Friday, November 30, 2012

Daily Encouragement (11/30/12) "Going Home"

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Friday, November 30, 2012

Deer on Cape Henlopan DE
Our friend Greg Schneider took this photo of a doe and her fawn on Cape Henlopen Delaware.

ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"Going Home"

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). "The time of my departure has come" (2 Timothy 4:6).

Today we write a follow-up to yesterday's message where we examined the theme of "Friends Below and Friends Above". We hope it will be a source of present encouragement to those who have recently "lost" a loved one as well as a "reserved" encouragement for the day you may incur such an event.

In the course of our ministry we enjoy hearing moving stories of people's faith and their acts of faithfulness. Yesterday a friend shared an experience his sister had in ministering to a dying uncle who was Amish.
She had a real burden for his soul and wanted the assurance that he was spiritually ready to meet Jesus. As many of our readers already know, the Amish have restrictions regarding the use of technology and with rare exception, Amish families don't have CD players or any other approved means to share a recorded song.

But she had a song that spoke of going home to be with Jesus and she wanted to share it, so she took her cell phone to her uncle's sick bed and there she positioned the phone very close so he could hear and view a YouTube recording of "Going Home" written by Bill Gaither (we post a link to the video below). It was reported by our friend as a spiritually uplifting time resulting in the entire family being ministered to. Her uncle gave testimony that he had indeed accepted the Lord as his Savior and was prepared to die. He is now with the Lord.

Many years ago I heard a pastor share the following illustration to help us get a glimpse of the believer's homegoing:

Picture the scene of loved ones boarding a ship that is sailing across the seas to a faraway land.  Due to the great love in their hearts for their departing loved ones they stand on the seashore for however long it takes to see the ship cross the horizon and finally fade from view. The family left on shore, in final resignation, say to one another, "There they go."

But far away on another distant shore are more loved ones anxiously awaiting the arrival of the same ship. As they see the ship approaching in the distance they exclaim, "Look!  Here they come!"

This is an analogy of what it is like as a believer to reluctantly bid farewell to our loved ones on earth and consider that there will be other loved ones excitedly awaiting our arrival in heaven!

The apostle Paul's perspective on life and death is so liberating. After his conversion on the Damascus road he began experiencing the great joy that comes in living for Christ. He testified to those around him, "For me to live is Christ." His wasn't by any means an easy life but millions since have testified to the joy of serving the living Christ.  Indeed "life is worth the living just because He lives."

And yet Paul also had the perspective, "to die is gain." The word translated "gain" has the sense of advantage. In fact a few verses later Paul says, "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far" (Philippians 1:23).

Several years later Paul wrote his final letter to Timothy with this awareness; "the time has come for my departure" (2 Timothy 4:6). What solid resignation I see in these words as he faced the martyr's death and made this proclamation, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).

Today, what a joy it is to follow Christ and to have a deep, abiding assurance of His love. And when the time comes for our departure we "gain" and are better by far. That's what we live for! Praise the Lord, today I am a child of the King and so are all of you who have placed your faith in Jesus Christ!


Now the twilight is fading, the day soon shall end
Lord, I get homesick, the farther I roam
But the Father has led me each step of the way
And now I'm going home

Going home, I'm going home
There is nothing to hold me here
I've caught a glimpse of that Heavenly land
Praise God, I'm going home



Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber


Praying manDaily prayer: Father, as I live out my time here on this earth, I'm so glad that I belong to You. You hold my right hand and guide me with Your continuous presence and daily bread which is leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but You and I desire You more than anything on earth. My health may fail and my spirit may even grow weak, but Father, You remain the strength of my heart and You are my portion forever. My Refuge, my Fortress and my Deliverer, I will joyfully tell of Your mighty works until You call me to my eternal home. Amen.



Today's Suggested Music
and Supplemental Resources

"Going Home"  Video  Written by Bill Gaither, Singer unspecified This
my favorite YouTube version of the song referred to in today's message.

