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ministry of
Stephen &
Brooksyne
Weber
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Friday,
November 10, 2023
An appealing walkway through McIntosh Woods State Park, Iowa
(Photo by my cousin, Georgia)
"An
Example From
Four Lepers"
Message
summary: Today
let us seek to
do what is
right in the
eyes of the
Lord and make
it our goal to
please Him in
all we do.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"Then
they said to
each other,
'We're not
doing right.
This is a
day of good
news and
we are keeping
it to
ourselves'" (2
Kings 7:9).
"Do not be
deceived: God
cannot be
mocked. A man
reaps what he
sows. The one
who sows to
please his
sinful nature,
from that
nature will
reap
destruction;
the one who
sows to please
the Spirit,
from the
Spirit will
reap eternal
life. Let us
not become
weary in doing
good, for at
the proper
time we will
reap a harvest
if we do not
give up"
(Galatians
6:7-9).
Examples in life can come from unlikely sources. Bad examples can teach us as well as good examples. Sometimes we may see a good example in a "bad" person and sometimes otherwise "good" people can set bad examples! Today we consider a good example from an unlikely source.
Examples in life can come from unlikely sources. Bad examples can teach us as well as good examples. Sometimes we may see a good example in a "bad" person and sometimes otherwise "good" people can set bad examples! Today we consider a good example from an unlikely source.
I
have enjoyed
the writings
of A.W. Pink,
a
late British
Bible teacher,
since my Bible
College years
although he
died two years
before I was
born. The
neat thing
about faithful
Bible teaching
is that it
never gets old
and it often
outlives its
author. In
his book
"Gleanings in
Genesis" Pink
expounds on
interesting
passages in
Genesis that
may tend to be
overlooked in
the main
harvest of
one's Bible
reading and
study.
Gleaning
is the act of
collecting
leftover crops
from farmers'
fields after
they have been
commercially
harvested or
in fields
where it is
not
economically
profitable to
harvest.
Today
let's glean
from a passage
found in the
historical
section of the
Bible that is
likely among
those
overlooked,
yet it has a
timeless
message for us
today! It's
one of those
lessons where
we can find
application
from an actual
event in
Israel's
history in 2
Kings 7.
Here's the background: The Syrian army had laid siege to Samaria causing a famine and the situation looked hopeless. Isn't it interesting in light of current events that Israel's enemies in the Bible were in many ways very similar to their enemies today? (Read context in 2 Kings 7)
Here's the background: The Syrian army had laid siege to Samaria causing a famine and the situation looked hopeless. Isn't it interesting in light of current events that Israel's enemies in the Bible were in many ways very similar to their enemies today? (Read context in 2 Kings 7)
During
the siege
Elisha, the
prophet of
God, had
prophetically
foretold of
the
deliverance,
but he was not
believed at
the
time.
Four men with leprosy sat at the city gate entrance since they were were not allowed in the city. They began to reason, "What have we to lose? We sill soon die from the famine if we stayed by the city. If any food becomes available we would certainly be the last to receive it." So they decided their chances were better if they surrendered to the Syrians.
But,
unknown to
them, God had
performed a
remarkable
deliverance
and the Syrian
armies had
scattered in
fear, leaving
everything
behind. The
four lepers
stumbled on
the bounty
where they "ate
and drank".
These four men had been social outcasts and were not even allowed in the city. Life had been very rough and isolation could only exasperate the situation. Could this be their way to get even? After what they had been through why should they go back and tell the others in the city.
No, but their conviction to share the good news with the besieged city overwhelmed them. The lepers were struck with remorse after enjoying the bounty as we read in the first part of our first daily verse. "Then they said to each other, 'We're not doing right'." What a blessing the conviction of the Holy Spirit is when we become aware that we are not doing right!
"This is a day of good news". They went from desperation and destitution to abundance although their leprous conditions are not addressed. We wonder about that for sure, were they healed of that dreaded affliction?
These four men had been social outcasts and were not even allowed in the city. Life had been very rough and isolation could only exasperate the situation. Could this be their way to get even? After what they had been through why should they go back and tell the others in the city.
No, but their conviction to share the good news with the besieged city overwhelmed them. The lepers were struck with remorse after enjoying the bounty as we read in the first part of our first daily verse. "Then they said to each other, 'We're not doing right'." What a blessing the conviction of the Holy Spirit is when we become aware that we are not doing right!
"This is a day of good news". They went from desperation and destitution to abundance although their leprous conditions are not addressed. We wonder about that for sure, were they healed of that dreaded affliction?
"And we are
keeping it to
ourselves".
So they went
back into the
city with the
good report
and did the
right thing,
sharing the
good news of
God's
deliverance.
It's
interesting
that after
they shared,
nothing more
is heard from
them. Yet they
did the right
thing and are
forever
memorialized
in this
historic story
for their
action.
There's
additional
interesting
gleaning in
the remainder
of the story
such as the
king's initial
unbelief
thinking they
were being
deceived by
the Syrians
but that's
another
lesson.
Often it may seem when we do the right thing people don't notice. Man may not acknowledge, but God always sees and, "God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them" (Hebrews 6:10).
