A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Thursday,
June 17,
2021
Audrey's fountain with mini iceberg.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(Click on photo to enlarge)
"A
Lesson From A Polluted Fountain"
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
"Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked" (Proverbs 25:26). "Keep yourself pure" (1 Timothy 5:22). "All who have this hope in Him (Christ) purify themselves, just as He is pure" (1 John 3:3).
Audrey's
is a wholesale gift and home decor company in rural Lebanon County
where we serve as chaplains as mentioned in
previous posts over the years, located about six miles
outside of Lebanon on a scenic country road. The
entrance is very attractive with a variety of annual
flowers along with a sizeable fountain. (Photo on Google street view.)
Ken, one
of the owners, shared about an interesting sight he
had viewed in the fountain, after
pouring some bleach in the water to kill the algae. I
have had this same experience with my small fountains.
Anyone who has a fountain wants the water to be clear
and clean and thus the sodium hypochlorite (AKA
bleach) treatment.
Ken said
the water had become very bubbly and from the photo we
share above it appears to look like packed snow or
even a mini iceberg. Now that would be quite a
phenomenon with the hot weather we have been having.
Interestingly
there is a reference to bleach in the Bible, although
not in all translations. Describing the
transfiguration Mark records concerning Jesus, "There
He was transfigured before them. His clothes became
dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world
could bleach them" (Mark 9:2,3).
Ken's
goal was to clean his fountain. Even our small
fountain with a pump circulating water gets muddy (a
greenish/brownish yukky color) and polluted which is
not a very appealing sight. I periodically turn it
over and spray it out and have used bleach as well.
But if the weather is hot in several weeks I will need
to clean it again even though the water is
circulating. That's an illustration of our ongoing
need to "Keep yourself
pure".
Tim, a
friend from another company, shared today's first text
with me the other day. He is preparing a Bible lesson
for a group of youth and is stressing the need to be
Christ's disciples, following Him in obedience and
holiness.
This
text is typical of the teaching style in the Proverbs,
drawing an analogy from something physical to make a
spiritual point. "Like a
muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous
man who gives way before the wicked" (Proverbs
25:26).
Well,
most all of us know what muddy water looks like as
well as the detriment of pollution, especially if
we're desiring to drink the water. That's the timeless
illustrative nature of the Proverb. So what is "a muddied spring or a polluted fountain"
like? "A righteous man
who gives way before the wicked".
So many are giving "way before the
wicked". All month long
we have been subjected to a celebration of evil, with
so many companies, stores, and technology clamoring to
get in on the "woke" action.
Far too many churches are not taking a strong stand
and have ceased to make a faithful declaration of
God's standards regarding life, sexuality, gender
distinctions and marriage. Walking a middle road is
surely not what is needed but rather a clarion call to
God's standards.
Paul
wrote, "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as
unwise but as wise, making the most of every
opportunity, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the
Lord’s will is" (Ephesians 5:15-17).
Be
encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen
& Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, Solomon describes
the mouth of the righteous as a “well of life,”
because it brings refreshment, comfort, and wise
counsel to the weary.* But the stark contrast is
also presented when a righteous man yields to
pressure from the wicked. Instead of a well of
life he is compromised; he no longer has a pure
heart but a divided one and cannot give wise
counsel or model righteousness. Instead of a
well of life he is like a polluted fountain.
Lord, we want to keep ourselves pure,
uncompromised and unshaken by the prevailing
philosophies and behaviors that contradict Your
pure Holy Word. Amen.
Daily
prayer: Father, Solomon describes
the mouth of the righteous as a “well of life,”
because it brings refreshment, comfort, and wise
counsel to the weary.* But the stark contrast is
also presented when a righteous man yields to
pressure from the wicked. Instead of a well of
life he is compromised; he no longer has a pure
heart but a divided one and cannot give wise
counsel or model righteousness. Instead of a
well of life he is like a polluted fountain.
Lord, we want to keep ourselves pure,
uncompromised and unshaken by the prevailing
philosophies and behaviors that contradict Your
pure Holy Word. Amen.*(Proverbs
10:11)
Yesterday we wrote about
neighbors and Ken, a longtime reader now
living in Kansas, shared this thoughtful
perspective:
Today’s
encouragement on neighbors and being
neighborly is a message that our country needs
to hear and follow at this point in our
history.
