A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
Friday,
February
5,
2021
We had a
warm afternoon yesterday (relatively) and our border
collie, Mollie, had a blast playing in the snow although
pleasantly interrupted by the clip clop of a passing
horse and the steel wheels of the buggy!
(Click to enlarge)
(Click to enlarge)
"More Than
Conquerors!"
Message summary: We have our
apparent losses in the battles of life but we can
have a deep assurance of our ultimate victory;
assurance that we are more than conquerors.
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
Listen
to this message on your audio player."In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
You my God have saved my soul
I am Yours forevermore
I won’t be moved of this I’m sure
You are my God and You saved my soul
Ester and I (Stephen) have a bit
of rivalry going on regarding the upcoming Super
Bowl. Growing up in the Kansas City area and still
having family and friends living there I am rooting
for the Chiefs. Ester is rooting for the Tampa Bay
team in part because she's a bit of a rascal but
also she has been a long time fan of Tom Brady
(carry over from our years in New England)! Well,
that should make it fun and she's already started
decorating our family room for the occasion. She
also purchased the two small cakes yesterday in
anticipation of our celebration Sunday. Brooksyne is
committed to rooting for the winning team, whichever
that turns out to be!Here's a humble prediction. At the end of the game one side will be celebrating the thrill of victory, the other side the agony of defeat. (Phrase - courtesy of the old Saturday afternoon "Wide World of Sports" TV program on ABC.)
We all have our apparent losses in the battles of life but we can have a deep assurance of our ultimate victory; assurance that "we are more than conquerors".
In today’s text from Romans 8 Paul is writing to the Roman believers about life in the Spirit. He considers the difficulties and weaknesses that believers experience in this life, so he reminds us that God is working out everything for our good (v.28). Paul begins to detail the daunting obstacles a believer may very well endure and builds to a victorious crescendo as he summarizes it in the generalized phrase “In all these things”. This includes anything that can go wrong in life, most of which many of us have never experienced.
Wondrously, however, in all these things "we are more than conquerors". This phrase translates the single Greek word “hupernikomen”, which is found only here in the entire NT. It literally means we are “hyper-overcomers” or “preeminently victorious”. “Hupernikomen” indicates that “we are winning a most glorious victory” (Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament.)
This is "through Him who loved us". God’s amazing love is the very foundation of this victory and Paul reveals the intensity of His sacrificial love in 8:32, “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Paul repeats the phrase “all things” three times in vv. 28-37 for added emphasis. It’s a reminder that there is no hardship we face, presently or in the future, that we can’t conquer, with the help of our loving God who gives us all things.
Hide this truth deep in your heart. We will have struggles in this life, including losses, but God’s eternal Word declares that the ultimate victory is assured through Christ. If there is a crisis you face this hour, begin to personalize today’s Scripture by declaring aloud, "I am more than a conqueror through Jesus who loves me". Repeat it often so the troubling circumstances are no longer our primary thoughts, but God’s Word is. The crisis will ultimately surrender to the victory Jesus has for you "in all these things". So we urge you, whatever you are going through to “HANG IN THERE”! We are all more than conquerors.
We
are more than conquerors, through Christ
You have overcome this world, this life
We will not bow to sin or to shame
We are defiant in Your name
You are the fire that cannot be tamed
You are the power in our veins
Our Lord, our God, our Conqueror
You have overcome this world, this life
We will not bow to sin or to shame
We are defiant in Your name
You are the fire that cannot be tamed
You are the power in our veins
Our Lord, our God, our Conqueror
Be
encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, we are
not defeated in this life if we stand upon the
promise that we are more than conquerors through
Christ who loves us. We can be triumphant over
any battle on this side if we keep the perspective
that Christ is our Chief Commander and Defender in
this life. All battles here have a terminal date,
but the glorious victory that awaits the believer
has no expiration date. Thank You Father for the
glorious victory we have through Christ who
overcomes the world! Amen.Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
These victorious songs will
brighten your day and give you eternal
perspective!
"More Than
Conquerors" Video Rend
Collective
"You Saved My Soul"
Video
CityAlight
The horses and wagon is a unique
setting for this old camp-meeting style
song. The clip clopping of the horses
(though you can't hear them) steps in time
with the 6/8 rhythm of the song. Great
lyrics compatible with today's message as
well and sung by young people - what a
great find!
Visiting the Lapp farm yesterday
we came upon this sleigh in the field.
What a great way to ride to school! After
the children disembarked
they apparently drug the blanket off with
them. They'll need to take the blanket
inside and dry it out and warm it by the
furnace before using it on their next
ride!
