Mobile users:
Visit Daily Encouragement on your mobile browser, hit "Add to
home screen" or "Add page shortcut." This creates an instant
Daily Encouragement App!
A new message
is updated
most weekdays,
usually by
Noon Eastern
Time (USA).
(Click refresh or reload for current message) Thursday,
January 18, 2024
Yesterday
the sun shone
brightly
amidst the
snowy
landscape
making for a
very bright
day requiring
sunglasses for
driving. But
the brisk
winds and low
temps made
being outdoors
very chilly
and rather
unpleasant. We
made several
chaplain calls
in Lebanon
County where,
for many
years, this
John Deere
tractor is
parked along
the road come
rain, shine or
snow near
Audrey's where
we serve as
chaplains.
"Practice
What We Preach"
Message
summary: Today
let us all
seek to
practice what
we preach!
Paul's
directive to
Titus is good
advice for all
of us: "In
everything set
an example by
doing what is
good" (Titus
2:7).
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"As
Solomon grew
old, his wives
turned his
heart after
other gods,
and his heart
was not
fully devoted
to the LORD
his God, as
the heart of
David his
father had
been" (1 Kings
11:4).
"In everything
set an example
by doing what
is good"
(Titus 2:7).
"Practice
what you
preach" is a
phrase used
not only for
preachers but
for everyone.
It means to
"to do the
things that
you advise
other people
to do". We
remember
hearing it all
the time as
children and
it's a good
word to live
by. We all
know people
who don't
practice what
they preach,
and we
acknowledge
that there are
preachers who
don't practice
what they
preach. The
Bible
describes
these
individuals as
hypocrites.
In
Ecclesiastes
12 Solomon is
designated
"the preacher"
(v.8). Solomon
is often
reckoned as
the wisest man
who ever
lived. He
presided over
the building
of the temple
during a time
of great peace
and prosperity
in Israel’s
history when
he lived
around 1000
BC.
However he also had some serious moral flaws and the Biblical record faithfully acknowledges them, an evidence of the integrity of Scripture. I recall a professor pointing out that the inclusion in the Bible record of events such as David’s sin with Bathsheba or Solomon’s many wives and concubines gives evidence to its authenticity. The writers of the Bible applied no airbrush to clean-up Biblical characters. Ecclesiastes seems to be the expression of a man who, although rich in wisdom with good advice/common sense for others, had grown cynical in his faith. Sadly this preacher didn't practice what he preached! 1
Kings 10
describes
Solomon's
extravagant
wealth and
horses from
Egypt. In
chapter 11 he
turns from the
Lord in a most
dramatic way
with a
penchant for
many women. The
Bible
specifically
states, “As
Solomon grew
old, his wives
turned his
heart after
other gods,
and his heart
was not fully
devoted to the
LORD his God,
as the heart
of David his
father had
been” (1
Kings 11:4).
In
our ABF class
this last
Sunday Gordy,
one of our
teachers,
pointed out
that in
Deuteronomy
17:14-20 there
are specific
warnings to
kings which
Solomon
violated. The
instructions
include the
necessity of
regularly
feeding on the
Word of God
(18-20).
Today
let us all
seek to
practice what
we preach!
Paul's
directive to
Titus is good
advice for all
of us: "In
everything set
an example by
doing what is
good" (Titus
2:7).
Be
encouraged
today,
Hebrews
3:13
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, we’re
reminded by
the cynical
attitude of
Solomon in his
latter years,
that it is
essential for
us to stay on
the straight
and narrow
path laid out
for us. We
have no way of
knowing when
we yield to
temptation
just how far
sin will take
us, how long
it will hold
us, nor the
damage it will
do. So we must
be wise and
resist sin so
that we find
blessing
instead of
shame, victory
instead of
failure, and
life instead
of death. Help
us to never
weary of
following You.
All the days
of our life we
want to
remember You,
our Creator.
Amen.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
"Psalm
103"
"Bless the
Lord O My
Soul" Watch
on YouTube
West
Coast Baptist
College
Brooksyne's
note: Our
choir is
looking
forward to
singing this
arrangement of
Psalm 103 on
Sunday. We
have been
practicing it
for several
weeks and it
has become a
living
Scripture in
that it
reminds us to
give praise
and
thanksgiving
for all that
God has done
for us:
"Who redeems,
Who restores,
Who renews
your youth
like the eagle
soars. Who
forgives ev'ry
sin and is
raising us to
new life
again."
To
receive the
"Daily
Encouragement"
each
Monday-Friday
use our
sign-up form
or this
page to
subscribe to
our free email
list. You can
also subscribe
to the Wordpress
rss feed
or through a Wordpress
email
subscription.
(See the email
subscription
on the top
right side
after opening
this page.)
We
want to thank
all who
financially
support our
ministry.
We realize
there are many
fine
ministries and
causes
requesting
support but if
you would like
information
about making a
donation to
our ministry
see here.
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. You
can send a
check payable
to "Daily
Encouragement
Net" to:
Stephen
and Brooksyne
Weber
495
Kraybill
Church Road
Mount
Joy, PA 17552
To
donate
directly
online click
here.
(This will
open to a page
that
designates the
offering to:
Stephen and
Brooksyne
Weber -
700001-237376
serving in
specialized
chaplaincy
(Daily
Encouragement
is our
endorsed
special
chaplaincy
ministry).
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
2024
offerings YTD:
$400.00
Daily Encouragement on: Wordpress iHeart radio Permissions: 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." © Copyright 2024 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA |