Daily Encouragement (10/8/20) "God’s Word At Work"
Published: Thu, 10/08/20
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A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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Thursday, October 8, 2020 
Watkins Glen is a 400-foot-deep narrow gorge in the Finger Lake region of New York.
"God’s Word At Work"
Message summary: Today we consider the energizing power of God’s Word at work!  Listen to this message on your audio player.“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:13).  Most all of our readers have seen the highway signs that caution, “Men At Work” posted prior to road construction projects. To increase the personal touch here in Pennsylvania we have seen signs posted in the writing of a child, "My daddy
works here" alternated with "My Mommy works here". Indeed we do occasionally see women doing heavy road work.Wouldn’t it be interesting if we, as believers, walked around with a sign in the shape of an arrow pointing to our heart that publicly states, "God is at work here". We may not wear signs but our redeemed lives are living proof of God’s work within our hearts. Yesterday we received an interesting email from a longtime reader in California testifying to God being at work: I have a huge praise to share with you, an answered prayer. My husband Eric and I just celebrated twenty years of marriage on October 5. We married in prison. In 1971 Eric went to prison at the age of 17 having committed a
double murder during a robbery. He was what is called a lifer; that is, he had a life sentence. He came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior in prison back in about 1990. He’s one of the godliest men I have ever known.
Well, it was kind of like the Shawshank Redemption; beginning in the late 70s he began going to parole board hearings. And each time he would be denied. He came to know Jesus, but still it was repeated denials. After we were married, I experienced eight of those denials with him. They’re gut wrenching, you know. Each time, you can’t help but get your hopes up. And then they get dashed. All of that to say, God was so, so good to us despite the pain and disappointment. Yes, we would hurt but there was also the joy of Him with us and in us. Well, on January 16, 2019, the board found him suitable for parole. After 48 years in prison, Eric came home on May 21, 2019. Life is really good for us right now. We are members of a church that has loved and embraced us so much. We are also very active with Celebrate Recovery. So that is our praise! What a joy to read this testimony of conversion and deliverance! A testimony of God’s steadfast love, His forgiveness, His faithfulness, His deliverance from sin and incarceration. May it encourage all who are in prison ministry, especially our friends Mike and Kathy in North Carolina and Rick in Massachusetts. In the daily text Paul is writing, along with Silas and Timothy, to the believers in the Macedonian city of Thessalonica. Several months prior to writing this letter Paul had established the Thessalonian church (Acts 17:1-9) and wrote primarily to encourage these believers in their new faith and to correct some doctrinal misconceptions they held. The apostle Paul had verbally preached the Word of God to these believers and followed up with this letter, which is now part of our Holy Scriptures. 1 Thessalonians, along with the other books of the Bible, comprises the written Word of God. I thank the Lord today that I have this powerful Word as "a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). Let us consider the last phrase in the daily text. Paul wrote, "The Word of God, which is at work in you who believe". Isn’t it wonderful that the same Word of God is actively working today in the lives of earnest believers as it did when this Scripture was written? The KJV version uses the phrase "effectually worketh", which translates the Greek word “energeo”, from which the English word "energy" is derived. The Amplified version states "the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it". Are you reading His Word regularly? Are you studying and memorizing it? Are you in a church where it is faithfully preached as the inspired, authoritative and inerrant Word of God? Are you obeying God's commands and following Christ's model in attitude and action? Is it guiding you in business decisions? Is it the Inspirational Instruction Manual for your family? That’s the energizing power of God’s Word at work! How sure the Scriptures are, God’s vital urgent Word.
As true as steel and far more sharp than any sword. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  
Saturday afternoon we visited the Watkins Glen State Park with Jack and Chris Mansfield. An almost two mile hike will take you past 19 waterfalls and up over 800 stone steps. We walked the entire gorge several years ago but not all of it this last Saturday!
 Approaching Watkins Glen for the long walk up the scenic gorge
 A look back from the stone arch bridge as you enter the gorge.
   
Hector Falls is one of many waterfalls in that region.
You can see it from a highway east of Watkins Glen.
Finally today:
 Brooksyne's Note:
I needed to visit the ladies room before taking the hike at Watkins Glen State Park. What a surprise as I walked into the entrance to see this canine appearing under the first stall door. My second surprise was to see a sign on the outer door that indicated only one person was allowed in the bathroom at a time, though there were 20 stalls in the very spacious bathroom facility and every other stall was unavailable (self-locked) to create
distance. I'm sure glad there was no crowd since we arrived near closing time. Thinking back to Washington D.C. Prayer March last Saturday I would have been in line for hours literally.
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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." © Copyright 2020 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
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