A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Monday,
December 6,
2021
Near
the restaurant, where we ate dinner yesterday in Carlsbad,
was a main line for both San Diego County commuter rail and
the Pacific Surf-liner passenger trains from San Diego to
Los Angeles.
Following the church service we
joined two longtime Daily Encouragement readers for dinner
in Carlsbad. Steve and Betsy Nickless live in Huntington
Beach, south of LA, but they drove all the way down to
northern San Diego County just to see us. What a blessing
to have such good friends developed from a great distance
geographically but spiritually nurtured through this
website ministry! We met them face to face five years ago
for the first time and learned more about their lives and
their Christian testimony. Now five years later seeing
them face to face again each of us had so much to say in a
couple hour span that we found ourselves talking over each
other.
"He Stooped Down To Our
Level"
Message
summary: Remember this
wonderful truth today, this season, and all your life; how
blessed we are that God stooped down! Now let us look up
to Him who gave His all for us!
Note:
Due to being away from home a podcast was not prepared for
this message and we do not expect to post tomorrow due to
making our long trip home, leaving early in the morning.
Hopefully we will post from home on Wednesday!
"You stoop down to make me great” (Psalm
18:35). “Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be
grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very
nature of a servant, being made in human likeness”
(Philippians 2:5-7).
He came down
to my level
When I couldn't get up to His
With a strong arm He lifted me up
To show me what livin' is
When I couldn't get up to His
With a strong arm He lifted me up
To show me what livin' is
Yesterday we
attended Shadow Mountain Community Church near San Diego
where David Jeremiah is the longtime pastor. I've always
thought that he had a great name for a pastor. When I
first heard of him some 30 years ago I thought maybe it
was sort of like a pen name. But alas that is his real
name! Few people have a prominent prophet's name as their
last name. Pastor Jeremiah has had a faithful ministry for
many years which many of us are familiar with through his
books and radio ministry. His latest book is quite timely
titled, "Where Do We Go from Here? How Tomorrow's
Prophecies Foreshadow Today's Problems". But his message
yesterday was on Joseph, husband of Mary, and included
some very interesting insights.
Following the church service we
joined two longtime Daily Encouragement readers for dinner
in Carlsbad. Steve and Betsy Nickless live in Huntington
Beach, south of LA, but they drove all the way down to
northern San Diego County just to see us. What a blessing
to have such good friends developed from a great distance
geographically but spiritually nurtured through this
website ministry! We met them face to face five years ago
for the first time and learned more about their lives and
their Christian testimony. Now five years later seeing
them face to face again each of us had so much to say in a
couple hour span that we found ourselves talking over each
other. It was a
delight to catch up with them and spend time with some of
God's people in California, sort of countering so much of
the image we have of the state due to the news mostly out
of the large cities like San Francisco and LA. Our hearts
are warmed and delighted by the fact that California is
well represented by our reader base.
There are
different approaches to ministry regarding the ways
ministers interface with people. Brooksyne and I have
always sought to be very personable, not only ministering
spiritually but seeking to befriend as well. Not only do
we hope to challenge and inspire others in their spiritual
walk, but we are equally challenged as we closely
interface with those whom we serve and those who serve us.
We've really enjoyed getting to know four different
Comfort Keepers who provide round the clock physical care
to our host, Marilyn.
In over 45
years of ministry we’ve attended many Minister's
Conferences where we mix among our ministerial peers and
have certainly enjoyed those associations and friendships.
But we’ve always felt most at home among the people whom
God has entrusted to us in our congregations, companies we
serve as chaplains, and in other forms of ministry,
including online where over time we've also met many of
you personally like Steve and Betsy.
I’m tall
(about 6’ 2”) although I do seem to be shrinking a bit in
height as I age and expanding in the other dimension!
Early in our ministry I learned the value of stooping down
to greet children, seeking to be less physically imposing
to them. As age marches on, getting down on my knees is
much harder these days but I still do, although I might
need help getting back up! Brooksyne and I have also
learned that stooping down is appreciated by people in
wheelchairs or those who are bedridden. There’s a special
connection we make when being at the same eye level as we
seek to express genuine love, interest and care.
But today let us consider the wonderful blessing in Scripture that tells us when God stooped down. One of our favorite Christmas hymns is “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”. Each line of this Charles Wesley hymn is replete with rich theology concerning the incarnation of Christ, including one pertinent to today’s message; “Born a child and yet a King.”
The first daily text is part of an ancient song to the Lord written by King David some 3,000 years ago (1,000 years before the first coming of Christ). In his extolling of the Lord David writes, “You stoop down to make me great".
I wonder what David meant when he initially wrote these words? Certainly he was cognizant of the greatness of God but how much insight did he have about the future incarnation and the very wonder that one day this great God of the universe; the Creator of all that exists would “stoop down” and clothe Himself in human flesh, entering this world as a helpless babe?
But that is precisely what God has done for us. A song from the eighties has a line, “He came down to my level, when I couldn’t get up to His.” Theologically we call this the “incarnation", God’s ultimate demonstration of grace in sending His one and only Son to this world to die for our sins. (Incidentally the Hebrew word for grace “hen” has an underlying sense of meaning “to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior”.)
