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&
Brooksyne Weber
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Wednesday, October
12, 2022
Blue Mountain ridge and
the Appalachian Trail provide the background border of this
pond setting in Lebanon County. The views are so enjoyable as
we drive along the rural roads in the course of our chaplaincy
service on Tuesdays.
Click
on photo to enlarge
"Dead
End Road"
Message
summary: The Word of God
provides an absolutely reliable map to direct the course
of our life on the highway extended to heaven. But many
have turned their thoughts, affections, and actions onto
Dead End Road, the "way that seems right to a man, but
in the end it leads to death". Which road will you
travel on today?
"There is a way that
seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death"
(Proverbs 14:12). "Set up road signs; put up guideposts.
Take note of the highway, the road that you take"
(Jeremiah 31:21). "The highway of the upright avoids
evil; he who guards his way guards his life" (Proverbs
16:17). "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the
gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction,
and many enter through it. But small is the gate and
narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find
it" (Matthew 7:13,14).
Yesterday we were driving through
rural Lebanon County and saw a rather unimaginative but
straightforward road sign named, "Dead End Road". The
name was reinforced with a sign on the other side of the
road that read, "No Outlet". I'm not sure what was at
the end of the road but the road name and signage made
it very clear that it didn't go through. I must confess
to being chronically curious and my thoughts began to
wonder, "Where does the dead end road go?"*¹Warning
signs can be annoying but we are wise to see them as
blessings and intended for our safety. Going down the
wrong road can lead to death.
A tragic story came out of
North Carolina recently where a man died after his GPS led
him to a destroyed bridge that dropped off into a creek on
September 30th.
Phillip Paxson, a
47-year-old father of two girls, had been driving his
Jeep at night from his oldest daughter's birthday party
in Hickory when his GPS led him to a bridge that has
been inoperative since heavy flooding in July 2013
destroyed it. "It was a dark and rainy night and he was
following his GPS which led him down a concrete road to
a bridge that dropped off into a river," Paxson's
mother-in-law, Linda McPhee Koenig, said in a Tuesday
Facebook post.*²
We have longtime friends
who live in Hickory and are sure this has really impacted
that community. Most of us can visualize how it could
happen and it underscores the deficiencies of modern
technology.
There are a lot of
signposts in life and in many cases people are
intentionally creating signage that directs us in the
wrong direction. It's part of the downstream culture we
wrote about in yesterday's message. How vitally important
to discern the right signage in life!
In the second daily text the Lord directed Jeremiah to "Set up road signs; put up guideposts". When I travel I appreciate periodic road signs informing me that I'm on the right highway, as well as caution signs intended to protect me. Even if I am familiar with the route I value these signs that assure me I am going the right way.
In the second daily text the Lord directed Jeremiah to "Set up road signs; put up guideposts". When I travel I appreciate periodic road signs informing me that I'm on the right highway, as well as caution signs intended to protect me. Even if I am familiar with the route I value these signs that assure me I am going the right way.
Hebrews 12:1 refers to "the
race marked out for us". (The Amplified Bible
states, "the appointed course of the race that is set
before us".)
We are all presently on the road to our eternal destination. So many are on the road that leads to death. God has given us the choice to steer our lives in the direction of our choosing. Since there are two different routes we may choose from He equips us with the Bible road map that tells us what to expect when we choose the narrow road. The other road is broad, well-traveled and seems very enticing. But since the futile end of this road extends beyond our initial view on this side of eternity, Solomon warns travelers, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12).
Every one of us needs to, "Take note of the highway, the road that you take". We are all traveling on a highway. Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13,14). I want to be among those traveling the road that leads to life!
The Word of God provides an absolutely reliable map to direct the course of our life on the highway extended to heaven. But many have turned their thoughts, affections, and actions onto Dead End Road, the "way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death". Which road will you travel on today?
We are all presently on the road to our eternal destination. So many are on the road that leads to death. God has given us the choice to steer our lives in the direction of our choosing. Since there are two different routes we may choose from He equips us with the Bible road map that tells us what to expect when we choose the narrow road. The other road is broad, well-traveled and seems very enticing. But since the futile end of this road extends beyond our initial view on this side of eternity, Solomon warns travelers, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12).
Every one of us needs to, "Take note of the highway, the road that you take". We are all traveling on a highway. Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13,14). I want to be among those traveling the road that leads to life!
The Word of God provides an absolutely reliable map to direct the course of our life on the highway extended to heaven. But many have turned their thoughts, affections, and actions onto Dead End Road, the "way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death". Which road will you travel on today?
Be
encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen
& Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
this journey of faith began at mile
zero which was, for those of us who
believe, the moment we chose to follow
Christ. We've made milestones along
the way which have assured us that the
route we're on leads to
life everlasting
with You. Ever-evolving philosophies that originate on the broad
road pop up
here and there in our view seeking to
steer us off course. But we fix
our eyes on Your roadmap that keeps us
focused on the highway of holiness.
Though sorrow and mourning have been a
part of our journey here below, we
will enter Zion rejoicing and singing
as You crown us with everlasting joy!
And the indescribable blessing is that
the end of this earthly journey is
really only the beginning of our
eternal journey with You in heaven!
Thank You, Jesus, for making it
possible through Your shed blood!
Amen.Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Ancient Words" Video Robin Mark
"Jesus, Only Jesus" Video Charles Billingsley, Guy Penrod, Michael O'Brien and Travis Cottrell
*¹
With the aid of Google Maps I
can see where Dead End Road goes,
essentially a long lane back to a
several farms!
*² NC man dies after GPS sends him to bridge that was washed away in 2013 This is such a sad story. Apparently there were also not any warning signs or barricades and it was not even a public road. When we need to we use the GPS on our phones now and assume they are up to date. But one of my bigger purchasing regrets was buying our 2016 Town and Country van with a built in GPS. It not only is very hard to use but the maps need a costly annual update.
This
antique truck is showcased as it sets
on this bed of white stones with red
border. Perhaps the owner's next goal
will be to restore the truck!
We
stopped by a large wholesale mum farm
and enjoyed the autumn sights.
I
considered snapping a photo of Stephen
standing next to the pumpkin who has
provided a height measurement chart
but it appears that he has exceeded
the height markings intended for
growing children. As you can see these
mums are huge. I asked the grower how
she got such large chrysanthemum
plants (over $100.00 price tags). She
said there are twelve yellow mum
plants in the right planter and eight
in the left purple one. They
separate the plants with screens so
that they fill out the planter nicely.
Here
are some more gigantic mums.
As
Brooksyne and I advance in inevitable
senescence, each of us having a
chronological milestone this month,
"Grow old along with me..." makes it
sound like getting older only gets
better. The only way to find out is to
get older which is a gift from God,
though we don't often think of it that
way once we reach a certain age! We
took this photo yesterday at "Audrey's
Your Heart's Delight" warehouse where
we are often inspired by the many
plaques and other inspirational
products she offers to wholesale gift
shop owners.
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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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