A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Monday,
October
11,
2021
It looks like our kitten Gracie may be
interested in a Bible Study!
Note: Today Ester and I are heading up to
Boston to watch the Red Sox game tonight at Fenway Park.
With last night's 13 inning victory they can win the
playoff series tonight! Though generations have come and
gone, Fenway Park remains, much like it did the day it
opened on April 20, 1912 and bills itself, probably
accurately, as America's most beloved ballpark. We sure
think so! It's an early birthday present from Ester. (Of
course I'm financially making her birthday present
possible!) We will be staying in Massachusetts tonight. I
was concerned about parking since today is also the Boston
Marathon but in seeking counsel from Nigel, a friend
living in Newton near the Green Line, he offered a parking
spot near his home, a short distance from the Chestnut
Hill train station!
"Freed"
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). "To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood" (Revelation 1:5).
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). "To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood" (Revelation 1:5).
Last week John
Stonestreet, who spoke at a banquet Thursday evening shared
how growing up in northern Virginia he remembers Lancaster
County as the place with the funny names. Well, that's true.
We have some rather unusual town names like Blue Ball,
Bird-in Hand and Intercourse.
I attended a
second banquet on Friday evening in Lititz,
another interestingly named Lancaster
County town. Locals pronounce it this way (short video) but I recall the rather risqué,
though not intentional way Don Smith, a former boss from
Texas, mispronounced it with his heavy southern drawl!
I
like to consider names that can lead to a witness like Love,
Mercy, Grace, Charity and other uncommon but interesting
first names. At the banquet Friday night I met a man whose
last name is "Freed'. I looked at his name tag and
said, "So you've been set free!" which prompted a
brief conversation. He was so excited to share about his
wife, who had been very sick with covid, but was now healed
and attending the banquet with him.Like most of
you, I don't have a last name that
prompts a consideration of a spiritual truth but all of us
who have turned to Christ and received His redemption are freed!
When Jesus came to earth many people were looking for a political liberator. But that was not the liberation Christ primarily came for. It was initially disappointing for many who were looking for that. But spiritual freedom is a much greater blessing than political and it's eternal!
When Jesus came to earth many people were looking for a political liberator. But that was not the liberation Christ primarily came for. It was initially disappointing for many who were looking for that. But spiritual freedom is a much greater blessing than political and it's eternal!
Actually I see
a similar phenomenon in the present political situation.
People are crying out for a leader whom they feel will make
things right. But the political world is full of promises
that can never be met. Certainly Jesus could have liberated
the people from Roman occupation and bondage. But His purpose was far greater and accomplished
freedom from a far greater bondage, and not just for a
generation but for all eternity. In the final book of the
Bible the Apostle John powerfully states, "To Him who
loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood"
(Revelation 1:5).
John wrote
this verse sixty years after the great Event when Christ
shed His blood and died on the cross for our sins. John had
been an eyewitness to that sacrifice and now wrote as the
last surviving member of the 12 disciples who had walked
with the Lord.
The Bible teaches that the only way to true freedom is through the blood of Jesus. If you are born again, washed in the blood of Jesus, why not declare aloud, with great joy and thanksgiving, "Hallelujah, I'm freed by God's wonderful grace!" And, if you're so inclined, you may even want to shout it out! You can be freed.
The Bible teaches that the only way to true freedom is through the blood of Jesus. If you are born again, washed in the blood of Jesus, why not declare aloud, with great joy and thanksgiving, "Hallelujah, I'm freed by God's wonderful grace!" And, if you're so inclined, you may even want to shout it out! You can be freed.
Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, You have declared, through the
words of Scripture, that there is no other name
under heaven given unto men by which we must be
saved. The apostles, full of the Holy Spirit, shared
that message with the elders and chief priests,
boldly asserting that it is by the name of Jesus
Christ, that people are saved, healed, and
delivered. Our singular focus must be focused on
Jesus, whom You offered as the only way to freedom
and having an eternal relationship with us. Thank
You, God, that I am free thanks to Your marvelous
grace, through the blood sacrifice of Your Son,
Jesus Christ in whose name we pray. Amen. See
Acts 4:8-12
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
Lisa is an outstanding speaker and was recently selected as Lancaster Bible College Alumnus of the Year. For many years the ministry was named Susquehanna Valley Pregnancy Services but in recent years the name was changed to Align Life Ministries. Until I saw this purpose statement we didn't understand why they changed the name to align and thought it sounded like the name of a probiotic! Align Ministries does a wonderful job of standing up for a pro-life position.
"I'm
Free" Video Canton
Junction
"Freed"
Video
Westan Arnold
"I
Speak Jesus" Video Here Be Lions
Before the banquet I took this photo
of Daryl and Janet Leisey. Daryl was one of the
first people I met when we moved to Lancaster
County in 2001 while he served as the HR
director of a local company. Daryl was Master of
Ceremonies at the banquet. Also in the photo is
Lisa Hostetter, the executive director of Align
Ministries. Lisa is also in our Sunday School
class (called Adult Bible Fellowship in our
church) and often shares of her witnessing
opportunities as she is very excited and bold in
speaking to others about Christ!
Lisa is an outstanding speaker and was recently selected as Lancaster Bible College Alumnus of the Year. For many years the ministry was named Susquehanna Valley Pregnancy Services but in recent years the name was changed to Align Life Ministries. Until I saw this purpose statement we didn't understand why they changed the name to align and thought it sounded like the name of a probiotic! Align Ministries does a wonderful job of standing up for a pro-life position.
Until we moved to Lancaster County we
had not been familiar with banquets that are
used for fund-raising or at least nothing like
we see around here. It seems nearly every
weekend a nonprofit ministry or organization
raises funds for their cause with a banquet.
Essentially a ministry uses a large banquet room
in a restaurant like the Shady Maple or church
fellowship hall (like the E-Free church we met
in on Friday) and has a meal with sponsors
buying tables. Those sponsors invite guests and
pay for their meals. Usually they have a
national level guest speaker and an appeal for
support from attendees and this seems to work
very well. We have been to three of them in the
last several weeks and in late October will be
at one more for The Pennsylvania Family
Institute in Hershey. As you would imagine the COVID
pandemic in 2020 brought these fundraisers to a
halt so it's good to see once again the many
banquets, drive through BBQ's and others means
of raising funds for good ministries and causes.
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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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