God in the incarnation “stooped down”. The apostle Paul, in his magnificent incarnation passage states, “Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:5-7).
Today what a difference it makes in our outlook when we consider that God has indeed “stooped down”. C. S. Lewis wrote so poignantly, “The Son of God became a Son of Man that sons of men might become sons of God”. That’s right! And remember this wonderful truth today, this season, and all your life! How blessed we are that God stooped down! Now, just as He stooped down, let us lift up our hands and embrace Him who gave His all for us!
But today let us consider the wonderful blessing in Scripture that tells us when God stooped down. One of our favorite Christmas hymns is “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”. Each line of this Charles Wesley hymn is replete with rich theology concerning the incarnation of Christ, including one pertinent to today’s message; “Born a child and yet a King.”
The first daily text is part of an ancient song to the Lord written by King David some 3,000 years ago (1,000 years before the first coming of Christ). In his extolling of the Lord David writes, “You stoop down to make me great".
I wonder what David meant when he initially wrote these words? Certainly he was cognizant of the greatness of God but how much insight did he have about the future incarnation and the very wonder that one day this great God of the universe; the Creator of all that exists would “stoop down” and clothe Himself in human flesh, entering this world as a helpless babe?
But that is precisely what God has done for us. A song from the eighties has a line, “He came down to my level, when I couldn’t get up to His.” Theologically we call this the “incarnation", God’s ultimate demonstration of grace in sending His one and only Son to this world to die for our sins. (Incidentally the Hebrew word for grace “hen” has an underlying sense of meaning “to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior”.)
God in the incarnation “stooped down”. The apostle Paul, in his magnificent incarnation passage states, “Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:5-7).
Today what a difference it makes in our outlook when we consider that God has indeed “stooped down”. C. S. Lewis wrote so poignantly, “The Son of God became a Son of Man that sons of men might become sons of God”. That’s right! And remember this wonderful truth today, this season, and all your life! How blessed we are that God stooped down! Now, just as He stooped down, let us lift up our hands and embrace Him who gave His all for us!
Be encouraged
today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen
& Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Jesus, You stooped down from heaven to
take on flesh and dwell among us as You became the
supreme example of God in the flesh. In Your human
form You were victorious in the raging battle
against the spiritual forces of evil when faced with
temptations and trials common to all people as
evidenced right after Your baptism by John the
Baptist. We stand in glorious victory as we follow
Your example, hold to Your unchanging truths, and
seek to have the nature of a loving servant. Amen.Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
We had such a nice time with Steve and Betsy along with Betsy's sister who took this photo. She is visiting from Atlanta and these two close sisters were together for the first time in two years due to the pandemic. Steve came across our ministry in 2005. He has a testimony reminding us of the importance of personable outreach due to a pastor in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
The saxophonist is Uriel Vega who has a YouTube channel with many of his songs including "Waymaker" Video
"He
Stooped Down To My Level" Video Gaither
Vocal Band
"Come
Thou Long Expected Jesus" Video Keith &
Kristyn Getty
The
Stooped Tree - One of the things that
stood out to us as we observed this very tall
and uncommon tree growing here in San Diego is
that we could see the ornaments up close. Most
all cities and towns have a Christmas tree
every year that passers by can admire as they
walk or drive by it. But due to the height of
the trees the ornaments are only a passing
glance. When we looked at this stooped tree we
were able to see up close the ornaments; their
shape, color and design which brought about a
different view than usual.
We had such a nice time with Steve and Betsy along with Betsy's sister who took this photo. She is visiting from Atlanta and these two close sisters were together for the first time in two years due to the pandemic. Steve came across our ministry in 2005. He has a testimony reminding us of the importance of personable outreach due to a pastor in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
On
Saturday afternoon we visited with Richard and
Elnora Dresselhaus who for many years pastored
here in San Diego at the church our hostess,
Marilyn, attended. They both stay active in
ministry with a daily devotion called "One For The Road" and
Elnora has posted many hymns on Youtube. They continue
to provide pastoral care to Marilyn and many
others, a characteristic of genuine ministry.
Elnora
is an outstanding pianist and we sang
several Christmas carols and hymns together
with Marilyn who loves to sing.
We
enjoyed the service at Shadow Mountain
Community Church and as guests were seated on
the front row which was great since we happen
to enjoy sitting near the platform. After I
was seated Brooksyne whispered, "Do you see
who's sitting across the aisle from you?" It
was David Jeremiah! (Long gone are the days
when the preachers sit on the platform.)
Here's
the video cued to the song the choir was
singing when I took the photo,
The saxophonist is Uriel Vega who has a YouTube channel with many of his songs including "Waymaker" Video
We
sure appreciated the joy the singers convey!
If you watch the video and keep it going after
the song you will see David Jeremiah making
his way to the platform. And if you are
curious folks like us, take a good look and
you will see the three of us sitting on the
front row. I'm curious as to what Brooksyne is
whispering in my ear.
Finally
today:
I
rented a bike and rode along Sunset Cliffs
Boulevard, a beautiful area of San Diego right
along the ocean.
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& Brooksyne
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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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