Daily Encouragement

The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
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Wednesday, December 3, 2025

This 1954 Chevy 3100 pickup truck has a nice parking spot under the barn overhang on a farm along Pinkerton Road south of Mount Joy. The truck is the same model year as I am and appears to still be in use!

Click on photo to enlarge

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Message summary: Today, consider that the rebuke of our God is an evidence of His love and let us rejoice in the "word of encouragement that addresses you as sons".

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"Better is open rebuke than hidden love" (Proverbs 27:5). “And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He [the Lord] rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son’” (Hebrews 12:5-6).

Have you ever been rebuked? I sure have and I needed it on more than one occasion. Can you recall a specific time when you were admonished, reproved, or rebuked (they all mean the same thing)? As you read our message today, you will likely recall a time(s) when you were rebuked by a relative, supervisor, church leader, friend, etc. It was painful at the time but beneficial and even necessary for your character development.

When we've been corrected for our poor attitude or unacceptable behavior in a light-hearted manner, we may not stop to think of the seriousness of the matter. It doesn't get our attention in the same way as that of a person who has taken the troubling situation very seriously, even putting their relationship at risk when approaching us about a matter that needs to be corrected. The rebuke may be firm. And more than likely that experience will stay in your memory and change you for the better the remainder of your life, if you respond properly.

Most would consider the words "rebuke" and "encouragement" as mutually exclusive. Just the word, “rebuke” can set your heart on edge and very few would consider the act of being rebuked as encouraging! But let’s read a perspective from Scripture today and consider the blessing of rebuke.

In the daily verse the writer of Hebrews is actually quoting from Proverbs 3:11,12. Let us consider the phrase, “Do not lose heart when He rebukes you”.

I’ll be completely honest: I much prefer commendation over rebuke. Commendation makes me feel warm inside, kind of like the setting at a dining room table when the colorful Thanksgiving feast is piping hot, ready to be dished up. Commendation is like getting a pat on the back telling us, “Don’t make any changes. Keep on doing what you’re doing.”

On the other hand “rebuke” makes me uncomfortable, sort of like being sent to the principal’s office or like a throbbing toothache that won’t go away: rebuke that stops us in our tracks forcing us to do an internal search which also brings about humility and needed change.

We like commendation because it’s easier. But we also need rebuke to grow us and bring about needed disciplines, conforming us to be more like Christ.

The rebuke spoken of in our text is from the Lord, “Do not lose heart when He [the Lord] rebukes you”. The Greek word for rebuke in this passage is “elegcho”.

This is the same Greek word used in John 3:20 that is translated "exposed": “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” Why do people prefer darkness rather than light? It seems to me at least a part of the answer lies in our response to God’s rebuke (conviction and exposing of sin). The one loving darkness hates the light which exposes sin. Those of us who love the Lord respond to the disinfecting qualities of light with confession, repentance, and change even though it can be a very uncomfortable experience! That’s why Solomon and later the writer of Hebrews cautions us, “Do not lose heart” at His [the Lord's] rebuke.

The rebuke from our Lord may come through His Word, an inner conviction by His Holy Spirit or through another person such as Nathan’s rebuke to King David (2 Samuel 12) or Paul’s rebuke to Peter (Galatians 2:11).

Today, consider that the rebuke of our God is an evidence of His love and let us rejoice in the "word of encouragement that addresses you as sons".

Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, it comes very naturally to encourage and instruct others in Your teachings. But it is far more difficult to bring loving rebuke and correction to one who has chosen to live in disobedience to Your commands. Help me to go forth as one pure in heart, humble in spirit, and earnest in prayer when I am commissioned to be Your messenger of a life-giving rebuke. It wasn’t Nathan who went after David, but it was You who sent Nathan, which served as the beginning of David’s spiritual restoration. When the messenger is pure in motive and obedient to the Spirit’s prompting, and the message is received in the right spirit, then correction will take place, just as it did with David. Though I cannot be assured of the desired results help me to find blessing in having been obedient to Your Spirit’s leading. When I am the recipient of a rebuke may I respond in humility and receive the correction as though it were delivered personally from You and respond accordingly. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

This photo was taken at the same farm south of Mount Joy as the truck photo above. It has stayed cold and the light snow coating in our area remains and probably will for several days with projected temps.
Click on photo to enlarge

Also along Pinkerton Road I passed the Rocky Acre Farm Bed and Breakfast. This place always catches my attention with the stone retaining wall and windmill next to the house.
Click on photo to enlarge

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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.

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