Monday, December 31, 2007

"He Leadeth Me"

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

<Previous Message · Easy read/print edition

Monday, December 31, 2007

Farmhouse south of Mount Joy PA
Farmhouse south of Mount Joy Pennsylvania
We had a light snowfall through the night. This is a rural farmouse several miles from our home.

ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"He Leadeth Me"

"For He Himself knew what He would do" (John 6:6).

Last night we attended a music concert that featured Gordie and Marie Barlow. I first came across this musical couple when doing a search for online music that we often feature following our devotional. Since I am using a search engine the music I find may be from musicians anywhere in the world. Months ago I came across a song and really liked the sample music so I read about the musicians on their website. In reading the "Contact Us" page I found that they lived in a small village only about 3 miles from our home! Last night Marie sang a classic old hymn, "He Leadeth Me" which in part prompted today's final encouragement message for 2007. Though Marie has a "broadway" voice she sings this hymn with a country flare as her husband accompanies her on the banjo.

Early in my Christian life I benefited from a small daily devotional book titled "From Day To Day" by Frank Gaebelein, who is now with the Lord. In fact this book has influenced the style in which I write each daily encouragement more than any single work. I still have the book, though now it's a rather frayed hardcover. Essentially Dr. Gaebelein had a real knack for taking a portion of a verse that we may tend to overlook in our Bible reading and then he would further expound upon it. I will use an example of his writing today that has blessed me and is so pertinent to our own experience in walking with the Lord by faith. He is commenting on the daily verse, "For He Himself knew what He would do."

"When the Lord Jesus asked Philip how bread might be secured for the hungry crowd, it was important for Him to test the faith of Philip-important not for Himself but for Philip's sake that he might have a lesson in the infinite resources of the Lord. "For He Himself knew what He would do." This is always true of our Lord. There is comfort in the fact that He can never be taken by surprise. Though the circumstances of our lives sometimes seem plan-less, when they are in Christ's control we may be sure that our Lord knows what He is doing. To really trust such a Master really means security from worry and concern. Christ indeed knows His business; ours is the responsibility of obeying His commands."

As I seek to apply today's verse to my life what a joy and comfort to know the eternal Christ who does not change. He knows exactly what He is doing and how He is going to do it. We become the wiser as we learn to trust His plan instead of our own. "We may make our plans, but God has the last word" (Proverbs 16:1 TEV) is a proverb I memorized years ago. This truth instills peace in my heart when God seems rather silent as I am seeking His direction about a matter. I'm comforted in knowing that He overrules my plans, even those with good intentions, for the greater good of my Christian walk when I submit all my plans to His management.

Today is both a time of reflection and a time of anticipation. We can testify that God has led us and are assured that he will continue to lead us. But the phrase "He leadeth me" is in the present tense and that can be our declaration. Brooksyne and I realize that the coming year will certainly bring challenges in various ways, as it always does. We find great assurance that indeed our Lord knows what He will do. We cling to this complimentary promise from the Psalms, "The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me" (Psalm 138:8). And that is true for each dear child of God, including you!

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.


Be encouraged today and have a blessed New Year,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we want to be your faithful follower as You fulfill Your purpose in our lives. The Psalmist traced Your hand to the secret place where all Your ordained plans were written for his life even before he drew his first breath. We too can trace Your hand in the origin of our birth right up to the present day in which we close out another year. You have ordained the trials, the victories, the losses, the gains and all the paths laid out for us even before we were conceived in our mother's womb. We trust You for the days ahead and new year that lies before us that You will supply needed wisdom and staying power for the challenges that are certain to come as they did for Moses, Daniel, Paul, for other believers throughout the centuries and for those in our present day. We will not fear or dread the future as we look ahead through eyes of faith. The victory is on the horizon because of the conquering power of our soon coming King! Amen.



John 6:1-15 is the entire context of today's passage.



Today is my Mom's 87th birthday, although she is now with the Lord. We reflect on how young she is in her new eternal home!



Today's Suggested Music

"He Leadeth Me"
Marie Barlow (Audio sample) This is not a full version but will give you a pretty good idea of their quality. Gordie played the happy sounding banjo live but the incredible strings were on a background track.
Vocal acapella (a full version with great harmony by the Drummond family!) (Audio)
Instrumental by James M. Stevens (Audio) This is also the background to today's podcast.

Here's another song Gordie and Marie Barlow sang last night that we really enjoy. This arrangement we first heard by Selah.
"You Are My Hiding Place" (Audio sample)
Here's their website.

Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement.