"Home Where I Belong"  Video  Mark Lowry

"Because He Lives"  Video  Gaither Vocal Band


Se
nd
a message to Stephen & Broo
k
syne.
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber 11/18/12
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber
(Click on photo to enlarge)
"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update  (Revised 10/12)

Make A DonationAre 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 an offering to 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.

Donate online
Click here to donate online.
2012 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 11/29/12: $15,701.00. We express thanks to all who support our ministry!



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Free email subscriptionWere 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 to our email list. These messages are never sent by us unsolicited. It was sent to you because you either signed up to receive it OR it was forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or as an email subscription through Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)

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.


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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."

Four Spiritual Laws

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

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Daily Encouragement (11/29/12) "Friends Below and Friends Above"

Daily Encouragement Net
A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
Having trouble reading this message?  Read mobile edition online
Daily Encouragement Net Header
A daily, Bible-based message of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
.
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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Foggy morning in Lancaster 11/21/12
A foggy morning in Lancaster County
(Photo by Doris High)

ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"Friends Below and Friends Above"

"For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

We enjoy singing the typical Thanksgiving hymns and one often associated with Thanksgiving, but certainly appropriate year round, is "For The Beauty Of The Earth". This year, when we sang it the Sunday before Thanksgiving, a line especially caught my attention though I've sung it many times. Since then I have been pondering the following underscored phrase,  from this stanza:

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child;
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

Bill Shibilo with Ester
On Thanksgiving Day Ester was reading notes from earlier Thanksgivings in which we, as a family, had written about our blessings over the previous year. One she read from the year 2000 stated, "I am thankful I got to see the tall ships and Brother Bill". Ester had written that note, as an eleven year old, referring to a trip we took into Boston where we saw the tall sailing ships and saw our dear friend, Bill Shibilo, who was in the hospital at the time. He went to be with the Lord shortly after our visit.

Bill and his wife Veda were very supportive members of the church we served in Massachusetts. Bill had a real servant's heart and was one the kindest persons I have ever known. The photo to the left shows him with Ester as he is turning over the soil in our small garden plot beside our church building. We stay in contact with Veda who to this day bears a prayer burden for Ester, for which we are very grateful. Veda served as my secretary practically the entire time we lived up that way and continues to serve in that role to this day.

"Friends below and friends above." The older you get the more meaningful this phrase becomes. We have many friends here below but an increasing number who are now above. We consider some of our very elderly readers who just may have more friends above than below!

Our daily text speaks of a future event all believers look forward to. It's a familiar passage dealing with the rapture. I want to consider especially these words,
"we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."

This describes a great reunion unlike any other; a time when "friends below and friends above" will converge together with Jesus in their midst. It will be the ultimate reunion and will include several notable, distinct features, unlike any family reunion held here on earth:
  • It will include all who have lived for Christ (believers). Some have been missed at every reunion I've attended. Some had already gone to be with the Lord. Others couldn't make it due to schedule conflict. There will be no transportation problems getting to this reunion. No one will miss because they had to work. Sickness or disabilities won't hinder. No one will be limited by cost.
  • Our "family" will be greatly expanded. Those who followed Christ will be there from every tribe and language and people and nation. The redeemed from all the ages will be at this reunion. Our common bloodline will be the divine, redeeming blood of Jesus Christ! We finally get to meet many of you we have only connected with through email or on the web. We'll meet our courageous brothers and sisters contacting us from closed countries who currently experience real persecution.
  • It will be in the loveliest location. It will far, far exceed any destination reunion on this earth.  I've been to some mighty pretty areas as the Creator sure made a masterpiece on this earth, but this reunion will be in heaven. Though John the Revelator gives us a glimpse into the new Jerusalem no eye has seen nor can the imagination conjure up all that is in store for the believer.
  • We will be with Christ. Theologian R.C. Sproul writes, "Eternal life for the individual is not an empty human aspiration built on myth, but an assurance promised us by Christ Himself. His own triumph over the grave is the church's hope for our participation in His life."
  • This reunion will be forever. No more tearful hugs of departure. No more, "See you next year" when that just may not be the case. No, in this ultimate reunion "we will be with the Lord forever." Notice that wonderful pronoun "we", which refers to both the dead in Christ as well as those who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord. And it will include the abiding presence of the Lord. It doesn't get any better than that.
Won't it be wonderful there! So today I "encourage you with these words." as directed in the Scriptures.