Several winters ago we took a horse-drawn sleigh ride on the Old Windmill Farm. This sleigh is pretty old, first belonging to Jesse's grandmother.
Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way.
See our short video which includes a segment of the children riding a sleigh to school.
(Click to enlarge)
Follow Up on Rodney's story from
yesterday:
I (Brooksyne) was so blessed as I attended a funeral service celebrating Rodney's life. (I shared in yesterday's message about Rodney.) His mother died eight years ago but I met his father who dearly loved his son along with his siblings. There must have been two hundred photos of Rodney with his family on display. There's much I'd love to share about this special funeral service, but two things I'll share:
In response to Brooksyne sharing about Rodney, a man who shared the exact same birthday with her, David, a reader from Havre de Grace, Maryland shares this interesting story:
I (Brooksyne) was so blessed as I attended a funeral service celebrating Rodney's life. (I shared in yesterday's message about Rodney.) His mother died eight years ago but I met his father who dearly loved his son along with his siblings. There must have been two hundred photos of Rodney with his family on display. There's much I'd love to share about this special funeral service, but two things I'll share:
- Rodney was very patriotic so we sang "God Bless America" and we pledged allegiance to the flag (a first for me in a funeral setting).
- Rodney's dad shared that he didn't want to get out of bed yesterday morning. He didn't want to attend his son's funeral since parents shouldn't have to bury their children. He was talking to God about that, and the Lord spoke to His heart: "Yes, I know how it feels." The Lord reminded him that Jesus prayed to His Father in the garden, "If it be possible let this cup pass from Me" but God was silent. As part of God's plan for salvation His Son had to die a terrible death; "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son". He found comfort in the thoughts God had impressed on His heart which gave him strength to face what was ahead.
In response to Brooksyne sharing about Rodney, a man who shared the exact same birthday with her, David, a reader from Havre de Grace, Maryland shares this interesting story:
"I was the first born to my
parents. My mother had a very long
delivery and lost a significant amount
of blood. This was back in the
pre-Lamaze era when fathers-to-be were
resigned to pace around, locked out of
the hospital birthing area. Hearing of
the need for a possible blood
transfusion, another pacing father-to-be
with whom my father became acquainted
volunteered to give blood on the spot.
They had a son that day too. So we
shared the same birthday November 20th
1954. We were both named David. Our
parents were married on the same day
March 17, 1951.
Occasionally as
toddlers we were playmates but that
ended when we started in different
kindergarten schools. Unbeknownst to
each other, we both grew to have a
personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
In our adult lives, we even went to the
same church, though he and his wife
joined there about 10 years after my
wife and I had moved. So we were never
there at that church at same time. Yet
we have many friends in common from that
church family. My friends were always
surprised when I declared that I knew
David Trumbo before they did. With a
picture to prove it. It looks here like
I am the bigger guy holding him up … but
he went on to become a high school and
college physical fitness instructor and
college volleyball coach."
Occasionally as
toddlers we were playmates but that
ended when we started in different
kindergarten schools. Unbeknownst to
each other, we both grew to have a
personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
In our adult lives, we even went to the
same church, though he and his wife
joined there about 10 years after my
wife and I had moved. So we were never
there at that church at same time. Yet
we have many friends in common from that
church family. My friends were always
surprised when I declared that I knew
David Trumbo before they did. With a
picture to prove it. It looks here like
I am the bigger guy holding him up … but
he went on to become a high school and
college physical fitness instructor and
college volleyball coach."A follow up from yesterday:
"And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (John 9:1-3).
As a person who has worked and advocated for people who have developmental disabilities, I certainly appreciated your story of Rodney that appeared in the February 4th message. One of the things you wrote really hit home. Many times when I have spoken to family members, (usually mothers) of the person with the disability, I have encountered the question, Why?
For many years, I have kept up a friendship with a family of Alan. Alan has developmental disabilities and autism. He is a unique individual and despite the fact that he does not communicate in the ordinary way, I have enjoyed his company for many years. One day his mother asked me that question, why? Why was Alan born with disabilities. She felt his life was a waste. I know she was simply venting as she is a great mother to him, but this is what I told her. I quoted John 9:3.
I said that God's love shines bright in Alan as those who work with him and know him grow closer to the Lord in their daily dealings with Alan. Alan in his disability has the ability to bring out love in others. I have seen this love with my own eyes over the many years that I have been involved in this field. It brings out compassion, and diligence and understanding for others in ways that are far superior to anything I have yet encountered. And it is not just Alan but in all the people who need our support this love is evident. We may never know why God allows for disabilities in His creation but I can tell you that the Lord has given a special place to those people who are often numbered among the "least of these". Thank you again for your inspiring ministry.
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& Brooksyne
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Weber".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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