Daily Encouragement (12/03/08) "Cover-up"

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A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home   ·   About Us   ·   ·  Podcast  ·  Free email See here for more info. <Previous Message    ·    Archives    ·     Archive/print edition Wednesday, December 3, 2008 Lancaster County rainbow (Photo by Doris High)   Listen to us share this message on your audio player. Play podcast instrumental music only "Cover-up" "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). When we lived in New England we became members of the historic Old Sturbridge Village which is a recreated community of 40 original buildings with costumed staff in keeping with a rural New England town of the 1830's. We enjoyed our many visits there as a family and Brooksyne also took Ester each September when it was Home School Day at Sturbridge.  It was in the fall of 2000 that they witnessed something a little out of the ordinary.  I'll let her tell you about it. Ester and I had a great day touring the village with other home schooling families and learning more about the lifestyle consistent with the early 1800's.  Before we headed home I decided to stop in at a cafeteria style restaurant where the food was set out and people just took what they wanted as they went through the line.  It was late afternoon and the cafeteria was nearly empty except for Ester and me.  After we sat down to eat our light meal I happened to look toward the staff that were beginning some clean-up work around the food.  Then, out of the blue, a young worker suddenly stuck two fingers deep into the over-sized whipped cream bowl, pulled them out and licked the cream from his fingers.  It was one of those incredulous moments when you shake your brain and say to yourself, "I didn't just see what I thought I saw, did I!" He must have been reading my brain thoughts as I was still reeling from the sight I had just witnessed.  So to make sure that I wasn't just imagining what I thought I saw he repeated the disgusting act again while looking straight toward me.  He vigorously stirred the topping with the dipper, but this time he plunged his fingers into the filled dipper for another round of "finger-looking good samplings."   He then took a spoon and gleefully stirred the topping and smoothed off the top, good as new.  Perhaps he reasoned that by distributing his germs throughout the entire bowl he was diluting them to the degree they would no longer be harmful to anyone else! His smoothing over the top was evidence that he wanted to cover up what he had done.  I wonder how long he had been in charge of the whipped topping bowl. What a literal cover-up! But isn't that the way many deal with sin? Conceal the offense by trying to smooth over the visible part others might see. Deal with the outward appearance but allow the sin to fester within.  Among man's many remedies for the sin problem is the feeble attempt to cover-up. Adam and Eve tried it first but their act was followed by many in Scripture and of course all throughout history. Numbers 32:23 states, "Be sure that your sin will find you out." God's only remedy for sin is Christ and our responsibility is confession and repentance which involves turning away from the sin. Yesterday's message chronicles the cover-up attempt by David after his sin with Bathsheba.  It was a progressive attempt beginning with deceit, misuse of power, forcing others to do wrong such as Joab the Commander, and ending with multiple murders (see 2 Samuel 11:17). But God sees. He always sees. We may very well fool our fellow man and get by for awhile but we never fool God. We may deceive ourselves and feel the cover-up worked but ultimately a price will be paid.  Sin is often wrapped in lovely packaging but it carries a significant price tag to those who make the purchase.  When David sinned God was watching and "the thing David had done displeased the LORD."  It remains a constant on this side of eternity that "he who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." Our daily text is mirrored in one of the great New Testament promises. I urge you to receive and practice it today. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Be encouraged today, Stephen C. Weber Daily Prayer: Jesus, may I never consider my good works or righteous acts to be a cover-up for the hidden sin I harbor in my heart or try to use them as payment for my sins. May my attitude be that of the publican in Luke who humbly came before the Father and cried out, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" If I exalt myself it will eventually lead to my downfall.  But when I humble myself I will be exalted by You.  I humbly confess and renounce my sins so that I might receive Your divine peace in place of the inner turmoil that comes with hidden sin.  It is in Your name, Jesus, that I pray.  Amen. I expect to share two more lessons from David's sin with Bathsheba and the consequences on Thursday and Friday. This mini-series began with yesterday's message "The Consequences Of Sin". Otis, a longtime friend from Philadelphia responded to yesterday's message with this thoughtful perspective: "One quick word about how small sin starts:  I remember a pastor who pointed out that David's sin started because he wasn't where he was supposed to be.  It was spring, a time when kings went to war, but David was at home.  How many sins start because we're not where we're supposed to be -- in prayer, in fellowship, in the Word?" Another gratifying response came from our friend Jim in New Jersey who has a prison ministry and plans to share the message with the men. Here's some resource material on this topic I will leave up all week: 2 Samuel 11 and 12 is the account of David's sin with Bathsheba. Psalm 51 is the record of his repentance. "The Consequences Of A Moral Failure"  Webpage  This material is adapted from a 1998 "Leadership" magazine article by Randy Alcorn and Eternal Perspective Ministries and is personalized for my own use and personal impact. This article is also available as a printable .pdf  I encourage every man and woman to adapt this for their own use or better yet start from scratch and develop your own. "Slow Fade"  Video    Outstanding message about sin. Pure Life Ministries  An excellent resource for overcomers. Last month I took Ester to see "Fireproof", a Christian movie dealing with marital restoration. Our family would highly recommend it! Fireproof, DVD  By Provident Music Distribution The latest theatrical blockbuster from the creators of Facing the Giants, Fireproof is an action-packed love story about a firefighter, his wife, and a marriage worth rescuing! At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt (Kirk Cameron) lives by the old firefighter's adage: "Never leave your partner behind". At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules. His job is to rescue others. Now Caleb Holt has to face his toughest job ever, rescuing his wife's heart. Are you Christmas shopping online? 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 considering using these links when purchasing online through CBD! Tip: If you are regular CBD customer consider bookmarking this link and using it whenever you shop. 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.) "Nothing But The Blood"   Newer version  Video  Traditional version  Video  (The way we sang it in Bible College!) Old Sturbridge Village  Note from Brooksyne:  I remember very well the very nauseating incident with the young teen who was so brazen in the dipping and licking of his fingers in a public food place.  He didn't flinch while he repeated this act the second time as he looked straight at me. I turned this employee into his supervisor hoping that a severe action would be taken.   In a bigger sense this young man's act of rebellion reminds me of those who willfully sin as they shake their fists at the Father.  There will be judgment day coming for those who are proud in their sin, rather than being humble in their repentance. Today's photo of the rainbow was taken by our friend Doris High. She is an avid photographer and places many of her photos on her blog. We were blessed by this post of a recent baptism service in her church. Churches do baptisms in a variety of ways.  I have baptized in cold mountain streams, muddy farm ponds, the ocean, and church baptistries.  But this was an interesting setup apparently made just for outdoor baptisms. Doris' captions capture the vows in an interesting way and stirred my soul afresh! Finally today: This morning after eating breakfast I sat my cereal bowl down and Dottie managed to lap up the remaining milk. I don't think I would find this a very comfortable eating position! Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