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber


Praying manDaily prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that You will capture our minds and draw our hearts to that which has been prepared for us. May we, with child-like anticipation, keep our attention drawn to the eternal truths of Your Word that remind us of our future inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.  It will lift our face toward heaven; our future home where we will enjoy a sinless atmosphere, never-ending fellowship with our brothers and sisters and the majesty of Your presence forever. Amen.



Today's Suggested Music
and Supplemental Resources

"For The Beauty Of The Earth"  Video  
This is the hymn tune I am accustomed to singing and includes the lyrics on screen with beautiful photos.

"For The Beauty Of The Earth"  Video  This is not the hymn tune I am accustomed to but a more high church version that maintains the same lyrics.

"For The Beauty Of The Earth"  Video  Here's a beautiful instrumental version with the tune we are most familiar with. (This also used as the background for today's podcast.

"How Beautiful Heaven Must Be"  Video  Danny Funderburk

"When We All Get To Heaven"  Video  Gaither Gospel Group

"Won't It Be Wonderful There"  Video  Ordinary folks

Doris High's "Day to Day" photo collection from which today's foggy morning photo came from. She has some amazing bird photos. Doris is a local friend I met several years ago when I worked for a short time with Transport For Christ. Doris and her husband Cerwin also work in that ministry.

Se
nd
a message to Stephen & Broo
k
syne.
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber 11/18/12
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber
(Click on photo to enlarge)
"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update  (Revised 10/12)

Make A DonationAre 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 an offering to 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.

Donate online
Click here to donate online.
2012 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 11/28/12: $15,671.00. We express thanks to all who support our ministry!



SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Free email subscriptionWere 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 to our email list. These messages are never sent by us unsolicited. It was sent to you because you either signed up to receive it OR it was forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or as an email subscription through Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)

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:
Daily Encouragement on Facebook
The daily message and prayer on Facebook.
Daily Encouragement on Twitter
 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."

Four Spiritual Laws

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

Chaplaincy logo
Endorsed chaplain

"Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"

www.dailyencouragement.net

Daily Encouragement is issued Monday-Friday.  To make sure you continue to receive these e-mails in your Inbox (so they're not sent to a junk folder), please add scweber@dailyencouragement.net to your address book or safe sender list. You are receiving these recurring messages as a subscriber to Daily Encouragement Net because you signed up on our website or otherwise requested it unless someone forwarded the message to you. If you desire to unsubscribe use the link below.  However, please do not use this link unless your address is the subscribed address below as you will otherwise unsubscribe the person who forwarded it to you!

 

You are currently subscribed to dailyencouragement as: stephencweber.dailyencouragement@blogger.com
Add scweber@dailyencouragement.net to your email address book to ensure delivery
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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Daily Encouragement (11/28/12) "The Power To Change Lives Today"

Daily Encouragement Net
A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
Having trouble reading this message?  Read mobile edition online
Daily Encouragement Net Header
A daily, Bible-based message of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
.
Home · About Us · Archives · Podcast · Free email · Daily Encouragement on Facebook  ·  Daily Encouragement on Twitter   ·  RSS feed
 Click here to donate online.

<Previous Message       ·       Archive edition

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

New Creation

ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"The Power To Change Lives Today"

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I believe that the Christ who was slain on the cross,
Has the power to change lives today.
For He changed me completely, a new life is mine.
That is why by the cross I will stay.

Paul Stock 11/27/12Yesterday we met Paul Stock, an interesting Christian brother, who has been in a variety of ministry positions as well as working in the corporate world. He stopped by to visit with us as he is presently between jobs and wanted to get acquainted after learning about us through a mutual friend. He is proactively networking as he is pursuing whatever door may open next in his life, which is an attitude I especially admire. He accepted Christ in his late twenties and has a deep passion for souls. I think we both benefitted from the visit.

