Daily Encouragement (3/15/21) "Mistening The Listening"
Published: Mon, 03/15/21
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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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Monday, March 15, 2021  Anchor in Plymouth Harbor in Plymouth, Massachusetts,
"Mistening The Listening"
Message summary: Twenty-six hundred years ago Jehoiakim "felt secure" and sadly responded to Jeremiah’s warning with an emphatic, "I will not listen". So many are responding the same way today as they turn a deaf ear toward God’s message and messengers. We hope you are listening to God’s loving warnings, as spoken by His servants and written in His
Word. In Christ alone we have true security for all eternity. "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."
Listen to this message on your audio player. “I warned you when you felt secure, but you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your way from your youth; you have not obeyed me” (Jeremiah 22:21). "But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear" (Zechariah 7:11). “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). Yesterday we attended a church in Ephrata, PA to lend support and encouragement to our friend, Tim Morrison, who was asked to preach in his home church. We visit Tim regularly in the course of our chaplain work at White Oak Display in Palmyra and have long appreciated his earnestness as a follower of Christ. His sermon was about listening and the peril of what he called "mistening the listening" using Eli as an example
("mistening" pronounced like listening with a silent "t"). In our age it seems many are mistening the listening and it's something we all need to be on our guard against!
The prophet Jeremiah faithfully ministered during the traumatic last days of Judah prior to the Babylonian captivity. He served during the time of godly Josiah who was the last king that honored God. He courageously ministered during the time that the four evil kings who followed King Josiah's reign, each with relatively short reigns. The context of the second daily verse places it at the time of Jehoiakim, who reigned for eleven years and
whose life is summed up by the candid phrase, "the detestable things he did" (2 Chronicles 36:8). What a dark summation of one's life that leaves a stenching legacy for the generations to follow!
 I’m intrigued by the first clause in this text: "I warned you when you felt secure". In addition to security the Hebrew word used here conveys abundance and prosperity. It seems that just prior to the fall of the
kingdom there was a period of prosperity and security in Judah. Even as evil swept through the land and judgment loomed, the economy was booming. Jehoiakim "felt secure" and refused to listen to the warning of the true prophet of God. By contrast the false prophets were saying, "Peace, peace" (Jeremiah 8:11b). That's a message many still want to hear and believe, whether it's true or not as long as it makes them feel secure.Twenty-six hundred years ago Jehoiakim sadly responded to Jeremiah’s warning with an emphatic, "I will not listen!" As our friend Tim said in his message yesterday, regarding Eli, he was mistening the listening! In I Samuel 2:27ff God sent a prophet to warn the priest Eli that his sons would die early and his life cut short because of his abuse of the sacrifice offerings and other flagrant sins committed by his sons. Eli did not listen, so God raised up the young boy, Samuel, to speak the same prophecy to Eli and once again Eli refused to clean up his act and
to restrain his sons. So many are responding in the same way today as they turn a deaf ear toward God’s message and messengers regarding God's truth and the sin in their lives.
In yet another setting we read of God speaking through the prophet, Zechariah, during the reign of King Darius, when he said to the people, "Administer justice, show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor..." (Zechariah 7:8). Scripture reveals the hearts of the people because "they refused to pay
attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear" (7:11).
We hope and pray that you are listening to God’s loving and oft times stern warnings, as spoken by His servants as written in His Word. In Christ alone we have true security for all eternity since "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure".
Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, we want our lasting legacy to be that of one who
listened to and obeyed Your commands. You lovingly give us warnings regarding the right path we are to choose, as revealed through the prophet Isaiah, "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,'". The path that leads to our real security begins on the path of righteousness, where we learn Your commands. Help us to follow Your directions along the way as we listen to Your voice cautioning or affirming our decisions along life's
highway. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Isaiah 30:21
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"In Christ Alone/The Solid Rock" Video
Brentwood Baptist Virtual Choir & Orchestra & Travis Cottrell. This is a very interesting presentation in the way the choir is used virtually! Brooksyne and many others miss the choir and it
would be neat if we could do this!
"My Hope Is In The Lord" Video Tommy
Coomes Band
On Saturday we attended a funeral service at Mount Zion Road Church in Lebanon County to honor Beatrice Mull, 98 year old mother of our friend, Ken Mull.
Yesterday we visited a church in Ephrata, PA especially to hear Tim preach. Later that afternoon his family was celebrating his dad's 98th birthday. So the number, 98, really caught our attention when Tim was preaching regarding Samuel listening to God and a reference to Eli, who died at 98 years of age! (see 1 Samuel 4:15)
Finally today:
Saturday afternoon we walked down to Donegal Creek. For many years we have enjoyed a tree-lined portion of the trail across from our home. It is actually an old road
known as "Meeting House Road" that has long been abandoned. Recently the farm was sold and the new owner is clearing many of the trees along the trail which will change both our walk and the view across the field from our home. We are are thankful that the property is under a designation of preservation and will remain
farmland!
 Here's a photo of the same path before the
clearing.
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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 2021 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
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