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Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Seyfert orchards apples, Lebanon County, PA 9/25/18
We enjoy the apple varieties at Seyfert Orchards, in Lebanon County.

"Seeing The Invisible"

Message summary: "We live by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Like Moses I also persevere to see Him who is invisible through eyes of faith.

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"He (Moses) persevered because he saw Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27b). "We live by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Harry Wertsch, optometrist
This last Sunday before the service began I greeted
Harry Wertsch, one of our pew neighbors, who is a retired optometrist. He told me he had a sign in his office with today's verse, "We live by faith, not by sight"* which is an interesting Scripture selection for an eye doctor!

Charlie and Rosie Goumas are friends we came to know when we lived in New England who are both blind. We met them at a conference in Boston some twenty-five years ago when they stopped by a display booth we hosted for Daily Encouragement. After visiting for a few minutes they signed up to receive our daily messages. Then we began to hear from them. At first, before we began podcasting, they listened to a reader on their computer that converted the text to a synthesized computerized voice. Tech has sure come a long way since that time! Now, Siri is so realistic I often thank her.

Charlie and Rosie have done very well living their lives in a sighted world. They both serve the Lord and have a positive, faith-filled outlook. They met at the Perkins School for the Blind, the oldest school for the blind in the United States. As a child Rosie met Helen Keller who had also attended the same school many years earlier.

Charlie and Rosie

One Sunday morning they took the train from Boston and came to visit us in Taunton, Massachusetts about 40 miles away. We had a warm time of fellowship as they attended our church and shared a meal with us afterward. Rosie is an outstanding concert pianist and played for our congregation a beautiful arrangement of "How Great Thou Art". The photo shows them sitting on our back porch before they took the train back to the city.

2 Corinthians 5:9In regards to faith the sighted and the unsighted share a similar experience. We "see" Him who is invisible.
"He (Moses) persevered because he saw Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27b). William Newell describes "saw Him who is invisible" as "Faith defined in a phrase!"

In a sighted world where "seeing is believing" one of the great challenges is living the life of faith in an unseen God. Following Christ is indeed a walk of faith, of believing in One whom we cannot see in the physical world around us, although there is an abundance of evidence for His existence. Earlier in Hebrews 11 we read, "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible" (v.3).

Dedicated Bible readers recognize Hebrews 11 to be the "Faith Chapter." Our daily verse powerfully gives us a glimpse of the faith of Moses in a short phrase: "He persevered because he saw Him who is invisible."

Spurgeon writes, "This is what you and I must do: feel that it is but common sense, sanctified common sense, to be looking out for that which will endure forever, and to let these temporary things go, if it be needful that they go, that we may win the crown that does not fade away."

People of faith thus identify with what is an apparent contradiction, seeing the invisible, which is even more stunning in the Greek, which uses the same root word for "saw" and "invisible". We understand the inspired Biblical writer is describing faith's ability to see with the eyes of the heart what is unseen with our physical eyes.

After the resurrection Jesus speaks forth a blessing to all of us who would follow Him on the basis of faith and not sight: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). Peter, an eyewitness to the life of Christ as He carried out His earthly ministry, states in his epistle: "Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" (1 Peter 1:8).

"We live by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Like Moses we also persevere to see Him who is invisible through eyes of faith. May you all do likewise.


Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying man Daily prayer: Father, as we live by faith and not by sight we see much of what the world does not see because we see it through eyes of faith. By faith we see a risen Savior who died for us and who is now interceding on our behalf. By faith we see the coronation day when all the saints will be gathered in the clouds to meet Jesus in the air. By faith we believe that life’s trials will be worth it all when we are ushered through the pearly gates, when we gather with the saints of all the ages to praise our glorious Savior around the throne. It is by faith that we come to Jesus and it is by faith that we will stay the course. For it is not the one who runs the swiftest nor the one who runs for a day, but the one who endures to the end who will be saved. The struggles of this life diminish and will not overwhelm us when we walk by faith and not by sight. Navigate our steps as we journey here below in the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

* Harry might have used an alternate rendering, "We walk by faith, not by sight".



 Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Open The Eyes Of My Heart Lord"  Watch video on YouTube   Maranatha Music

When I greeted Harry on Sunday I said "I wonder if your favorite hymn might be 'Open My Eyes That I Might See'". I was recalling this list of hymns based on occupations I came across many years ago!

    The Dentist's Hymn.............Crown Him With Many Crowns*
    The Weatherman's Hymn..........There Shall Be Showers of Blessing
    The Contractor's Hymn..........The Church's One Foundation
    The Tailor's Hymn..............Holy, Holy, Holy
    The Golfer's Hymn..............There is A Green Hill Far Away

    The Politician's Hymn..........Standing on the Promises
    The Optometrist's Hymn.........Open My Eyes That I Might See
    The IRS Agent's Hymn...........I Surrender All
    The Gossip's Hymn..............Pass It On
    The Electrician's Hymn.........Send the Light

    The Shopper's Hymn.............Sweet By and By
    The Realtor's Hymn.........I've Got A Mansion Just Over the Hilltop
    The Pilot's Hymn...............I'll Fly Away
    The Paramedic's Hymn...........Revive Us Again
    The Judge's Hymn...............Almost Persuaded

    The Psychiatrist's Hymn........Just a Little Talk With Jesus
    The Architect's Hymn...........How Firm A Foundation
    The Credit Card Telemarketer's Hymn.....A Charge To Keep I Have
    The Zookeeper's Hymn...........All Creatures of Our God & King
    The Postal Worker's Hymn.......So Send I You

    The Waiter's Hymn..............Fill My Cup, Lord
    The Gardener's Hymn............Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
    The Lifeguard's Hymn...........Rescue the Perishing
    The Criminal's Hymn............Search Me, O God
    The Baker's Hymn...............When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder

    The Shoe Repairer's Hymn.......It Is Well With My Soul
    The Travel Agent's Hymn........Anywhere With Jesus
    The Geologist's Hymn...........Rock of Ages
    The Hematologist's Hymn........Are You Washed in the Blood?
    The Mens' Wear Clerk's Hymn....Blest Be the Tie

    The Umpire's Hymn..............I Need No Other Argument
    The Librarian's Hymn...........Whispering Hope

* Yesterday Brooksyne had the first part of having a crown placed on a tooth. I don't think she wanted to sing "Crown me with many crowns"!

From the same source I found this list: Now, for those who speed on the highway, a few hymns for you:
45 mph......................God Will Take Care of You
55 mph......................Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
65 mph......................Nearer My God to Thee
75 mph......................Nearer Still Nearer
85 mph......................This World Is Not My Home
95 mph......................Lord, I'm Coming Home
Over 100 mph................Precious Memories




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