A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
Thursday,
August
27,
2020
Promised Land
State Park Lake in the Poconos
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
"Bound
For The Promised Land"
Message
summary: I remain in the most important race
and by God's grace will stay in it till I reach the
Promised Land and like Paul can declare, "I have
fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I
have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted" (Hebrews 12:1-3).
This week we visited the Promised Land. Well, not what you might initially suppose, but a state park in the Poconos named "Promised Land"! The park is named for the "Promised Land" that the earliest settlers were told they would find. The immigrant residents in the 18th and 19th centuries were dazzled by promotional promises of the supposed wonders of the land they were buying.
It was a beautiful state park with a large lake and a beach that was actually open, in contrast to so many areas we had been that were closed for the entire season due to the virus pandemic. What a joy to see and hear the children playing on the sand and in the water!!! We considered renting a small boat but then we heard thunder in the distance and thought we didn't want to be out on water in a thunder storm.
Definition of the Promised Land according to Merriam-Webster:
Listen
to this message on your audio player."Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted" (Hebrews 12:1-3).
This week we visited the Promised Land. Well, not what you might initially suppose, but a state park in the Poconos named "Promised Land"! The park is named for the "Promised Land" that the earliest settlers were told they would find. The immigrant residents in the 18th and 19th centuries were dazzled by promotional promises of the supposed wonders of the land they were buying.
It was a beautiful state park with a large lake and a beach that was actually open, in contrast to so many areas we had been that were closed for the entire season due to the virus pandemic. What a joy to see and hear the children playing on the sand and in the water!!! We considered renting a small boat but then we heard thunder in the distance and thought we didn't want to be out on water in a thunder storm.
Definition of the Promised Land according to Merriam-Webster:
1. The
land that was given to Abraham and his descendants
according to the promise God made in the Bible.
2. A happy place or condition that someone wants to reach; a place where dreams or hopes can come true.
2. A happy place or condition that someone wants to reach; a place where dreams or hopes can come true.
In
Christian theology the Promised Land is used to
describe where God's people will once again live
under Christ's Lordship and experience His blessed
presence such as expressed in the song, "I Am Bound
For the Promised Land". Christians refer to heaven
as the Promised Land. God has promised a glorious
eternal home for all those who love Him and have
trusted in Christ Jesus for salvation. *
Theologian Oren Martin's book "Bound for the Promised Land" makes this point:
Theologian Oren Martin's book "Bound for the Promised Land" makes this point:
"Just as the Old Testament book of Genesis
begins with creation, where humans live in the
presence of their Lord, so the New Testament book of
Revelation ends with an even more glorious new
creation where all of the redeemed dwell with the
Lord and his Christ. The historical development
between the beginning and the end is crucial, for
the journey from Eden to the new Jerusalem proceeds
through the land promised to Abraham. Within the
redemptive-historical framework of God's unfolding
plan, the land promise advances the place of the
kingdom that was lost in Eden."
As we
see a heightened sense of turmoil on this old earth
may the promise of our future Promised Land be a
source of great encouragement and a major focus in
our day to day living. Our daily text was one of the
very first Bible verses I memorized in the
mid-seventies. I initially liked it because I was a
runner. The days of physically running are long
behind me but I remain in the most important race
and by God's grace will stay in it till I reach the
Promised Land and like Paul can declare, "I have
fought the good fight, I have finished the
race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy
4:7).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, as we
consider the days of old we see Your faithful hand
guiding us along life’s pathway, in our own lives
and in the generations that precede us. Deliverance
from our sins, provision for our every need and
guidance for our every step keeps us firmly anchored
like a tree planted by streams of water. Keep us
faithful and trusting until we cross over to the
Promised Land. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"On
The Banks Of The Promised Land" Video Karen Peck &
New River
"Living
in the Promised Land" Video Triumphant
Quartet
"Jesus
Is Our Promised Land" Video David Baroni
"Promised
Land" Video Crowder
*
For more study: What is the Promised Land?
gotquestions.org
Promised
Land State Park is located here (google map)
There
was a very run down area near the park, formerly a
church, but now in great disrepair surrounded by
abandoned boats, rusty vehicles and even a worn out
stretch limo.
Skytop Lodge is one of the
many resorts in the Poconos.
On the
way home we stopped by Old Forge, PA which claims to
be the Pizza capital of the World to have an Arcaro
and Genell Old Forge Pizza followed by Tiramasu
which is a real treat for us. This is the bocce
court beside the pizza joint.
Old
Forge Pizza was delicious! We counted the pieces
which amounted to 4 pieces each; two for lunch and
two to save for dinner when we arrived home. Guess
which one of us only had one to eat for dinner
because the temptation to eat three pieces at lunch
was beyond his or her ability to resist?
Finally
today:
Last
night Brooksyne made Peach Pie for dessert and as we
ate it together with ice cream on our front porch.
After my first bite all I could say was, "This
is Promised Land peach pie!"
Send a message to
Stephen & Brooksyne
To receive the
"Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday
through email see this
page to subscribe to our email list. You can also
subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or
through a Wordpress email subscription.
(See the email subscription on the right side
after opening this page)
We want to thank all who
financially support our ministry. We
realize there are many fine ministries and
causes requesting support but if the Lord
would lead you we surely need and appreciate
the financial support from our readers and
listeners. Our ministry
labor is comprised of approximately half our
time to Daily Encouragement and the other half
to our chaplaincy ministry to companies for
which we receive compensation. Each of these
ministries essentially is the same as a
part-time job (20+ hours weekly) for each of
us. Our goal for many years is that each would
provide half of our ministry expenses and
income.
If you would consider making a donation to our ministry see here for more information.
To donate directly online here. This will open to a page that designates the offering to: WEBER,STEPHEN CHAP, Specialized Chaplaincy Ministry ID: 700001-237376
If you would consider making a donation to our ministry see here for more information.
To donate directly online here. This will open to a page that designates the offering to: WEBER,STEPHEN CHAP, Specialized Chaplaincy Ministry ID: 700001-237376
Please Note:
We also provide this easy option due to
the convenience, for international
supporters, and for those who may not be
concerned regarding receiving an official
tax deductible receipt.
Click
here to send an offering using
PayPal. This will open to a page that
states "Brooksyne Weber".Permissions:
Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and
distribute any material on Daily Encouragement
Net, in part or in whole, in any format,
provided that you do not alter the wording in
any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of
reproduction. It is our desire to spread this
material, not protect or restrict it. We do
request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription
information intact.
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."
© Copyright 2020 Stephen C. & Brooksyne
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