A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
Tuesday,
April
28,
2020
Eagle
soaring over our place yesterday which Ester captured
from her bedroom window.
"Watch
Yourselves"
Listen
to this
message on your audio player.“Watch your life and doctrine closely” (1 Timothy 4:16a). "Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward" (2 John 1:8).
What a blessing that we have been
seeing more and more eagles over our property with
several sightings yesterday. I was excited when I
spotted a large nest in a tree but my excitement
waned when a hawk suddenly flew out.The
eagle imagery in the Bible is for us best expressed
in the well-known text from Isaiah. "Yet those
who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they
will mount up with wings like eagles, they will
run and not get tired, they will walk and not
become weary" (Isaiah 40:31).
We
often consider the soaring expertise of an eagle but
today let us consider the eyesight. The eagle eye is
among the strongest in the animal kingdom, with an
eyesight estimated at 4 to 8 times greater than that
of the average human. An eagle is said to be able to
spot a rabbit 2 miles away.
As we
face these trying times it would be great if we had
vision like an eagle regarding the future,
especially our future. If we knew what the outcome
would be in regard to so many unknowns. When will
sanity return! But today let us consider another
form of vision, looking within, watching ourselves.
Let's hear a word from two apostles this morning. And let's heed a warning, "Watch yourselves". We may see it as more spiritual to look to the Lord or more caring to look after others, but here we are told to look inward, to watch yourselves. Paul had said to the Corinthian believers years earlier "Examine yourselves" (2 Corinthians 13:5). Self-examination can be painful, it can be humiliating, or, sadly, it can lead to pride. But if we follow the words of Scripture it can be healthy.
The
first text is written by Paul. It's a simple command
to understand but it can very difficult to
habitually practice. "Watch your life and
doctrine closely." Another way this
might read is, "Watch how you live and what you
believe". The NASV states, "Pay close attention
to yourself and to your teaching".
We need to continually watch our life and doctrine closely. How does our life reflect the character traits demonstrated by Jesus? How does our doctrine line up with that taught in the Holy Scriptures?
We need to continually watch our life and doctrine closely. How does our life reflect the character traits demonstrated by Jesus? How does our doctrine line up with that taught in the Holy Scriptures?
Our
second similar text was written by the apostle John.
Some may struggle with the phrase, "that you do
not lose what we have accomplished". It just
may not fit their neat theology that we can lose!
However I believe we do well to take these words and
all Scripture seriously. Never let your theological
package blind you to the plain meaning of a text.
The context deals with deception and the false
teaching that had come into the church and is ever a
danger.
I want to receive a "full reward". I don't fully understand the nature of rewards in heaven, but the Scriptures clearly indicate that they will have a place. Let's press on today in our faith in God and service to the King! And be sure to keep watching yourself.
I want to receive a "full reward". I don't fully understand the nature of rewards in heaven, but the Scriptures clearly indicate that they will have a place. Let's press on today in our faith in God and service to the King! And be sure to keep watching yourself.
Be
encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
because he and his people would not listen to
the warnings of God, You permitted the
Babylonians to bind King Manasseh and take him
as a captive to Babylon. There, when he was in
affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and
humbled himself greatly before You, the God of
his fathers and repented, reversing all that was
abominable. We invite You to get our attention,
even when it hurts, so that we regularly examine
our hearts to see if we are wholeheartedly
walking with You and leaving a path for others
to follow - the path that leads to righteous
living here and life everlasting over there. In
Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Daily
prayer: Father,
because he and his people would not listen to
the warnings of God, You permitted the
Babylonians to bind King Manasseh and take him
as a captive to Babylon. There, when he was in
affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and
humbled himself greatly before You, the God of
his fathers and repented, reversing all that was
abominable. We invite You to get our attention,
even when it hurts, so that we regularly examine
our hearts to see if we are wholeheartedly
walking with You and leaving a path for others
to follow - the path that leads to righteous
living here and life everlasting over there. In
Jesus name we pray. Amen.Brooksyne's
Note: Each time I read through the books
of Kings and Chronicles I am amazed at the way
one king will do that which is right in God's
eyes, but the son who follows is evil, over and
over. That's the way it was with Hezekiah who
was a righteous king, dealt with some pride
issues along the way, but after searching within
his heart, got things right with God. Yet his
son, Manasseh, who followed him was evil and as
a pagan ruled completely opposite of what his
father had modeled. But God has a way of getting
our attention and Manasseh wised up after being
afflicted by the Babylonians. After reading much
about his wickedness, finally we read about his
repentance and the reverse course he took as he
destroyed that which exalted Satan and restored
that which honored God. It's a wonderful story
of the riches of God's pardoning mercy, and the
power of his renewing grace much like the
Prodigal Son in Luke. If you'd like to read this
amazing turnaround read 2 Chronicles 33. It has
been on my heart the past couple days, thus
reflecting my thoughts as I wrote the prayer
today, as we need to regularly examine our
hearts.
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental Resource
"They
that Wait Upon The Lord" Video Mercy Mushaisano
followed by some old-fashioned preaching using the
eagle as an illustration. This has an outstanding
video of eagles.
Our
neighborhood eagle
Yesterday
this eagle was feeding on a creature in the
freshly mowed rye field across from our house.
After
awhile the eagle soared into the air.
I
walked through the rye field behind my house
wondering if the large nest I could see from a
distance high in a tree might be an eagle's nest.
Alas after I got near it a large hawk flew out! My
next exploratory trip when it gets a bit warmer
will be to walk down along Donegal Creek across
from our house.
Finally
today:
Last
night's sunset from our picture window as the
skies cleared.
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."
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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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