Stephen and Brooksyne Weber "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 10/21/08 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 daily 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 to Daily Encouragement Net through 12/02/08: $18,571.00) SUBSCRIPTION INFO 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 signed up to receive it OR a friend forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. Cancel:  We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address from the list immediately. To remove your address merely use the link automatically inserted 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 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! "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the faithful believer and church. "A Little Foolishness" - A humor/satire blog (a great outlet for non-serious writing but at times with a subtle message!)  I haven't had time or "inspiration" for this for awhile but it has several stories that get regular page views. "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 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

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Daily Encouragement (12/02/08) "The Consequences Of Sin"

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A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home   ·   About Us   ·   ·  Podcast  ·  Free email See here for more info. <Previous Message    ·    Archives    ·     Archive/print edition Tuesday, December 2, 2008 As we walk into Darrenkamp's, a locally owned grocery store here in Mount Joy, we are greeted by this bright yellow tree with John Deere-themed ornaments!   Listen to us share this message on your audio player. Play podcast instrumental music only "The Consequences Of Sin" "Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king's house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance" (2 Samuel 11:2). Our pastor preached an outstanding sermon this last Sunday titled "An Affair to Remember" dealing with David's sin with Bathsheba.  We need these hard hitting reminders of the consequences of sin and Pastor Bob tackled the matter with forthrightness and Biblical integrity. I consider the lustful temptations common to all and the many times I have dealt pastorally with those who have fallen into sin. As I prepare this message I consider several friends from Bible College and throughout my ministry that gave into lustful temptation and sinned in this regard. I also consider the devastating impact it had on their spiritual lives, their families and their ministry. A great line from Pastor's message was the perspective of a country preacher. Perhaps you've heard it before.  I know that Brooksyne has shared this viewpoint with Ester when instructing her about the choices one makes regarding disobedience toward God: Sin will take you farther than you want to go, Cost you more than you want to pay and Keep you longer than you want to stay. One of the great cautions in life is an awareness of how the slide into decadence often takes place incrementally.  Casting Crowns has a stirring song that deals with this called "Slow Fade."  This is true on both the individual and societal levels.  Surely as the Prodigal left his father he did not aspire to feeding pigs.  People don't seek to be addicts.  So often they will testify that they began with "just a little" tobacco or alcohol.  Consider other areas where this is true.  "Just a little won't hurt" the devil continues to whisper.  After all, the slide began with just a little bite from the forbidden fruit. The daily verse is innocent enough; a successful king taking a walk at night on the roof of his home; a woman bathing, a glance of beauty (perhaps unintentional). Thus far no major problem here. But many of you know what follows. We have here a profile of an individual's incremental slide into sin.  David's glance toward beauty turned into a lustful gaze.  "David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"  What's he inquiring for?  He was a married man.  That should have settled it. And when the messenger reported that she is "the wife of Uriah the Hittite", that should have absolutely settled it then and there.   But "David sent messengers and took her."  It was all downhill from there on.  The Life Application notes bring a stirring truth:  "The deeper the mess, the less we want to admit having caused it. It's much easier to stop sliding down a hill when you are near the top than when you are halfway down.  The best solution is to stop sin before it starts." 2 Samuel 11 ends with this timeless assessment of sin from God's perspective: "But the thing David had done displeased the LORD." The following chapter and remainder of the book chronicle these harsh consequences that affected his family and the entire nation.  It also serves as a powerful reminder to all of us that sin always has consequences. A lesson for all of us to heed. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily Prayer:  Father God, help each of us to understand the wiles of the devil and to be steadfast in our determination to resist temptation at each step.  We  want to be self-controlled and alert, standing firm in the faith as we resist the devil who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking for someone to devour.  Thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit to resist and to overcome.  Amen. Brooksyne's Note: I guess it comes from the years of editing Stephen's writings where I enhance his thought or add my own that makes me want to add one more line to the country preacher's message about the sobering effects of sin: Sin will take you farther than you want to go And keep you longer than you want to stay It will cost more than you want to pay And bring deep heartache to those you love most. 2 Samuel 11 and 12 is the account of David's sin with Bathsheba. Psalm 51 is the record of his repentance. "The Consequences Of A Moral Failure"  Webpage  This material is adapted from a 1998 "Leadership" magazine article by Randy Alcorn and Eternal Perspective Ministries and is personalized for my own use and personal impact. This article also available as a printable .pdf  I encourage every man and woman to adapt this for their own use or better yet start from scratch and develop your own. Today's text is so instructive in regard to the consequences of sin. In the midst of the narrative concerning his attempted cover-up David instructed Joab to intentionally place Uriah (Bathsheba's husband) in harms way that he might be slain.  Joab surely had to violate his principles to do this but did so as commanded.  "When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David's army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died" (2 Samuel 11:17).  The underlined portion reveals some of the others who were impacted by this action besides Uriah.  This is indicative of the large web weaved by personal sin. 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.) "Slow Fade"  Video  Due to a morning appointment I prepared most of this message last night while Brooksyne and Ester were out. When they came home they were listening to this song on one of our Christian radio stations (the first time we heard it). We immediately realized it's appropriateness for today's message! Slow Fade Teaching  Video  Mark Hall is the youth pastor who wrote the song and leads Casting Crowns. He shares an interesting perspective from Psalm 1 that prompted this song.   "Holiness Is What I  Long For"  Video "Take My Life"  Video    A beautful rendering of an old hymn. Here's an audio of the original version. "Take Time To Be Holy"  Video  This is another old hymn you just don't hear much these days, but its message is very relevant and timeless. Pure Life Ministries  An outstanding resource for overcomers. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

Stephen and Brooksyne Weber "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 10/21/08 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 daily 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 to Daily Encouragement Net through 12/01/08: $18,521.00) SUBSCRIPTION INFO 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 signed up to receive it OR a friend forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. Cancel:  We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address from the list immediately. To remove your address merely use the link automatically inserted 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 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! "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the faithful believer and church. "A Little Foolishness" - A humor/satire blog (a great outlet for non-serious writing but at times with a subtle message!)  I haven't had time or "inspiration" for this for awhile but it has several stories that get regular page views. "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 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

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!