Administration Information
2007 Weber family photo
Stephen, Brooksyne and Ester Weber
"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update
Revised 11/28/07

DonateEach 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 encouragement ministry? Thanks! See here for details.

Join:
To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. You can also subscribe to the rss feed.


Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link automatically placed 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 this message on! *





Our other blogs:
"A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message.
"A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination.
"Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church.


Christianbook.comDaily 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. Used by permission; and the King James Version.


© Copyright 2007 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

Daily Encouragement Net
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552
Contact us
Chaplaincy logo

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


http://www.dailyencouragement.net/

Friday, December 28, 2007

"Anna"

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

<Previous Message · Easy read/print edition

Friday, December 28, 2007

Train engine
Steam engine at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"Anna"

"Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38).

Yesterday we gathered with our Amish friends, Jesse and Anna Ruth, for a meal and a visit they arranged for us to see the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania near their home in Strasburg. Although they don't use the internet they are interested in our writing ministry and we often take over printed copies of our messages for them. They're quite knowledgeable about the Bible and read it together as a family each night. I quizzed them concerning my current topic of examining the two elderly people who came on the scene at Christ's consecration in the temple recorded in Luke 2:21-38. They recognized who I was writing of (Simeon and Anna) and, as you might have already guessed, Anna is named after one of them!

This Anna (the only Anna recorded in Scripture) was the second of the faithful believers who, like Simeon, encountered the infant Messiah at the time of His consecration in the temple. She was an old widow prophetess who "never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying." She must have been an interesting person! Somehow when I read this description I form a mental image of her as a rather eccentric, perhaps charismatic type, and I have learned to appreciate the contribution this type of believer makes to the Body of Christ.

She, like Simeon, first "gave thanks to God" as she encountered the holy family. Apparently she was in such rich communion with God that she knew this was no ordinary family or baby. She also may have witnessed the exchange that had just taken place with Simeon that is recorded in the previous portion of Scripture. She then "spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem." The content of her words are not recorded for us, but I sense they surely related to our Lord's redemptive work.

Today let us also thank God for the gift of His Son and let us also faithfully speak "about the child" who became the Savior of the world. As we focus on the wonder of the Christmas story, remember, this Baby was born to die for our sins. Let us recognize the full redemptive scope of the mission of the baby that Anna encountered and wholeheartedly worship and serve Him today.


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we read of Simeon and Anna who praised You in the temple for the blessings of the Christ Child. We also praise You in the House of the Lord and in heaven and earth for the past, present and future blessings that we enjoy through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is our Peace who has broken down every wall and someday we'll thoroughly enjoy the future setting of the lion laying down right beside the lamb because of Christ's redemptive power. We'll also see every tribe and tongue united under one Leader and we will know and thoroughly enjoy the full scope of Christ's redemption. In Your time, Lord, in Your time You will bring these marvelous blessings to pass but even now we thank You for the countless blessings we enjoy at the present.



Today's Scripture portion concerning Anna in full context.



Pennsylvania Railroad Museum
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania This is a great museum for those (like me) who like trains and railroads. The exhibits are actual restored engines and railroad cars. The main display area is huge and I would estimate that the above photo only shows about 1/3 of it. The museum is right across the road from the Strasburg railroad. Listen



Family farm sign
Jesse and Anna Ruth are truly family farmers. Yesterday before we shared a meal together I helped him get the cows in from the pasture and into their stalls. Jesse's always happy to enlist me for a little extra help whenever I stop by for a visit!

Family farm sign




I always enjoy examining the lifestock when I visit Jesse's place and this newborn calf was pleased to have a photo taken for the first time!









Today's Suggested Music

"Christ Is Come" (Audio)

"I Surrender All" (Instrumental Audio)

"Press On" (Video)

Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement.

Administration Information
2007 Weber family photo
Stephen, Brooksyne and Ester Weber
"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update
Revised 11/28/07

DonateEach 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 encouragement ministry? Thanks! See here for details.

Join:
To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. You can also subscribe to the rss feed.


Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link automatically placed 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 this message on! *





Our other blogs:
"A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message.
"A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination.
"Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church.


Christianbook.comDaily 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. Used by permission; and the King James Version.


© Copyright 2007 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

Daily Encouragement Net
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552
Contact us
Chaplaincy logo

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


http://www.dailyencouragement.net/

Thursday, December 27, 2007

"The Lord's Christ"

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

<Previous Message · Easy read/print edition

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Simeon
Simeon

ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"The Lord's Christ"

"Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God" (Luke 2:28).

