A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
"Changes,
Challenges And Choices"
Message summary: Today we will consider changes, challenges and choices.
Listen
to this
message on your audio player.
"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 20:15).
Dennis "Bunny" O'Hare is a longtime
friend who is a chaplain to the trucking industry
serving with a ministry known as TFC Global (formerly
named Transport For Christ). We first met Bunny and
his wife, Peg, up in New England in January 2000 and
within several years we had all relocated to Lancaster
County for separate ministry opportunities.
3) Choices - Usually there are
choices we must make as a result of changes and
challenges, and that makes life hard. Today we will
all make many, many choices. Life is just full of
choices and decision-making, from tiny daily choices
such as what brand of soap to purchase or what to eat
for dinner to major, life altering decisions such as
our choice for a mate or career.
Message summary: Today we will consider changes, challenges and choices.
Listen
to this
message on your audio player."Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 20:15).
Dennis "Bunny" O'Hare is a longtime
friend who is a chaplain to the trucking industry
serving with a ministry known as TFC Global (formerly
named Transport For Christ). We first met Bunny and
his wife, Peg, up in New England in January 2000 and
within several years we had all relocated to Lancaster
County for separate ministry opportunities.Bunny
has a vibrant personality and ready witness. His
trademark question is, "Do you know what today is?"
Which of course elicits a number of responses. Bunny
then says, "Today is the day God has given me the
opportunity to tell you that Jesus loves you!"
Yesterday he went along with us for our chaplain visits, especially looking for opportunities to minister to truck drivers. Our first company yesterday receives many containers from a port and Bunny is seeking ways to share God's love with these drivers.
At this company we have the opportunity to share a brief devotional message early each Tuesday morning so yesterday I asked Bunny to share. He shared that we all have changes, challenges and choices in life which prompted today's study.
Some 3,400 years ago Joshua gave his final
challenge to the children of Israel. He had lived his
life in steadfast commitment to God. He's first
mentioned in Scripture as the trusted commander of
Moses' army shortly after they crossed the Red Sea
during the Exodus. He, along with Caleb, was one of
only two spies to bring back a faith-filled report
that essentially said, "With God's help we can do it!"
Joshua had faithfully served under Moses during the 40-year period in the wilderness and had led God's people in the conquest for some 25 years. He's now 110 years old and musters enough strength for a final challenge to faith and commitment that rings through the ages.
The people were experiencing three C's that people all though the ages have dealt with.
Yesterday he went along with us for our chaplain visits, especially looking for opportunities to minister to truck drivers. Our first company yesterday receives many containers from a port and Bunny is seeking ways to share God's love with these drivers.
At this company we have the opportunity to share a brief devotional message early each Tuesday morning so yesterday I asked Bunny to share. He shared that we all have changes, challenges and choices in life which prompted today's study.
Joshua had faithfully served under Moses during the 40-year period in the wilderness and had led God's people in the conquest for some 25 years. He's now 110 years old and musters enough strength for a final challenge to faith and commitment that rings through the ages.
The people were experiencing three C's that people all though the ages have dealt with.
1) Changes - The Israelites had
entered the promised land under Joshua's leadership
but now were about to experience a change. Things
weren't going to stay the same; there would soon be
new leadership. We go through many changes throughout
the course of our lives; some major, even
life-transforming, others smaller. Most of us really
don't know what change we will encounter today, but
great assurance can fill our hearts when we remember
that God said "I the Lord do not change"
(Malachi 3:6). He is a steady presence in our life,
the anchor for our faith when all other ground is
sinking sand. Thomas Chisolm reminds us that we can
rely on our unchanging God in the hymn classic, Great
Is Thy Faithfulness: "Thou changest not, Thy
compassions, they fail not. As Thou hast been Thou
forever wilt be."
2) Challenges - Changes often bring
on challenges. Although the people had entered the
promised land many challenges lay ahead for them. Just
keep reading and you'll see one challenge after the
other! In our lives changes usually bring challenges
as well and just like the Israelites we will receive
blessing when we obey God.
