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ministry of
Stephen &
Brooksyne
Weber
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Friday,
March 8, 2024
Our
persistent
robin
"A
Teachable
Spirit"
Message
summary: "Show
me Your ways,
O LORD, teach
me Your paths;
guide me in
Your truth and
teach me, for
You are God my
Savior, and my
hope is in You
all day long"
(Psalm
25:4,5).
Notice that
the Psalmist's
receptivity to
being taught
is expressed
twice and he
directs it to
God. Like the
maturing
Christian
believer, he
had a growing
knowledge of
the nature,
character, and
precepts of
God, yet he
continues to
implore God,
"Teach
me". Do
you have a
teachable
spirit today?
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"If you are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You" (Exodus 33:13). "Show me Your ways, O LORD, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long" (Psalm 25:4,5).
"If you are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You" (Exodus 33:13). "Show me Your ways, O LORD, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long" (Psalm 25:4,5).
For
the last
several days
a robin has
persistently
pecked on one
of our dining
room windows.
Early this
morning she*
is already
busy at work
and you can
hear the tap
tap tap sound
all through
our house.
We've
gotten used to
it but wonder
how long
before she
gives up.
"Birds
sometimes
attack windows
and especially
tinted glass,
by pecking or
striking them.
This is
usually
because they
can see their
own
reflection,
and think it
is a
challenger for
their
territory."
(see link
below)
There
are a number
of steps that
I can take to
prevent this
according to
the website
but in this
case she'll
just have to
learn. Apart
from the
smudges on the
window I don't
see it hurting
her much or
the window. At
this point
it's just
rather
entertaining.
A
few years back
a robin
ferociously
attacked our
living room
window with
its tap, tap,
tap over a
period of
days. It was
bleeding all
over the porch
so Brooksyne
hung a sheet
on the inside
of the window
trying to
deter the bird
from seeing
its image. It
had little
effect but
eventually it
went away.
I
don't know how
to teach a
bird or
whether she
would even
have a
teachable
spirit, a
receptivity to
learn from a
human. But God
created us
human beings
in His image
with an
ability to be
taught and we
do well to
have a
teachable
spirit.
Having a desire to learn can come at a very early age but it is desirable that we keep a teachable spirit through every season of our life. Doing so will keep our hearts and minds in tune. Do you occasionally feel like your communication with God is out of tune or not in proper sync? You know the direction you want to go but there seems to be a lot of "squeak, squawk, or static" along the way. You're not quite "on pitch"?
The static of everyday life may include the clownworld-like national and world news, family conflict, work related stresses, physical challenges, financial hardships or anything that clouds the path God has laid out for us, as revealed throughout His Word. It is tempting to pray that all of these obstacles be removed from our lives, yet it is through these challenges that God reminds us of His promises, reveals His power and shows His purpose to us.
I pray for myself and others that we will have a "teachable spirit" as a lifelong characteristic that guides us through the variables of life. During each stage of life our sinful human nature can manifest itself with a stubborn, unteachable spirit. We might see or experience it in the awkward youth and young adult years, the smug middle aged, or the cynical, I know-it-all senior years. Instead we need an enduring teachable spirit that will guide and sustain us until the clouds pass over, the static is cleared, and heaven is closer in view.
Moses, who at 80 years of age was demonstrably instructed by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, made this request of God: "If you are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You" (Exodus 33:13). Moses made this request of God after the Israelites rebelled against God and their leader, Moses, because he "was so long in coming down from the mountain" (Exodus 32:1). They grew weary of the "waiting" process and defiantly built a golden calf worshipping it in place of the living God.
Our second daily text is an excellent lifelong verse: "Show me Your ways, O LORD, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long" (Psalm 25:4,5). Notice that the Psalmist's receptivity to being taught is expressed twice and he directed it to God. Like the maturing Christian believer, he had a growing knowledge of the nature, character, and precepts of God, yet he continued to implore God, "Teach me."