(This is the second encouragement message on Simeon following the one we shared yesterday)

Over the years I've been told that I look rather clumsy holding infants. In fact my good friend, Ken, often coerces me into holding his little baby, David, so he can look on and chuckle at my discomfort! Through the years I've received some great instructions and young mothers have shown me the right way to hold their babies. I believe I do better than I used to, although I'm still not very comfortable doing so.

I wonder what it was like to hold the infant Jesus? I would suppose He was held by many. Artists usually show Mary holding Him, but surely Joseph did so as well. Grandmothers, aunts, and most women love to hold and cuddle babies and so do a lot of men.

But there's only one person the Bible specifically refers to by name who held the baby Jesus. Simeon was a righteous and devout man of faith who had long been waiting in expectation of the "consolation of Israel" and who had the Holy Spirit upon him. It was the Holy Spirit who had revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the "Lord's Christ."

At just the precise day and time His parents took Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Simeon was moved by the Spirit to also be there to meet them in the temple court. No introduction is recorded. We simply read, "Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God." This would have been a great time to have a digital camera and take lots of pictures!

Today we cannot take the infant Jesus in our arms. He is now majestically seated at the right hand of God the Father, having fully accomplished the mission for which He was sent into the world; to save sinners. But we can raise our arms and praise God acknowledging, as Simeon did, that Jesus is indeed the Lord's Christ. And today redeemed sinners are doing just that all over the world. I'm one of them and I sure hope you are too!


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we ascribe to You glory and honor and power and strength due Your name. We rejoice in our salvation made possible through the incarnation of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to redeem humankind from their wretched sin. For, at just the right time, while we were still powerless and dead in our sins, Jesus died for us. God, You demonstrated Your love for us, in that You credited righteousness to us through Christ's death, and justified us from sin. Your wondrous love is truly amazing and we can only respond by dedicating to You our soul, our life, our all! Amen.






Mystery photo
Yesterday I shared this photo my cousin sent me that he took on a foggy, frosty morning. I asked if anyone would care to tell me where this was taken and many of you responded. The key is the coordinates in the lower left corner. The answer is Manderscheid, Germany. Congratulations to you fellow geography and gps aficionados who correctly answered this rather unusual quiz! Here's the key (for me anyway). Go to Google maps (The metric coordinates are 50.083333, 6.816667.) Place the coordinates on the search box and it will tell you where it is. Interestingly several of you responded that it was Luxembourg, which is really close.

I had not puttered around with the google maps for awhile but see they have a new feature (to me anyway) called "street view" for major cities. Last night I enjoyed "driving" around Boston and seeing familiar sights.




Suggested Music

"Mary Did You Know" (Audio1)
(Audio2)

"We All Bow Down" (Audio) A beautiful song of surrender and worship. The words and music have a way of transcending us from the present to the majestic presence of God Himself as we bow before Him. Winners, losers, rich and poor, all of equal value and so precious in the heart of the Father.

"We Bow Down" (Audio)

Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement.

Send an email message to Stephen and Brooksyne
Administration Information
2007 Weber family photo
Stephen, Brooksyne and Ester Weber
"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update
Revised 11/28/07

DonateEach 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 encouragement ministry? Thanks! See here for details.

Join:
To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. You can also subscribe to the rss feed.


Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link automatically placed 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 this message on! *





Our other blogs:
"A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message.
"A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination.
"Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church.


Christianbook.comDaily 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. Used by permission; and the King James Version.


© Copyright 2007 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

Daily Encouragement Net
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552
Contact us
Chaplaincy logo

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


http://www.dailyencouragement.net/

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

"In His Time"

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

<Previous Message · Easy read/print edition

Wednesday, December 26
, 2007

Mystery photo
My cousin is travelling and sent me this photo he took on a foggy, frosty morning. (Click here to enlarge.)
Would anyone care to tell me where this was taken?


ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"In His Time"

"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God" (Luke 2:25-28).

On Christmas Eve we were visiting with an older friend who drives for the Amish and he shared a cute story. He was hauling an Amish family and, to make conversation, he asked their little girl, "How old are you?" Rebekah responded, "I'm ten." She then proceeded to ask him, "How old are you?" He told her "I'm 69." After she did some quick math in her head Rebekah solemnly informed him, "I don't think you'll live another 69 years." He chuckled as he told our group, "The truth is I wouldn't want to live another 69 years!"

Today I would like to examine one of two lesser known older characters that surround the birth of Christ.

Simeon was one of the faithful Jews that had been waiting in expectation for the Messiah. He had experienced a remarkable revelation that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ. Now he stood in the temple, held the tiny Child in his arms and praised God. What exuberant joy must have filled his heart. What a sense of peace must have flooded his soul. For some 400 years prior to this there had been little prophetic revelation. It's as if God had been silent.

