The
online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen
&
Brooksyne Weber
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Tuesday,
January 31, 2023
So
far this
winter here
in Lancaster
County,
we have not
had a snowy
winter scene
such as this
one from 12
years ago
today. In fact
as we end
January we
have not had a
significant
covering snow!
Today I resume
making
chaplaincy
visits with
several
companies in
Lebanon
County. (Brooksyne's
note: And
I get my
chauffeur back
so I can watch
the landscape
and snap
photos to post
for our many
readers who
enjoy viewing
our rural
locality.)
"Not
The Only One
Left!"
Message
summary: Today
we encourage
you to resist
yet another
sorry excuse
many use to
justify
disobedience
to God. You
are not alone
in standing up
for God and
doing right.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"I
have been very
zealous for
the LORD God
Almighty. The
Israelites
have rejected
Your covenant,
broken down
Your altars,
and put Your
prophets to
death with the
sword. I
am the only
one left,
and now they
are trying to
kill me too"
(1 Kings
19:14). "Yet I
reserve seven
thousand in
Israel--all
whose knees
have not bowed
down to Baal
and all whose
mouths have
not kissed
him" (1 Kings
19:18). "Never
be lacking in
zeal, but keep
your spiritual
fervor,
serving the
Lord" (Romans
12:11).
About
20 years ago
we were in a
meeting with
the president
and vice
president of a
large company
giving a
chaplain's
report. It's a
company many
of our readers
would be
familiar with
due to their
ice cream sold
all over the
country. At
the conclusion
we asked how
we could pray
for them.
Without
hesitation the
president
requested that
we ask the
Lord to help
his company
leadership to
find other
businesses of
integrity in
which they
could work
with. Then, in
a sense of
concession to
current
conditions, he
asked for
wisdom in
dealing with
companies that
lack
integrity.
This is an
example of the
great
challenge in
living out our
lives here in
a fallen
world.
One
of the most
sinister traps
advanced by
our ancient
enemy in
excusing,
tolerating and
practicing
wickedness is
the lie that
"everybody's
doing it".
This excuse is
abundantly
used to
justify all
manner of
wickedness.
"Nobody's
faithful to
their marriage
vows anymore."
"Everybody
steals from
their
employer."
"Everybody
cheats on
tests."
Etc. Etc.
A parallel to this is the sense we might have in that we are the only ones seeking to do right. Although we know this isn't true we can sometimes feel that way! That's how Elijah felt in our daily text.
Elijah was one of God's faithful servants during a time of great apostasy. He felt he was all alone in his standing up for God as he cried out, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too" (1 Kings 19:14).
Certainly there's no denying that the Israelites had rejected God's covenant, that altars had been desecrated, prophets killed, and Elijah's life was threatened. But the middle clause, "I am the only one left", was simply not true. A few verses later God informed Elijah that he had a reserve of seven thousand who had not bowed to the pagan deity Baal. "Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him" (1 Kings 19:18).
Today there are many, like Elijah, still choosing to live their lives to please and honor God. There are many marriages where husband and wife are solemnly keeping the sacred covenant. There are many parents who are diligent in raising their children to do right. And, yes, there are honest, hardworking employees and kind, fair employers. There are faithful ministers of the gospel who are taking seriously their vows of ordination. There are those in government who truly live as public servants!
Today we encourage you to resist yet another sorry excuse many use to justify disobedience to God. You are not alone in standing up for God and doing right. In the book of Romans the apostle Paul refers to this experience by Elijah and concludes with this phrase, "So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace" (Romans 11:5). Here we are living some 2,000 years later and that's still true!
A parallel to this is the sense we might have in that we are the only ones seeking to do right. Although we know this isn't true we can sometimes feel that way! That's how Elijah felt in our daily text.
Elijah was one of God's faithful servants during a time of great apostasy. He felt he was all alone in his standing up for God as he cried out, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too" (1 Kings 19:14).
Certainly there's no denying that the Israelites had rejected God's covenant, that altars had been desecrated, prophets killed, and Elijah's life was threatened. But the middle clause, "I am the only one left", was simply not true. A few verses later God informed Elijah that he had a reserve of seven thousand who had not bowed to the pagan deity Baal. "Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him" (1 Kings 19:18).
