“Sowing In Prayer”
May 1, 2013
Listen to this message on your audio player.The National Day of Prayer is held the first Thursday in May each year here in the United States. Tomorrow, May 2, we will have prayer gatherings all throughout our land. Daily Encouragement is sent to believers in many different countries all around the world and is written for the spiritual edification of all true believers regardless of where they live. I am not aware if other countries have an official national day of prayer, but I hope that they do. I genuinely believe this is a very important event in our country. This is the 62nd annual National Day of Prayer.
Organized efforts for prayer are held in large and small communities throughout the U.S. Here in Lancaster County we have a very well organized and focused prayer task force. The event begins this evening with a Youth Edition prayer meeting in a city park. All through the day tomorrow there will be prayer activities on the campus of Lancaster Bible College culminating with a “Celebration of Prayer” evening service with Greg Laurie as special speaker.
Tomorrow we plan the be out early for our chaplain ministry and then stop by the LBC campus in the early afternoon to participate. Tomorrow’s encouragement will essentially be a prayer.
Is it worth it? I’m sure I am not the only one who turns that question over in my mind at times. After all, the moral and spiritual decline continues in our nation and around the world. Truthfully it seems to be increasing by the day.
I believe the daily verse, although not exclusively related to prayer, addresses this question: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
In prayer, as in other acts of obedience to God, we are “doing good” as we are anytime we obey God’s Word. But we can become weary when the answers don’t come as we would desire. Some versions use the phrase here “lose heart” rather than “weary”.
When we pray earnestly to the God of heaven, through His Son Jesus Christ, in faith and humility we are “doing good” and “sowing to please the Spirit.” Prayer does not always result in an immediate harvest but we have a wonderful promise that “we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” This harvest or reaping will take place in the “proper time”, that is; the appointed season ordained by God.
“We” are the people of God. The harvest in this context is ultimately spiritual and eternal. In reality the moral decline may very well continue and judgment will most certainly come, both in this life and in the life to come. The people of God in past generations experienced the effects of judgment as a result of the sins of the nation. Consider the godly remnant who lived at the time of the fall of Jerusalem during the time of Jeremiah. They too were severely impacted by God’s judgment but also preserved by His merciful hand. Out of that remnant came the faithful like Daniel and others who carried on the message of God.
So let us encourage you today, wherever you live, to continue to call out to the one true God. Whatever your circumstances, however serious your situation, regardless of how long you’ve waited: keep believing and obeying. Keep praying, for we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, we are grateful for Your abundant mercy extended to us because You are a loving, forgiving God. You have called on us, Your children, to be a people of prayer and devotion. We pray for our land to repent of neglect and defiance of Your commands. We come against the powers of darkness that seek to extinguish the light of Your salvation that brings help and hope to weary souls in this life and secures their eternal place in heaven. Help us not to grow weary in our intercession, for we want to be faithful in prayer so that, at a future date, we will witness the harvest of souls. We pray for Your will to be accomplished in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Note: The godless also have a special national day. Of the 365 days from which they can choose from, they also choose tomorrow for what they call “A National Day Of Reason”! The National Day of Reason is a secular celebration for humanists, atheists, and other secularists and freethinkers in response to the National Day of Prayer, a legal holiday in the United States. The day is celebrated on the first Thursday in May of every year, to coincide with the National Day of Prayer, which many atheist and secular groups view to be unconstitutional. The National Day of Reason was created by the American Humanist Association and the Washington Area Secular Humanists in 2003.
Of course the basic premise in the name “Day of Reason” is that they contend those of us who have faith and pray to God are not using reason! Psalm 14:1 Romans 1:22
As I consider attacks on the faith and the faithful by the world these two songs are so encouraging to me.
“I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary” Video Gaither Vocal Band
“Reason Enough” Video Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Today’s Suggested Musicand SupplementalResources
Today and through the remainder of the week we will share music on prayer adding to the list day by day with recently added songs at the top.
“Waiting Here For You“ Video Passion Worship Music
“Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing“ Video Fernando Ortega
“Hear Our Prayer” Video Don Moen
“Hear Our Prayers” Video The Glorious Unseen
“You Said” Video Hillsong
“I Must Tell Jesus” Video The Grace Thrillers
National Day Of Prayer website
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Are our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? We ask you to consider making a donation to Daily Encouragement Net so that we can continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support of its readers and podcast listeners. See here for more information on supporting this ministry. Gifts are tax deductible.
