Daily Encouragement Net
The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

Join our email list!
About Us     ListenListen to these messages    Archives

Mobile users: Visit Daily Encouragement on your mobile browser, hit "Add to home screen" or "Add page shortcut." This creates an instant Daily Encouragement App!

Donate to Daily Encouragement Net

Search Daily Encouragement
A new message is updated most weekdays, usually by Noon Eastern Time (USA).
(Click refresh or reload for current message)

 <Previous message         Next message>

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Sprayer passing buggy
A large sprayer passing a horse and buggy along Prescott Road in Lebanon County, PA. Brooksyne takes many photos through the windshield and just prior to this we had scene with the sprayer directly behind the buggy looking like it was going to drive over it but she didn't get the photo.
Click on photo to enlarge

"Watchmen Warnings"

Message summary: Do

Listen to our message on your audio player.

“I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest” (Isaiah 62:6). “To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it” (Ezekiel 6:10). “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me” (Ezekiel 33:7).

Yesterday I visited with Richard, a thoughtful follower of Christ we have seen in our chaplain work for over 15 years. We briefly discussed the state of our country and the church. Although we don’t attend the same local church we both attend churches that would be labeled as “evangelical”. Sadly many evangelical churches and ministers, in a quest for numbers and social acceptance in an increasing post-Christian culture, have remained silent or in too many cases have acquiesced to the radical changes in our culture.

Richard, with a smile on his face quizzed me, “Do you know what they call those folks?” I shook my head and he responded, “evanjellycal”, in the sense that too many leader’s convictions to uphold truth are like jellyfish, no backbone!

WatchmanToday’s texts are powerful portions of Holy Scripture about watchman who was called to give warnings from God. We still very much need these types of obedient watchmen who faithfully proclaim God’s Word.

It’s much easier to comfort and encourage than to confront and warn. But we all need warnings! We need preachers who will faithfully confront sin and warn of consequences.

However when we hear spiritual warnings we can either give attention or grow annoyed or even offended at the message directed to us. We can either accept and act or react by rejecting the warning. That’s what the second verse teaches and we can easily see that in our own time. “To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it” (Ezekiel 6:10).

The watchman, Ezekiel, served our Lord during a time of great transition. God’s people had been taken captive to Babylon but He hadn’t forgotten them and still had a plan for their lives (corporately and individually).

A fellow prophet, Jeremiah, had already pointed this out in a very familiar passage, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). Jeremiah served just prior to the Babylonian exile and Ezekiel spoke God’s truth to the people in Babylon during the exile. His prophecies are sometimes quite figurative, and can be hard to understand, but he had a powerful message for all who would listen!  It’s for those who will read and listen to his message today as well.

The very heart of Ezekiel’s mission from God is expressed in the third verse, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me". The word “watchman” is used both literally and figuratively in the Old Testament. Literally it has the sense of a lookout, often on the city wall. It means to “lean forward, to peer into the distance.”

In the figurative sense it conveys one who has the bigger picture, a bigger perspective (particularly God’s). God had called Ezekiel to be a watchman and a part of the watchman’s message was to give warning.

There are many circumstances in which people do not like warnings. That's still true today. (An ancient Jewish tradition asserts that Ezekiel was slain by his own people.) The essence of the message of the false prophets that Ezekiel confronted was their message of “peace, when there is no peace” (see Ezekiel 13:10). According to the apostle Paul this will also be a message of end time error preceding the coming of our Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

Today I call on each of you to live as "watchmen" in our day. Provide to those around you the perspective God provides through the Word, which will certainly include a serious warning of His impending judgment. But it will also include a message of hope for those who turn to God (Ezekiel chapters 37-48). Hear the voice of the Lord and be His “faithful watchman”. Let your message to the world be filled with both warning and hope!


Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying man Daily prayer: Father, it is through devout godly people that You repair, restore and rebuild lives as they raise up the unchanging, ever relevant ancient words of Scripture. It takes faithful watchmen who serve with great vigilance, untiring in presenting the unchanging truths of the Holy Scriptures to a world that is continuously and increasingly desecrating that which was once sacred. Father, help us to be watchmen for our families, co-workers, and friends as we carefully measure the present principles of this world by the eternal principles established in Scripture. Grant us courage to speak out when the foundations are being shaken just as the watchmen were not silent night or day. We do not stand in the gap alone but You, our Father, are with us and we stand in Your courage and strength!  Amen.



Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Preacher, Tell It Like It Is"   Watch on YouTube    Greater Vision  As a chaplain I am no longer a pastor of a local church but rather have a pastoral role out in the highways and byways of life where many are weary and sad. Now as far as congregational life I do more listening than preaching and can state as a listener that sermons that convict and challenge are appreciated. This song reflects the truth that others feel this way as well.

Amish funeral
Yesterday morning driving through rural eastern Lebanon County we passed buggy after buggy, including the one in our lead photo. We saw the buggies turning down a lane and since we had been talking about auctions wondered if it was an auction so I drove in. Well, it turns out it was a funeral. As you can see there are other vehicles there as well as a bus. These are rented to bring large out of town groups. After waiting my turn I was able to turn around in front of the bus and they would have assumed I was just dropping someone off. I shared a message to a group of employees right after passing this scene and shared a supreme Scriptural truth and warning, "Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
Click on photo to enlarge

Here's another photo of our robin nest in a Hydrangea tree beside our deck. As of this morning all the eggs have hatched but one.

Robin on nest
Mother robin keeping a watchful eye. This nest is in a rather exposed area only slightly above my head level.

Contact Us
About Us

"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

 
Personal Ministry Update

Sign up to receive our free

Daily Encouragement email!

(each weekday)

We respect your email privacy


To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday use our sign-up form or this page to subscribe to our free email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the top right side after opening this page.)



We want to thank all who financially support our ministry. We realize there are many fine ministries and causes requesting support but if you would like information about making a donation to our ministry see here.

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.

You can send a check payable to "Daily Encouragement Net" to:
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber
495 Kraybill Church Road
Mount Joy, PA 17552

Donate nowTo donate directly 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).
 
Make A Donation
If you desire you can also donate directly through PayPal using this link. This will open to a page that states "Brooksyne Weber". We keep this option available due to the familiarity, convenience, for international supporters, and for those who may not need an official receipt. You can also set up for recurring donations.   
 
Thank you,

Stephen & Brooksyne

2024 offerings YTD: $10,655.00




Daily Encouragement on:   Daily Encouragement on LinkedInWordpress Daily Encouragement on iHeart radio iHeart radio



Permissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.



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."



 
© Copyright 2024 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552  USA


dailyencouragement.net

Contact Us

"Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"