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Bible teaching
ministry of
Stephen &
Brooksyne
Weber
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Tuesday,
February 13, 2024
Our
view out the
side of our
house this
morning.
Daily prayer:
Father, many
challenges,
disappointments
and quandaries
fill our
hearts as we
live out our
days here on
earth, even if
we are saved
and walking
daily by
faith. The
original sin
committed by
Adam and Eve
has left a
permanent
stain on so
much of what
we encounter
from day to
day. But in
Your
compassion You
provide us
with ample
Scripture that
directs us,
sustains us,
and encourages
as we
encounter
these bumps
and unexpected
potholes along
the way. Most
notably Isaiah
41:10 teaches
us to hold
steady and
trust You:
"Do not fear,
for I am with
you. Do not be
dismayed, for
I am your God.
I will
strengthen you
and help you.
I will uphold
you with My
righteous
right hand."
We know that
trust will
stamp out fear
since we are
upheld by Your
righteous
right hand.
Thank You for
caring,
loving, and
providing for
our every
need. Amen.
When you are tall (I'm 6 foot 2 inches) you especially notice people who are taller than you. Sunday I visited with Jerry Ben, a Nigerian who attends our church. He told me he is 6 foot 8 inches!
Brooksyne took this photo out our front window this morning before sunrise. At the time we post this message it's stopped snowing and is warming up so the snow cover will not last long.
This last weekend we had a very interesting experience visiting Lakewood New Jersey that we will share about in a forthcoming message.
"Trophimus"
Note:
Due to being
very busy
yesterday we
were unable to
post a message
yesterday. We
had Jesse and
his son Moses
over all day
to finish our
brick work as
well as Luis,
a handyman
friend, who is
assisting us
with a number
of smaller
projects.
Message
summary: Today
there are many
of you who are
in a waiting
period
regarding some
issue in your
life, much
like Joseph as
he sat in
prison or Paul
as he left his
friend
Trophimus
sick.
Overcoming
faith in the
life of the
believer
compels us to
believe and
praise God
even in the
midst of the
wait and
mystery.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick" (2 Timothy 4:20).
In Sunday School class several years ago we discussed the many ways the Lord works in our lives using Joseph (from Genesis) as an example. Joseph certainly had his setbacks and mystery times which is often overlooked since Bible students already know the "rest of the story".
"Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick" (2 Timothy 4:20).
In Sunday School class several years ago we discussed the many ways the Lord works in our lives using Joseph (from Genesis) as an example. Joseph certainly had his setbacks and mystery times which is often overlooked since Bible students already know the "rest of the story".
During
discussion,
Mike Book a
longtime
friend,
thoughtfully
pointed out
that our faith
must continue
to grow and
praise fill
our lives even
when we are in
a mystery
period such as
praying for a
loved one who
has an illness
and is waiting
for the
outcome.
In our rather obscure daily text Paul is writing what most Bible students consider to be his last letter. He was soon to meet His Maker. His was a fruitful ministry and he could honestly say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). Reading about his life we see that God had often used him in miraculous ways through people's conversions, healings, deliverances, and other extraordinary circumstances. (e.g. Acts 28:1-10)
Today's verse is so straightforward and bluntly honest. Trophimus was a ministry associate of Paul who had traveled with him. He is first referenced during the third missionary journey. From two passages we can glean that he was an Ephesian from Asia (Acts 20:4, 21:29).
Yet here Paul candidly states "Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick". In reading a verse like this we must avoid two extremes:
Let us glean several truths out of this short passage:
1) This verse indicates Paul's honesty and this strengthens his credibility elsewhere. Here, in what turned out to be his final chapter he candidly writes something that must have been a disappointment to him for surely he had prayed for Trophimus to be healed before he left.