“Redeeming The Time”
October 19, 2012
Stately tree on The Green in Litchfield, Connecticut.
Listen to this message on your audio player.
“Redeeming The Time”
Yesterday we attended a meeting at Lancaster Bible College with a group we are associated with called “Convene” which as stated on their website is “a gathering of Christian CEOs and Business Owners helping each other build exceptional businesses, increase leadership success, and have greater Kingdom impact.” Although we are not business owners or CEO’s, Ron Hoover, the local chair of the group, is an encouraging supporter of our chaplain ministry and periodically invites us to attend the group when he feels we would benefit.
Ron led a devotional in yesterday’s meeting titled ”Every Life Has A Story” which reminded us how we never know when the opportunity for a witness will come to make an eternal impact on another soul. We must be intentional as we listen to others to discover their greatest need.
The devotional message included a moving video which indicates the underlying story people have that helps us to understand their need. (A link to the video is posted below this message and we encourage you to watch it as it will touch your heart.)
We are strong advocates of Christianity being expressed at the personal level. But ministry of any sort can, at times, be discouraging. One of the benefits of aging is a long-term perspective and getting an increasingly bigger picture of how God is using us and even the way that God is working things out.
All of you reading this who follow Christ are in ministry. We often associate “ministry” in a formal, vocational way such as being the pastor of a local church, but God has called each of His followers to serve and to be a servant which is the root meaning of minister. We are spread all around the world in a wide variety of settings to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we are called to “redeem the time” or as another version states “make the most of every opportunity”.
Today’s Scripture text is an ongoing call we do well to heed:
“See then that you walk circumspectly” This has the sense of being careful. Another version states, “Be very careful, then, how you live” It seems so many give little thought to how they live, especially in regard to eternity.
“Not as fools but as wise” This is speaking of the whole of living life. Jesus taught that the wise man builds his house on a firm foundation, hearing and practicing His teachings. (see Matthew 7:24-27)
Paul wrote to Timothy a challenge that has meant so much to me especially since my ordination in 1979 when I did a thorough study of verses dealing with ministry. The pastoral epistles were a special focus of my study. Concerning Timothy’s ministry Paul wrote, “Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:15,16).
The daily text continues, “redeeming the time, because the days are evil”. Today we encourage you to look for the opportunities to serve that God will providentially place before you.
It’s not just from the pulpit that people are challenged to live for Christ, but it’s often in the everyday grind that ordinary followers of Christ like you who have opportunity to make an eternal difference in one’s life and you may not even know you are doing it!
Coming out of the Convene meeting yesterday we were especially cognizant of this need to listen to people and look for opportunities. Let me (Stephen) share two experiences by way of illustration:
- We visited a company afterwards and an employee shared a burden in which I had the opportunity to share a Scripture.
- We stopped by a grocery store on the way home. I commended an employee in the produce department for his hard work and he shared his story of overcoming, after some tough setbacks in life.*
Let us all look for opportunities to share God’s love and care today in various settings. And let’s depend on Him for the long-term results. As life progresses you will increasingly see the blessed fruit of your labors, and when you do remember this, only part of the results are revealed on this side of heaven!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, we are called to obedience to Your Word which compels us to redeem the time, because the days are evil. As we see evil crouching in at every level, it’s all the more reason why we must be vigilant to live pure lives so that the light of Jesus shines through our words and our actions in this darkened world. We want to pay close attention to ourselves and persevere in the truths presented in Scripture so that we will ensure salvation both for ourselves and for those whom we have opportunity to influence. It is through Jesus that we pray. Amen.
* Look for ways to show value, appreciation and commendation to people and express it verbally. This last Sunday I was speaking to some young people after the church service and I asked them what they wanted to do for a living when they grew up. A young boy about 12 years old looked up at me and said “I want to be a garbage collector”. Now I could have told him he could do a lot better than that and of course he may change his mind as he gets older. But I told him that being a garbage collector is a very important job and we all depend on good, conscientious garbage collectors.
Yesterday we spoke to a friend who identified with a childhood memory I shared last week about getting my mouth washed out with liquid ivory soap. Lee is my age and recalled using a bad word at school. In attempting to correct her student his teacher instructed him to open his mouth. She then dabbed his tongue with a bar of ivory soap! He said he never told his folks and prayed that they wouldn’t find out. Had they known he would have been in double trouble at home. We old-timers lamented how times have changed and it would now be the teacher in trouble. In fact there might even be a lawsuit involved.