His most recent ministry assignment was with Prison Fellowship where he managed the ministry in the Mid-Atlantic region. Prison work is tough. Although many prisons have chaplains, much of the work is done by
 dedicated volunteers. I have visited inmates and preached in prisons as a guest but never had a regular prison ministry. I especially honor those who serve regularly and several long-time friends come to mind as I share this message today.

We remember these and many others serving in hard places who receive little recognition on this side. Their work at times
surely seems futile but God's Word assures us that, "God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them" (Hebrews 6:10).

There is much seed that we plant along life's journey that seems to resist germination. But I'm glad for those instances when, after planting a seed(s) from God's Word, we see the effect. From the dark places also comes the dramatic conversions. Paul told me a story that took place in one of the prison Bible studies in Virginia.

He was in the midst of leading the group when one of the inmates, who
 had been a part of the study for six months, raised his hand and asked, "Mr Stock, can I say something?" Paul told me you never know what someone might say in a setting like this but he allowed him to proceed.

He stood to his feet and said, "Six months ago if you would have asked me what it means to be a man I would have told you; conquer every woman you can, never back down from a fight and get as much as you can."  He paused, held up his Bible, and then shared, "But this Book has turned my world upside down. I now see that to be a man is to be faithful to one woman, walk in humility, and serve others. Thank you." And then he sat down!

Paul told me little else needed to be said that night and I told him that's a message that will preach! I hope I never cease to marvel at the wonder of changed lives and the keeping power of Jesus Christ.

What's your story? We all have one don't we? Christ works in whatever circumstance we are in. Today please consider your life. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour? That is believing in Him to forgive your sins and make you a child of God. He indeed continues to change lives today and He is either changing yours or waiting for you to call on His Name to be changed. Please do so today!


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber


Praying manDaily prayer: Father, may I never cease to be amazed at the marvelous work You do in the lives of those who yield their hearts to You, however hard or darkened their lives may be. Hardened souls become pliable in Your skillful hands, our Master Potter.  You reshape and mold us into the image of Your Son, so that we are on equal standing with all repentant believers at the foot of the cross. We thank You for Your bountiful mercy and generous grace that gives us right standing with You when we come to You in faith and forgiveness. In Jesus' name we give You thanks. Amen.



We have several friends in prison ministry: Rick who for nearly twenty years has led a weekly study in a Massachusetts prison; Jim, who is seventy-eight with critical knee problems, leads a weekly study in a New Jersey prison; Mike and Kathy, who together mentor young men in a North Carolina prison; Scott who has ministered in the York County Prison for many years, and my present chaplain supervisor Al Worthley, who served for many years as a chaplain in the federal prison system.

Floyd and Mary Miles 11/12This brings to mind Floyd Miles whom I met while serving a church in New England. He now lives in San Antonio Texas where he serves as Men's Director of the Teen Challenge Center. Floyd was the connection that got our friend Rick involved in prison work in Massachusetts. I spoke several years ago when he served a church in Indianapolis and took this photo. I shared a portion of Floyd's testimony in this message. He has written a testimonial titled "No Chance on Earth".

Here's an abbreviated testimony from the Teen Challenge website:

My name is Floyd A. Miles III. I was born and raised in Harlem, NY. My mom died of a heroin overdose at the age of 28. My dad was a junkie for 20 years before being dramatically saved in an instant when he cried out to Jesus at the Teen Challenge center in Brooklyn.

I was glad that God had given me my dad back; however, by then I was doing my own thing. Soon my life became ravished by drugs and I found myself living in an abandoned building. Things had gotten really bad for me. I had signed up to go into the Air Force in order to get out of the city but I never made it because my life spiraled out of control. I called my dad and he got me into the Brooklyn Teen Challenge Center.

I was still planning to go into the Air Force after I completed TC. However, God had other plans for me. One day while at a crusade I responded to an altar call and a man of God prophesied and literally told me all that I was thinking at that very moment. He told me that God had called me into the ministry (Jeremiah 29:11).