Let's speak the truth today. Let's especially be on our guard against forms of lying that are so frequent in our age, particularly exaggerations and misrepresentations. (It's absolutely nauseating to see this in the political world, and even more so for those in ministry.) About twenty years ago I wrote an article regarding the tendency by some in ministry to exaggerate and misrepresent attendance figures as well as bogus claims of the miraculous. Someone, I can't recall whom, wrote in response:
2) The candor of this verse can be an encouragement to us as we face life's disappointments. I don't think Paul had stopped praying for people or ceased believing that he served a miracle-working God. There were mysteries in God's dealings in the Bible period just as there are now. Things didn't always work out the way they surely would have desired, just as we also experience today. Just a few examples follow:
* Why was Stephen stoned just as he began his ministry and, several chapters later, James beheaded (Acts 7,12)? Of course God was able to prevent this from happening but He didn't. These are the first Christian martyrs mentioned in the Bible, but millions have suffered or been martyred for their faith since then. We hear of it happening right now on a daily basis.
* Why did Paul deal with a "thorn in the flesh", some type of persistent affliction that he had prayed might be removed? (See 2 Corinthians 12.) Instead of removing the affliction, God gave him assurance that "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."
Today there are many of you who are in a waiting period regarding a circumstance in your life, much like Joseph as he sat in prison or Paul as he left his friend Trophimus sick. Overcoming faith in the life of the believer compels us to believe and praise God even in the midst of the wait and mystery.
In our rather obscure daily text Paul is writing what most Bible students consider to be his last letter. He was soon to meet His Maker. His was a fruitful ministry and he could honestly say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). Reading about his life we see that God had often used him in miraculous ways through people's conversions, healings, deliverances, and other extraordinary circumstances. (e.g. Acts 28:1-10)
Today's verse is so straightforward and bluntly honest. Trophimus was a ministry associate of Paul who had traveled with him. He is first referenced during the third missionary journey. From two passages we can glean that he was an Ephesian from Asia (Acts 20:4, 21:29).
Yet here Paul candidly states "Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick". In reading a verse like this we must avoid two extremes:
1)
Ignoring it or
seeing it as
having no
significance
whatsoever.
Earlier in 2
Timothy Paul
had written
that, "All
Scripture is
God-breathed
and is useful
for teaching,
rebuking,
correcting and
training in
righteousness"
(v.16). This
portion, in
the providence
of God, is
part of the
inspired
Scriptures and
is useful.
2) There are those who make a doctrinal mountain out of this verse. Some extreme dispensationalists*˛ assert this tiny verse "proves" that God had stopped healing late in the apostolic period and Paul was no longer used in healing, thus he left Trophimus sick.
2) There are those who make a doctrinal mountain out of this verse. Some extreme dispensationalists*˛ assert this tiny verse "proves" that God had stopped healing late in the apostolic period and Paul was no longer used in healing, thus he left Trophimus sick.
Let us glean several truths out of this short passage:
1) This verse indicates Paul's honesty and this strengthens his credibility elsewhere. Here, in what turned out to be his final chapter he candidly writes something that must have been a disappointment to him for surely he had prayed for Trophimus to be healed before he left.
Let's speak the truth today. Let's especially be on our guard against forms of lying that are so frequent in our age, particularly exaggerations and misrepresentations. (It's absolutely nauseating to see this in the political world, and even more so for those in ministry.) About twenty years ago I wrote an article regarding the tendency by some in ministry to exaggerate and misrepresent attendance figures as well as bogus claims of the miraculous. Someone, I can't recall whom, wrote in response:
"This
is a
disturbing
practice, but
my guess is
that a lot of
preachers fall
into the habit
of
embellishment
as a general
way of
speaking, and
attendance
figures are
only one
manifestation
of that. The
interesting
part about
this is that I
doubt most
preachers
would classify
their
embellishments
as lies. The
statements are
not
intentional
deceptions.
