The online Bible teaching
ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Monday,
January
17,
2022
Over the weekend we enjoyed dinner at Casey Jones Restaurant near Strasburg where we ate in a former dining car. After our dinner a train came by which was the perfect ending to our time at Casey Jones!
"Who's
Next?"
Message summary: Are you ready to meet God at your death? Have you received Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Many have varied opinions about what the future on this side will bring. But one thing is certain: we will die and we must be prepared to meet God. Prepare your heart today, for only God knows who’s next.
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
“It is
appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
Following our church service yesterday we visited with a family and prayed over their aged father who is staying with them. He was experiencing a great deal of pain and anxiety at the time due to his failing health. A song we've been listening to came to mind and I made it part of my prayer:
Following our church service yesterday we visited with a family and prayed over their aged father who is staying with them. He was experiencing a great deal of pain and anxiety at the time due to his failing health. A song we've been listening to came to mind and I made it part of my prayer:
I just want
to speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
'Cause I know there is peace within your presence
I speak Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
'Cause I know there is peace within your presence
I speak Jesus
I just want
to speak the name of Jesus
Over fear and all anxiety
To every soul held captive by depression
I speak Jesus
Over fear and all anxiety
To every soul held captive by depression
I speak Jesus
This morning
we prayed again for this father and for his family to
experience peace and strength through this inevitable
season of life.
Years ago I attended the celebration service for Clayton Sheridan, who at one time was my supervisor when we planted a church in northern PA in the late seventies. After the service I visited for a few minutes with my friend, Pastor Al Pundt. He told me each time he conducts a funeral he ends the service by looking out over the gathering before he solemnly asks, “Who’s next?”, followed by a benediction. Now Al's question "Who's next?" may seem a bit morbid, but it's true. Someone in that group will be next. That surely must give attendees a piercing thought to process before leaving and hopefully afterwards as well! (Actually this was about eight years ago and we're certain there's already been several "nexts".)
Years ago I attended the celebration service for Clayton Sheridan, who at one time was my supervisor when we planted a church in northern PA in the late seventies. After the service I visited for a few minutes with my friend, Pastor Al Pundt. He told me each time he conducts a funeral he ends the service by looking out over the gathering before he solemnly asks, “Who’s next?”, followed by a benediction. Now Al's question "Who's next?" may seem a bit morbid, but it's true. Someone in that group will be next. That surely must give attendees a piercing thought to process before leaving and hopefully afterwards as well! (Actually this was about eight years ago and we're certain there's already been several "nexts".)
A
television ad shows a woman happily opening an envelope.
Her happy look turns to distress as she reads the note
inside, “Your heart attack arrives in two days.” About
twenty years ago I had a health problem requiring several
surgeries. Initially there was uncertainty regarding just
how serious the situation was. I recall a life lesson I
learned at that time and have considered many times since:
“You don’t pick your problems and you don’t schedule
them.” As a result of my own experience I now have this
perspective and often share it with others in helping them
accept and deal with their own personal trials.
It’s also
true concerning our death. We don't schedule our death or
how we will die.
God’s Word warns us to be ready for death and informs us in how we can prepare ourselves for that inevitable event. We often react to warnings as they can sure be annoying and disruptive to our plans! Yet God has told us that we will die and that’s something we can observe throughout all humanity. God’s Word also tells us that we will face judgment. Many give no thought or preparation to this judgment, but the words of Scripture are clear and true.
There is a final step of faith, a final appointment that we all will keep. It sure doesn’t take faith to know that we will all face death. We see it all around us and especially take notice when a loved one dies. Our faith is expressed in either a belief that there is an accounting to God or a belief that there is not. Both views require faith. We believe there is a future judgment and live in accordance to that belief. The daily verse ought to be memorized and hidden deep within our hearts, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment".
Are you ready to meet God at your death? Have you received Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Many have varied opinions about what the future on this side will bring. But one thing is certain: we will die and we must be prepared to meet God. Prepare your heart today, for only God knows who’s next.
God’s Word warns us to be ready for death and informs us in how we can prepare ourselves for that inevitable event. We often react to warnings as they can sure be annoying and disruptive to our plans! Yet God has told us that we will die and that’s something we can observe throughout all humanity. God’s Word also tells us that we will face judgment. Many give no thought or preparation to this judgment, but the words of Scripture are clear and true.
There is a final step of faith, a final appointment that we all will keep. It sure doesn’t take faith to know that we will all face death. We see it all around us and especially take notice when a loved one dies. Our faith is expressed in either a belief that there is an accounting to God or a belief that there is not. Both views require faith. We believe there is a future judgment and live in accordance to that belief. The daily verse ought to be memorized and hidden deep within our hearts, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment".
Are you ready to meet God at your death? Have you received Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Many have varied opinions about what the future on this side will bring. But one thing is certain: we will die and we must be prepared to meet God. Prepare your heart today, for only God knows who’s next.
Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, it’s my desire to have the
same mindset as William Featherstone who,
following his conversion at the young age of 16,
penned these words of commitment: “I’ll love Thee
in life, I will love Thee in death, And praise
Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath; And say
when the death dew lies cold on my brow, If ever I
loved thee, My Jesus ‘tis now.” Whether I’m young
or old, healthy or sick, wealthy or poor, I choose
to prepare my heart for eternity here and now so
that I will be assured of endless delight upon my
first breath in heaven. I want to be prepared,
persevering and prayerful while journeying here
below. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
"I
Speak Jesus" Video
KingsPorch As we heard this song we
prayerfully considered the wife of a friend
who's fighting a long battle with covid,
another battling fear and anxiety, and yet
another who is battling years of addiction.
We place them all in the Lord's hands and
speak the name of Jesus over their lives.
"Hymn
Of Heaven" Video From our
service yesterday at Calvary Church:
There
will be a day when all will bow before
Him
There will be a day when death will be no more
Standing face to face with He who died and rose again
Holy, holy is the Lord
There will be a day when death will be no more
Standing face to face with He who died and rose again
Holy, holy is the Lord
"Ten
Thousand Reasons" Video Matt
Redman
And
on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Yesterday
I visited for a few minutes with 98 year old
Ross Morrison. For many years we have been
friends with Tim, one of his five sons. Ross
was in ministry and so are all five of his
sons. He told me about a memorable Sunday in
the past when all six of them were preaching
at the same time in different churches! (I
didn't notice till I prepped the photo but
another friend named Tim is looking on in
the background.)
We
passed this pond in Paradise yesterday with
a makeshift ice hockey game.
Finally
today:
We
had another snow storm yesterday afternoon
and then rain through the night. It's a
slushy mess today! Our mailbox got knocked a
couple weeks ago, a peril of living in the
country. Here's my temporary fix till I can
drive a new post into the ground this
spring.
Here's
another temporary mailbox fix from a storm
seven years ago! (Perhaps this sawhorse fix
is a good replica of the 1860 Pony Express
mail service.)
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