Daily Encouragement (Archive Edition)

The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

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Friday, November 27, 2020

Coplay cement kilns (Photo from Google maps)

Is this an ancient European castle?

(see below)

"That's What The Blood Is For"

Message summary: Have you paced your faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning blood as the only means of salvation?

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"And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation'" (Revelation 5:9).

For our Thanksgiving meal we joined together with my brother Pat and his family yesterday at his home in the Lehigh Valley about 80 miles northeast of us (as the crow flies). It was sure nice to get together with family (the first time since early March). The afternoon was pleasant with comfortable temperatures so several of us stepped outside for fresh air. I also rode my nephew's electric bike, which provided a different feel to biking than my non-motorized bike, though I don't think I'll consider purchasing an electric bike anytime soon.

After dessert, as we prepared to leave, Pat who is now the family patriarch, offered a prayer of blessing. He thanked God for his family related by blood and for his family related by the blood (of Christ).

Perhaps due to my presbycusis* I initially thought he said "family related by the flood", taking it to mean the human family related as descendants of Noah's three sons following the great flood. As often happens to preachers this prompted some musing, especially since there were several preachers sitting around the table!

1) We are all indeed related by the flood. Noah's three sons; Shem, Ham, and Japheth had children which repopulated the earth after the flood. We are thus all related to Noah although we are descendants of different sons. We all share the same blood line. There's such a tendency to focus on superficial differences especially our skin color, which causes so much division in our country and world. But inside each one of us, no matter the skin color, descend from the blood line of Noah. Brooksyne and I have been donating blood for nearly fifty years now. Although we each have different blood types, our donated blood can be used to assist another human from any region on earth. We all have slightly different amounts of melanin in our skin on the outside but each of us have red blood on the inside.

2) All of us have a special sense of being related by blood. My brother Pat thanked God for his family related by blood in the sense of our special relationship due to having the same mother and father. But of course in our circle around the table were in-laws through marriage and in Ester's case through adoption. Nevertheless there is a special bond in this type of blood relationship.

3) We can all, through faith, be related through the blood of Christ. Today's text from Revelation states regarding Jesus Christ, "for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation". What a great blessing this is and indeed as the old hymn says, "Let every kindred, every tribe on this terrestrial ball, to Him all majesty ascribe and crown Him Lord of all."

Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning blood as the only means of salvation?

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we know from Scripture that we are not our own but we are bought with a price, the price of Jesus' own blood, Your only Son, who died for our sins that we might live as people redeemed and forgiven no matter our background, skin color, or region of the world. We will not be excluded from the blessings of redemption for we are a part of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ made available to all who call upon the name of the Lord to be saved. Hallelujah! Amen.

Note: Pat's daughter Heidi pointed out we are also all related by the "mud", considering another common ancestor, Adam, who was formed from the "dust from the ground" (Genesis 2:7).

*Presbycusis is the word used to describe hearing loss due to aging.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"O The Blood" Video Selah

"What the Blood is For" Video Jason Crabb

The Bible on Race by Gerald McDermott A very thought-provoking article that essentially contends there are just two races; the redeemed and the unredeemed.

The Bible talks about personal identity under two creations.

The first is the old creation whereby we know ourselves and others as men or women, Jews or Gentiles, whom God has put in particular nations and people and tribes with distinctive languages. All of us—believers and not—have been made in the image of God.

The other creation is the new creation that God has been forming for millennia by joining people from the first creation to the Jewish Messiah Jesus by His Spirit.

Finally today: Concerning our lead photo.

Yesterday on the way to our Thanksgiving meal with Stephen's brother and family we stopped to see the Coplay Cement Company Kilns in Coplay, PA north of Allentown. The nine kilns were built in 1892-1893, and used for the production of Portland cement. They are constructed of locally produced red brick, and are known as Schoefer vertical kilns. They were shut down in 1904. (Wikipedia article)

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Ministry Update

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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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