your divine
workmanship
prepares me for
good works in
Christ Jesus. The
tools You use to
chisel, sculpt and
fine tune my life
are of Your
choosing and for
my good. The
workmanship can be
painful and
mysterious at
times, but when I
walk by faith I
can see more
clearly how You
are shaping me
into the image of
Christ Jesus. When
I stop to consider
all that You have
done for me, in
me, and through me
I truly am in awe!
Be glorified in my
life, I pray.
Amen.
We enjoy
seeing the
transition from
summer to autumn
beginning in our
area.
Click
on photo to
enlarge
Here's
an idea for using
small pumpkins on
your fence posts!
This
weekend we went to
the Pennsylvania
Renaissance Faire
which has various
reenactments from
the Renaissance
period. It is not
an activity we
would usually
attend but we had
two free tickets
and walked through
the family
friendly sections!
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"He's Still
Working On Me" Video
The Cathedrals I
couldn't find a version
suitable but we like this
song when it has various
generations singing it
beginning with a child and
ending with an elderly
voice. Indeed, whatever age
you are you should be able
to say, "He's still working
on me"!
"This is
Amazing Grace" Video
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
with Phil Wickham
"The
Great I Am" Video
New Life Worship It was a
blessing to sing this song
in our church service
yesterday.
"Lord, I Need
You" Video
Matt Maher Dedicated
to some very special friends
going through a prolonged
challenging season in their
lives.
Herbert Lockyer
Hand
Tools in the Bible
"The Bible has all sorts
of tool references if
you look hard enough.
And why not? If God made
us in His image, then we
must have gotten our
love of tools from Him.
Plus I’ve seen a lot of
His handiwork – He’s
quite the master
craftsman, you know."
Finally
today:
Friday afternoon
Sadie went to work with us
to visit the warehouse
employees at Kleen-Rite.
Sadie is sitting on Diane's
floor scrubber seat where
she got a treat since she
brought smiles to the many
dog friendly people there.
Kleen-Rite not only provides
car wash supplies to car
wash owners but dog wash
supplies as well!
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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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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Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA