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 A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home About Us Archives Free email subscription  Listen to these messages  Text only for printing Follow Daily Encouragement on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn     See here for more info. <Previous Message · Archive edition Tuesday, November 25, 2014  The answer is ... We should! Photo by Sabra Penley Note: We have travel plans the rest of this week and are not certain when we will be able to publish a fresh daily encouragement based upon access to the internet and whether I can get my old sluggish laptop computer I rarely use working again. We hope all our readers have a blessed Thanksgiving regardless of where you may live! Listen to this message on your audio player."In All Things" "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). "In all things, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4). As we approach Thanksgiving here in the US, though this message applies everyday and everywhere, we look back over the year for the many things in which we are thankful. For many of you it's been a routine year, but for some of you an "impact event" has brought about changes you hadn't anticipated. I recently heard a speaker talk about impact events. On a national level an "impact event" is something like 9/11 or the Kennedy assassination over 50 years ago when we were children. For our parents it was an event like the Pearl Harbor attack. But we all have personal "impact events" that vary among us. The death of a loved one, a serious accident, the diagnosis of a serious disease. Most of you can identify such events in your own life.  We are blessed by our pastor John and his wife Faithe. They had an impact event this year. Several months ago they entered a hard journey they would not have anticipated. Faithe received a cancer diagnosis and after major surgery is now undergoing chemotherapy. They are very transparent and well-loved among our church family. With heavy hearts we stand with them in prayer as they go through this ordeal. As a committed couple they are applying the very Scriptures Pastor John preached from this past Sunday: "Love...bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (I Corinthians 13:7). This last spring when we visited San Antonio we visited with our friends, David and Sabra Penley. David connected with us several years ago when he came across Daily Encouragement while looking for photos of Pennsylvania. Many years ago he pastored in the northeast part of Pennsylvania prior to getting his doctorate and teaching at Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. In early 2013 he had a significant impact event, a severe health crisis which forced him to retire from his teaching position.When we met over lunch David and Sabra expressed a desire to continue ministry together. Sabra began blogging and more recently they began their "Simply One In Marriage"* blog together with a goal of providing online teaching to instruct and encourage others. I was reading the blog the other day and was struck by the question in our opening photo. The phrase, "If God is working for our good in all things" is based on Romans 8:28, one of the great verses in the Bible that many have memorized. Paul declared, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him." When I preach or allude to this text I often ask, "Do we really know and believe this?" Sabra then asks, "If God is working for our good in all things, should we not be thankful in all things?" The answer is "Of course we should!" In fact elsewhere Paul wrote, "In all things, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Our third daily Scripture provides a familiar but much needed perspective on life and trials: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  Today some of you have had an impact event this year and some are even now in the midst of an impacting trial. The Greek word for "trial" that James uses is very interesting. "Peirasmos" conveys a "putting to proof" or by implication, "adversity". These times of testing are difficult but necessary in proving our faith in God to be genuine and effective. James tells us that our proper response when encountering trials is this: "Consider it all joy". The world would say, "That's preposterous!" But when we genuinely seek God's perspective on this subject, we realize He is working for our good, which enables us to give Him thanks, even as the storm rages. Just as the rings on a tree prove its endurance in the years of ease and years of difficulty, our enduring faith proves our walk with God to be genuine and mature, developing in us godly character. We faithfully serve Him during times of ease and during times of trial. Let us indeed realize that God is working for our good in all things and thus be thankful in all things. When troubles trouble you and you think life's not fair, when you need someone and there's no one there; Remember all the times that you feel alone are the times He'll use to make you strong In everything give thanks, with all your heart give praise, for the Lord we serve will never let you down. In everything give thanks, with all your heart believe that the Lord can take a circumstance and turn it all around. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, we pray that we will continue to mature in our Christian walk. Scripture, repeatedly, indicates that spiritual maturity is a result of enduring trials of various kinds. In the midst of these trials Your faithful promptings and guidance through Scripture, other believers, and the circumstances we face can be ignored or silenced when self gets in the way. Today we make every effort to add to our faith those characteristics that will sustain and grow us in our Christian walk. In doing so we will be effective and productive in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, during times of ease but even more so during times of difficulty. Keep us faithful and growing, and expressing thanks in everything, according to the Scripture, "In all things give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward You." In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.* David and Sabra's blog is called "Simply One In Marriage"  On Sunday the younger children sang several Thanksgiving songs and recited prayers. I (Brooksyne) was so impressed with the two year old (far left) who kept up with the older ones, both in hand motions and words thanks to a loving mommy who helped him learn his music and sat down on the floor in front of the children keeping him on track. I enjoy working with children during the holidays. You never know just what they'll say or do, but this time they really came through especially with the following hymn in which I share some amazing historical background: Now Thank We All God: German pastor Martin Rinkart served in the walled town of Eilenburg, Germany during the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648. Eilenburg became an overcrowded refuge for the surrounding area where fugitives suffered from epidemic and famine. At the beginning of 1637, the year of the Great Pestilence, there were four ministers in Eilenburg. But one abandoned his post for healthier areas and could not be persuaded to return. Pastor Rinkhart officiated at the funerals of the other two. As the only pastor left, he often conducted services for as many as 40 to 50 persons a day– nearly 5000 in all. In May of that year, his own wife died. By the end of the year, the refugees had to be buried in trenches without services. Yet, while living in a world dominated by sorrow, loss, and death, Rinkart wrote this timeless prayer of thanksgiving for his children: Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices, Who wondrous things hath done, In whom the world rejoices. Who from our mother's arms Hath blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love And still is ours today. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources Special Thanksgiving Resources We offer these resources to families and church leaders to enrich the spiritual impact of the Thanksgiving holiday. We will post these resources through Thanksgiving Day here in the US (November 27). We appreciated singing the traditional Thanksgiving hymns. Here are several classics that you may or may not have heard this season. "In Everything Give Thanks" Video Charlotte Ritchie, Jeff & Sheri Easter This song will bring joy to your heart! "Now Thank We All Our God" Video Best Loved Hymns "Come Ye Thankful People Come" Video Traditional version Contemporary version but thankfully maintaining same tune and lyrics Video "Thanksgiving Medley" (We Gather Together, For The Beauty Of The Earth, Come Ye Thankful People Come) Video Studio Musicians "Give Thanks" Video Don Moen "Thank You Lord" Video Community Choir at a Lancaster Day of Prayer event in 2008. "Thank You Lord For Saving My Soul" Video Holland Davis  "Thankful For The Thorns": A family reading and exercise that is a wonderful way to give a thoughtful focus around your Thanksgiving Table. The Thanksgiving celebration typically includes family coming together for a huge meal and hopefully a heartfelt prayer of thankfulness. However it can often be difficult to have a spiritually oriented conversation. Why not add some stimulating discussion about the ways God has worked in your life over the past year! Some of you are not in charge and are only visitors at your Thanksgiving gathering, but if it is possible share together around the table the theme of "Thankful for the Thorns" (printable webpage)."A Thanksgiving family exercise" (pdf) We have used this questionnaire as a stimulus for discussion among family members in the past in our home. We encourage you to share results around the table at Thanksgiving before or after the meal. A Thanksgiving prayer: Written by Joe Sherer, a pastor friend of ours and shared as the benediction at our community Thanksgiving Eve service several years ago. (webpage) For those who enjoy written prayers this would be a beautiful prayer to read together at the Thanksgiving table. A Thanksgiving Scripture reading: A selection of Old and New Testament readings dealing with thankfulness appropriate for church, family and personal readings. (pdf) (Suitable for printing out and copying.) Today and all through this week we will share a selection of Thanksgiving music. "Be Magnified" Video Kim Hill "Thanks" Video Marshall Hall and the Homecoming Singers "I Want To Thank You" Video Karen Peck and New River This is a song expressing thankfulness to the many people who impact our lives and also reminds us of the blessing of seemingly insignificant expressions of faith. From the Gaither Homecoming series. "Thank You Lord For Your Blessings On Me" Video Gordon Mote & Jason Crabb "I'm Forever Grateful" Video Willow Creek "When I Thank Him For What He Has Done" Video The Cathedrals "Worthy Is The Lamb, Crown Him, Crown Him With Many Crowns" Video Travis Cottrell "Thank You, Lord" Video Dennis Jernigan "Thank You For Loving Me" Video Tommy Walker "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" Video Matt Redman "For These Reasons" Video Lincoln Brewster Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne  Stephen and Brooksyne Weber (Click on photo to enlarge) About Us "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 11/12/14) 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. 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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. Your answers are anonymous and I we are unable to respond. If you want to send a personal message use the 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. Other versions are also occasionally used. © Copyright 2014 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552  Endorsed chaplain "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation" www.dailyencouragement.net |
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