The
online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily
Encouragement Net is encouraging
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Encouragement Net!
Stephen
and
Brooksyne Weber
"We
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you daily in your walk with Christ!"
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this daily encouragement. You may easily unsubscribe at any
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prayers:
A selection of prayers written by Brooksyne used in these
messages. Listen
to WDAC "Music for the Heart"
(Streaming HD
radio from our local Christian station)
Agora:
Articles concerning ministry at work. Resources
for Ministers:
Helps and ideas for pastors and others in
ministry.
Hymn
Story Net: Stories and
backgrounds behind the great
hymns. Scripture Memory Songs: A
selection of Scripture verses we
recorded in our home with
some friends. The words are
set to familar music
as an aid to memorization in a discipleship training class. Music:
Songs recorded in my home studio.
Perspectives:
Articles on various contemporary issues.
"A
Little Foolishness" I
invite daily encouragement readers to visit our
blog which is a collection of humorous and satirical
stories
drawn
mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile
imagination. We also welcome submissions from readers. Humor:
Have a laugh based on real experiences we have had as well as stories
submitted
by readers.
These
are a
selection of books that Brooksyne and I have read that have impacted
our walk with the
Lord and we especially recommend to others!
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Personal
Mission Statement
"I
am created by God to bring
Him glory. Through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, I have been
redeemed and I make it my life’s goal to honor God through my
faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for
eternity."
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Encouragement Net
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Joy, PA
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Us
Donegal
Creek, Lancaster County PA Yesterday afternoon we took a walk along this creek, which is about 1/2 mile from our home, and noted how high the water was. (Click on photo to enlarge)
Note: Today's message is a follow-up to our message Monday on "Spiritual Downsizing".
"Spiritual Upgrades"
"His
divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness
through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and
goodness" (2 Peter 1:3).
I
first started using computers about twenty years ago. "Upgrade"
is a term computer users are quite familiar with and I've been through
several since I began with an XT, 386, 486 and several generations of
Pentiums. Of course the same is true of operating systems. As I recall
when I began it was Windows 3.1. The newest Windows system, Windows 7,
now comes on new computers, although I haven't yet upgraded to
it. Each version is new and exciting but soon becomes old stuff in
a few years. That's just the nature of progress!
Of
course one of the main features we look for in computers is "power".
Each time we upgrade, the processor is faster and has more power.
This is one measurement that I have a hard time understanding but do
observe when I am at work. Memory is another important consideration.
The latest computer I am looking into as I consider my next upgrade has
speed, power and memory many, many times greater than the one I started
on!
Today let us consider "spiritual upgrades". Those in
the fellowship, today, and I suppose all through church history, have
promoted a new upgrade. Although not said exactly in these
words, the message conveyed is "You've been completely missing out and
you just must hear this new teaching, have this experience, or be in
this setting." People clamor to hear the latest preacher, the
newest teaching, the hot new musical group, or jet off to wherever the
current life-changing conference is located. Since I've been in
ministry I've seen many fads come and go and some come around a second
and third time! (I used to hear that saying from older ministers
when I was a young minister and now I am experiencing it myself.)
Now
let me clarify this. Surely we all need to grow in faith and be
on a lifelong quest to deepen our understanding and knowledge of God.
There are many enriching opportunities where we will be challenged to
deeper levels of growth in our walk with the Lord. In fact Peter
was concerned for his readers and at the end of his book he challenges
them to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (3:18).
Do
we need spiritual upgrades? I realize any illustration can be
misunderstood, particularly seeking to apply a technical concept to a
spiritual matter, but I believe the truth in our daily verse is vitally
needed today. Peter, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, made the
powerful assertion to the early believers 2,000 years ago that Christ's
"divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…" I especially find richness in the phrase "everything we need."
Perhaps in seeking to use the operating system analogy I could put it this way. The initial version, "the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3),
is altogether complete and adequate. We will spend a lifetime learning
and applying the features! In regard to computers and most
software programs I only scratch the surface regarding utilizing the
capabilities. How much more so is this true in regard to God's Word!
Is the "everything we need"
in regard to God's divine power that was sufficient for Peter's
original readers also sufficient for us living in 2010? A billion
times yes!!!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer:Father,
when we place our trust in You we've only begun to tap into the
unlimited resources You make available to the believer. You have
blessed us with Your special favor and Your unsurpassed peace and it
only gets better and better as we grow to know You more and more. The
illumination of Your Word is truly a lamp unto our feet and a light
unto our path revealing the mystery of the Gospel to us. May we
be found consistent from day to day growing in the grace and knowledge
You give to us in the midst of varying daily experiences of life. It is
in Christ's name that we pray. Amen.
Brooksyne's Note: In
considering our message today I think of some believers I've known who
crawl along spiritually until the next Christian retreat is scheduled
or their favorite music group is back in town or whatever it is that
moves them out of complacency. When I was a teen I went to church
regularly but I didn't expect growth spiritually until youth camp came
around every year. It was almost like I "saved up" for the
spiritual charge directed at my age group instead of feasting on God's
manna daily and realizing God's power is altogether sufficient to meet
all my spiritual and physical needs through His divine Word
everyday. As I matured I realized I didn't have to wait for a
special occasion to grow in His grace and knowledge. I could do
it each day in my quiet time with Him. And that was my biggest problem
since I didn't have a devotional life. It was in Bible College
that I finally began this essential spiritual discipline, not only
because we were challenged regularly to do so, but it was my best
friend, Debbie, from Ohio who modeled a faithful devotional life that
inspired me to begin this discipline as well. May you find Christ
to be all-sufficient as you make time for Him each day. And may you
also find those special occasions such as retreats, camps, conferences,
revivals and such to be like frosting on the cake as you taste and see
that the Lord is good!
Today's
Suggested Music
and
Supplemental
Resources
Click
on the link (usually a Youtube video) to open and play. (In
some cases you may also need to click
again to start the song.)
"Everything We Need"Video This is the 2 Peter passage from above set to Acapella music.
"Enough"Video
Chris Tomlin We recall first hearing this song in a church
near Hartford Connecticut a number of years ago when we visited a
friend in that area. It struck us both at the time as a very powerful
song!
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