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Brooksyne Weber
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Wednesday,
February 8, 2023
"The
Ninety-nine"
Message
summary: Today's
verse is from
the first in a
series of
parables
dealing with
lostness; the
lost sheep,
the lost coin
and the lost
(prodigal)
son. In each
case Christ
teaches the
effort made to
seek and save
the lost with
a clear
message about
the value of
the lost soul
and the
immeasurable
love of the
Savior.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?" (Luke 15:4). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
We
continue to
follow the
news and pray
regarding the
devastating
earthquake in
Turkey and
Syria.
Actually for
us it stresses
our hearts as
we mentally
consider the
agony so many
are
experiencing
in hopes of
being rescued
as they are
trapped in
rubble. And we
consider those
who helplessly
stand by
hoping for
good news.
It's
distressing
when we think
about the
depth of pain
and sorrow
among the
people in that
part of
the world.
We
also pray for
the rescue
workers, the
danger they
are in as they
dig through
unstable
rubble, the
angst they
must feel
having to make
hard choices
as to the
likely places
people may
still be alive
or settings
where they
hear signs of
life and are
unable to
access that
individual(s)
to free them.
Brooksyne and
I have been
praying about
the chaos that
surrounds the
families who
have lost
their homes in
the midst of
very cold
weather. The
needs abound
which often
leads many to
seek the only
One who offers
eternal hope
when their
present hope
is completely
crushed.
Yet
it's
heartening to
see the
massive rescue
efforts and
reports of
those who have
been rescued.
Yesterday I
saw a news
report about a
little girl
with footage
of her being
trapped and
then freed.
What joy among
the rescuers
amidst so much
despair.The
intense search
effort also
expresses one
of the highest
motivations in
life,
recognizing
the value of
each and every
person. How
sad if those
who survived
and were
capable of
searching
would merely
have walked
away, looking
back on the
ruins with an
attitude, "I'm
sure glad that
wasn't my
house and I
wasn't caught
in that mess".
Although
any attempt at
drawing an
analogy from a
contemporary
event with a
Bible story
may fall short
these rescue
attempts in
seeking to
save those
trapped brings
to mind a
great parable
that Jesus
told in Luke
15:3-7
concerning the
lost sheep.
The good
shepherd is
willing to "leave
the
ninety-nine in
the open
pasture and go
after the
one which is
lost until
he finds it".
This
is the first
in a series of
parables
dealing with
lostness; the
lost sheep,
the lost coin
and the lost
(prodigal)
son. In each
case Christ
teaches the
effort made to
seek and save
the lost with
a clear
message about
the value of
the lost soul
and the
immeasurable
love of the
Savior.
Considering
the number 99
mentioned in
the story of
the loving
shepherd, we
also consider
evangelist
shepherd,
Billy Graham
who died
five years ago
at 99 years of
age.
He who
faithfully
preached the
simple but
life-changing
message of
salvation to
live audiences
of 215 million
people in 185
countries, now
resides with
the saints in
heaven.
During the news accounts about his death a close preacher friend was asked, “What do you think Billy Graham would say to us today if he could?” Without pausing the preacher answered, “I know exactly what he’d say. Before each crusade when he was asked to test his microphone. Instead of saying, ‘testing 1,2,3’ Billy would always quote, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life".
During the news accounts about his death a close preacher friend was asked, “What do you think Billy Graham would say to us today if he could?” Without pausing the preacher answered, “I know exactly what he’d say. Before each crusade when he was asked to test his microphone. Instead of saying, ‘testing 1,2,3’ Billy would always quote, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life".
The
one still lost
is expressed
in the
Biblical word
"whosoever".
Today, are you
in His family
or are you
lost? We have
a heaven to
gain and a
hell to shun.
The word
"whosoever"
applies to
you! As an old
song says
"Whosoever
surely meaneth
me".
Be
encouraged
today, (Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen
and Brooksyne
Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
the mission of
the Gospel was
explained by
Jesus Himself,
in answer to
Nicodemus, who
wanted to know
what it means
to be born
again. Jesus
made it clear
that He did
not come to
earth to
condemn Your
creation but
rather to
convert
sinners. We,
as followers
of Christ,
declare this
same message
to a fallen
world as well,
"For God so
loved the
world that He
gave His only
begotten Son
that whosoever
believeth in
Him should not
perish but
have
everlasting
life." Jesus
extended the
greatest
invitation
that we'll
ever receive,
provided the
greatest
deliverance we
will ever
need, which
resulted in
the greatest
possession
we'll ever
claim: eternal
life in
heaven. To
think that
You, Abba
Father, could
love a sinner
such as I, is
hard to
conceive but I
gladly receive
it and share
this wondrous
love with
others. Amen.
We
attend a large
church which
is growing.