Many choices do not have moral consequences
but many others are a choice between right and wrong.
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in
the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12).
However
there is one fundamental choice we all share, based
upon today's portion of Scripture in the Old
Testament. Joshua set the fundamental choice clearly
before the people with these words, "Choose for
yourselves this day whom you will serve".
In the context of Joshua's challenge their fundamental choice was between serving the one true God and "the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living."
In a broader sense the choice now and for every generation is whether we serve the one true God or "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4). Even those who practice the faith of atheism are essentially serving the god of this world. People then and now have this fundamental choice, for the one true God does not force people to love and serve Him.
Joshua sets a great example for the people of his time and through all subsequent ages, including our own. Let us proclaim this day, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, You have drawn us with
an everlasting love; You show us Your
lovingkindness day after day. Your bountiful
provision gives to us material, physical and
spiritual blessings that only a caring heavenly
Father can give. But even though our cup overflows
with Your goodness we face changes and challenges
amidst our blessing. As we deal with the
inevitable changes and the subsequent challenges
that follow help us to make the life defining
choice, like Joshua, and declare to all who will
hear, "As for me and my house we will serve
the Lord."
In the context of Joshua's challenge their fundamental choice was between serving the one true God and "the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living."
In a broader sense the choice now and for every generation is whether we serve the one true God or "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4). Even those who practice the faith of atheism are essentially serving the god of this world. People then and now have this fundamental choice, for the one true God does not force people to love and serve Him.
Joshua sets a great example for the people of his time and through all subsequent ages, including our own. Let us proclaim this day, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, You have drawn us with
an everlasting love; You show us Your
lovingkindness day after day. Your bountiful
provision gives to us material, physical and
spiritual blessings that only a caring heavenly
Father can give. But even though our cup overflows
with Your goodness we face changes and challenges
amidst our blessing. As we deal with the
inevitable changes and the subsequent challenges
that follow help us to make the life defining
choice, like Joshua, and declare to all who will
hear, "As for me and my house we will serve
the Lord."
Late
yesterday afternoon I raked leaves in our
front lawn leaving it relatively clean -
until
the next rain and winds blows more down!
(Click
to enlarge)
The
view from our front porch. Fallen leaves are
cluttering the trail we enjoy which runs along
the tree line in the distant background, and
some trees are already bare.
We
passed these bronze colored trees in rural
eastern Lancaster County
(Click
to enlarge)
Today's
Suggested Music and
Supplemental Resources
"I Will Serve The
Lord" Video
Steve Green
"The Family Prayer Song" Video Maranatha Singers
"Today I Choose (As For Me And My House)" Video Brian Doerksen
"As For Me And My House" Video John Waller
"The Family Prayer Song" Video Maranatha Singers
"Today I Choose (As For Me And My House)" Video Brian Doerksen
"As For Me And My House" Video John Waller
In 2007 we shared a message
about Bunny.
Bunny was raised in
the Boston area where his Dad
owned a tavern and Bunny was a
bouncer. He was also a boxer, a
literal "fighting Irishman".
Over time he became an alcoholic but through the redemptive power of the Cross he was delivered from alcohol in 1984 and can now sing and personally testify, "The Old Rugged Cross Made The Difference". Video
In the mid-nineties he became a chaplain with "Transport For Christ" and has served the Lord in that capacity ever since. For quite a few years he has been serving as the Director of Chaplain Care overseeing all the chaplains in the ministry. Brooksyne and I met him about twenty years ago at a conference in Boston.
His motto is "I used to be a slugger, but now I'm a hugger".
Over time he became an alcoholic but through the redemptive power of the Cross he was delivered from alcohol in 1984 and can now sing and personally testify, "The Old Rugged Cross Made The Difference". Video
In the mid-nineties he became a chaplain with "Transport For Christ" and has served the Lord in that capacity ever since. For quite a few years he has been serving as the Director of Chaplain Care overseeing all the chaplains in the ministry. Brooksyne and I met him about twenty years ago at a conference in Boston.
His motto is "I used to be a slugger, but now I'm a hugger".
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