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Daily Encouragement (12/01/08) "Somebody's Praying For Me!"

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A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home   ·   About Us   ·   ·  Podcast  ·  Free email See here for more info. <Previous Message    ·    Archives    ·     Archive/print edition Monday, December 1, 2008 Acadia National Park in Maine (Photo by Howard Blichfeldt)   Listen to us share this message on your audio player. Play podcast instrumental music only "Somebody's Praying For Me!" "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right" (1 Samuel 12:23). The other day Brooksyne and I received a brief blue Post-it note with a Thanksgiving greeting from Ken and Vickie, two friends from Ohio.  It had this energy-giving phrase, "We lift you up in prayer often."  It's such a blessing to have people praying for us. I once heard an interesting perspective from a young lady who taught English in China for three years.  She shared a point of blessing I don't believe I'd ever considered.  She passed out a variety of different photos of Chinese people whom she had met during her time there.  Pictures of typical people: children, adults, and families. She pointed out that these Chinese people had likely never had  contact with anyone who had specifically prayed for them.*  She then pointed out how virtually all of us "church people" had believers praying for us here in America.  It may have been godly parents and grandparents, pastors, Sunday School teachers, friends, etc. We ended the time by praying for these Chinese people as we looked at their pictures.  It was a memorable service. That lesson really struck me.  The blessing of the many, many people who have prayed for me through the years and continue to do so.  The prayers began before I was born as Mom prayed for me while patting her growing midsection.  These prayers continued through my infancy, childhood, and rebellious teen years.  The earnest prayers asking that God would show me the way to salvation.  Then the sustaining prayers offered throughout the years of my ministry and today in present overcomings.  These prayers silently undergird my life often in indiscernible ways.  I would consider that most all of you who read our message today have similar stories of being prayed for! In the daily text Samuel had anointed Saul as king and is returning to "private life", although there was still some public rebuke he had to carry out.  This is his transition address to the people of Israel and in it he provided a wonderful assurance to them: "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right." He was planning to continue to pray for them and teach them.  In fact he considered the failure to pray for them a sin against the Lord!  What a heavy sense of responsibility and important lesson for us regarding the importance of praying for others. Today, why don't you pause for a moment and thank God for the prayer warriors interceding on your behalf!  And remember the lesson of the power and importance of prayer as you go to your spiritual closet today.  And finally, although you probably don't know them personally, remember to pray for people who do not have the blessing of believers praying for them. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily Prayer: Father, we are so grateful for those who, with vibrant faith and in faithful obedience, offer our names up to You in prayer.   Their prayer covering serves us much like an invisible shield that protects our vulnerable hearts against the brutal fiery darts of Satan.  In our growing walk with You move us beyond the singular "Bless me" type prayers to asking Your blessings on others as we call out their names and present their needs to You in prayer. In doing so we will be following the model Paul speaks of in Philippians 2 where he says we are to be interested not only in our own lives but also in the lives of others.  May we be faithful in putting Jesus first, others second and ourselves last in our daily thoughts and in our intercessory prayers.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen. * Brooksyne makes an interesting observation.  The people in China and other places have surely been prayed for as part of the burden for missions as we have prayed for the "Chinese people", etc.  Surely these prayers are not to be discounted and only eternity will reveal how they have been answered.  We have had a personal mystery in this regard.  For many years Brooksyne had a Chinese pen pal named Yhang Sue who was a teacher in China.  Brooksyne prayed and sensitively tried to share the gospel with her.  After many years (probably over 10) Yhang Sue wrote that she was moving to Canada and had married.  In the mid-nineties we found a letter from Yhang Sue on our porch in Massachusetts that had apparently been dropped off but with no current address where we could reach her.  We have lost contact and of course have moved ourselves as well.  We are awaiting the outcome of this and earnestly pray that we will hear that Yhang Sue has come to know Christ. Another note from Brooksyne:  We hear from many readers who have deep hurts and major challenges in their lives.  So much so that I'm often at a loss in knowing how to respond and time restraints are always lurking.  