 A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Messages · Archives ·  Archive/print editionMonday, August 3, 2009  Reist Popcorn Company Mural We often pass this large mural painted on a brick buidling when we enter Mount Joy. It's an example of barnart painted by Wayne Fettro, a local artist who specializes in large projects on barns and other buildings.  Listen to us share this message on your audio player"Friendship Collection" "Thinking He was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends" (Luke 2:44). People collect a lot of different things. Several weeks ago we visited with Sarah who collects Fiesta dinnerware. Jack is a longtime friend who collects baseball style hats and to this day we recall the way he would display his collection by hanging them in his garage in Kane, PA. Last week we visited Rick and Rachel's home. Just stepping into Rachel's living room we could see that she collects all sorts of Yankee candles. And John, a former neighbor and salesman, collected business cards and plastered his entire basement wall with them. We suppose many of you have collections as well. Neither Brooksyne nor I are much of a collector as far as specific items but we do tend to collect plenty of "stuff." I am particularly inclined to have my Dad's depression era thriftiness regarding disposing of anything that might ever be remotely useful at some point in life. I still recall the rusty red Folgers coffee cans filled with miscellaneous nuts and bolts he kept on the work bench in the garage till the day he died. Now I have propensity to do the same thing! Today I want to write about collecting friends. I started doing this in first grade and next week I'll see Dave, a friend I first met nearly fifty years ago (Ouch!) I've continued to collect friends all along and keep adding to my collection. Next week we will meet a reader for the first time in Joplin Missouri on our way to a family reunion in Oklahoma. For many years now I've been taking photographs of friends. They are placed in a folder on my computer labeled "friends" and often placed up on this site. It's quite a collection and periodically I go through it and reminisce. If you join us for a meal in our home you will be asked to sign our guest registry. It helps instill memories of enjoyable visits from friends and family over the years. Jesus was twelve when the occasion of the events concerning the daily verse occurred. This was when his parents "lost" him after a trip to Jerusalem. What caught my attention was His parents' sought for Him among his relatives and friends. Of course we know that Jesus was actually back with the religious leaders, but the wording of the text indicates that it was Christ's practice to spend time with relatives and friends. That's where His parents assumed He would be and where their search began. I've never really thought much about Jesus having friends as a little boy. But He surely did. It's normal and healthy to have friends and the Scripture declares that Jesus "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52). Jesus considered His disciples to be friends. He said to them "You are my friends if you do what I command" (John 15:14). And after the resurrection in one of His encounters with His disciples He has this exchange, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" (John 21:5). The Apostle Paul was also blessed by many friends. I enjoy this rather obscure passage, "The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs" (Acts 27:3). Paul seemed to have friends wherever he went which means he was regularly making friends along the way. I thank God for my friend collection. The really neat thing about this collection is that, unlike other earth bound collections, for the most part I can take them with me to heaven. All my friends who follow Christ will be among those with whom I spend eternity! Perhaps you will consider your friendship collection today. Make an effort today to contact an old friend. You might also consider developing a new friendship to add to your collection. It will bless you and the friends! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, one of the most valuable and enduring lessons of friendship You show us in the lives of Jonathan and David. Jonathan gave up his royal position without resentment for David. David sent for Jonathan's crippled son, Mephibosheth and his family, years after Jonathan's death and provided for his needs. Help us to be attentive people who show our love in tangible ways to our friends and their families. May our love for them enrich their lives even as they enrich ours. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Collectibles and Friendships: Collectibles require certain maintenance practices such as dusting, acquiring storage or display units, the expense of collecting, making room in your home, etc. They can be a pleasure to the eye and are certainly a conversation piece, but are rarely maintenance free. Friendships don't just happen; they require maintenance as well. Making the time, listening with interest and follow-up, corresponding and getting together, practicing forbearance and forgiveness, working through differences, giving of oneself and resources, lending a helping hand, etc. But the rewards of a good friendship makes the human maintenance so worthwhile!  This weekend we had our first homegrown tomatoes of the season and they were very good! As usual the tomatoes that ripen first are the ones hidden near the ground and covered by the leaves, as pictured. We sent an email to my brother Pat letting him know that we had our first ripe tomatoes. His email returned letting us know he's been eating his ripe tomatoes for nearly two weeks. Just a little friendly brotherly competition going on here! Next year we'll need to get our plants in the ground a little earlier.Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources Click on the link to open and play. (In some cases you may also need to click again to start the song.) "Friends" Video Micheal W. Smith "I Am A Friend Of God" Video Phillips, Craig and Dean "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" Video Chris McDaniel Here are more examples of Wayne Fettro's mural paintings. Here are some photos I have taken we often see along our local jouneys. 1 2 3 Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne |
 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 05/08/09  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 daily encouragement ministry? Donations are tax deductible and will be receipted directly by my chaplaincy endorsing ministry. Thanks! See here for details. (2009 YTD financial offerings through 8/02/09: $7,015.00)SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION  Were you forwarded this edition of Daily Encouragement Net? If you desire you can receive your own free! To receive these "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you either signed up to receive it OR a friend forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. or as an email subscription update through feedburner. Subscribe to Daily Encouragement Updates by EmailCancel: We respect and value your time and privacy. If these messages no longer meet your needs (providing encouragement) you can remove your address by merely use the link automatically inserted by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each email message. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Weekly Version: The weekly version is intended for those who may 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. Please feel free to pass these messages on! "A Daily Prayer" - A blog simply posting the daily prayer. We keep this up each day since it's merely the prayer from the Daily Encouragement Net message! "A Little Foolishness" - Humor/satire blog (a great outlet for non-serious writing but at times with a subtle message!) Last updated with the story of Mildred Swanson, who joyfully discovers her "spiritual gift" is sending forwarded emails! (Note: This material is satire!) "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the faithful believer and church. (Actually this is my intent but I haven't done much with it!) "Hymns of Hope" - Brooksyne along with two friends made a CD using classic hymns. Brooksyne tells the background story of the 11 hymns. We are distributing this CD without charge in our ministry. All of these songs are also available for download on the site. If any reader in this series would like a CD merely write us and request one.  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, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version. © Copyright 2009 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us  Endorsed chaplain "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation" www.dailyencouragement.net |
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