Daily Encouragement

The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

About Us

Listen to these messages Archives

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!

Search Daily Encouragement

A new message is updated most weekdays, usually by Noon Eastern Time (USA).
(Click refresh or reload for current message)

Friday, June 21, 2024

_{^{"What
Needless Pain
We Bear"}}

Message summary: "Let your salvation, O God, set me on high!” That should remain our prayer during times of affliction and pain all through life so that regardless of the pain we are enduring we do not forfeit His peace and bear needless pain.

Listen to our message on your audio player.

“But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high!” (Psalm 69:29).

Earlier this week we shared a message about the beloved hymn written in 1855 "What A Friend We Have In Jesus", focusing on the aspect of Jesus being our friend as stated in John 15:15, "I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you".

When we sing an older song, due to its familiarity, we may take the lyrics for granted. Occasionally I like to consider each phrase. This last Sunday as we sang this verse and the underlined phrase struck me and has stayed with me since Sunday:

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

"Oh, what needless pain we bear".

Since the fall (original sin) pain has been a normal part of the human condition. Immediately after the fall God told Eve, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you" (Genesis 3:15).

Then He told Adam, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life" (Genesis 3:17).

This has proven to be true for all of Adam and Eve's descendants. Childbirth is notoriously painful and, in one way or another, we all experience pain to various degrees all the days of our life.

Many years ago I read a book titled "The Gift of Pain" which certainly brings an interesting perspective but that's for another message!

Pain can be physical or emotional but in the original poem Joseph Scriven uses the two words "needless pain". He wrote this poem and sent it to his mother who was experiencing affliction of some sort. I tend to see this as applicable to any sort of pain but especially emotional pain, due to the line that precedes it, "Oh, what peace we often forfeit". After all, even when we take it to the Lord in prayer, we don't always find relief from physical pain and some faithful Christians live with chronic pain.

Dan Presgrave writes,

"This phrase reminds us of the torment that results when we become victims of Satan’s lies and deceptions. His sole purpose is to fan the flames of our human nature: 'You don’t need any help. You can be your own god; you can get all the glory'. (Does that sound familiar?)".

That's why we must carry everything to God in prayer!

Consider this illustration:

An instructor walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As he raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on his face, he inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

He replied, “The absolute weight does not matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”

He continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And, if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”

Again, that's why we must carry everything to God in prayer!

Today's Bible text is something that many of us can identify with, "I am afflicted and in pain". Some of you can say that as you read this.

The nature of the affliction and pain is not specified in the text. Of course I can't remember when I first experienced pain but my first specific memory of excruciating pain was when I broke my ankle playing football. I've had many times of pain since then and as you get older you get new pains! Of course Brooksyne's story is similar and she also recalls the pain of a broken ankle.

But we've also known emotional pain in various ways and that can be even harder to bear.

The verse continues with this timeless appeal, "Let your salvation, O God, set me on high!” That should remain our prayer during times of affliction and pain all through life so that regardless of the pain we are enduring we do not forfeit His peace and bear needless pain.

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, when we have trials and temptations or trouble anywhere that can easily discourage us. You want us to go to You in prayer, to cast our every care on You, because You care so deeply about us. We will never find another friend so faithful with whom we can share all our sorrows nor will we find a nonjudgmental friend who knows our every weakness and still listens, comforts, and shields us from the flaming arrows of Satan. Thank You for being our Refuge, our Strength and our blessed Redeemer. Let Your salvation, O God, set me on high! Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"What A Friend We Have In Jesus" Watch on YouTube Eldridge Family Brooksyne's Note: A family singing all three verses while sitting on a sofa. When I first opened this Youtube I thought they were lip syncing as it sounded like a choir, but indeed it is a family group that sings beautifully. One could be fooled that they are singing since their rendition looks "effortless".

"What A Friend We Have In Jesus" Watch on YouTube Redeemed Quartet

"Come Jesus Come" Watch on YouTube CeCe Winans

"In Christ Alone" Watch on YouTube The Bontrager Family Singers

The Bontrager Family Singers - This family singing group is coming to our own neighborhood this Sunday evening June 23, 2024 at 6 PM, just one road over at the Brubaker Farms on 493 Musser Rd., Mount Joy. A free will offering will be taken. The location is in a very peaceful setting in the meadow on this side of the creek in the photo below. Bring lawn chairs. Brooksyne will be there. (Stephen has a prior commitment to speak to a men's group that evening but might arrive toward the end.) If you should want to come early and stop in for a cold drink or view Brooksyne's flower gardens come around 5 PM or before as she will leave for the singing by 5:30. We'd love to visit with you in our neck of the woods!

The Brubaker Farm

(Click on photo to enlarge. This photo, probably from a drone, is on their website)

Brubaker Farms Mission Statement: "Our mission is to glorify the Lord through the stewardship of our team, animals, community, and the environment".

Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne

About Us

"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update

Daily Encouragement email!

(each weekday)

Name:

Email:

We respect your email privacy

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: $10,655.00

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."

dailyencouragement.net

"Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"