A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
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Monday,
March
1,
2021
"Faith,
Hope and Love"
Message summary: Today
we consider what has not been cancelled, closed or
quarantined. The apostle
Paul concluded the Love Chapter with these words,
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and
love".
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and
love" (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Expressions of faith are
a common sight here in Lancaster and Lebanon
County and other nearby counties. This area is
sometimes referred to as the Bible Belt of the
Northeast. Small road signs pop up in rural areas,
on barns and silos, on businesses (such as the
sign to the left on a bike shop on Rt 322 east of
Ephrata) and of course many seek to get in a
witness through a decal on their car or on their
apparel.
Expressions of faith are
a common sight here in Lancaster and Lebanon
County and other nearby counties. This area is
sometimes referred to as the Bible Belt of the
Northeast. Small road signs pop up in rural areas,
on barns and silos, on businesses (such as the
sign to the left on a bike shop on Rt 322 east of
Ephrata) and of course many seek to get in a
witness through a decal on their car or on their
apparel.What
a great opportunity churches have to get a witness
out to the scores of passersby who will never
enter the doors of their sanctuary such as the one
seen in our lead photo.
What a thought-provoking message so fitting for
the times:
Faith
Not Cancelled
Hope
Not Closed
Love
Not Quarantined
Clearly
the message addresses aspects of this wearying
"pandemic" we are all going through which seems
practically endless. During this time so many
activities have been cancelled, many businesses,
restaurants, churches and other places have been
forced to close their doors and so many have
experienced the quarantine, whether formally or
informally.
Last spring Kim Collingsworth of the Collingsworth Family wrote a song regarding the many uncertainties at that time concerning the early days of the pandemic:
But in the midst of chaos
In the midst of fear
There is something to remember
Yes there is something we all need to hear
In the midst of fear
There is something to remember
Yes there is something we all need to hear
Of course being a good songwriter the song goes on to express what that "something" is that we need to remember and need to hear! (A link to the song and lyrics are below.)
What
we all need to remember, and take to heart are
those things which have not been cancelled, closed
or quarantined! If we were to make a list we could
start with "the joy of the Lord, the peace of God,
the presence of the Holy Spirit." These truths of
eternal worth remain consistent and steadfast! A
consideration of these will bring about a needed
perspective that will surely refresh our spirit
and remind us of the immutable promises of God.
The
apostle Paul concluded the Love Chapter with these
words, "And now these three remain: faith,
hope and love", what we described in a
message years ago as the "The Ever-Enduring
Trifecta" that is far more powerful than any
temporal pain or loss we will experience on this
side of eternity.
Faith, hope and love remain. These are foundationally spiritual qualities. The "good life" (peace and prosperity), as many of us know or desire on this earth, is not guaranteed by God. So many, many of the heroes of the faith in the past and present testify to this. (Read Hebrews 11.)
A focus on faith, hope and love brings an assurance that ultimately "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). This is an enduring faith which cannot be cancelled; a steadfast hope which is always open and an abiding love that cannot be quarantined.
The
apostle Paul concluded the Love Chapter with these
words, "And now these three remain: faith,
hope and love", what we described in a
message years ago as the "The Ever-Enduring
Trifecta" that is far more powerful than any
temporal pain or loss we will experience on this
side of eternity.Faith, hope and love remain. These are foundationally spiritual qualities. The "good life" (peace and prosperity), as many of us know or desire on this earth, is not guaranteed by God. So many, many of the heroes of the faith in the past and present testify to this. (Read Hebrews 11.)
A focus on faith, hope and love brings an assurance that ultimately "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). This is an enduring faith which cannot be cancelled; a steadfast hope which is always open and an abiding love that cannot be quarantined.
Be
encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, we are not without hope, for
we know that You are a God of hope that fills
believers with all faith, hope and love as they
trust in You, so that they may overflow with hope by
the power of Your Holy Spirit. Help us to spread the
overflowing, enduring hope that does not diminish in
the midst of evil or pandemic disease, but focuses
our hearts on the holy city, the New Jerusalem; the
New Jerusalem where Your presence is with Your
people; where You will wipe away every tear from our
eyes and there will be no more death, sadness,
crying, or pain, because all the old ways are gone,
for You will make all things new. Come, Lord Jesus,
come. Amen.More
Thoughts About Endless Hope:
Hope
is one of the most necessary spiritual and emotional
components of life. Without it we live in despair.