Here is a photo of the Convene meeting we attended yesterday held in a brand new state of the art building at Lancaster Bible College.
While at the meeting we enjoyed visiting with Peter Teague, the college president, who explained the significance of the building’s design. He is a very enthusiastic proponent of the Bible College and shared that LBC is now the second largest Bible College in the country, second only to Moody Bible College. As Bible College graduates we are very pleased to hear this and also saddened as we are reminded that the Bible College we both graduated from in the seventies is in the process of being consolidated with a more liberal college.
Ron Hoover joined us for dinner last year. Ron has been very encouraging to us in our chaplain ministry as a local chair of a businessmen’s group called “Convene”. Ron has a mentoring role among younger businessmen and women, encouraging them to use their giftings, education and skills to serve the Lord. This summer Ron and his wife Bonnie celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Following our Convene meeting yesterday we went to an open house for Smucker Laser Cutting, one of the companies we serve as chaplains. Dimos, Dan and Stephen, three of the employees stood in front of a table displaying products the company makes. Laser cutting is an amazing process to watch as the laser machine cuts through 1 inch steel with ease.
Today’s Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
“People Need The Lord” Video Steve Green A reminder of the hurting world we live in.
“Use Me” Video Ron Kenoly A reminder that God can use each one of us.
Lancaster Bible College You can also watch a short video by Dr. Teague and hear his heart for the ministry of the college.
Ministry Update (Revised 5/12)
Are our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? We ask you to consider making a donation to Daily Encouragement Net so that we can continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support of its readers and podcast listeners. See here for more information on supporting this ministry. Gifts are tax deductible.
“Whatever Happened To Joseph?”
August 17, 2012
Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, Utah
(photo by Howard Blichfeldt)
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“Whatever Happened To Joseph?”
I’ve been visiting with a friend in one of our companies who is waiting for an open door of ministry. He trained at Lancaster Bible College, then seminary. For several years we’ve discussed various pending ministry openings but it seems the open door always closes, thus far anyway. This week we discussed a current pastoral position he is being considered for. “May the Lord’s will be done” is his attitude during the wait. In the meantime he remains active in lay ministry and has a supervisory role in his company.
I just received a commentary on Acts from a daily encouragement reader which is written by his pastor. A commentary, for those who may not be aware, is a Bible study reference book that takes a selection of Scripture followed by further explanations or comments. Preachers appreciate commentaries as a resource in sermon preparation but others can also benefit from reading them just for personal enrichment. I read the notes related to Acts 1 and considered a somewhat obscure portion at the end of the chapter that relates to my friend’s situation.
Today I’d like us to consider a man that few give thought to. There are several Josephs in the Bible but this Joseph is a man whose name appears in the first chapter of Acts and then disappears. The only reference given to this particular Joseph, he was a disciple who had been with the Lord from the beginning of His ministry, and witnessed His resurrection. These are pretty astounding credentials.
He, along with Matthias, was being considered for a very important job. Actually, the opportunity of a lifetime. The disciples had an opening to fill among the Twelve and he and Matthias were up for it. Here’s the Scripture reference, “So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.” After an earnest prayer and a selection procedure Matthias was chosen.
I wonder what happened to Joseph? Did he get bitter or resentful? Was he envious of Matthias? Did he question the selection procedure? Did he stew, “Life just isn’t fair”.
Or did he go on, like millions have since his time, and faithfully serve the Lord the remainder of his life in relative obscurity? I really expect this to be the case.
And I believe there are a lot of people like Joseph. Really, each of us can relate in one way or another. We’ve all had disappointments haven’t we? That job offer that fell through, the personal rejection that still stings, that election or promotion that went to the “other guy”.
How we handle it is what really matters. Sometimes it is made clear to us why a door didn’t open, though not always immediate, but more often over time. At times more training or skills were needed for a particular job situation. There are those circumstances where God was protecting us from a potential danger we ourselves could not see at the time.
We’ve found both in house hunting and in pastoral ministry that God closed the doors we had walked through only to provide a much better opportunity that was not available until several months later. The above examples and many more turn into life lessons that can’t be learned just by reading a book or taking a written examination.