In doing so he awaited God's instruction on how His ways are to be implemented in his particular circumstance. This teachable spirit fundamentally acknowledges, "You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long". That's the outlook on life I sure want to have for the remaining days God has allotted me here on earth!
Even though God is the ultimate source of all teaching, He uses a variety of channels to teach us. His ways are fundamentally discovered in His Word, but the lifelong student will recognize the input from prayer, from other believers, from nature itself, and providential circumstances as well.
Do you have a teachable spirit today?
Having a desire to learn can come at a very early age but it is desirable that we keep a teachable spirit through every season of our life. Doing so will keep our hearts and minds in tune. Do you occasionally feel like your communication with God is out of tune or not in proper sync? You know the direction you want to go but there seems to be a lot of "squeak, squawk, or static" along the way. You're not quite "on pitch"?
The static of everyday life may include the clownworld-like national and world news, family conflict, work related stresses, physical challenges, financial hardships or anything that clouds the path God has laid out for us, as revealed throughout His Word. It is tempting to pray that all of these obstacles be removed from our lives, yet it is through these challenges that God reminds us of His promises, reveals His power and shows His purpose to us.
I pray for myself and others that we will have a "teachable spirit" as a lifelong characteristic that guides us through the variables of life. During each stage of life our sinful human nature can manifest itself with a stubborn, unteachable spirit. We might see or experience it in the awkward youth and young adult years, the smug middle aged, or the cynical, I know-it-all senior years. Instead we need an enduring teachable spirit that will guide and sustain us until the clouds pass over, the static is cleared, and heaven is closer in view.
Moses, who at 80 years of age was demonstrably instructed by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, made this request of God: "If you are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You" (Exodus 33:13). Moses made this request of God after the Israelites rebelled against God and their leader, Moses, because he "was so long in coming down from the mountain" (Exodus 32:1). They grew weary of the "waiting" process and defiantly built a golden calf worshipping it in place of the living God.
Our second daily text is an excellent lifelong verse: "Show me Your ways, O LORD, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long" (Psalm 25:4,5). Notice that the Psalmist's receptivity to being taught is expressed twice and he directed it to God. Like the maturing Christian believer, he had a growing knowledge of the nature, character, and precepts of God, yet he continued to implore God, "Teach me."
In doing so he awaited God's instruction on how His ways are to be implemented in his particular circumstance. This teachable spirit fundamentally acknowledges, "You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long". That's the outlook on life I sure want to have for the remaining days God has allotted me here on earth!
Even though God is the ultimate source of all teaching, He uses a variety of channels to teach us. His ways are fundamentally discovered in His Word, but the lifelong student will recognize the input from prayer, from other believers, from nature itself, and providential circumstances as well.
Do you have a teachable spirit today?
Be
encouraged
today,
Hebrews
3:13
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, we
know that we
must do more
than just read
Your Word, but
we must apply
Your truths so
that we and
others see the
work of Your
Spirit in our
lives. The
Israelites
looked to You
for guidance
in the cloud
by day and the
fire by night.
They learned
when to wait
and when to
walk. It is in
the waiting
times that we
learn
endurance and
it is in the
walking times
that we learn
to trust.
There is much
learning that
takes place
whether we are
being still or
whether we are
on the "go",
that is, if
our spirit is
teachable.
Whether we are
moving
forward or
staying still
our hope is in
You all the
day long.
Amen.*
The robin is
perhaps a "he"
but certainly
not "trans",
an invention
by fallen
humans, ruined
by the fall,
who "invent
new ways of
doing evil"
(Romans 1:30).
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
"Teach
Me Thy Way O
Lord"
Watch
on YouTube
We've
had Luis, a
man helping us
with some
handyman type
work in our
home, and he
wonders if the
bird is trying
to get to the
tree in the
foreground, so
Brooksyne
moved the tree
this morning
to see if that
is the
attraction to
the bird.
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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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Encouragement
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Stephen
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Weber
495
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Church Road
Mount
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:
$3,865.00
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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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