It has been said, "Man can live about 40 days
without food, about three days without water, about
eight minutes without air, but only for one second
without hope."
In the book of Lamentations the prophet Jeremiah is living through the period of Judah's final conquest by the Babylonians. In the portion that precedes the third daily verse he describes the horrible, despicable events that accompanied this time and Jeremiah seems to be teetering on despair.
But in this text we have one of the greatest transition verses in all of Scripture. In the midst of this terrific despair Jeremiah writes, "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope". What Jeremiah called to mind brought hope from despair and today some 2,600 years later, it will do so for us as we reflect on the immutable attributes of God such as His omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence (simply put, He is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-present).
In the book of Lamentations the prophet Jeremiah is living through the period of Judah's final conquest by the Babylonians. In the portion that precedes the third daily verse he describes the horrible, despicable events that accompanied this time and Jeremiah seems to be teetering on despair.
But in this text we have one of the greatest transition verses in all of Scripture. In the midst of this terrific despair Jeremiah writes, "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope". What Jeremiah called to mind brought hope from despair and today some 2,600 years later, it will do so for us as we reflect on the immutable attributes of God such as His omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence (simply put, He is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-present).
The
kingdoms of this world are all temporary,
self-serving, and polluted by the wiles of Satan's
strategy to steal, kill and destroy, striving for
total destruction. But, as believers, we follow
after Christ who brings abundant eternal life and a
glorious inheritance that's being preserved in
heaven for us. Let us 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 by
human eyes nor marred by the affliction of pain,
disease or death. 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.
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Joy
Has Not Been Cancelled" Video
Collingsworth Family
When life is put on hold
All our plans have cancelled
Things have changed
Nothing feels the same
Disappointments fears and doubts
Go hand in hand and waves of war
Everywhere uncertainty
But in the midst of chaos
In the midst of fear
There is something to remember
Yes there is something we all need
to hear
Joy is not cancelled
It still remains
Gods' goodness, kindness
His grace isn't running low
And He has not changed
So when the trials and tests that come
Darkness only hides the sun
And You can't seem to find Your way
No light of day
They never change they will endure
No matter what things look like
All around us
In the midst of chaos
In the midst of fear
There is something to remember
Yes there is something we all need
to hear
Joy is not cancelled
It still remains
Gods' goodness, kindness
His grace isn't running low
And He has not changed
His power is still abundant
His mercies are still new
God's plans have not been cancelled
He's fully in control
And everything that matters still remains
Yes everything that matters still remains
All our plans have cancelled
Things have changed
Nothing feels the same
Disappointments fears and doubts
Go hand in hand and waves of war
Everywhere uncertainty
But in the midst of chaos
In the midst of fear
There is something to remember
Yes there is something we all need
to hear
Joy is not cancelled
It still remains
Gods' goodness, kindness
His grace isn't running low
And He has not changed
So when the trials and tests that come
Darkness only hides the sun
And You can't seem to find Your way
No light of day
They never change they will endure
No matter what things look like
All around us
In the midst of chaos
In the midst of fear
There is something to remember
Yes there is something we all need
to hear
Joy is not cancelled
It still remains
Gods' goodness, kindness
His grace isn't running low
And He has not changed
His power is still abundant
His mercies are still new
God's plans have not been cancelled
He's fully in control
And everything that matters still remains
Yes everything that matters still remains
"Be Thou My Vision"
Video Calvary
Church Worship team from yesterday's
service that includes an interesting
introduction by Dave Ross, our worship
leader, pointing out the power of
congregationally singing a prayer together
as one voice in one spirit.
Friday afternoon we walked through
the Kleen-Rite distribution center. This is a
company that sells equipment and supplies to car washes all over the country and beyond.
They were very busy Friday. Luis, who
customizes hoses by placing the fittings on
the ends has been swamped due to orders from
Texas. A supervisor told me he thinks every
car wash hose in Texas must have burst during
the recent cold snap! We continue to pray for
friends and family in Texas as they get back
on their feet after the recent deep freeze and
the power outages that resulted. A local food bank ministry, "Blessings Of Hope", is
transporting truckloads of food essentials to
Texas residents.
Finally today we share some
thought-provoking messages through the years
on church signs here in Lancaster County.
(This one was from a rural road in
Lebanon County. The well meaning sign changing
volunteer should have used spell check for
"shining"!)
Send
a message to Stephen
& 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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