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updated most weekdays usually by Noon Eastern Time (USA).
(Click refresh or reload for current message) Friday,
September 16, 2022
Yesterday east of
Intercourse, PA we passed this large
stack of round hay bales which looked to us like a stack of
huge spools of twine (this kind)
Click on photo to enlarge
"Hope-inspired
Endurance"
“We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:3). Yesterday
morning we went to bid our farewell at the visitation for
Moses, a longtime Amish friend, who died earlier this week
after a long illness. The care he received for the last
several years from family members has been very heartening
for us to witness. Yesterday I was able to personally
commend several of them, reminding them of the blessing of
practicing the fifth commandment to honor our father and
mother. Today's verse seems especially appropriate in
reflecting upon this care.
I’ve been
blessed by this verse for many years. Preachers/teachers,
can you see the ready-made three point sermon/teaching
outline in this text from first the letter to the
Thessalonians?
Paul, along
with Silas and Timothy, begins the letter in a manner
typical of his writing style, as he expresses warm
appreciation. He gives thanks to God for the faith, love,
and hope of the Thessalonian believers. It’s important to
be thankful for those to whom we minister. Like Paul, we
also need to assure them of our regular prayers on their
behalf.
"We continually remember before our God and Father." Have you ever consider all who Paul had ministered to in his various recorded missionary journeys. We have the letters to some of the places he had been but there were other places as well. Yet he is able to personalize each letter with phrases similar to "continually remember" (see Romans 1:8, 1 Corinthians 1:4, Ephesians 1:16 for example). It must have been so encouraging to these Thessalonian believers to know that Paul remembered them before God. Paul listed
three qualities he commended in the Thessalonians:
1)
"Your work produced by faith." John Calvin wrote,
"Faith alone saves, but faith that saves is not alone."
2)
"Your labor prompted by love." Labor prompted by love is
the toilsome, laborious activity that is prompted and
sustained by love when the going gets hard. (Precept
Austin commentary) When we were in Bible College Debbie
Amstutz, a fellow student, wrote a song titled
"Compelled By Love" based on 2
Corinthians 5:14, "For
Christ's love compels us".
Compelled by love to forfeit my own will, Compelled by love to give and give and give; When changes come to keep on loving still, Compelled by love to love and live for Him.* 3) "Your
endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Scriptures frequently stress the character quality
of “endurance”. The underlying Greek word “hupomone” is
used often in the New Testament. It has the sense of
remaining, bearing trials, and having fortitude. My
observation in the Christian life and in Christian
service is that it’s one of the character traits most
lacking among Christ’s followers today. That’s why I
especially rejoice when I hear of a fellow believer
staying on course, being faithful for the long haul of
life. This endurance is inspired
by “hope”.
May these
qualities, for which Paul commended the Thessalonians,
also be true in each of our lives! Notice also these three
qualities are the same as the final verse from 1
Corinthians 13, the Love Chapter. "So now faith, hope,
and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these
is love."
Be
encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen
& Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
we continually remember the work of
our fellow believers that is produced
by their faith in Jesus, their labor
that is prompted by love, and their
endurance that is inspired by the hope
they have in the Lord Jesus Christ.
How grateful we are for the love and
fellowship we enjoy with our brothers
and sisters who serve You all
throughout the world. We lift up those
who are presently enduring matters
that weigh heavy on their hearts. May
the hope they have in the Lord Jesus
Christ inspire confidence that You
will give them victory as they stand
firm in You. In the Mighty Name of
Jesus. Amen.
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
* We were unable to find a
version of the song "Compelled By
Love" mentioned in today's
message which was written by Debbie
Amstutz and are not sure if it was
ever published beyond our use at
college, although it sure should have
been!
"Compelled By Love" Audio Years ago I managed to get Brooksyne to record the song, singing it to her own accompaniment! She will insist that I tell you she is no soloist, but we really appreciated this song and I persuaded her to record it. Debbie Amstutz had ministry in Christian music following our years at Central Bible College and had a popular duet with Dallas Holm in the early 80's titled, "No Other One." "No Other One"
Video
Debbie Amstutz with Dallas Holm
More thought on inspiring hope: Inspirational artist, Thomas Kinkade, paints the following word picture, “Hope lights our spirit in the midst of despair; it is the life force that through the green stem drives the flower; it keeps a divine vision alive in the hearts of the weak and needy.” Now that’s an inspirational thought for endurance! The hymn, “He Giveth More Grace”, has the following line in its third stanza, “When we reach the end of our hoarded resources our Father’s full giving has only begun.” Brooksyne often uses this hymn line as a prayer for the unsaved or backslidden. She prays that they will come to the end of their own "hoarded" resources of doing things their own way and look to God whose resources are not hurtful, destructive, or based on the ever-changing philosophies of this world. Instead His resources are inexhaustible, satisfying and have eternal, redemptive qualities about them. Many endure great heartache as he or she watches a loved one year after year selecting from their seemingly endless bucket supply of hoarded resources that lead them to yet another wrong choice. That’s why we often pray, “Lord, help (Johnny) to reach the bottom of the barrel so that he can dig no deeper and finally looks up to You. Help him to see that his way is not the right way and show Him Your way, Father.” Brooksyne and I pray for all who are undergoing this kind of heartache today with a child, parent, spouse, sibling, friend, co-worker or whomever God has laid on your heart. May He fill you with His enduring hope as you wait for your loved one to come to Christ so that he or she can experience the abundant generosity of a loving, saving, giving God. Let me add one more thought: We, as believers, can also be guilty of hoarding our own resources, such as education, possessions, pride and a host of other things or attitudes that pull us away from God rather than forcing us to fully rely on Him to guide us in the thoroughfares of life. “He Giveth More Grace” Video Gaither Homecoming friends It was a beautiful
day in Lancaster County
yesterday!
Early yesterday morning
someone was out for a balloon
ride, a popular tourist activity
over rural eastern Lancaster
County. In fact this morning on
our way to work in Willow Street
we saw a cluster of eight balloons
in the air over Strasburg - the
most we've seen in one setting.
Click on photo to enlarge The Pumpkin Wagon on
Ronks Road is a good place to get
fall decorations with $1.00
pumpkins. We bought several to
decorate our home for an activity
this weekend and throughout the
fall.
Click on photo to enlarge On the way to a chaplain
visit we stopped by one of
Brooksyne's many favorite thrift
shops, in White Horse. While she
shopped I took in the views
sitting on the front porch.
Click on photo to enlarge Steel wheeled tractor
and manure spreader
Click on photo to enlarge In the thrift shop: A
creative dresser for under steps!
Finally today:
We mentioned earlier in
the week that the large cornfield
across from our home had been
harvested for corn silage. Several
days later they applied the manure
injection which is far less smelly
than the spreading. Tomorrow
Brooksyne is hosting an outside
ladies breakfast with friends from
our Sunday School class and was
concerned as they were spreading
it. The good news is that we
really don't have any odorous
smell from it! For the
agri-curious here's the scoop: More
farmers switch to manure
injection instead of spreading
Click on
photo to enlarge
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Stephen & Brooksyne 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." © Copyright 2022 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA |