Daily Encouragement

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

"Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor"

(Part 3)

Note: All this week we will use both the same verse and theme song as we consider twelve types of hope we have in Christ, highlighting three each day.

Message summary: Place your hope in Christ the sure and steady Anchor, a hope firm and secure, universal and encouraging!

Listen to this message on your audio player.

"We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:19).

Today we consider three more ways in which Jesus Christ is our sure and steady anchor of hope.

4) "Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor" is a firm and secure hope.

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:19).

It's a firm and secure hope. It's as if the Holy Spirit wants to make it absolutely clear to us just how dependable this anchor is! The two words, firm and secure, have a different focus. The first is outward, the second inward. Firm translates a word that means "no fail" and conveys certainty and safety. Continue to place your trust in our faithful, dependable God! It's as if the Holy Spirit wants to make it absolutely clear to us just how dependable this anchor is!

Many things on earth claim to be secure. Politicians promise us security, financial gurus claim to provide financial security, we strive for job security, companies advertise products for home security, and here in the US we have a government program called Social Security, and the list of promises of security goes on and on. But you know what? None of them are really secure (as many testify of their experiences that proved otherwise)! Only in Christ do we have the hope of real, lasting security.

5) "Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor" is a universal hope.

"The hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas" (Psalm 65:5). “In His name the nations will put their hope” (Matthew 12:21).

When the Gospel is preached it's heartening to share truths that are not limited to a specific region, religious sect or denomination, race, language, economic status, education or scores of other things that differentiate us. Our hope in Christ is for all. When Jesus gave the great commission it was for disciples of Christ to go "into all the world".

The last several days we have given readers an opportunity to complete a brief survey regarding our ministry. We are heartened to have responses from all over the world representing every continent except Antarctic. Modern technology has allowed a common man and woman writing from their small home office to reach out with Christ's hope for people all over the world.

6) "Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor" is an encouraging hope.

Consider disappointments you've experienced in life. We've all had them. Some may come to mind as you read this. For some of you it's a present experience. But be blessed by the following two verses:

"I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will not be disappointed" (Isaiah 49:23). "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us" (Romans 5:5).

Place your hope in Christ the sure and steady Anchor, a hope firm and secure, universal and encouraging!

Christ the sure of our salvation,
Ever faithful, ever true!
We will hold fast to the anchor,
It shall never be removed.

Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, the mercies You extend to us are not restricted to a single people group or a particular region. You have given us a kingdom perspective that moves us beyond the color of our skin, our language and our culture. The Great Commission takes us beyond our immediate setting and gives us a vision to share the message of hope we have in Jesus our Savior who is firm and secure. It is in His name that all nations will put their hope as it is an encouraging hope that does not disappoint us, because You have poured out Your love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Thank You for not only saving our soul but also meeting our emotional needs as well. Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor" Video Keith & Kristyn Getty · Matt Boswell · Shane & Shane This is a different group than we have used the last two days and includes the lyrics on the screen.

Survey insights: We want to thank those of you who took a few minutes to take our short survey we posted last Friday in light of our 26th anniversary of sharing these messages.

Several insights of interest:

1) The four main ways people came across our ministry is:

Personal contact with us 17.95%
Forwarded email 15.38%
Search engine 23.08%
Link from another site 17.95%

2) While the majority of readers, unsurprisingly, are from here in the US we had reader responses from all over the world, from every continent (except Antarctica). Our most distant reader is from Perth Australia which is some 11,500 miles away. This prompted my curious mind to wonder what is the farthermost apart two people can be on earth. I studied it and it would be 1/2 way around the world at the equator or some 12,500 miles. Of course so much of the world is ocean but 1/2 way around the world at the equator from Quito Ecuador would be an inhabited place in Sumatra Indonesia. (To determine how far someone is from where I live I used the Google maps distance calculator. On Google maps click on where you live and then right click and select "measure distance" then click on a place.)

Personal note: About 30 years ago I was at the Middle of the World City monument on the equator near Quito and had one foot in the northern hemisphere and one in the southern hemisphere. Another interesting observation is that apart from that most of the equator is over water and a lot of the land on the equator is not inhabited or is very sparsely populated. Best I can determine Quito is the only major city on the Equator.

3) Most all have a high speed internet connection (probably all). In the early days of taking these surveys many still used dial-up modems. With all the photos we post that wouldn't even work now practically! I did learn there is such a thing as a microwave internet connection.

4) People have been using or reading our material as recent as the last month and as long as 20 years and more. It's great to have both new and longtime readers!

5) Most recipients receive the message using the email list (85%) while 15% read it on the website.

6) We are heartened that 90% of our respondents report that they normally read or listen each day through the week. Of course the most engaged readers are more likely to fill out a survey.

Here's an encouraging response we received from South Sudan, Africa via email:

"Moses and I wish you and DE happiest belated birthday. We thank God for you continually impact our lives positively. May God bless you and continue to renew your strength (together with Stephen's), soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not faint! May God create a hedge of fire of protection around you, keep you under the shadow of His wings, no destruction come near you and renew your zeal to know Him more and better. Amen."

Reminder: The survey did not collect any identifying info so the best way to reach us with a personal message is sending us an email or using our contact form.

Yesterday we drove by this bucolic scene in Lebanon County after a rainy visit to Audreys. Brooksyne was struck with the golden tree foliage that matched the golden roof of the barn in the background so she got out of the car for this country setting. Too bad we can't include the rippling sound of the water flowing in the creek.

Click on photo to enlarge

During the fall Jesse and Anna Ruth offer a "Farmhouse Experience" in addition to their farm tours on the Old Windmill Farm. Ester takes photos for OWF and was feeling strong enough to pay a visit with her friend, Nancy, who took her yesterday. This group of women is from Michigan who began their visit outside by making apple cider and churning butter. Later they went inside and sat at a long dining table where they enjoyed freshly baked bread and homemade butter along with home-made jam and apple cider. People from all over really seem to enjoy it. The colorful maple in the foreground is a bonus!

Click on photo to enlarge

Cider making

The old-fashioned butter churn

Brooksyne's sweet memories: Anna Ruth sent Ester home with a loaf of homemade bread and butter last night and it was so tasty! After supper we made it our dessert by adding sweet pepper jam (for Stephen) and sorghum for me. We were both saying Hmm Hmm Good! as we partook of just about every bite. My 97 year old Aunt Violet who lives on the mountain in Arkansas sent me home earlier this month with two quarts of sorghum molasses (something I can't find here in the Northeast). While growing up my family put out sorghum on the breakfast table every time we had homemade biscuits and freshly churned butter. My dad or brother milked our cow twice a day so we had lots of cream, milk, buttermilk and butter from sweet Bessie. When my aunt gave me the sorghum I was very excited to bring it home but somewhat nervous about the jars leaking or breaking in my suitcase though I carefully packed them. After my plane arrived in Baltimore I was so relieved to see my luggage come down the conveyer belt without tell-tale signs of leakage on the outside of my bags. I didn't want to be in trouble with the Airlines or fellow passengers nor did I want to have a mess in my bag. Many times I've been told the story of my Aunt Ramona who as a toddler was standing on a five gallon barrel of molasses and the lid was not attached properly. It came off causing her to lose her balance and she fell into the barrel. What a mess for Grandma to clean her up, especially since they couldn't dip her into the bathtub since they had no indoor plumbing!

A favorite feature of the farm of course is always the animals and Nancy loves to hold and cuddle them. Looks like this goat even fell asleep!

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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.

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