Yet Simeon held on to his faith. He continued to wait (trust) and now that long expected wait had come to an end. The Spirit moved him that day to go into the temple and he met Jesus' parents when they came in for His consecration. I wonder what thoughts were racing through Mary and Joseph's minds when this old stranger took their little baby for that moment? If Mary was like most new mothers, surely she must have had some concern for the Jesus' safety as the elderly man took the Infant in his feeble arms.

When he took the Child he uttered a remarkable prayer/prophecy that began with the phrase "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace" (v. 29). After this utterance we never hear him mentioned again. I would presume he did not live to see Christ's ministry some 30 years later nor His great work of sacrifice for us. Yet he had that brief moment when he saw and held in his own hands the fulfillment of his faith.

Today many of you wait. You wait for your spouse to believe, for that wandering child to come home, for the needed healing to take place, or for that vexing problem to be resolved. Hold on my friend. Don't give up, don't give in. Keep on trusting. In His time you also will see God's consolation. That's not our promise, it's His!

In Your time, in Your time;
You makes all things beautiful in Your time.
Lord, please show me every day
As You're teaching me Your way
That You do just what You say
In Your time.


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily Prayer: Father, You're a compassionate, all-powerful, on-time God. No need in our life is overlooked, overwhelming, or overly difficult for You to meet. You use the good, the bad, and the complex matters that we sort through daily to test our faith and grow our endurance. These challenges that are continually before us compel us to look to the Scriptures for spiritual understanding and sustaining power. I will trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation, in the midst of the wait. My heart seeks after You, my Lord and my God, for You have cared for me all the days of my life and You will continue to do so, for You promise to never leave me nor forsake me. Amen.



PS: Tomorrow I want to share an additional perspective about Simeon.




2007 Weber family Christmas newsletter - We welcome all of our daily encouragement readers to read our annual Christmas newsletter. This year's edition has more photos than usual.




Alberto and Jenny
This morning we had our friends, Alberto and Jenny Hernandez, over for a visit. We worked with them several years ago in chaplaincy and still stay in contact. They are from Peru and have a great missions heart serving the Lord Jesus in hispanic churches throughout central Pennsylvania.







Suggested Music


"In His Time" (Audio) As I searched for the song quoted in today's message I found this song with the same title I had never heard before that has a great message!

"In His Time" (Instrumental Audio) Here's a beautiful instrumental arrangement of the song we quoted at the end of the message today.

Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement.
Administration Information
2007 Weber family photo
Stephen, Brooksyne and Ester Weber
"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update
Revised 11/28/07

DonateEach 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 encouragement ministry? Thanks! See here for details.

Join:
To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. You can also subscribe to the rss feed.


Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link automatically placed 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 this message on! *





Our other blogs:
"A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message.
"A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination.
"Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church.


Christianbook.comDaily 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. Used by permission; and the King James Version.


© Copyright 2007 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

Daily Encouragement Net
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552
Contact us
Chaplaincy logo

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


http://www.dailyencouragement.net/

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

"Unto Us"

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

<Previous Message · Easy read/print edition

Tuesday, December 25
, 2007

Christmas Day

Miller home at Christmas Eve
Miller home
Last night following our Christmas Eve service we joined our friends Stan and Deb along with others for a time of fellowship in their 1800's farmhouse near Manheim, Pennsylvania.

ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"Unto Us"

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given" (Isaiah 9:6a). "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11b). "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken unto us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe" (Hebrews 1:1,2).

It's a beautiful Christmas day here in rural Lancaster County and the Weber family was up quite early (5 am). We shared a Christmas reading together and thanked the Lord for His greatest gift.

The first two daily texts are well known to believers in Christ, often recited by children at the annual Christmas program. One was prophetically declared by Isaiah some 700 years before the birth of Christ, the other by an angelic visitor to some lowly shepherds at His birth. In a few words they contain the essence of the gospel message. They describe the greatest gift.

The challenge during this season is to remember the real message of Christmas. It's not the gifts we give or receive from others. It's not the abundance of gadgets that retailers offer to materialistic America. It's the gift of God's Son to an unreceptive, apathetic, undeserving, and mocking world. Will you gratefully receive His gift this Christmas?

The writer of Hebrews begins his rich epistle in such an interesting and powerful way. All other epistles except 1 John begin with some identification of the human author. Hebrews starts right off in a stately manner dealing with God's message to mankind and the absolute preeminence of His Son.