Today there are many, like Elijah, still choosing to live their lives to please and honor God. There are many marriages where husband and wife are solemnly keeping the sacred covenant. There are many parents who are diligent in raising their children to do right. And, yes, there are honest, hardworking employees and kind, fair employers. There are faithful ministers of the gospel who are taking seriously their vows of ordination. There are those in government who truly live as public servants!
Today we encourage you to resist yet another sorry excuse many use to justify disobedience to God. You are not alone in standing up for God and doing right. In the book of Romans the apostle Paul refers to this experience by Elijah and concludes with this phrase, "So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace" (Romans 11:5). Here we are living some 2,000 years later and that's still true!
Stephen
and Brooksyne
Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
in the murky
and
irresponsible
world I live
in, would You
be my vision.
As I meditate
upon You and
Your statutes
would You be
my
all-consuming
light. When
the patterns
and ways of
this world
conflict with
Your will for
my life, may
they be dimmed
by the light
of Your Word
exposing them.
May I always
be drawn to
the spiritual
light that
comes from You
and be
repulsed by
the sinister
darkness that
comes from
Satan. I thank
You for the
strength and
courage that
comes from
knowing there
are many, many
others who've
chosen to
follow You and
choose not to
bow down to
the gods of
this world. We
choose to
follow You,
and You alone!
May our lives
reflect that
decision
daily. In
Jesus' name we
pray. Amen.Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental
Resources
"I
Have Decided
To Follow
Jesus"
Video
"Steadfast"
Video
Sandra
McCracken
David, a
reader from
Arizona
suggested this
song after
reading
yesterday's
message
Stephen's
note:
Last
Friday we
shared a message
about the
ChatGPT
artificial
intelligence
program that's
been in the
news a lot.
Monday I read
an article
about the
program
writing
worship songs
which piqued
my curiosity
so I set up an
account. You
can make a
request and it
practically
instantly
complies.
I
requested
"Write a
devotional on
God's
faithfulness"
and it wrote
this:
God's
faithfulness
is something
that we can
count on and
rely on no
matter what.
His
faithfulness
is
everlasting,
and His
promises are
sure. He will
always be with
us, through
the good times
and the bad.
Psalm 36:5 says, “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.” God’s faithfulness is so great that it surpasses anything we could ever imagine. No matter what we are going through, we can always trust that God will be faithful to us and provide for us.
In times of trouble and uncertainty, it is important to remember that God is faithful. He will never leave us, and He will always be there to guide us and provide for us. Even when we feel like everything is crumbling around us, we can take comfort in the fact that God is still there and He will never fail us.
We can also take comfort in the fact that God has plans for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you.
Psalm 36:5 says, “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.” God’s faithfulness is so great that it surpasses anything we could ever imagine. No matter what we are going through, we can always trust that God will be faithful to us and provide for us.
In times of trouble and uncertainty, it is important to remember that God is faithful. He will never leave us, and He will always be there to guide us and provide for us. Even when we feel like everything is crumbling around us, we can take comfort in the fact that God is still there and He will never fail us.
We can also take comfort in the fact that God has plans for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you.
Brooksyne
requested:
"Write a
prayer on
comfort from
God" and this
came forth:
Almighty God,
Almighty God,
We
come before
you in need of
comfort and
solace. We are
struggling
with difficult
emotions and a
heavy heart.
We are weighed
down with
grief and
sadness and
can’t seem to
find our way
out.
We ask that you provide us with the comfort and peace we need to get through this difficult time. We ask that you wrap your loving arms around us and give us the strength to face the future.
Help us to find hope and joy in the midst of our pain. Guide our steps and be our light in the darkness. Give us a peace that surpasses all understanding and a hope that never fails.
We thank you for your presence and love, and ask that you continue to bring us comfort and peace. Amen.
We ask that you provide us with the comfort and peace we need to get through this difficult time. We ask that you wrap your loving arms around us and give us the strength to face the future.
Help us to find hope and joy in the midst of our pain. Guide our steps and be our light in the darkness. Give us a peace that surpasses all understanding and a hope that never fails.
We thank you for your presence and love, and ask that you continue to bring us comfort and peace. Amen.
Wow!
How will this
turn out?
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Thank
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Stephen
&
Brooksyne
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Wordpress
iHeart
radioPermissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
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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