Daily Encouragement Net
The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

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Thursday, December 30, 2021

River trail
Yesterday it was near 50 degrees so I (Stephen) decided to ride my bike. I went 30 miles, most of it on the river trail from Marietta to Falmouth, where I took this photo of the Shocks Mills Bridge (railroad). It was nice to see so many people out on the trail. (Editor's note: Stephen wrote the caption using only "bike" so I changed it to "ebike" for a clearer perspective on how hard and fast he pedaled for 30 miles.

"Four Assurances For The New Year"

Message summary: God has always called His people to a life of faith where trusting Him is foundational to our relationship with Him.

Listen to this message on your audio player.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:1-3).

As we face another year prognosticators make bold and often vague predictions concerning the new year. Predictions are made by the "experts" for the market, politics, sports, weather, you name it. But predictions are only correct some of the time, not all the time.

Each New Year we can focus on either God's assurance or man's uncertainty. God's assurance provides security for those who trust in Christ and realize He has everything under control. On the other hand there is much uncertainty in regard to the specifics. We just don’t know what may come our way this coming year. Yet our faith is strengthened and our worries are lessened when we make this acknowledgement:

Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love.
We may trust Him fully all for us to do;
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.

John is to the New Testament what Malachi is to the Old. Although God surely continued to work among His people between Malachi’s death and the dawn of the New Testament age, there was no prophetic work written during this time period in Scriptures. Likewise, surely God has continued to work among His people these last nineteen hundred years since John wrote, but his inspirational writings are the final record in the Scriptures.

I find a particular portion of today’s passage very interesting. Notice the very candid admission by John in the middle of the verse: "It has not appeared as yet what we will be". God has revealed so much and ultimately all we need but there is still a vast amount of information that He has not yet revealed.

We are eager to know more and many have written books that seek to fill in the blanks, though they can do no more than speculate.  John forthrightly tells us, as the final writer of the inspired Scripture, that "it has not appeared as yet what we will be".

God has always called His people to a life of faith where trusting Him is foundational to our relationship with Him. As we face the year ahead let’s rejoice in what we do know as found in the passage (1 John 3:1-3) in outline form. It’s expressed in four simple assurances:

1) The Father has bestowed on us His great love.
2) We are the children of God.
3) He shall appear.
4) We will be like Him.

What is our response? "Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." Let us rejoice and act in obedience to the truths that have been revealed to us. May we always trust our ever-loving, ever-dependable Father in regard to what has not yet been revealed!


Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily prayer: Father, though there is much yet to be revealed concerning Your plan for our lives, we’ve been entrusted with a lifetime of inspired Scripture that guides us each day on our earthly journey. As we walk in unity with You we find You to be the Navigator who directs our paths according to Your Word and in accordance with Your individual plan for our lives. In the midst of tumult or uncertainty Your assurance is our anchor that holds us steady and firm. In the midst of change You are the changeless One. Thank You for being that great certainty in our lives. Amen.



Our kitten likes to get on my desk when I'm working, including stepping on my keyboard which I hope never changes something I type!

The other day I was thanking another blogger for his faithfulness in providing a daily teaching and learned how just one letter can make a difference.

I had intended to write: "Thanks for your faithfulness in presenting

I caught this before sending: Thanks for your faithfulness in resenting God's Word!" God's Word!



Special Year-end Financial Note

We want to thank all who have financially supported our ministry this past year (and some for many years!). We realize there are many fine ministries and causes requesting support at this time but if you would like to make a donation to our ministry see here for more information. Like many ministries, we typically see a spike in giving at the end of the year for which we are most thankful.

Our ministry labor is comprised of approximately half our time to Daily Encouragement and the other half to our chaplaincy ministry to companies from 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.

To donate directly online click here. This will open to a page that designates the offering to: STEPHEN & BROOKSYNE WEBER - 700001-237376 SERVING IN SPECIALIZED CHAPLAINCY

Make A DonationPlease Note: If you desire you can donate directly through PayPal using this link. This will open to a page that states "Brooksyne Weber".  We keep this option available due to the familiarity, convenience, international supporters, and for those who may not need an official receipt. You can also set up for recurring donations. You also can use PayPal on this link. 

Thank you,

Stephen & Brooksyne



Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Like a River Glorious"  Video  Sovereign Grace Music



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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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