It also reminded me of a conversation several years ago, when I was involved in Workplace Ministry through the Salvation Army Northern New England Division. I was talking with the Divisional Commander as he was contemplating a proposed expansion of the program. We were identifying the importance of this ministry and I posited for him that the workplace is the new neighborhood. In this I suggested that we are more friendly with our workplace colleagues than we are with our neighbors and know more about them that we do our neighbors. He paused a moment and reflected that in his own neighborhood he could only identify one neighbor by name and did not have a personal relationship with any of his neighbors, though he saw them all each evening. It was obvious that the Spirit was bringing conviction on him about this and he immediately approved the proposal I had put forth for the Workplace Ministry Program.
Two or three days later he stopped by my office and reported that he had intentionally taken walks in his neighborhood each evening and began to have conversations with those who outside in their yards. All the conversations were positive and helped him establish new relationships and the beginnings of planning a block party.
Lord have mercy on us and forgive our overlooking our neighbors.
It also reminded me of a conversation several years ago, when I was involved in Workplace Ministry through the Salvation Army Northern New England Division. I was talking with the Divisional Commander as he was contemplating a proposed expansion of the program. We were identifying the importance of this ministry and I posited for him that the workplace is the new neighborhood. In this I suggested that we are more friendly with our workplace colleagues than we are with our neighbors and know more about them that we do our neighbors. He paused a moment and reflected that in his own neighborhood he could only identify one neighbor by name and did not have a personal relationship with any of his neighbors, though he saw them all each evening. It was obvious that the Spirit was bringing conviction on him about this and he immediately approved the proposal I had put forth for the Workplace Ministry Program.
Two or three days later he stopped by my office and reported that he had intentionally taken walks in his neighborhood each evening and began to have conversations with those who outside in their yards. All the conversations were positive and helped him establish new relationships and the beginnings of planning a block party.
Lord have mercy on us and forgive our overlooking our neighbors.
Brooksyne's
added note: For the twenty years that we
have lived in Mount Joy I have been a walker,
most of the time I'm walking a dog(s), right
here in my neighborhood. I have met so many
people over the years and began a friendship
as a result. Just last evening I met Courtney
that lives about a mile up the road from me -
probably half my age but we found so much in
common. Our dearest friends who are like
family to us are the Lapps (Old Windmill Farm)
who lived in our neighborhood till about 15
years ago. I met them right after they got
married in 2002 and moved here by walking past
their home on my daily walks. They moved back
to Strasburg about five years later but
distance has not kept us from remaining very
close.
Send
a message to Stephen
& Brooksyne
To receive the
"Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday
through email see this
page to subscribe to our email list. You can also
subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or
through a Wordpress email subscription.
(See the email subscription on the right side
after opening this page)
Permissions:
Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and
distribute any material on Daily Encouragement
Net, in part or in whole, in any format,
provided that you do not alter the wording in
any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of
reproduction. It is our desire to spread this
material, not protect or restrict it. We do
request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription
information intact.
We want to thank all who financially
support our ministry. We
realize there are many fine ministries and
causes requesting support but if the Lord
would lead you we surely need and appreciate
the financial support from our readers and
listeners. Our
ministry labor is comprised of approximately
half our time to Daily Encouragement and the
other half to our chaplaincy ministry to
companies for which we receive compensation.
Each of these ministries essentially is the
same as a part-time job (20+ hours weekly) for
each of us. Our goal for many years is that
each would provide half of our ministry
expenses and income.
If you would consider making a donation to our ministry see here for more information.
To donate directly online here. This will open to a page that designates the offering to: WEBER,STEPHEN CHAP, Specialized Chaplaincy Ministry ID: 700001-237376
If you would consider making a donation to our ministry see here for more information.
To donate directly online here. This will open to a page that designates the offering to: WEBER,STEPHEN CHAP, Specialized Chaplaincy Ministry ID: 700001-237376
Please Note: We
also provide this easy option due to the
convenience, for international supporters,
and for those who may not be concerned
regarding receiving an official tax
deductible receipt. Click here to
send an offering using PayPal. This
will open to a page that states "Brooksyne
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."
© Copyright 2021 Stephen C. & Brooksyne
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