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Tuesday, November 18, 2025
"Gracious
Words"
Message summary: Thank God for the blessing of gracious words!
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"An
anxious heart
weighs a man
down, but a
kind word
cheers him up"
(Proverbs
12:25).
"Gracious
words are like
a honeycomb,
sweetness to
the soul and
health to the
body"
(Proverbs
16:24).
Our church
will soon
complete a
fall sermon
series from
the book of
Proverbs. One
aspect of
aging is
observing how
much things
change during
one's
lifetime,
including the
typical
worship
service in
many churches.
I pastored
churches from
1976 through
2001. Since
that time our
main ministry
focus has been
chaplaincy and
this online
writing
ministry.
When I was a young pastor high tech was the overhead projector! Of course most churches now use PowerPoint and other audio/video resources. I'm not sure when it started but many churches, including our own, now use a "bumper video" just before the sermon, a colorful inspirational transition that is intended to get your attention for the message.
Our
church's
bumper video
currently
features
various
proverbs
with a
stunning video
background
including one
with today's
second text we
use as our
lead photo.
Click the link
below to see
the entire
video bumper
if you care
to. The photo
of the honey
can sure
create an
appealing
desire for
that wonderful
taste!
"An
anxious heart
weighs a man
down". Many
(likely all at
one time or
another) have
experienced an
anxious
heart.
What a
powerful word
picture of the
burden of
anxiety.
Someone once
defined
anxiety as "a
small trickle
of fear that
meanders
through the
mind, cutting
a channel into
which all
other thoughts
flow".
An inner
battle rages
between trust
and worry.
Trust dispels
worry. But
much like the
popup figures
in an arcade
shooting
gallery, worry
just keeps
popping back
up!
The anxieties
of this life
really can
weigh one
down.
Sometimes it
seems they
really
pressure the
heart and you
can actually
feel it. The
KJV says it
"maketh it
stoop". We are
sure most of
you know what
we mean. And
we wouldn't be
surprised if
some of you
reading this
are
experiencing
an anxious
heart as you
read this.
"But a kind word cheers him up". The word for "cheer" is literally derived from a Hebrew word meaning to "brighten up."
Thank God for the blessing of gracious words! They really are, as our second verse states, "like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body".
We have so
often been the
recipient of
such kind and
gracious
words. An
earnest "I'm
praying for
you", a caring
"How's your
health?", or a
sincere "I
really
appreciate
you." Gracious
words like
these really
cheer the
heart and, in
each of the
above
examples, we
can recall a
specific
instance from
which we
continue to
draw energy.
Brooksyne and
I have prayed
that you will
receive some
gracious words
today. If
you're like us
you desire to
surround
yourself with
people who are
gracious and
kind; that's
understandable
and normal.
But we also
challenge you
to be a
dispensary of
kind words and
deeds. Don't
base it on
whether the
recipient
deserves it;
do it as an
exercise of
obedience to
God. Is there
one of us who
deserves God's
kindness?
As you fulfill
the Biblical
principle of
sowing what
you desire to
reap, you may
be surprised
at the result.
Or maybe you
won't, but you
will be
obedient as
you exercise
kindness, the
fifth fruit of
the spirit
listed in
Galatians
5:22,23. After
all, it's easy
to show
kindness in
response to
kindness, but
the real fruit
of people's
character is
seen when they
respond in
kindness to an
unkind word or
act.
Be
encouraged
today! Hebrews
3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, the
cares of this
world often
press in on us
and weigh our
hearts down.
It's not your
desire that we
carry this
heavy load
because You
are our Burden
Bearer. You
use the
difficult
circumstances
of our lives
to bring
spiritual
maturity into
our
relationship
with You.
There are many
situations
where we've
been dealt
with unjust or
unkind words.
But there are
many other
times we've
received
kindness when
we didn't seek
it. Help us to
find ways to
speak gracious
words or
extend
ourselves in
thoughtful and
generous ways
that will
brighten one's
day. Let us be
as rays of
sunshine to
one who might
be
overshadowed
by clouds of
discouragement
today. Amen.
A recent
example of
random
kindness:
Ester has very
much been
enjoying her
job at the
Weis
supermarket in
Elizabethtown.
Last week she
helped an
older lady who
was having
difficulty
with clipping
her ecoupons
(digital
grocery
coupons).
Ester saw she
was having
difficulty and
assisted her
so that she
was able to
purchase the
groceries at
the ecoupon
sale price. A
few minutes
later the lady
returned from
her car to
give Ester a
gift, a
cutting board
handmade by
her husband.
The woman
expressed
gratitude for
the friendly
and helpful
service Ester
gave to her.
Well, you can
imagine how
pleased Ester
was to receive
such a gift,
especially
that it was
made by the
customer's
husband. She
excitedly told
me about it
when she got
home and
showed me the
excellent
craftsmanship
that went into
it. Afterwards
she informed
me, "Mom,
we're not ever
going to cut
on this
cutting
board". I
assured her
that I would
not!
Observation:
A verse in
Genesis rather
graphically
describes the
severely
strained
relationship
of Joseph and
his older
brothers who
were extremely
jealous of
him. "They
hated him and
could not
speak a kind
word to him"
(Genesis
37:4). What a
heartbreaking
description of
a very
dysfunctional
family! Can
you imagine
such seething
resentment
that would
leave the
brothers
unable to
merely say a
kind word to
their own
brother?
Brooksyne's
Note: The
life of Joseph
is found in
Genesis 37-50.
Though I've
known this
story since
childhood I
never tire of
re-reading it
and being
reminded of
the importance
of forgiveness
and
reconciliation.
If anyone
could be
filled with
worry and
fear,
certainly
Joseph was a
perfect
candidate. But
God had a plan
for his life
that could not
be changed
through the
unjust actions
of others,
though he was
abandoned,
enslaved,
framed,
falsely
imprisoned,
and seemingly
forgotten.
God's plan was
not thwarted
in the midst
of all that
would seem to
indicate that
He had
forgotten
Joseph. But
the scene was
only setting
up in slow
motion for
great drama
and
uncontrollable
emotion as
Joseph rose to
second in
command in his
adopted
country of
Egypt. I'm so
blessed in
reading of
Joseph's
perspective to
the extremely
difficult
circumstances
of his life
over the
previous
twenty years
when he said
to his
estranged
brothers,
"God sent me
ahead of you
to preserve
for you a
remnant on
earth and to
save your
lives so then,
it was not you
who sent me
here, but God"
(Gen. 45:7,8).
We, like
Joseph, need
to recognize
that God is
working behind
the scenes in
every
circumstance
of our life –
whether it is
the workplace,
the family,
the church,
the
neighborhood
or any other
uncomfortable
matter that we
are dealing
with. If we
want the
spiritual
maturity of
Joseph we also
must undergo
the testings
that brought
him to such
mature
perspective.
Ouch!
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
Here's
the bumper
video from
our church
service this
last Sunday
referred to in
today's
message
This
clip has
several songs
our choir sang
this last
Sunday at
Calvary Church
beginning with
a Scripture
reading from
Dave, our
worship pastor
Watch
on YouTube
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directly
online click
here.
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that
designates the
offering to:
Stephen and
Brooksyne
Weber -
700001-237376
serving in
specialized
chaplaincy
(Daily
Encouragement
is our
endorsed
special
chaplaincy
ministry).
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Stephen & Brooksyne
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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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