This last
Sunday during
the service
Josh Beers, a
friend of ours
and also an
elder, gave a
brief report
to the
congregation
that 99 new
members joined
the church.
Alluding to
the parable of
The Lost Sheep
he wondered
aloud if they
had lost lost
one of them.
He told the
pastor there
is one out
there that we
need to find.
The
next day Josh
shared with me
a "rest of the
story" he
received from
another staff
member who was
hosting
"Connect With
Us", a place
where new
people connect
with church
staff to learn
more about the
church and
others seeking
to be more
involved in
the church.
The staff
member told
Josh:
"I
was speaking
with a man
briefly but
could see a
woman out of
the corner of
my eye that
was clearly
waiting to
talk to me.
She told me
you were
talking about
her when you
talked about
the
ninety-nine
and the one in
the context of
membership –
she said, “I
am the one.” I
could tell it
was emotional
and even a bit
hard for her
to come speak
to me. She is
a widow that
has come to
grief share
and her heart
was clearly in
a tender
place. She
told me she
has been
coming for a
while and has
thought about
joining. What
you said from
the stage was
used by the
Holy Spirit to
prompt her to
her next step
in her faith
journey to
pursue
membership.
The Lord is so
good and
faithful to
use His people
through the
Holy Spirit to
work in the
lives of
individuals in
our midst. I
am always
encouraged to
and hear how
the Lord works
and hope this
encourages you
too today! Go
God!!
Josh
Beers, is a
leader at One
Life Institute,
a nine month
Christian Gap
Year Program
for students
who want to
grow in their
faith,
experience
genuine
community,
serve others,
and travel
while earning
college
credit. Awhile
back Josh made
a visit to our
home telling
us of his
ministry: One
Life is for
students out
of high school
and we
discussed ways
that others
may be of
benefit to the
ministry. I am
refreshed by
Josh's heart
for ministry
and for young
people.
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Whosoever
Surely Meaneth
Me"
Video
Blackwood
Brothers
"The
Ninety and
Nine"
Video
Tent
Revival
Homecoming
"The Ninety and Nine" This is a hymn tune by Ira Sankey, written in 1868, as he was inspired by the Holy Spirit. He sung it before a live audience even as he was writing it, during a D.L. Moody crusade in Glasgow, Scotland.
"All
Sufficient
Merit"
Video
Shane &
Shane I
selected two
older hymns
today,
indicative I
suppose of my
age and
memories of so
many songs
sung through
my life. But
we also
continue to be
blessed by new
songs,
including this
brand new one
with
outstanding
theology in
the lyrics.
For many years
I have been
blessed by the
phrase "all
sufficient
merit" In this
hymn by
Charles
Wesley. Any
readers
recognize it?
By
thine own
eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
Brooksyne's
note: Considering
the shepherd
that leaves
the 99 to find
the wandering
sheep the
following poem
came to mind.
I dedicate it
to the many
parents who
pray for their
wandering
child we often
refer to as a
prodigal
child. It is a
request I
carry often to
the Lord as I
regularly pray
for several
adult
"children"
whose parents
desperately
long to see
them return to
the ways of
the Lord. It
can also be
the reverse
role as I
prayed for my
prodigal
parents to
return to the
Lord after 24
years of
wandering. The
Lord answered
my prayers and
those of my
dad's parents
who were also
praying. None
of us knew
that Daddy
would have
only four
years to live
after he
recommitted
his life to
Jesus and Mom,
who also
recommitted
her life on
the same
Easter Sunday
in 1995 would
live only five
more years.
They died in
2000 and 2001.
The
Sheep of God's
Pasture
We're the sheep of God's pasture, alike in many ways
As we trust in the Good Shepherd and offer Him our praise.
Like sheep, we have gone astray to see what we could see,
But the Shepherd sought and brought us back where we ought to be.
We're the sheep of God's pasture here in the promised land,
Led to the living waters by His almighty hand.
We seek His face, His touch, His voice when we're afraid at night,
And we praise Him in the morning for sending us the light.
We're the sheep of His pasture 'tho scattered now and then,
Each depending on the Shepherd in a world of "Might have been."
He leads us down a righteous 'tho narrow is the way,
And welcomes home the wanderer when we have gone astray.;
- Clay Harrison
We're the sheep of God's pasture, alike in many ways
As we trust in the Good Shepherd and offer Him our praise.
Like sheep, we have gone astray to see what we could see,
But the Shepherd sought and brought us back where we ought to be.
We're the sheep of God's pasture here in the promised land,
Led to the living waters by His almighty hand.
We seek His face, His touch, His voice when we're afraid at night,
And we praise Him in the morning for sending us the light.
We're the sheep of His pasture 'tho scattered now and then,
Each depending on the Shepherd in a world of "Might have been."
He leads us down a righteous 'tho narrow is the way,
And welcomes home the wanderer when we have gone astray.;
- Clay Harrison
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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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