✝ Daily Encouragement (11/10/23) "An Example From Four Lepers"
Published: Fri, 11/10/23
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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Friday, November 10, 2023
 An appealing walkway through McIntosh Woods State Park, Iowa (Photo by my cousin, Georgia) "An Example From
Four Lepers"
Message summary: Today let us seek to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord and make it our goal to please Him in all we do.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"Then they said to each other, 'We're not doing right. This is a day of good news
and we are keeping it to ourselves'" (2 Kings 7:9). "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians
6:7-9).
Examples in life can come from unlikely sources. Bad examples can teach us as well as good examples. Sometimes we may see a good example in a "bad" person and sometimes otherwise "good" people can set bad examples! Today we consider a good example from an unlikely source.
I have enjoyed the
writings
of A.W. Pink, a
late British Bible
teacher,
since my Bible College years although he died two years before I was born. The neat thing about faithful Bible teaching is that it never gets old and it often outlives its author.
In his book "Gleanings in Genesis" Pink expounds on interesting passages in Genesis that may tend to be overlooked in the main harvest of one's Bible reading and
study.
Gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested or in fields where it is not economically profitable to
harvest.
Today let's glean from a passage found in the historical section of the Bible that is likely among those overlooked, yet it has a timeless message for us today! It's one of those lessons where we can find application from an actual
event in Israel's history in 2 Kings 7.
Here's the background: The Syrian army had laid siege to Samaria causing a famine and the situation looked hopeless. Isn't it interesting in light of current events that Israel's enemies in the Bible were in many ways very similar to their enemies today? (Read context in 2 Kings 7)
During the siege Elisha, the prophet of God, had prophetically foretold of the deliverance, but he was not believed at the
time.
Four men with leprosy sat at the city gate entrance since they were were not allowed in the city. They began to reason, "What have we to lose? We sill soon die from the famine if we stayed by the city. If any food becomes available we would certainly be the last to receive it." So they decided their chances were better if they surrendered to the Syrians.
But, unknown to them, God had performed a remarkable deliverance and the Syrian armies had scattered in fear, leaving everything behind. The four lepers stumbled on the bounty where they "ate and drank
".
These four men had been social outcasts and were not even allowed in the city. Life had been very rough and isolation could only exasperate the situation. Could this be their way to get even? After what they had been through why should they go back and tell the others in the city. No, but their conviction to share the good news with the besieged city overwhelmed them. The lepers were struck with remorse after enjoying the bounty as we read in the first part of our first daily verse. "Then they said to each other, 'We're not doing right'." What a blessing the conviction of the Holy Spirit is when we become aware that we are not doing right! "This is a day of good news" . They went from desperation and destitution to abundance although their leprous conditions are not addressed. We wonder about that for sure, were they healed of that dreaded affliction?
"And we are keeping it to ourselves".
So they went back into the city with the good report and did the right thing, sharing the good news of God's deliverance. It's interesting that after they shared, nothing more is
heard from them. Yet they did the right thing and are forever memorialized in this historic story for their action. There's additional interesting gleaning in the remainder of the story such as the king's initial unbelief thinking they were being deceived by the Syrians but that's another lesson.
Often it may seem when we do the right thing people don't notice. Man may not acknowledge, but God always sees and, "God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them" (Hebrews 6:10). Today let us consider our bountiful blessings; the ultimate good news, our salvation in Christ and God's written Word. Most of us have a loving family, a Christ-honoring church, good medical care, supportive friends, a place of employment, and the list goes on and on. But are we keeping it to ourselves? Clearly, like these four lepers, we are called to share the good news. What are we doing to share God's blessings? Remarkably, as we share, these blessings do not diminish but multiply. This principle is taught throughout the Scriptures. Jesus said, "Give and it shall be given unto you…" Today let us seek to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord and make it our goal to please Him in all we do.
Be encouraged today,
(Hebrews 3:13
)
Stephen & Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, we are a blessed people who have so
much to be thankful for that we can't keep it to ourselves. We don't boast in ourselves for we are but human flesh, but we boast in who You are and all that You provide for us. Father, You are the eternal, sovereign God who sends down the rain and snow, who raises up the trees and flowers, who sets the sun and moon in place and yet You have such tender compassion toward the human race that You gave Your only Son to make atonement for our sin. You are great and greatly to be praised among
Your people and throughout the universe You created. We honor You through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Correction:
Andre, an attentive South African reader, noticed our second Scripture reference in yesterday's message was incorrect.
"For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly
wait for the hope of righteousness" is from Galatians 5:5 not 1 Thessalonians 1:10. We appreciate thoughtful Bereans (Acts
17:11)!
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
Brooksyne sharing
The Mayflower Voyage
story with seniors at Providence Church of God in New Providence, PA. The date yesterday was quite significant since November 9, 1620 was the day the 102 passengers aboard the Mayflower finally saw land and anchored on Cape Cod in Provincetown. It was 403 years ago and Provincetown is where they remained until a suitable sight for building a colony was found nearly six weeks later which we know today as
Plymouth.
A catered Thanksgiving meal was prepared by
Lapp's Family Restaurant in Quarryville, a place very much enjoyed by locals with their Pennsylvania Dutch food.
I had the privilege of sitting next to Isabel
Bingaman who is, believe it or not, 102 years old!
At our second banquet in Myerstown last
evening we enjoyed the talents, unending humor and ventriloquism of Ryan and Friends. Audrey's usually celebrates Christmas in November every year due to scheduling conflicts with the December calendar.
The reason we laugh so much is Ryan and his
"friends" are not only funny but he always involves the audience and we have such a good laugh when they are made to look silly, especially when it's management!
In this photo Ryan is using his ventriloquism for Grandma and Grandpa while Mike, one of the employees is assigned the duty of opening and closing Grandma's mouth. Anyone
who has done puppetry knows how extremely hard that is to coordinate, but Mike tried hard, much to our amusement.
"Ryan and Friends" Watch on Youtube 
In this skit Ryan throws his voice into each
employee while they open and close their mouth each time his hand is on their back. Janice (L) had a baby, often crying voice, Laurie (middle) had a deep grumpy male voice and Don (R) was all over the place. Imagine such a setting when they are trying to sing, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" with such impersonated
voices.
This morning Stephen sat in a meeting at JK
Mechanical where
a Navy Seal
shared his perspective on leadership with team leaders. The seal is the son of one of the
managers.
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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.
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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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