Ultimately it’s God who opens and closes doors. What peace that brings to the quivering heart! I am quite certain that is the attitude of my friend and will be regardless of what happens. Let us all keep serving God in whatever door He opens and trust that He knows best when a door is closed.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, we desire to have You lead us in the paths of righteousness that lead us in the way everlasting. Sometimes the next step we take is clearly visible and other times it is a step of faith as darkness seems to veil Your leading. As we earnestly pray we can trust You who stilled the tempest and turned darkness into light. We pray for discernment and a willing spirit to follow Your leading in all matters, no matter the outcome. Amen.
Mount Gretna, PA
Dan invited me to an ordination service in which a decision was being made regarding the selection of a pastor. His church, an old order type Mennonite church, used a selection process similar to that used in Acts 1 that I had never witnessed before. As in Acts 1 two men’s names were proposed, one being Dan’s. The congregation is in earnest prayer during this time that the will of God will preside over the will of man.
In the ordination service the bishop solemnly placed a card in one of two identical Bibles. Each man was then instructed to choose a Bible. The one who chose the Bible with the card was determined to be the man of God’s own choosing. I was very impressed by the service and this earnest means of determining God’s will in a spiritual matter. As I was introduced to this uncommon pastoral selection process I recalled some of the petty politicizing I’ve seen over the years that can easily infect many other selection processes.
I know Dan was excited about this potential opportunity to serve. Potential opportunities always give us reason for contemplation, planning, and talking about the possible changes just ahead. We invest a lot of time, energy, and emotion to such opportunities. It’s hard to be willing without also being excited. Yet Dan was not chosen. What a touching moment to see the brother who had been chosen and Dan hugging each other following the process. But Dan was OK, because he and his family, along with the other believers, had been praying about the outcome and had placed the matter in the Lord’s hands. Now, many years later Dan continues to serve the Lord in his church and in the workplace as a truck driver.
Background Note: Disappointments are often His appointments. God uses circumstances, sometimes disappointing ones, to divert us to other opportunities He has for us. In the beautiful classic hymn “Have Thine Own Way” God moved upon Adelaide Pollard’s heart to write a prayer of consecration. Born in Iowa during the Civil War in 1862 Adelaide committed her life to Jesus at a young age and became involved in ministry. She felt God calling her to Africa as a missionary, but to her intense disappointment, she was unable to raise her financial support. She was in her forties at the time and attended a small prayer meeting where an elderly woman prayed, “It doesn’t matter what You bring into our lives, Lord. Just have Your own way with us.”
Following the prayer meeting Adelaide went home that evening with that phrase shaping words in her heart. She opened her Bible to the story of “the potter and the clay” in Jeremiah 18 and before she retired that night she had written out the prayer, “Have Thine Own Way.”
Brooksyne’s Personal Experience: This hymn has ministered to my heart so many times when I’m in the doorway of uncertainty – the kind of door that swings both ways and I’m not sure which way God wants me to push. Sometimes it’s the waiting He calls me to do and other times it’s the walk that He wants me to pursue. But always I want to be filled with His “Spirit, till all shall see Christ only, always, living in me.”
Thou art the Potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
Ministry Update (Revised 5/12)
Are our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? We ask you to consider making a donation to Daily Encouragement Net so that we can continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support of its readers and podcast listeners. See here for more information on supporting this ministry. Gifts are tax deductible.
“The Supremacy Of Christ”
June 26, 2012
A country porch scene
Longenecker Farmhouse in Lancaster County
Living in Lancaster County one can easily understand the fly swatter presence! Even in the nursing home many residents have them attached to their walkers. Flies are plenteous in this agricultural area.
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“The Supremacy Of Christ”
Ron and Bonnie Hoover, 50th wedding anniversary celebration
Ron and Bonnie Hoover are friends of ours who serve as spiritual mentors to the business community here in Lancaster through a group known as Convene. We met Ron over five years ago through his leadership at our local Convene group. He has been very encouraging and supportive to us in our chaplain ministry through his many contacts.
Last Saturday we attended their 50th wedding anniversary celebration at Lancaster Bible College sponsored by their three daughters and their families. It was a joyous time as they renewed the vows they committed to each other fifty years earlier to the day. (We notice that couples celebrating their 50th anniversary seem younger to us all the time!)
Bill and Bonnie both have a dynamic faith in Christ, with a knack for finding ways to witness in the midst of life’s circumstances.
