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ministry of
Stephen &
Brooksyne
Weber
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Monday,
January 8, 2024
A
view through
the
Hunsecker's
Mill Covered
Bridge here in
Lancaster
County.
(Click on photo for larger view.)
"Compelled
by the Spirit"
Message
summary:
May we be
sensitive to
the leading of
the Holy
Spirit as we
walk in
obedience to
Christ! May
our
declaration
be, "Where He
Leads Me I
Will Follow".
Note:
Podcast not
prepared today
as we have
flooring being
installed in
the room next
to our office
and there's
lots of
ambient noise!
See below.
“And now,
compelled by
the Spirit, I
am going to
Jerusalem, not
knowing what
will happen to
me there. I
only know that
in every city
the Holy
Spirit warns
me that prison
and hardships
are facing me.
However, I
consider my
life worth
nothing to me,
if only I may
finish the
race and
complete the
task the Lord
Jesus has
given me—the
task of
testifying to
the gospel of
God’s grace”
(Acts
20:22-24).
When
Brooksyne and
I were in
college we
read a book
that left a
lasting impact
on both of us.
“For This
Cross I'll
Kill You” is
an
autobiography
written by
Bruce Olson, a
young man who
was compelled
by the Holy
Spirit to live
among a
primitive
tribe in South
America. Only
19 years old
at the time he
was captured
by the
Motilone
Indians and
faced disease,
terror,
loneliness and
torture to
evangelize
this Stone Age
tribe.
When
Brooksyne and
I were in
college we
read a book
that left a
lasting impact
on both of us.
“For This
Cross I'll
Kill You” is
an
autobiography
written by
Bruce Olson, a
young man who
was compelled
by the Holy
Spirit to live
among a
primitive
tribe in South
America. Only
19 years old
at the time he
was captured
by the
Motilone
Indians and
faced disease,
terror,
loneliness and
torture to
evangelize
this Stone Age
tribe.When
we, like
Olson, are
compelled by
the Holy
Spirit, no
troublesome
circumstance
or dissuading
individual can
deter us from
following the
divine will of
God as He
leads us.
Today’s verse was written as the Apostle Paul was concluding his third missionary journey. He is preaching what I believe to be one of his greatest sermons; his instructional and heartfelt farewell to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17-38). This passage is a model passage for those in ministry who’ve had to bid farewell to a group of believers, as the Lord moved them on to other positions of service. The chapter concludes with a moving scene at the dock as Paul left.
Paul tells these Ephesian elders the reason for his departure to Jerusalem: He is "compelled by the Spirit". Many of you have experienced this kind of leading, although it’s difficult to explain to someone who has not, particularly a non-believer. Being compelled means being driven beyond our personal preference to resist the leading prompted by the Holy Spirit as He directs our lives. “If we can bring ourselves to that place of ultimate surrender, then we will be compelled and propelled by the Spirit into our destiny and into God’s divine will for our life.” (Mark E. Hardgrove)
This leading does not always make sense. Paul acknowledged that he did not know what would happen to him. He had been warned in every city by the Holy Spirit that he was to face prison and hardships. Later in his journey the disciples at Tyre through the Spirit urged him not to go (Acts 21:4) and still later a prophet at Caesarea named Agabus with great drama accurately prophesied Paul’s experience and again pleaded with Paul not to go (Acts 21:9-11). Interestingly the text reads, “We and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem” (Acts 21:12). Apparently even Luke, the writer of Acts, who was traveling with Paul, joined in the pleading!
But
the Spirit
compelled Paul
and out of
obedience he
followed the
leading of the
Spirit.
As had been
prophesied he
indeed faced
prison and
hardships as
the remaining
chapters of
Acts record.
Not only did
he use each
opportunity to
witness for
the Lord, but
most of the
New Testament
epistles were
written after
this
point.
His greatest
legacy is in
his writings
that are read
as part of the
Holy
Scriptures by
hundreds of
millions
throughout the
church age.
Paul
summarized his
response to
the compelling
work of the
Holy Spirit: “However,
I consider my
life worth
nothing to me,
if only I may
finish the
race and
complete the
task the Lord
Jesus has
given me – the
task of
testifying to
the gospel of
God’s grace” (Acts
20:24).
