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Bible teaching
ministry of
Stephen &
Brooksyne
Weber
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Friday,
October 27, 2023
Memorial
tower of
voices
representing
the 40
passengers and
crew of Flight
93.
"Always
Working All
Things Out"
Note:
We have had a
very
busy week.
Yesterday I
was extremely
fatigued and
unable to post
a message.
Message
summary:
God's
goodness is
not always
expressed in
ways we
clearly see or
understand
since we view
only from this
side. God is
no less good
in regard to
outcomes that
seem bad and
that we just
don’t
understand.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
On
Tuesday
afternoon,
returning from
a trip to
Pittsburgh
with my young
friend Moses,
we stopped by
the Flight 93
Memorial near
the PA
turnpike. It
was a moving
remembrance of
the horrific
events wrought
by evil Muslim
terrorists on
9/11/01. The
memorial is
very well done
telling the
story and
remembering
the crew and
passengers on
United Flight
93. The most
moving part to
me were the
voice
recordings
passengers
left on loved
one's phones
in the final
minutes of
flight.
Many
recognize the
name, Todd
Beamer. After
his directive,
“Let’s roll”,
was sounded to
the other
courageous
passengers on
board Flight
93 he and the
others went
down in fame
for their part
in preventing
the hijackers
from reaching
their ultimate
target, the US
Capitol. Many
of you are
aware that
Todd was a
devout
follower of
Christ.
The last time we visited the crash site was in June 2003 when we were in central Pennsylvania where I conducted a wedding. It’s in a very remote, rural location over a former strip mine. The memorial at that time was but a mere gravel parking area overlooking the actual site of the crash some 200 yards away. Local “ambassadors” volunteered for two hour shifts explaining the direction the plane came from, where it crashed, the initial local response, etc. At the time we visited, the farmer who actually witnessed the plane’s crash was also there to share his account.
The makeshift memorial itself was a vertical stand about 8 feet tall and 24 feet long, covered with Fire Company hats, news clippings, and white boards that visitors wrote on. These white boards were removed every few days and stored to be part of a permanent memorial. All around the memorial stand were other smaller memorials from all over the world. At that time people came and went throughout the day with about 20 there at any given time.
The most outstanding piece of information we heard about was something I don’t recall ever reading or hearing prior to our visit at the memorial site. The crash itself was of course horrific, with the plane hitting the surface at nearly 600 miles per hour and plunging deep into the ground (it’s thought the depth was in part due to the ground not being compacted because of the strip mining activity). The plane was so utterly destroyed that only a smoldering crater was found.
The first responders, who arrived shortly after the crash, found only two identifiable objects; a burning tire and an open Bible near the site. The Bible was completely intact, with the cover barely singed. It was open to a portion from 1 Kings 12 that deals with the division of the Kingdom. (Note: unless I missed it, and I did look for it, this Bible was not part of the collection at the Flight 93 Memorial).
Research indicates that Don Peterson was the owner of the Bible. On September 11 Don and his wife had planned to take a later flight (Flight 91) to go to a family reunion at Yosemite National Park, but at the airport that morning they switched to the earlier, less-crowded Flight 93.
Pastor Jim Loveland, said, "I wasn’t on that plane, but I believe I know what happened. At the end, I’m sure they were praying and ministering with the others, encouraging them to be right with the Lord, that’s what their lives were about." Their memorial service drew nearly 1,000 people they’d worked with, helped or counseled and had to be moved to a larger sanctuary nearby.
Let’s consider how we often testify to God’s goodness when things work out the other way. Let’s just change the story to our preferred ending, “The Peterson’s were scheduled to be on Flight 93 but were delayed in traffic, missed their flight and were thus spared from death”. That’s normally the way we like the story to go and when that happens we rejoice and proclaim to others, “God is good.”
But His goodness is not always expressed in ways we clearly see or understand since we view only from this side. God is no less good in regard to outcomes that seem bad and we just don’t understand.
In R.C. Sproul’s book, “The Providence of God”, he writes concerning Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Today we encourage our readers to assert with confidence that the Lord is good. Whatever you are going through or our world is going through remember this truth: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose".
The last time we visited the crash site was in June 2003 when we were in central Pennsylvania where I conducted a wedding. It’s in a very remote, rural location over a former strip mine. The memorial at that time was but a mere gravel parking area overlooking the actual site of the crash some 200 yards away. Local “ambassadors” volunteered for two hour shifts explaining the direction the plane came from, where it crashed, the initial local response, etc. At the time we visited, the farmer who actually witnessed the plane’s crash was also there to share his account.
The makeshift memorial itself was a vertical stand about 8 feet tall and 24 feet long, covered with Fire Company hats, news clippings, and white boards that visitors wrote on. These white boards were removed every few days and stored to be part of a permanent memorial. All around the memorial stand were other smaller memorials from all over the world. At that time people came and went throughout the day with about 20 there at any given time.
The most outstanding piece of information we heard about was something I don’t recall ever reading or hearing prior to our visit at the memorial site. The crash itself was of course horrific, with the plane hitting the surface at nearly 600 miles per hour and plunging deep into the ground (it’s thought the depth was in part due to the ground not being compacted because of the strip mining activity). The plane was so utterly destroyed that only a smoldering crater was found.
The first responders, who arrived shortly after the crash, found only two identifiable objects; a burning tire and an open Bible near the site. The Bible was completely intact, with the cover barely singed. It was open to a portion from 1 Kings 12 that deals with the division of the Kingdom. (Note: unless I missed it, and I did look for it, this Bible was not part of the collection at the Flight 93 Memorial).
Research indicates that Don Peterson was the owner of the Bible. On September 11 Don and his wife had planned to take a later flight (Flight 91) to go to a family reunion at Yosemite National Park, but at the airport that morning they switched to the earlier, less-crowded Flight 93.
Pastor Jim Loveland, said, "I wasn’t on that plane, but I believe I know what happened. At the end, I’m sure they were praying and ministering with the others, encouraging them to be right with the Lord, that’s what their lives were about." Their memorial service drew nearly 1,000 people they’d worked with, helped or counseled and had to be moved to a larger sanctuary nearby.
Let’s consider how we often testify to God’s goodness when things work out the other way. Let’s just change the story to our preferred ending, “The Peterson’s were scheduled to be on Flight 93 but were delayed in traffic, missed their flight and were thus spared from death”. That’s normally the way we like the story to go and when that happens we rejoice and proclaim to others, “God is good.”
But His goodness is not always expressed in ways we clearly see or understand since we view only from this side. God is no less good in regard to outcomes that seem bad and we just don’t understand.
In R.C. Sproul’s book, “The Providence of God”, he writes concerning Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
“There’s
no other text
that
demonstrates
so clearly and
magnificently
the beauty of
God’s
sovereign
providence
than Romans
8:28. The text
does not say
that
everything
that happens
to us,
considered in
and of itself,
is good;
rather, it
says that all
things that
take place in
our lives is
working out
with other
things for our
good. That is
the master
plan of God’s
redemptive
providence. He
brings good
out of evil.
He brings
glory out of
suffering. He
brings joy out
of affliction.
This is one of
the most
difficult
truths of
sacred
Scripture for
us to believe.
I’ve said
countless
times that it
is easy to
believe in God
but far more
difficult to
believe God.
Faith involves
living a life
of trust in
the Word of
God.”
Today we encourage our readers to assert with confidence that the Lord is good. Whatever you are going through or our world is going through remember this truth: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose".
Do
you know that
today?
Be
encouraged
today,
(Hebrews
3:13)
Daily prayer:
Father, it is
our heart’s
desire to
trust You in
all things –
knowing they
work together
for our good
and for the
good of the
kingdom.
Remind us that
You are
working out
Your purpose
in our lives
so that we
will not be
consumed with
the smoothness
of our plans,
but rather the
unfolding of
Your Kingdom
plans
recognizing
and
acknowledging
that You are
good, you are
always good.
Through all
circumstances
God, You are
good –
period!
It is in the
name of Jesus
that we give
You thanks and
praise. Amen.
Here's
a photo from
June 2003 of
the wedding I
conducted.
Carrie grew up
attending the
church I
pastored in
northern
Pennsylvania
and went on to
do mission's
service in
Colombia where
she met
Francisco, a
native
Colombian.
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, it is
our heart’s
desire to
trust You in
all things –
knowing they
work together
for our good
and for the
good of the
kingdom.
Remind us that
You are
working out
Your purpose
in our lives
so that we
will not be
consumed with
the smoothness
of our plans,
but rather the
unfolding of
Your Kingdom
plans
recognizing
and
acknowledging
that You are
good, you are
always good.
Through all
circumstances
God, You are
good –
period!
It is in the
name of Jesus
that we give
You thanks and
praise. Amen.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
The
Flight 93
crash site as
seen from the
visitor's
center.
Here's
a photo from
June 2003 of
the wedding I
conducted.
Carrie grew up
attending the
church I
pastored in
northern
Pennsylvania
and went on to
do mission's
service in
Colombia where
she met
Francisco, a
native
Colombian.They
have three
children and
continue to
faithfully
serve the
Lord. Carrie's
parents, Jack
and Chris
Mansfield, are
longtime
friends who
now live in
New York
state.
Last
night I
attended a
banquet for
the Associate
For Biblical
Research ministry
at the Shady
Maple. ABR is
an apologetics
ministry.
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WEBER -
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donations.
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
that
designates the
offering
to: STEPHEN
&
BROOKSYNE
WEBER -
700001-237376 SERVING
IN SPECIALIZED
CHAPLAINCY)
If
you desire you
can also
donate
directly
through PayPal
using this link.
This will open
to a page that
states
"Brooksyne
Weber". We
keep this
option
available due
to the
familiarity,
convenience,
for
international
supporters,
and for those
who may not
need an
official
receipt. You
can also set
up for
recurring
donations.
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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