✝ Daily Encouragement (12/14/23) "The Everlasting Light"
Published: Thu, 12/14/23
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.
 Home Archives About Us  Listen to these messages
Thursday, December 14, 2023
 Copley Square in Boston Massachusetts Most of our visits to Boston include a walk by this statue! "The Everlasting
Light"
Message summary:
Let us all make it our prayer today, that Jesus Christ the everlasting light will
shine through us, in both our words and deeds, and even our countenance.
Note:
Due in part to noise from men installing siding with lots of hammering and that we both are both
under the weather a podcast not prepared for this message.
"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and
He separated the light from the darkness" (Genesis 1:3,4). "The LORD is God, and He has made His light shine upon us" (Psalm 118:27). "The LORD will be your everlasting light" (Isaiah 60:20). "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:1-4). "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6).
Yet in thy dark streets
shineth
The everlasting Light The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in Thee tonight (From "O Little Town Of Bethlehem")
When we lived in New England and visited Boston we very much enjoyed the historical sights of the city. One
place reminding us of our Christian heritage was the statue of Phillips Brooks in front of Trinity Church. Brooks traveled to Bethlehem in 1865 and three years later the memories of his journey inspired him to write the lyrics to "O Little Town of Bethlehem." Trinity Church’s organist, Lewis Redner, wrote the music to carol that is still very popular 158 years later.
The line "Yet in thy dark streets" is still true in 2023 with the ongoing strife in the Middle East.
But Brooks saw the significance of the birth of Christ and even in the darkness the everlasting light shines. That's a word of encouragement to us as well in whatever way we may be encountering darkness.
The Christian population of Bethlehem has been in steady decline since the mid-20th century. In 1950,
Christians made up over 80% of the local population but now hover around 10% in a Muslim-dominated region. Many Christians have chosen to flee the area due to persecution and religious harassment. *
We'll be visiting Bethlehem on Christmas Eve: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that is, a city named after the
place of Christ's birth.
Light is one of the great themes of the incarnation. Light can be glowing, beaming, piercing, twinkling, dim
or intense. There are many sources of light; in nature the sun, moon and stars in their courses above. In our homes we may have light from electricity, candles, gas lanterns (our Amish neighbors), burning firewood or in our case from our coal stove. But there is only one source of Everlasting Light.
Our first daily text shows the origin of light on the first day of creation. The first designation of "good" in the Bible is light. A wonderful truth is so simply expressed in our second daily verse: "The LORD is God, and He has made His light shine upon us". "The Lord is God" merely asserts the Biblical truth of the one true God revealed in Scripture. "He has made His light shine upon us". All through history the redeemed have been able to proclaim this truth. The great prophet Isaiah in a Messianic prophecy declares, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light" (Isaiah 9:2) and later declares, "The LORD will be your everlasting light" (Isaiah 60:20). In the Apostle John's account of the incarnate Christ he writes, "In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men". In this church age we look back on the full revelation of Christ and understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). Jesus Christ came to be the Light of the world, to reveal the knowledge and glory of God, and to shine brightly in a world darkened and infiltrated by sin. Is He your Lord and God? Today are you experiencing God's radiant light as it shines upon you? Are others seeing its revelation of truth and ray of hope shining through you? We sure hope so! Let us all make it our prayer today, that Jesus Christ the everlasting light will shine through us in both our words and deeds. It will be noticed by others even in our countenance. Hail the Heav'n-born Prince of
Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings Ris'n with healing in His wings
Be encouraged
today,
Hebrews
3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, the radiance of Your holiness is revealed in the light of Your Son, Jesus, who came to dwell among us. We know that in Him there is no darkness at all. Satan, the prince of darkness blinds and deceives us, but Jesus, the Prince of Peace, illumines us with wisdom and truth through His earthly life revealed by Your Holy Word. And now we have the light of Your Holy Spirit to guide us in a sin-darkened world as we sojourn below. May this light that burns within us brighten our countenance
and be our power source for truth, holiness, and courageous witness to those who have allowed the darkness to overtake them. Bring them into the light of Your salvation, dear Jesus, we pray. Amen.Special Year-end Financial
Appeal
We want to thank all who have financially supported our ministry this past year (and some for many years!). Like most ministries, we typically see a spike in giving at the end of the year for which we are most thankful. Thus we bump up this appeal on each post through the remainder of the year.
We realize there are many fine ministries and causes requesting support at
this time 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
 To 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).
Thank
you,
Stephen & Brooksyne Offerings YTD:
$23,046.00
"O Little Town of
Bethlehem" Watch on YouTube
Gaither Vocal Band
Note: The statue seen above is in Boston since Brooks was born and died
in Boston and served much of his ministry there. However "Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem" was actually penned by Philips Brooks when he served a church in Philadelphia
from 1862-1869. He was inspired and overwhelmed by his visit to the town of Bethlehem in 1865. He wrote the song three years later for his church. The organist of his church, known as Lewis Redner, composed its music. Also note that his first name was indeed Phillips (not Phillip).Phillips Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner. At times, however, he suffered moments of frustration and irritability, as do we all. One day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion. “What’s the trouble, Mr. Brooks?” he asked. “The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!” Haven’t we felt the same way many times? I sure have!
In reading Helen Keller's autobiography
you will see Bishop Brooks name come up often as she sat under his ministry for a number of years and held him in high esteem.
 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.
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"
|
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