✝ Daily Encouragement (7/5/23) "The Necessity Of Restraint"
Published: Wed, 07/05/23
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
You are receiving this email because you have signed up to receive our Daily Encouragement messages or it was forwarded to you. Don't forget to add [email protected] to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox! Having trouble viewing this email? Click here.
You are receiving this email because you have signed up to receive our Daily Encouragement messages or it was forwarded to you. Don't forget to add [email protected] to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox! Having trouble viewing this email? Click here.
|
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Fireworks Display at the Reading PA
ballpark.
"The Necessity Of
Restraint"
Message summary:
Today let us consider the blessing
and
necessity of restraint.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
“Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the
way. And then the lawless one will be revealed” (2 Thessalonians 2:7,8). “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).
Yesterday our country celebrated its 247th birthday. We were married the year of the bicentennial so the nations birthday (Independence Day) is easy for us to remember! My, how things have changed in our country since 1976.
John Adams, the second president of the United States, prophetically wrote
in 1798: "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion….Our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."*
Today let us consider the blessing and
necessity of
restraint.
As our country becomes more and more secularized there are many who relish the thought of how wonderful they believe things will be when the influence of godly, Bible-faithful Christians are diminished or even eliminated. They see the attempts of Christians to restrain ungodliness as hateful and dangerous and an impediment to progress. I read about a young teacher in Washington state who in a blog post looked forward to the day when the older generation, many who hold traditional moral values, pass on so “progress” (in her view) of a social utopia could continue unabated. Frankly in my view, apart from a great awakening type of revival she and many like her are going to get their way, though not completely, for God always has a remnant of godly people in every generation.
The human race has been bucking up to restraints placed by God from the very
beginning when Adam and Eve rejected God's restraint regarding the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. The sinful nature wars against restraints placed by God in His Word. Now attempts are being made not only to reject the restraints but to silence any effort of restraining that which is forbidden by
God.
2 Thessalonians 2 is a prophetic portion of God’s Word and thus subject to various interpretations by equally earnest Bible students: “Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed” (2 Thessalonians 2:7,8). O ne Bible student views this passage as referring to a time when the influence and restraint of Christians empowered by the Holy Spirit will be removed worldwide and the lawless one will be revealed and have free range. The restraints will be lifted and it will not be a pretty picture. Today I share a closing thought from this section of Scripture from the Apostle Paul, a call to all of us, “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” Let us continue to be a people restraining all sorts of evil though many do not appreciate the blessing of restraint.
Be encouraged today, (
Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne
Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, as we march onward to Zion and uphold the Biblical view of righteous living, we are often mocked or dismissed as a radical bunch of Jesus followers. But we know that it is the righteous remnant who restrain Your wrath in the midst of the flood of evildoers. You are not willing that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance. You didn’t
send Jesus to earth to condemn the world but to provide redemption for all who believe upon Your name. We do believe and respond by walking in the ways of righteousness. It is by grace that we are saved, so we give You thanks through Christ Jesus our Lord in whose name we pray. Amen.
Liberal Missouri is a tiny town in Barton
County
, not too far from the equally tiny town of Harwood where my Mom grew up
. It was named after the Liberal League in Lamar, Missouri (to which the town’s organizer belonged). It was started as an atheist, “freethinker” utopia in
1880 by George Walser, an anti-religionist, agnostic lawyer. He bought 2,000 acres of land and advertised across the country for atheists to come and help him start “a town without a church, where unbelievers can bring up their children without religious training,’ and where Christians are not allowed.”
In spite of his objective, churches were established over the years in and around Liberal Missouri and now, although apparently there is still a vestige of its founding principles that remain, a survey indicated that over 50% attend church. Most interesting is that by some accounts later in life George Walser forsook his atheist leanings and eventually became a Christian! Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
Monday evening we joined some friends to watch a baseball game in Reading PA. It is among the oldest Minor League parks in the US built in
1950.
Stephen's older brother Pat and his wife joined us yesterday for a 4th of July cookout although we ate inside due to the
heat!
Last night a neighbor stopped by and enjoyed showing us his restored El
Camino.
Last night just before sunset I (Stephen) took a bike ride on the river trail up to Falmouth, PA. Across the river is the York Haven Hydro plant
which began commercial operations in 1901, making it one of the oldest hydroelectric projects in America.
On the way back my odometer hit the 1000 mile
mark!
 Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
 To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday through email see here to sign up for our email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)
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.
We want to thank all who financially supported 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.  To donate directly online click here. (This will open to a page that designates the
offering to: STEPHEN & BROOKSYNE WEBER - 700001-237376 SERVING IN SPECIALIZED CHAPLAINCY) I
f 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 2023 YTD offerings to Daily Encouragement Net: 11,588.00
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.
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 2023 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
"Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"
|
Listen to these messages
Thanks for reading our message!
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
717-823-0592
Daily Encouragement Net
https://www.dailyencouragement.net
Mail service provider is aweber.com
495 Kraybill Church Rd
Mount Joy PA 17552
USA
Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
717-823-0592
Daily Encouragement Net
https://www.dailyencouragement.net
Mail service provider is aweber.com
495 Kraybill Church Rd
Mount Joy PA 17552
USA
Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options