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Friday,
November 13,
2020
Our Garden Cart overflowing with many golden and crimson fall colors.
"Every
Kingdom Divided"
Message summary: Above all, remember this today:
There
is a name that reigns above all others
Jesus Christ, the king above all kings!
Jesus Christ, the king above all kings!
“Jesus
knew their thoughts and said to them, ‘Every
kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and
every city or household divided against itself
will not stand’” (Matthew 12:25).
Growing
up in the sixties Brooksyne and I began each day in
the public schools in suburban Kansas City, Missouri
(me) and Tulsa, Oklahoma (Brooksyne) reciting a
simple, brief pledge that included these words, "one
nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all". As I recall, this was a practice
in schools all across the country. Many of you
similar in age to us will recall the Pledge of
Allegiance that had an effect of binding us
together. It was not uncommon to follow up the
Pledge of Allegiance with the Lord's Prayer as well.
(Brooksyne recalls learning the Lord's Prayer this
way)
For
many years our country has been departing from the
Bible-based foundations in which it was founded
often called Judeo-Christian. This is leading to the
many adverse consequences that we can see in
conditions all around us. But our hope for positive
and eternal change is not found through politics. “It
is He who changes the times and the epochs; He
removes kings and establishes kings” (Daniel
2:21). *
Jesus makes a powerful observation in the daily text. In the context He addresses division in the spiritual realm but He illustrates this teaching based on the observable in the physical realm: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand". In referring to “every kingdom” we can understand this as a nation and he reinforces that by extending it to smaller social units such as city and household. These divisions are also easily observed as we regularly read about so much corruption on the local level, especially the big cities. And of course many households are shattered by strife and divorce.
The increasing division is most starkly observed in foundational moral issues, such as the constitution of holy marriage (one man and one woman), the value of human life beginning at conception and in recent years the clear Biblical and biological truths regarding sexuality, "God made them male and female from the beginning of creation" (Mark 10:6). It’s astounding the "gains" that secularists have made in my lifetime alone but these "gains" have hastened exponentially in recent years. Tragically even many parts of the visible church are also grievously infected.
Christ’s words are true. Christ words are always true! History attests to this: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined". The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan cannot be a united kingdom since their mission statements stand in stark contrast. Likewise a country cannot remain divided, without eventual ruin being certain. We need a great revival in America and a coming together in unity under God’s holy standards which in my view will come only as a result of a genuine nationwide revival. Otherwise our country will slide more and more into decadence and eventual ruin.
We want to encourage true followers of Christ not only here in the USA where we live but all over the world. God is sovereign over my life, family and nation. His Kingdom has come to those who seek to live for Him. Our call is to remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Scriptures no matter the outcome of the current news or the ever-changing state of affairs in our nation and world.
Jesus makes a powerful observation in the daily text. In the context He addresses division in the spiritual realm but He illustrates this teaching based on the observable in the physical realm: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand". In referring to “every kingdom” we can understand this as a nation and he reinforces that by extending it to smaller social units such as city and household. These divisions are also easily observed as we regularly read about so much corruption on the local level, especially the big cities. And of course many households are shattered by strife and divorce.
The increasing division is most starkly observed in foundational moral issues, such as the constitution of holy marriage (one man and one woman), the value of human life beginning at conception and in recent years the clear Biblical and biological truths regarding sexuality, "God made them male and female from the beginning of creation" (Mark 10:6). It’s astounding the "gains" that secularists have made in my lifetime alone but these "gains" have hastened exponentially in recent years. Tragically even many parts of the visible church are also grievously infected.
Christ’s words are true. Christ words are always true! History attests to this: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined". The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan cannot be a united kingdom since their mission statements stand in stark contrast. Likewise a country cannot remain divided, without eventual ruin being certain. We need a great revival in America and a coming together in unity under God’s holy standards which in my view will come only as a result of a genuine nationwide revival. Otherwise our country will slide more and more into decadence and eventual ruin.
We want to encourage true followers of Christ not only here in the USA where we live but all over the world. God is sovereign over my life, family and nation. His Kingdom has come to those who seek to live for Him. Our call is to remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Scriptures no matter the outcome of the current news or the ever-changing state of affairs in our nation and world.
Above
all, remember this today:
There
is a name that reigns above all others
Jesus Christ, the king above all kings!
Jesus Christ, the king above all kings!
Be
encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, we
choose not to follow after this earthly kingdom that
is temporal, self-serving, and polluted by the wiles
of Satan’s strategies to divide, steal, kill and
destroy. It is headed for total destruction. But, as
believers, we follow after Christ who brings
abundant life as we renounce the world and enter
into His kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy.
Though the world may crumble around us, our hope
remains fixed on the eternal kingdom not seen with
human eyes. Such anticipation fills us with
inexpressible and glorious joy as we await the day
that Jesus Christ is revealed in all His glory,
splendor and holiness. Amen.* We
do well to slowly and thoughtfully offer this prayer
from Daniel 2:19-22: “Let the name of God be blessed
forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to
Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs;
He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives
wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of
understanding. It is He who reveals the profound and
hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and
the light dwells with Him. To You, O God of my
fathers, I give thanks and praise.”
"There Is A King" Video
Calvary Church worship team (We first heard
this song this last Sunday and it's blessed
us through the week. The link in Monday's
post was wrong so we will repost it here.)
It won't be long, we will behold
Him
And every tear He'll wipe away
We'll be at home, the war will be over
Soon we will meet our Savior face to face
And every tear He'll wipe away
We'll be at home, the war will be over
Soon we will meet our Savior face to face
Douglas
Hoover is a local photographer who gave us
permission to share his photo.
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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