| A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Message · Archives ·  Archive/print edition Listen to us share this message on your audio player."A Global Enterprise" "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11). We traveled to Vineland, New Jersey on Friday to pick up our daughter, Ester, from camp and then headed to Beesley's Point just outside Ocean City, NJ to visit our friends, Jim and Dorothy Schmidt. We met them about eight years ago at a conference in Boston and have stayed in touch over the years. They are a vibrant couple with an outstanding testimony of God's saving grace that turned their lives and marriage around. Now in their seventies they remain very active in service for Christ; serving with the mission agency Send International. Jim ministers to prisoners, Dorothy serves with Christian Women's Club, they frequently share their testimony as a couple to various groups and churches (one of the most blessed testimonies I've ever heard). They also served as youth leaders well into their sixties! The way they interacted with Ester during our visit was visible evidence of their effectiveness with youth. They're likely involved in many others venues of service and they're certainly gracious hosts. I am confident that some of our readers personally know them because of their extensive outreach. They, like many of you, demonstrate today's text: they're never lacking in zeal as they keep their spiritual fervor in serving the Lord. I've heard the following story a number of times and I am sure some of you have as well. I really don't know how it originated and I've heard different versions, but I think it's a great description of the work we are a part of as followers of the resurrected Lord Jesus. One version has two men sitting on an airplane and inquiring as to what each does for a living. We tend to rate each other's worth based upon the type of work we do or the position we hold. One of them, who is involved in Christian Service, describes his work as follows: "I'm with a great global enterprise. We have branches in every country in the world. We have representatives in nearly every parliament and boardroom on earth. We're into motivation and behavior alteration. We run hospitals, feeding stations, crisis-pregnancy centers, universities, publishing houses, and nursing homes. We care for our clients from birth to death. We are into life insurance and fire insurance. We perform spiritual heart transplants. Our original Organizer owns all the real estate on earth plus an assortment of galaxies and constellations all throughout the universe. He knows everything and lives everywhere. Our product is free for the asking. (There's not enough money to buy it.) Our CEO was born in a hick town, worked as a carpenter, didn't own a home, was misunderstood by his family and hated by his enemies, walked on water, was condemned to death without a trial, and arose from the dead. I talk with Him every day." I like this description! And every one of us who follow Christ can describe our work this way. Some, by human estimation, may have smaller roles. They may lack worldly titles or accreditation. You may even feel that your part is insignificant. But it's not! "Your labor in the Lord is not is in vain." I memorized the daily text early on as a Christian and shared it several times this weekend with the Schmidts. It's a great truth to always keep before us. As we departed from their home yesterday they have the wonderful custom of waving at their departing guests from their front porch. I rolled down the window and heartily hollered out to them, "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." It was not just a prompter for them, but it was a prompter for me. Today, in whatever role you have in Christ's global enterprise, serve eagerly and faithfully! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily Prayer: Father, thank You for enlisting us as Your servants in the kingdom of God here on earth. You do not require a royal title or a seminary degree as a prerequisite in advancing Your kingdom. You look for willing hearts whose love and commitment to Christ spill over into their words and actions in every setting in which they're found. May we be eager to diligently study Your Word so that we can effectively serve You in reaching others through the opportunities provided us. Thank You for the many who are faithful examples of lives that are fully yielded to Your purpose as they glorify You while influencing others for the Kingdom. Amen. Some photos from our weekend!      On Saturday afternoon we watched an antique car show on the boardwalk. This tiny car was quite interesting! Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
 Stephen and Brooksyne Weber - May 6, 2008 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 04/15/08  Each weekday morning Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all over the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this encouragement ministry? Donations are tax deductible and will be receipted directly by my chaplaincy endorsing ministry. Thanks! See here for details.(2008 YTD financial offerings through 6/22/2008 $9,992.00)  Join: To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link automatically placed by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each message. Weekly Version: The weekly version is designed for those who do not check their email regularly. It is merely the Friday message with a link to previous messages. To receive the free weekly version, send a blank email to this address. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Please feel free to pass this message on!  Daily Encouragement Net Reader SurveyWe want to thank all of you who have taken a few minutes to fill in our online survey. Here's a brief summary of the results including some comments and tips regarding technical problems several mentioned having. If you haven't taken the survey yet and would like to do so click here. I will continue to monitor the results. "A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message. "A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination. "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church.  Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com Any orders placed to Christian Book Distributers using this link or any specific product link to a recommended resource in a daily encouragement message will help our Daily Encouragement ministry through a small commission on the sale. Thank you for using these links when purchasing online through CBD!Personal Mission Statement "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."  How to become a child of God 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. Used by permission; and the King James Version. © Copyright 2008 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us  "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation" www.dailyencouragement.net |