However, when
one gets into
the habit of
embellishing
the truth,
then the line
between truth
and falsehood
becomes
stretched to
the point that
it is 'no big
deal' to take
the next step
and turn
embellishments
into outright
lies (a big
danger). My
feeling about
all of the
above is; God
doesn't need
our
embellishments
when we talk
about Him! His
attributes,
His creation,
His every-day
blessings are
praiseworthy
enough."
Absolutely,
Amen. Let's
worship this
great God
today and
let's tell the
truth!
2) The candor of this verse can be an encouragement to us as we face life's disappointments. I don't think Paul had stopped praying for people or ceased believing that he served a miracle-working God. There were mysteries in God's dealings in the Bible period just as there are now. Things didn't always work out the way they surely would have desired, just as we also experience today. Just a few examples follow:
* Why was Stephen stoned just as he began his ministry and, several chapters later, James beheaded (Acts 7,12)? Of course God was able to prevent this from happening but He didn't. These are the first Christian martyrs mentioned in the Bible, but millions have suffered or been martyred for their faith since then. We hear of it happening right now on a daily basis.
* Why did Paul deal with a "thorn in the flesh", some type of persistent affliction that he had prayed might be removed? (See 2 Corinthians 12.) Instead of removing the affliction, God gave him assurance that "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."
Today there are many of you who are in a waiting period regarding a circumstance in your life, much like Joseph as he sat in prison or Paul as he left his friend Trophimus sick. Overcoming faith in the life of the believer compels us to believe and praise God even in the midst of the wait and mystery.
Be
encouraged
today,
Hebrews
3:13
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, many
challenges,
disappointments
and quandaries
fill our
hearts as we
live out our
days here on
earth, even if
we are saved
and walking
daily by
faith. The
original sin
committed by
Adam and Eve
has left a
permanent
stain on so
much of what
we encounter
from day to
day. But in
Your
compassion You
provide us
with ample
Scripture that
directs us,
sustains us,
and encourages
as we
encounter
these bumps
and unexpected
potholes along
the way. Most
notably Isaiah
41:10 teaches
us to hold
steady and
trust You:
"Do not fear,
for I am with
you. Do not be
dismayed, for
I am your God.
I will
strengthen you
and help you.
I will uphold
you with My
righteous
right hand."
We know that
trust will
stamp out fear
since we are
upheld by Your
righteous
right hand.
Thank You for
caring,
loving, and
providing for
our every
need. Amen.Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
"Yes
I Will"
Watch
on YouTube
Calvary Church
This is the
closing song
from our
service this
last Sunday, a
great
expression of
resolve. The
clip is cued
to begin with
our speaker's
closing
remarks. Adam
preached an
outstanding
message about
Daniel and the
lion's den
which is cued
to begin here.
*
"Dispensationalism
is a
theological
system that
teaches
Biblical
history is
best
understood in
light of a
number of
successive
administrations
of God's
dealings with
mankind, which
it calls
'dispensations'."
Through the
years of my
ministry and
study I have
often
benefited from
teachings of
those holding
to this view.
It is a view
that is
generally held
by those
having a high
view of
Scripture.
However, I do
differ on the
point above
concerning our
daily text
used as a
proof text.
Late
yesterday
afternoon
Jesse used a
light to
finish the
brick work on
the side of
our house. I
learned that
there is a lot
of work
involved in
the mortar
joints. He and
his son Moses
also laid
brick on the
lower part of
the back of
our new
addition.
When you are tall (I'm 6 foot 2 inches) you especially notice people who are taller than you. Sunday I visited with Jerry Ben, a Nigerian who attends our church. He told me he is 6 foot 8 inches!
Brooksyne took this photo out our front window this morning before sunrise. At the time we post this message it's stopped snowing and is warming up so the snow cover will not last long.
This last weekend we had a very interesting experience visiting Lakewood New Jersey that we will share about in a forthcoming message.
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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.
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Weber
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Joy, PA 17552
To
donate
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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).Thank
you,
Stephen & Brooksyne
Stephen & Brooksyne
2024
offerings YTD:
$1,940.00
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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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