Today let us consider our bountiful blessings; the ultimate good news, our salvation in Christ and God's written Word. Most of us have a loving family, a Christ-honoring church, good medical care, supportive friends, a place of employment, and the list goes on and on.
But are we keeping it to ourselves? Clearly, like these four lepers, we are called to share the good news. What are we doing to share God's blessings? Remarkably, as we share, these blessings do not diminish but multiply. This principle is taught throughout the Scriptures. Jesus said, "Give and it shall be given unto you…" Today let us seek to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord and make it our goal to please Him in all we do.
Often it may seem when we do the right thing people don't notice. Man may not acknowledge, but God always sees and, "God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them" (Hebrews 6:10).
Today let us consider our bountiful blessings; the ultimate good news, our salvation in Christ and God's written Word. Most of us have a loving family, a Christ-honoring church, good medical care, supportive friends, a place of employment, and the list goes on and on.
But are we keeping it to ourselves? Clearly, like these four lepers, we are called to share the good news. What are we doing to share God's blessings? Remarkably, as we share, these blessings do not diminish but multiply. This principle is taught throughout the Scriptures. Jesus said, "Give and it shall be given unto you…" Today let us seek to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord and make it our goal to please Him in all we do.
Be
encouraged
today,
(Hebrews
3:13)
Daily prayer:
Father,
we are a
blessed people
who have so
much to be
thankful for
that we can't
keep it to
ourselves. We
don't boast in
ourselves for
we are but
human flesh,
but we boast
in who You are
and all that
You provide
for us.
Father, You
are the
eternal,
sovereign God
who sends down
the rain and
snow, who
raises up the
trees and
flowers, who
sets the sun
and moon in
place and yet
You have such
tender
compassion
toward the
human race
that You gave
Your only Son
to make
atonement for
our sin. You
are great and
greatly to be
praised among
Your people
and throughout
the universe
You created.
We honor You
through Christ
Jesus our
Lord. Amen.
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father,
we are a
blessed people
who have so
much to be
thankful for
that we can't
keep it to
ourselves. We
don't boast in
ourselves for
we are but
human flesh,
but we boast
in who You are
and all that
You provide
for us.
Father, You
are the
eternal,
sovereign God
who sends down
the rain and
snow, who
raises up the
trees and
flowers, who
sets the sun
and moon in
place and yet
You have such
tender
compassion
toward the
human race
that You gave
Your only Son
to make
atonement for
our sin. You
are great and
greatly to be
praised among
Your people
and throughout
the universe
You created.
We honor You
through Christ
Jesus our
Lord. Amen.Correction:
Andre, an
attentive
South African
reader,
noticed our
second
Scripture
reference in
yesterday's
message was
incorrect. "For
through the
Spirit, by
faith, we
ourselves
eagerly wait
for the hope
of
righteousness"
is from
Galatians 5:5
not 1
Thessalonians
1:10. We
appreciate
thoughtful
Bereans (Acts
17:11)!
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
Brooksyne
sharing The
Mayflower
Voyage
story with
seniors at
Providence
Church of God
in New
Providence,
PA. The date
yesterday was
quite
significant
since November
9, 1620 was
the day the
102 passengers
aboard the
Mayflower
finally saw
land and
anchored on
Cape Cod in
Provincetown.
It was 403
years ago and
Provincetown
is where they
remained until
a suitable
sight for
building a
colony was
found nearly
six weeks
later which we
know today as
Plymouth.
A
catered
Thanksgiving
meal was
prepared by
Lapp's Family
Restaurant in
Quarryville, a
place very
much enjoyed
by locals with
their
Pennsylvania
Dutch food.
I
had the
privilege of
sitting next
to Isabel
Bingaman who
is, believe it
or not, 102
years old!
At
our second
banquet in
Myerstown last
evening we
enjoyed the
talents,
unending humor
and
ventriloquism
of Ryan and
Friends.
Audrey's
usually
celebrates
Christmas in
November every
year due to
scheduling
conflicts with
the December
calendar.
The
reason we
laugh so much
is Ryan and
his "friends"
are not only
funny but he
always
involves the
audience and
we have such a
good laugh
when they are
made to look
silly,
especially
when it's
management! In
this photo
Ryan is using
his
ventriloquism
for Grandma
and Grandpa
while Mike,
one of the
employees is
assigned the
duty of
opening and
closing
Grandma's
mouth. Anyone
who has done
puppetry knows
how extremely
hard that is
to coordinate,
but Mike tried
hard, much to
our amusement.
"Ryan and Friends" Watch on Youtube
"Ryan and Friends" Watch on Youtube
In
this skit Ryan
throws his
voice into
each employee
while they
open and close
their mouth
each time his
hand is on
their back.
Janice (L) had
a baby, often
crying voice,
Laurie
(middle) had a
deep grumpy
male voice and
Don (R) was
all over the
place. Imagine
such a setting
when they are
trying to
sing, "We Wish
You a Merry
Christmas"
with such
impersonated
voices.
This
morning
Stephen sat in
a meeting at
JK Mechanical
where a
Navy Seal
shared his
perspective on
leadership
with team
leaders. The
seal is the
son of one of
the managers.
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WEBER -
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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
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 and a variety of other versions.
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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