A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Monday,
September 20,
2021
Scene from the Farm Wagon Produce Stand on Weaverland Road in Lancaster County, that offers many produce items, including flowers such as the fall mums in the foreground and zinnias in the background. A young Mennonite couple, or perhaps they're siblings, were cutting zinnias to add to the zinnia bouquets offered at their produce stand. (Click on photo for larger image) "Christ
Is Enough!"
Listen to this message on your audio player. "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 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?" (Romans 8:31,32). "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). Yesterday in our church service we sang a song
that really blesses us and forms the inspirational
thought for today's message.
Christ is enough for me
Christ is enough for me Everything I need is in You Everything I need In what sense is Christ enough? What is
everything I need? Usually when we say "I have
everything I need" we are referring to being content
regarding our possessions but we do well to express this
truth in a fully inclusive way.
The song begins.
Christ is my reward
And all of my devotion Now there's nothing in this world That could ever satisfy Let us consider today's first text from
Romans, "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?"
God "did not spare His own Son, but gave
Him up for us all". This alone should prompt our
deepest eternal gratitude. If this was all God did for
us it would be far more than enough and infinitely more
than we deserve.
But the apostle Paul goes on to declare, "How will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" The clearly expected answer to this rhetorical question is, He will! He will fulfill His eternal purpose for our lives in that which brings Him glory. Bible teacher Ray Stedman writes:
"He who has already given us the
best, the greatest, the dearest, the most precious thing
He has, and who did so while we were sinners -- while we
were enemies, while we were helpless -- will He not also
give us some of these trivial, piddling little things
that we need?"
Peter puts it this way, "His divine power
has given us everything we need for life and
godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). What is God's provision
through His divine power? EVERYTHING we need to live
godly! Everything in simple terms means everything
without exception. Believers have all they need
to grow in grace to enable them to daily imitate the
life of Christ. But everything does not mean everything
pertaining to the world's offerings. It's actually a
blessing that God doesn't give us everything we want!
The late Bible teacher Harry A. Ironside
(1876-1951) comments,
"CHRIST is enough to satisfy the hearts of
all who confide in Him and who leave everything in His
hands. Such need never be cast down by seeming
misfortunes. A Christian asked another how he was
getting along. Dolefully his friend replied, "Oh,
fairly well, under the circumstances." "I am sorry,"
exclaimed the other, "that you are under the
circumstances. The LORD would have us living above all
circumstances, where He Himself can satisfy our hearts
and meet our every need for time and eternity."
Let us live with the assurance today that Christ is enough and provides everything we have need of. May that assuring truth help us to be content and joyful. Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13) Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, we are deeply grateful that
You did not spare Your own Son, but gave Him up for
us so that we might have salvation. Not only is our
salvation provided but You provide graciously for
everything we need. Help us to learn the difference
between wants and needs. In the process may we learn
to be content, thankful and joyful in times of
plenty and in times of want, in the easy and hard
times trusting You to provide for our needs, often
for our comforts, and most of all for that which
matures us in the faith. In the name of Jesus we
pray. Amen.
Commentator Matthew Henry reflects: “As the happiness of heaven with Christ is enough to make up for the loss of life itself for Him, so the gain of all the world in sin, will not make up for the ruin of the soul by sin. And there is a day coming, when the cause of Christ will appear as glorious, as some now think it mean and contemptible. May we think of that season, and view every earthly object as we shall do at that great day." Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
The
choir is back!
(Click
on photo for larger image)
Yesterday
our choir resumed after an 18 month hiatus due
to you know what. What a joy to hear the choir
and orchestra lead our worship! After singing
in three services and getting started with
their warm up at 7 am Brooksyne came home from
church just a little weary.
"Christ
Is Enough" Video Calvary
Church choir and orchestra with our worship
pastor's intro and prayer from our service
yesterday. Brooksyne's Note: This video
continues with the hymn "Fairest Lord
Jesus", a German hymn first appearing in
manuscript back 1662 emphasizing the beauty and
wonder of Christ. I believe this great hymn will
bless you as it did our choir and congregation.
"Godliness
With Contentment Is Great Gain" (1 Timothy
6:6) Video Mike Book is a
longtime friend of ours. We recorded this
song he wrote based on the text in our home
"studio" many years ago.
"Enough"
Video
Sara Groves
"Sing
Wherever I God"/"This Is Amazing Grace" Video The first two songs from yesterday's
service.
With
nearly twenty-five years of service in
business chaplaincy (including several years
when we also pastored in New England) we have
met a lot of people, including many we no
longer see regularly in the companies where we
first met them. A former NYPD police officer,
we met Frank when he served as a service tech
in an HVAC company. It was great to see
him back in church yesterday!
Last
night's harvest moon behind our house.
Unbeknownst to both of us we were so taken
with the brilliant moon we were both taking
images. This was mine.
(Click on photo for larger image) Unbeknownst
to me Brooksyne, in returning from a walk with
the dogs, caught the harvest moon over our
barn!
(Click on photo for larger image) Fair
is the sunshine,
fairer still the moonlight, and all the twinkling starry host: Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer than all the angels heaven can boast. Finally
today:
This
unusual looking piece of farm equipment is
parked in the field across from our house and
signals the next step in field prep. We expect
to show in action the next several days and will
explain its function
(Click
on photo for larger image)
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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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