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Brooksyne Weber
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Monday,
June 26, 2023
Swimming
in Pine Creek
at Rattlesnake
Rock.
"Given
A Trust"
Message
summary: We've
all been given
a trust. The
greatest
commendation
we can ever
hear our Lord
say is, "Well
done, good and
faithful
servant"
(Matthew
25:21).
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2).
"Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2).
Last
week 16 year
old Jimmy and
I rode 55
miles on the
Pine Creek
Rail Trail,
which is an
old rail line
that runs
along Pine
Creek through
the
Pennsylvania
Grand Canyon.
We turned
around at
Rattlesnake
Rock which we
were told is a
good swimming
hole. Jimmy
wanted to
check it out
so he jumped
in with his
pants on which
dried out on
the way back.
Pedaling a
bike in wet
clothes with
the wind
coming against
you is about
as good as
hanging them
on the line.
Jimmy's
dip in the
swimming hole
took me back
to a memorable
experience
some 55 years
ago when I was
a teenager and
liked to fish
and swim in
ponds and
creeks. Many
of life's
lessons, good
and bad, are
ingrained in
our memories
that have
helped shape
our life and
values.
I
was staying
with my mom's
parents, MaMa
and PaPa, in
tiny Harwood,
Missouri (a
rural region
in the
southwest
part of the
state).
PaPa, a second
generation
immigrant, was
a farmer and
president of
the local
community
bank. He was
well known in
that area and
had an
excellent
reputation.
During my visit he called a local farmer to get permission for me to fish in his farm pond and before I went he made it absolutely clear to me, "You are to fish only but not allowed to swim". I verbally agreed to that plan, but what do you suppose a bored fourteen-year-old teen does after the fish aren't biting? I looked up toward the farmhouse where I saw no one and then I jumped in the pond and went swimming.
Well, it turned out the farmer who had permitted me to fish but ruled out swimming was watching from a window. He called my grandfather and when I got back did I ever get chewed out! PaPa emphasized that he had trusted me and I had violated that trust. I still remember that lesson to this day.
I
was staying
with my mom's
parents, MaMa
and PaPa, in
tiny Harwood,
Missouri (a
rural region
in the
southwest
part of the
state).
PaPa, a second
generation
immigrant, was
a farmer and
president of
the local
community
bank. He was
well known in
that area and
had an
excellent
reputation.During my visit he called a local farmer to get permission for me to fish in his farm pond and before I went he made it absolutely clear to me, "You are to fish only but not allowed to swim". I verbally agreed to that plan, but what do you suppose a bored fourteen-year-old teen does after the fish aren't biting? I looked up toward the farmhouse where I saw no one and then I jumped in the pond and went swimming.
Well, it turned out the farmer who had permitted me to fish but ruled out swimming was watching from a window. He called my grandfather and when I got back did I ever get chewed out! PaPa emphasized that he had trusted me and I had violated that trust. I still remember that lesson to this day.
Knowing
how much I had
disappointed
PaPa bothered
me a great
deal. I'm sure
it led to some
deep soul
searching in
my young, yet
untamed, teen
heart. My
PaPa had given
me a trust and
I had violated
it.
As
followers of
Christ we've
all been given
a trust. The
apostle Paul
wrote, "Now
it is required
that those who
have been
given a trust
must prove
faithful"
(1 Corinthians
4:2). We are
stewards of
God's truth
and it is
required that
we be
faithful. This
is
fundamentally
expressed
spiritually in
our
faithfulness
to Christ but
in reality
spiritual
faithfulness
is expressed
in practical,
even the
mundane ways
as well.Let us ask ourselves concerning trusts we have been given: Do we act in a responsible way even when no one is looking (unlike what I did in choosing to swim in the farm pond!)? Are we faithful to our spouse and family? Are we faithful to our church and ministry responsibilities? What about our work related duties and financial commitments?
Each of us has been given a trust and it is required by God that we prove faithful with that trust. The lies, deceit, and broken promises that characterize unfaithfulness has darkened our society and fragmented the family unit. Countless lives have been crushed due to those who have not been faithful to the trust given them. When a trust is broken there is tremendous consequence to rebuilding that trust again; in some subject matters it takes a lifetime to rebuild.
Business owners, political figures, spiritual leaders, spouses, teachers, parents, on and on the list goes for each of us who are given a trust and we must prove ourselves faithful. We start out by being faithful in the small things whether or not someone is looking over our shoulder. Then we are entrusted with greater responsibility.
We've all been given a trust. The greatest commendation we can ever hear our Lord say is, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).
Oh,
may all who
come behind us
find us
faithful,
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe,
And the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe,
And the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.
Be
encouraged
today, (Hebrews
3:13)
Daily
prayer: Father,
we have been
given a trust
and desire to
prove
ourselves
faithful in
all areas of
our lives and
evidenced in
our
responsibilities
carried out
here on earth.
Being a
faithful
steward of all
that is
entrusted to
us involves
sacrifice,
humbleness,
repentance,
and obedience
which does not
come easily,
but is
nevertheless
required. As
we walk
steadily with
You and
prayerfully
apply
Scriptural
principles we
will be found
faithful.
Hearing you
say at the end
of our earthly
journey, "Well
done, good and
faithful
servant" is an
ongoing
reminder that
in every
season of our
life we want
to be found
faithful to
all that is
entrusted to
us, through
Jesus Christ
our Lord in
whose name we
pray. Amen.Additional
thought:
We have been
blessed by
this statement
we saw many
years ago on a
church sign:
"Better to be
faithful than
famous".
Although there
are some
famous people
who are also
faithful, it
occurred to me
how often
those whom so
many recognize
as "famous"
are certainly
not faithful.
Merely
consider
famous names
in sports,
entertainment,
and especially
politics.
Sadly this is
also true for
some who are
famous in
ministry.
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
Some
photos from
our bike ride
on the Pine
Creek Rail
Trail
At
its deepest
point Pine
Creek Gorge is
1,450 feet
deep and
almost one
mile wide.
The
trail runs
along Pine
Creek, which
at nearly 90
miles is the
longest
"creek" in PA.
The
Turkey Path
waterfall is
flowing rather
weakly due to
the drought.
An
entrepreneur
offers horse
drawn wagon
rides through
the canyon.
This
photo of the
canyon was
taken last
year from the
rim at the
Leonard
Harrison State
Park. It was
closed last
week for
renovations.
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In considering support we are so pleased when we hear from you, our readers, that our messages are a source of teaching and encouragement to you. We also urge you to consider the mission aspect of these daily teachings that are freely available and read by many all over the world.
To
donate
directly
online
click here.
(This will
open to a page
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designates the
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to: STEPHEN
&
BROOKSYNE
WEBER -
700001-237376 SERVING
IN SPECIALIZED
CHAPLAINCY)
If
you desire you
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This will open
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"Brooksyne
Weber". We
keep this
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and for those
who may not
need an
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receipt. You
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Thank
you,
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
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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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