However let us notice just one tiny phrase in the daily Scripture text which really is a "Christmas" verse, "He has spoken unto us by His Son." Aren't you glad God has spoken and indeed continues to speak! I recall a book I read in college by the late Francis Schaeffer titled, "He is here and He is not silent." How very true.

He speaks to us in many ways, but primarily and fundamentally through His Son. What a great blessing it is that He has not ignored us! After the Fall He began His quest for us and called to Adam, "Where are you?" He's been speaking to His people and calling them ever since. Today He continues to lovingly hearken to the human race, but relatively few pay attention.

What about you? Are you listening? Are you responding in faith and obedience? Let us rejoice that God has indeed spoken to us!


Be encouraged today and have a joyous Christmas,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, even as You spoke to the prophets of long ago You still speak to the hearts of Your people. You've called us out from among the world to stand for righteousness in a godless society. You will not be silenced in a world full of noisy gongs and clanging symbols. As we contemplate the Christmas story we think of young Mary who heard Your special message through the angel. She is a prime example of one whose yielded heart withstood the ridicule and awkwardness of her special role in the conception and birth of the Savior of the world. You continue to speak to us who choose to fear the law of God rather than the law of man. Help us to turn our ears away from worthless noisy gongs and turn our hearts toward Emmanuel, God with us.



Veah with BrooksyneYesterday we had our friends Matt and Shannin and their baby Veah over for dinner before our Christmas Eve service. We know them through our chaplaincy ministry and have become good friends. Veah really enjoyed our small active Christmas decorations that Ester pulled out for her.



Darrel and Kelly


Darrel and Kelly have been dating practically the entire time since we moved down this way as we recall. They recently announced their engagement. It was good to see them both at the service last night!






Weber Christmas morning 2007Ester still gets up early on Christmas morning and our pets, Roxie and Dottie, joined us around the Christmas tree as we read the Christmas story and prepared to open our gifts. You might notice their gifts they received last night. They each got a new bed so they're getting comfortable in their new quarters. It would appear that Dottie feels hers is a bit small so she decided to extend her tail to Roxie's bed. Thankfully, Roxie's very good natured about sharing her Christmas gifts.





2007 Weber family Christmas newsletter - We welcome all of our daily encouragement readers to read our annual Christmas newsletter. This year's edition has more photos than usual.




Resources for Christmas celebrations


It is our desire to share resources that may be a blessing to families and churches during this Christmas season.

Christmas Memories Here's a collection of Christmas memories sent in by daily encouragement readers several years ago, along with an opportunity to share your own story.

"In Remembrance of Me" Last night we read this Scripture reading together at our Christmas Eve service. (Audio) This is a passion-filled Scripture reading for two adults. Stephen and I have used this reading with great receptivity during Christmas Eve services. We suggest, if possible, a musical background as the message is read. It is also a great lead-in to a Communion service. It should be thoroughly practiced and read with great feeling. pdf

"When Christ Was Born" pdf This is an adaptation to the tune of "How Great Thou Art". It's a great song to sing as a congregation since most are familiar with the tune and some churches have already exhausted the usual list of Christmas carols.

Responsive Christmas Scripture readings for church or family:
John 1:1-18 pdf
"O Come Let Us Adore Him"
pdf

My First Christmas in heaven A poem Brooksyne shared two years ago in memory of my Mom. This is a blessed reminder for all who lost a loved one this year.

Here's a test for those who like tests!
Christmas knowledge test


We
have also posted two Christmas carol quizzes with these posts, here and here.




Suggested Music


"Silent Night" (Audio) The soloist is Herb Basso, a friend from the church we pastored in New England. The violinist is Laura Silvia, the daugher of a pastor friend of ours who is now serving on Cape Cod. We have great memories of our association with Herb and his wife Cecilia. Herb is about as Italian as anyone I've ever met and a very colorful man. Before we moved from New England they took us to an authentic Italian restaurant in the Federal Hill section of Providence, Rhode Island (Little Italy). I remember Herb eating Escargot. However my favorite memory is when I went to Boston to see him in the hospital after he had open heart surgery and Ester, who was about 7 at the time went with me. Herb invited us to watch a video about his recovery but Ester who was being disciplined at the time and had been told by her Mom she couldn't watch any videos solemnly informed me, "Daddy, I can't watch it, I am not allowed to watch any videos."

"Hallelujah Chorus"
(Audio)

"Joy To The World" (Instrumental Audio)

Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement.
Administration Information
Weber family 12/07
Merry Christmas!
Stephen, Brooksyne and Ester Weber
"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update
Revised 11/28/07

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Our other blogs:
"A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message.
"A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination.
"Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church.


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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. Used by permission; and the King James Version.


© Copyright 2007 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

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