A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
 A daily, Bible-based message of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber. <Previous Message · Archive edition Tuesday, August 7, 2012  We walked through the artsy town after our stroll along the shoreline. Due to the poor economy it is less populated than usual (according to locals), but there were plenty of people and lots to see including this colorful pony. It looks like a store owner mounted it in front of his store after recovering it from a Merry Go Round. Posted twice were the instructions, "DO NOT SIT ON". (What a tough thing for a parent of a youngster to pull them past this colorful temptation.)  Listen to this message on your audio player."Given A Trust, Proven Faithful" As we mentioned yesterday we are at a family reunion in Wisconsin. Reunions tend to prompt reminiscing our earlier years and along with those memories comes many of life's lessons that have helped shape our values. I recall a lesson from my childhood. I was staying with my mom's parents, MaMa and PaPa, in tiny Harwood, Missouri one summer. PaPa was a farmer and the president of the local community bank. He was well known and had a great reputation throughout that rural area. During my visit he called a local farmer to get permission for me to fish in his farm pond and made it clear that the permission was for fishing only. I verbally agreed to that plan, but what do you suppose a bored fourteen-year-old teen does after the fish aren't biting? Yep, I first looked up toward the farmhouse where I saw no one, so I jumped in and went swimming. Well, it turned out the farmer who had permitted me to fish but ruled out swimming was watching. He called my grandfather and when I got back did I ever get chewed out! PaPa emphasized that he had trusted me and I had violated that trust. I still remember that lesson to this day. Knowing how much I had disappointed PaPa bothered me a great deal. I'm sure it led to some deep soul searching in my young yet untamed teen heart. As a youngster I wouldn't have thought about the danger of one who is out swimming in a deep pond by himself. Likely that farmer made that rule to protect me from danger. As followers of Christ we've all been given a trust. The apostle Paul wrote, "Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2). We are stewards of God's truth and it is required that we be faithful. This is fundamentally expressed spiritually but in reality spiritual faithfulness is expressed in practical ways as well. Let us ask ourselves: Do we act in an irresponsible way when we think no one is looking? Are we faithful to our spouse and family? Are we faithful to our church and ministry responsibilities? What about our work related duties and financial commitments? Each of us have been given a trust and it is required by God that we prove faithful with that trust. The lies, deceit, and broken promises that characterize unfaithfulness has darkened our society and fragmented the family unit. Countless lives have been crushed due to those who have not been faithful to the trust given them. Business owners, political figures, spiritual leaders, teachers, parents, on and on the list goes for each of us who are given a trust and must prove ourselves faithful. We start out by being faithful in the small things whether or not someone is looking over our shoulder. Then we are entrusted with greater responsibility. The greatest approbation we will ever receive is when we hear the words from our Lord, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21). Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful, May the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe, And the lives we live inspire them to obey. Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, we have been given a trust and desire to prove ourselves faithful in all areas of our lives as evidenced in our responsibilities carried out here on earth. Being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us involves sacrifice, humbleness, repentance, and obedience which does not come easily, but is nevertheless required. As we walk steadily with You and prayerfully apply Scriptural principles we will be found faithful. We look to You in prayer and come to You through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose name we pray. Amen. We walked along the public Geneva Lakeshore Path that surrounds the 22 mile shoreline of Geneva Lake. Grand and historic estates were built here in the late 19th and 20th centuries by famous architects. It is an amazing walk, similar to the Cliff Walk in Newport, RI. Also a reminder of all that we will enjoy in heaven minus the hefty mortgage payments and taxes.  More sights from around Geneva Lake  The first cousins  The second cousins (I think Ester is the only one looking this way. She must have spotted her camera in the midst of about 15 others taking photos. It's the Steincross way to take many shots all at once - you're not sure which way to look.) Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resource Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
 Stephen and Brooksyne Weber Our 36th anniversary photo (Click on photo to enlarge) "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 4/12)  Are our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? Each weekday morning Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all over the world. We ask you to consider supporting Daily Encouragement Net so that we can continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support of its readers and podcast listeners. See here for more information on supporting this ministry. Gifts are tax deductible. 2012 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 8/7/12: $9,571.00. We express thanks to all who support our ministry!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. These messages are never sent by us 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 through feedburner.Cancel: We respect and value your time and privacy. If you no longer desire to receive these messages you can remove your address from the list by merely using 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 or who may desire less frequent mailings. It is Friday's message with a link to previous messages. To receive the free weekly version, send a blank email to this address. Daily Encouragement on Facebook and Twitter:  The daily message and prayer on Facebook. The daily message and prayer on Twitter.Reader Survey: Please take a few minutes to assist us in improving our ministry effectiveness by filling out this online reader survey. To take the survey click here. Please feel free to pass these messages on! Our other blogs: "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!) (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. All of these songs are also available for download on the site. 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 2012 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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