Ron told a story illustrating this. He’s an engineer and in fact has a doctorate in electrical engineering. He was in a meeting discussing a quality control issue with several others. There was some frustration in the room (not uncommon in the business world) and one of the exasperated engineers said, “Jesus Christ couldn’t keep this tolerance.” Ron said, “Oh…I didn’t know that Jesus Christ worked down at our lab.” Of course this quieted things down a bit and then Ron solemnly said, “As a matter of fact Jesus Christ could keep this tolerance” and went on to testify of his faith in Christ to the group.
I treasure our daily text that asserts the supremacy of Christ in all things. For several years I have been blessed by a song, “God Of The Ages” based on this text.
Note the four times in these three verses we read the words “all things”. But today let us focus on the final one. ”In Him all things hold together.” Similarly Hebrews 1:3 declares that He is “sustaining all things by His powerful Word.” From the sub-atomic level to the farthest reaches of the universe Christ is upholding and sustaining all things, from the micro to macro.
The word sustaining is translated “upholding” in the KJV. The Amplified Bible seeks to bring out the richness of the Greek by stating “upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power.” The Greek word (pheron) is in the present active indicating a concept that is dynamic, not static. The Son’s work of sustaining involves not only support, but also movement. He is the One who carries all things through on their appointed course.
Warren Wiersbe tells a story about a guide who took a group of people through an atomic laboratory. During the tour he explained how all matter was composed of rapidly moving electric particles. The tourists studied models of molecules and were amazed to learn that matter is made up primarily of space. During the question period, one visitor asked, “If this is the way matter works, what holds it all together?” For that, the guide had no answer.
But the Christian does have the answer: Jesus Christ! Because “He is before all things,” He can hold all things together. Again, this is another affirmation that Jesus Christ is God. Only God exists before all of Creation, and only God can make Creation cohere. To make Jesus Christ less than God is to dethrone Him.
There are many things in our lives that will bring us anxiety and distress. It may be a personal health issue or a family matter. It may be our finances or the condition of the world with all the turmoil and uncertainty.
At the present we don’t know how these and many other issues will all work out. But we can experience great comfort in this eternal truth: God is sustaining all things by His powerful word! God is sustaining every single microchip and every single cell in my body and everyone else’s. “Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:15).
The God who is sustaining all things is also sustaining each one of us. He speaks through the prophet Isaiah to the ancient people of God and thus through the Scriptures to all of us: ”Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth” (Isaiah 46:3).
Let us rest in the wonderful assurance of this powerful truth and raise our eyes heavenward to declare: “You are sustaining all things by Your powerful Word and You will accomplish what concerns me for You are my Sustainer; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting” (Hebrews 1:3, Psalm 138:8).
So here’s the word of encouragement today, fellow believer. He who sustains all things will surely sustain you. He is ever dependable. Troubles that weigh you down today are under His absolute authority and as they run their course Jesus calls us to trust Him – yes, even in the midst of them. Let’s do that!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, we thank You for sending Jesus who came as God in the flesh, revealing to us Your character and personhood. You created all things and sustain them by Your powerful hand. That includes us, Your human creation. All that You created You also test. The plant life has tests of stress and endurance in the harsh elements and we, Your human creation, must endure the tests of endurance common to the flesh; whether it is relational, physical, spiritual, emotional or financial. We will endure these tests and turn them into a testimony as we rely on You, for “You will accomplish what concerns me; for You are my sustainer”. You existed before anything else and You hold all creation together. We are immensely grateful. Amen.
look to Jesus who holds everything together.
A photo of the Hoover family
A family of two expands to a family of twenty-two over 50 years.
God is good!
This week we are featuring photos of Bill and Peggy Longenecker’s farm here in Lancaster County. Bill was our neighbor when we first moved to Lancaster County in 2001. I saw him several weeks ago in a hardware store and he shared about a wagon he had restored. He invited me to come over and take a look and it was quite a sight. But what impressed me the most was just how clean his ban was!
“Indescribable” Video Chris Tomlin, Laura Story
“Laminin” Video (snippet) Video (full message) An interesting teaching by Louie Giglio from his message titled “How Great Is Our God” that relates to Colossians 1:17 and the phrase “in Him all things hold together.”
“How Great Is Our God” Video Chris Tomlin
Ministry Update (Revised 5/12)
Are our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? We ask you to consider making a donation to Daily Encouragement Net so that we can continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support of its readers and podcast listeners. See here for more information on supporting this ministry. Gifts are tax deductible.