How is the Spirit compelling you today? Are you open to following God’s will for your life and stepping out of your comfort zone at His leading? The apostle Paul provides a positive example of a life lived well. In his final epistle to Timothy he is able to write, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Today may we be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as we walk in obedience to Christ!
Today’s verse was written as the Apostle Paul was concluding his third missionary journey. He is preaching what I believe to be one of his greatest sermons; his instructional and heartfelt farewell to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17-38). This passage is a model passage for those in ministry who’ve had to bid farewell to a group of believers, as the Lord moved them on to other positions of service. The chapter concludes with a moving scene at the dock as Paul left.
Paul tells these Ephesian elders the reason for his departure to Jerusalem: He is "compelled by the Spirit". Many of you have experienced this kind of leading, although it’s difficult to explain to someone who has not, particularly a non-believer. Being compelled means being driven beyond our personal preference to resist the leading prompted by the Holy Spirit as He directs our lives. “If we can bring ourselves to that place of ultimate surrender, then we will be compelled and propelled by the Spirit into our destiny and into God’s divine will for our life.” (Mark E. Hardgrove)
This leading does not always make sense. Paul acknowledged that he did not know what would happen to him. He had been warned in every city by the Holy Spirit that he was to face prison and hardships. Later in his journey the disciples at Tyre through the Spirit urged him not to go (Acts 21:4) and still later a prophet at Caesarea named Agabus with great drama accurately prophesied Paul’s experience and again pleaded with Paul not to go (Acts 21:9-11). Interestingly the text reads, “We and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem” (Acts 21:12). Apparently even Luke, the writer of Acts, who was traveling with Paul, joined in the pleading!
But
the Spirit
compelled Paul
and out of
obedience he
followed the
leading of the
Spirit.
As had been
prophesied he
indeed faced
prison and
hardships as
the remaining
chapters of
Acts record.
Not only did
he use each
opportunity to
witness for
the Lord, but
most of the
New Testament
epistles were
written after
this
point.
His greatest
legacy is in
his writings
that are read
as part of the
Holy
Scriptures by
hundreds of
millions
throughout the
church age.
Paul
summarized his
response to
the compelling
work of the
Holy Spirit: “However,
I consider my
life worth
nothing to me,
if only I may
finish the
race and
complete the
task the Lord
Jesus has
given me – the
task of
testifying to
the gospel of
God’s grace” (Acts
20:24).How is the Spirit compelling you today? Are you open to following God’s will for your life and stepping out of your comfort zone at His leading? The apostle Paul provides a positive example of a life lived well. In his final epistle to Timothy he is able to write, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Today may we be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as we walk in obedience to Christ!
Be
encouraged
today,
Hebrews
3:13
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, we
pray for
listening ears
to hear the
voice of Your
Spirit. Help
us to follow
Your leading
and align our
heart's
desires with
Your will for
our lives, for
that is where
true peace and
contentment is
found. Turn
our hearts
away from
those things
that lead away
from pursuing
Your purpose
for our lives.
We desire to
be in the
center of Your
will.
Amen.Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
"Where
He Leads Me I
Will
Follow/I'll
Say Yes"
Watch
on YouTube
The Brooklyn
Tabernacle
"‘Tis So Sweet To Trust in Jesus" Watch on YouTube Reawaken Hymns
After
our church
service
yesterday we
joined our
friends Jim
and Dorothy
Schmidt for
dinner at
Calvary Homes.
We met up with
a long retired
pastor who
will soon turn
103 years old!
Pastor
Creighton
served as
pastor for
many years of
the church we
attend and
stays active
in God's
service. At a
men's
breakfast on
Saturday a
friend my age
told me about
the impact of
Pastor
Creighton's
messages when
he started to
attend church
in his
twenties and
came to know
Christ. I was
in turn able
to share that
story with
Pastor
Creighton
yesterday to
encourage him.
I wonder if we
ever stop
needing
encouraged?
Our
home addition
project is
nearing
completion.
Today a father
and son team,
Ted
and Joey, are
installing the
flooring. We
know Ted since
his wife works
at JK
Mechanical
where we serve
as chaplains.
Joey is a
college
student at
Grove City
College but
helping his
dad during
break. That's
a wholesome
looking father
and son team!
At the time we
post this
message they
have the
flooring laid
in about 1/2
the room.
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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.
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Weber
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Joy, PA 17552
To
donate
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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).Thank
you,
Stephen & Brooksyne
Stephen & Brooksyne
2024
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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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