But I feel strongly that, if possible, I will respond with a personalized prayer on their behalf.  Some of you reading this note are recipients of one or more of those prayers. I often hear from the respondent that they downloaded the prayer and posted it as a reminder that they were being prayed for. May I encourage you to carry out this spiritual exercise on behalf of those who come to you in need, or better yet, for those you perceive to be in need.  It certainly does not take a special gifting from God to do this – just write down the prayer God is laying upon your heart.  One of the best methods in writing prayers is using prayer models throughout Scripture.  There are so many instances of written prayers in the Bible.  I read through II Thessalonians this morning in my personal devotions and came across 4 prayers Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers.  They can be used exactly as written or adapted as needed for the recipient in need of prayer.  II Thessalonians 1:11,12; 2:16,17; 3:3-5; 3:16.  Two favorite prayers I use often are from Ephesians 3:14-21; Philippians 1:9-11. These can also be used in prayer services when we pray aloud for others.  Scriptural prayers are a wonderful blessing and prayer tool especially when we are at a loss for words or feel inadequate in ourselves.  God's Word is always adequate for every situation. A final note from Stephen: The other evening I was gathered in prayer with two young brothers and we were praying for each other. Well, being in public ministry for nearly 35 years now I suppose I am fairly competent and comfortable in praying for others. After we prayed one of them commented on my prayer and wondered if God still answered even if we had a harder time getting the words together. I assured him that God is most concerned with our hearts not the formation of our prayers!  Those of us who've walked for years with the Lord are most touched by the earnest prayer of a new believer who has not yet memorized the "church type prayer lingo" but simply prays from his or her heart. Saturday we were blessed to have my brother and his wife join us for dinner. Pat and Laverne Weber live in the Lehigh Valley about 100 miles northeast of us and serve a church in Easton Pennsylvania. They are now empty nesters with all three of their children  married and they're also proud  grandparents. They met in Bible College and have been married 36 years, faithfully serving the Lord together. Pat came to faith in Christ while in the service in Europe and Lavene is the daughter of George and Helga Hemminger, longterm pioneering missionaries to Sierre Leone, West Africa. Brother Hemminger was a remarkable mission statesman and I still meet people who recall his ministry since he was characterized by weeping as he shared his burden for the people. Many years ago I shared an encouragement message about him titled, "God Will Not Forget". As it gets colder outside our pets, Roxie (dog) and Dottie (cat), snuggle up in front of the coal stove. Yesterday we had ministry at Longwood Manor, a local assisted living center. Roxie joined us to provide "pet therapy" so she was pretty tired when we got home. Dottie doesn't like to get out and pretty much rests 23 and 1/2 hours a day. 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.) "Somebody's Praying Me Through"  Video  Here's a touching version by a young girl dealing with cancer. "Somebody's Praying"  Video "I Must Tell Jesus"  Video  As we prepared today's message we both recalled our blessing from this old hymn we haven't heard in many years.  In fact as we were sharing I said "Number 400 in the old hymnal."  This is an earnest choir version with an interesting string instrument in the very beginning. Can anyone tell us what it is?  This song starts out slow and quiet but builds with a stirring crescendo as it goes along.   Today's photo is by Howard J. Blichfeldt and is used with his permission. His website is here. Howard desires to honor the Lord through his photography. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

Stephen and Brooksyne Weber "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 10/21/08 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 daily 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 to Daily Encouragement Net through 11/30/08: $18,521.00) SUBSCRIPTION INFO 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 signed up to receive it OR a friend forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. Cancel:  We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address from the list immediately. To remove your address merely use the link automatically inserted 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 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! "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the faithful believer and church. "A Little Foolishness" - A humor/satire blog (a great outlet for non-serious writing but at times with a subtle message!)  I haven't had time or "inspiration" for this for awhile but it has several stories that get regular page views. "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 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

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