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01-24-2009, 02:53 PM
http://www.dailyencouragement.net/images/birds/tufted_titmouse_2.jpg (http://www.dailyencouragement.net/images/birds/tufted_titmouse_2.jpg)
Brooksyne placed some old cornbread in the planter outside our office window for her bird friends. This tufted titmouse has really been enjoying the special treat!
http://www.dailyencouragement.net/image_files/listen.jpgListen (http://dailyencouragement.libsyn.com/media/dailyencouragement/DE-01-22-09.mp3) to us share this message on your audio player.
"Lessons From A Leaping Baby"
"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit" (Luke 1:41).
For a number of years I marched in Washington D.C. on this date with people from many different faith backgrounds as we took a visible stand for the "Right to Life." Brooksyne and I unapologetically take a strong stand for the Sanctity of Life; for the protection of the unborn, the infirmed, and the elderly. For those whom the world regards as being unworthy of life.
Today's Scripture is straightforward. Being a familiar narrative section read often during the Christmas season we may fail to see the doctrinal significance in it. Check out the context. The angel assured Mary of God's special plan for her life (Luke 1:35) and she submitted to this plan (1:38). She was told that her relative Elizabeth was also with child and in her sixth month of pregnancy (1:36).
After hearing the message she "hurried" to see Elizabeth and Mary's greeting prompted the baby to leap in Elizabeth's womb. The Greek uses the word "brephos" here. This word is used nine times in the New Testament for both preborn and infant children. No distinction is made between the two in New Testament Greek. This joyful baby was John who had another three months of prenatal development and intimate bonding inside his mother's womb at the time of Mary's visit. Today babies are routinely slaughtered at this age and even older.
However, it's Elizabeth's response to Mary that is most interesting and instructive: "In a loud voice she exclaimed: 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?'" (Luke 1:42-43).
Notice Elizabeth's recognition of Mary as "the mother of my Lord". How long had Mary been a mother? Of course we don't know exactly. It is not revealed to us; days, weeks, a month? Yet Elizabeth calls her "the mother of my Lord". Most all abortions are now performed after the point of Elizabeth's declaration!
Today, friends, whatever Biblical issue is being assaulted in your corner of the world, keep standing up for the truth. A lie: no matter how it is packaged, no matter who repeats it or how often, whether or not a majority holds to it, it is still a lie! Let us commit to being people of truth in the midst of a world that redefines or "modernizes" truth to promote its own biased agenda.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily Prayer: Father, when You took the dust of the ground to form man and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life You had a purpose for his existence on earth. And You have a purpose for all human life. Forgive us for assuming that we know more than You, the Creator of life, in willfully choosing whether one is allowed to live and another is destined to die before one breathes his or her first independent breath. We thank You for the millions who take a visible stand for life, based not on a popular theme but on truths established in Your Holy Word. Help us to be vigilant in doing what is right and good in Your sight, even when it is inconvenient and costly to our personal lives. In our disposable society help us never to dispose of human life that You created or to dispose of truths that You teach us to live by in favor of a political, intellectual, or financial agenda.
We pray for those in the abortion industry who are motivated by financial gain in destroying innocent life much like Judas who took the 30 pieces of silver as He handed Jesus over to those who would crucify Him. Like Joseph's brothers who took the 20 pieces of silver in exchange for selling their innocent brother. Father, we look to You in faith asking that You speak to the indifferent and bigoted hearts that cause innocent lives to be slaughtered every minute of every day. We pray this impassioned prayer in the name of Jesus who said, "I am the Way, the Truth, the Life" and the only way we can have presence with You or understand truth is through Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
Brooksyne placed some old cornbread in the planter outside our office window for her bird friends. This tufted titmouse has really been enjoying the special treat!
http://www.dailyencouragement.net/image_files/listen.jpgListen (http://dailyencouragement.libsyn.com/media/dailyencouragement/DE-01-22-09.mp3) to us share this message on your audio player.
"Lessons From A Leaping Baby"
"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit" (Luke 1:41).
For a number of years I marched in Washington D.C. on this date with people from many different faith backgrounds as we took a visible stand for the "Right to Life." Brooksyne and I unapologetically take a strong stand for the Sanctity of Life; for the protection of the unborn, the infirmed, and the elderly. For those whom the world regards as being unworthy of life.
Today's Scripture is straightforward. Being a familiar narrative section read often during the Christmas season we may fail to see the doctrinal significance in it. Check out the context. The angel assured Mary of God's special plan for her life (Luke 1:35) and she submitted to this plan (1:38). She was told that her relative Elizabeth was also with child and in her sixth month of pregnancy (1:36).
After hearing the message she "hurried" to see Elizabeth and Mary's greeting prompted the baby to leap in Elizabeth's womb. The Greek uses the word "brephos" here. This word is used nine times in the New Testament for both preborn and infant children. No distinction is made between the two in New Testament Greek. This joyful baby was John who had another three months of prenatal development and intimate bonding inside his mother's womb at the time of Mary's visit. Today babies are routinely slaughtered at this age and even older.
However, it's Elizabeth's response to Mary that is most interesting and instructive: "In a loud voice she exclaimed: 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?'" (Luke 1:42-43).
Notice Elizabeth's recognition of Mary as "the mother of my Lord". How long had Mary been a mother? Of course we don't know exactly. It is not revealed to us; days, weeks, a month? Yet Elizabeth calls her "the mother of my Lord". Most all abortions are now performed after the point of Elizabeth's declaration!
Today, friends, whatever Biblical issue is being assaulted in your corner of the world, keep standing up for the truth. A lie: no matter how it is packaged, no matter who repeats it or how often, whether or not a majority holds to it, it is still a lie! Let us commit to being people of truth in the midst of a world that redefines or "modernizes" truth to promote its own biased agenda.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily Prayer: Father, when You took the dust of the ground to form man and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life You had a purpose for his existence on earth. And You have a purpose for all human life. Forgive us for assuming that we know more than You, the Creator of life, in willfully choosing whether one is allowed to live and another is destined to die before one breathes his or her first independent breath. We thank You for the millions who take a visible stand for life, based not on a popular theme but on truths established in Your Holy Word. Help us to be vigilant in doing what is right and good in Your sight, even when it is inconvenient and costly to our personal lives. In our disposable society help us never to dispose of human life that You created or to dispose of truths that You teach us to live by in favor of a political, intellectual, or financial agenda.
We pray for those in the abortion industry who are motivated by financial gain in destroying innocent life much like Judas who took the 30 pieces of silver as He handed Jesus over to those who would crucify Him. Like Joseph's brothers who took the 20 pieces of silver in exchange for selling their innocent brother. Father, we look to You in faith asking that You speak to the indifferent and bigoted hearts that cause innocent lives to be slaughtered every minute of every day. We pray this impassioned prayer in the name of Jesus who said, "I am the Way, the Truth, the Life" and the only way we can have presence with You or understand truth is through Your Son, Jesus. Amen.