A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Thursday,
August
27,
2020
"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: 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. 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: "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 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!"
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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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