After completing TC, I went to Bible school (where I met my lovely wife Mary) and seminary. We have been married for 26 years and have 3 children. I also have a daughter and 2 grandchildren who live in South Carolina. In addition to me and my dad, my sister and my first cousin (whom I was raised with) are also TC graduates!

I worked at Teen Challenge New England for nearly 20 years. While there, God allowed me to plant the first TC center in Connecticut and start an inner city AG church—New Creation Outreach.

Prior to coming to Texas I was the senior pastor of Victory Christian Center and I worked as a Licensed Addictions Counselor at the Indianapolis Treatment Center.

To God Be The Glory!!!



Today's Suggested Music
and Supplemental Resources

"I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary"  Video  Gaither Vocal Band This is the song the opening lyrics in our message is taken from and has been among my many favorite songs since I was a young Christian. It still moved me and I hope it always does. I also hope they sing it next week when we go to a Homecoming Concert in Hershey!

"I'm Amazed"  Video   Jason Crabb and The Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers sang live at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.

"Saved, Saved, Saved"  Video   Greene Mountain Men's Choir  I haven't heard or sung this song in many years but today's message brought it to mind due to the line: "Saved by His power divine, Saved to new life sublime!"

"This Is How It Feels To Be Free"  Video   Another song by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers live at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.



Prison Fellowship

I was so touched by the story that Paul told me of the inmate with the changed life that I wondered if it had been published. Apparently not but Paul shared that on Prison Fellowship's 2011 annual report (pdf) is a story that came out of the same prison.

Reggie Holmes — A New Man in Christ

Reggie was the only child of a single mom living in a troublesome neighborhood in Richmond, VA. In fact, his mom wouldn't let him off the front porch due to the frequent shootings and rampant drug trafficking that occurred around them. As a child, he remembers attending church with his mom and happily building electric train sets in his bedroom.

Tragically, Reggie's mom passed away just before his 16th birthday. After moving in with his aunt, he stopped attending church and started hanging out with a bad crowd. As a result of a botched robbery, Reggie was arrested, convicted, and sentenced. "I was scared to go to jail. You see prison movies, and you think the same things are going to happen to you, too." But, halfway through his sentence, Reggie applied for the Prison Fellowship reentry program after encouragement from a fellow inmate. We're thankful for partners like you who have reached out to Reggie with the Gospel through a program that would help him learn to apply Jesus Christ's teachings to his entire life. "It felt really special to know that they wanted to help me," says Reggie. "I had not felt that way in a while."

In 2009, Reggie was introduced to his Prison Fellowship mentor, Stephan Hicks. Stephan was released from prison over a decade ago and had come to faith in Jesus Christ as a result of Christian cellmates. The two men met once a month and began to shape and pursue some post-imprisonment goals for Reggie. Stephan recalls his own release from prison, "No one greeted me. I didn't know where I was going." With that in mind, Stephan created a different experience for Reggie's release. When Reggie walked out of prison, the parking lot had two carloads of relatives ready to welcome him home.

Since Reggie's release, Stephan has remained close and always willing to provide assistance. He attended Reggie's first meeting with his probation officer, attended Reggie's baptism, and provided premarital counseling to Reggie and his fiancée Stacy. Reggie has also found a church home at the Tabernacle of Praise. After working up the courage to confess his past to the pastor, he found grace instead of judgment.

The bright spots in Reggie's post-prison life don't stop with finding a great church and full-time employment. Reggie and Stacy were married on January 26, 2011. "God's been blessing me outrageously. First with a second chance at life and rebuilding it, and my beautiful wife, and now I'm patiently waiting for my son to make his grand entrance into the world! Thank you God for everything and I do mean EVERYTHING!"


Se
nd
a message to Stephen & Broo
k
syne.
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber 11/18/12
Stephen and Brooksyne Weber
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"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update  (Revised 10/12)

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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."

Four Spiritual Laws

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

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