Daily Encouragement Net - A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
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Trouble reading this message? Read online or see archives
 The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive edition Thursday, February 4, 2010  Snowy trail along Meeting House Road, across from our home. I took this pleasant walk yesterday.  Listen to this message on your audio player. "Longsnappers" "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us" (Romans 12:6).  The title of today's encouragement may lead many people to believe I am going to write something about turtles. Not true! Non-football fans may elect to skip the illustrative part of today's encouragement message and go right down to the last four paragraphs. I don't mind you skipping out on a sports illustration, but I wouldn't want you to miss out on our biblical message today.Those of us who enjoy football look forward to this weekend where we have opportunity to root for our favorite team during the "Super Bowl". Now if I were to ask even nominal football fans, "Who are the quarterbacks for each team?" they'd promptly respond with the familiar names. Avid fans would likely name other star players as well. But what if I asked, "Who is the longsnapper for each team?" Very few could tell me since that position is one of the least prominent on a football team.  The longsnapper is the player who snaps the football on the special team for PAT's, (point after attempts) field goals and punts. Since in many games the score is close their skill in snapping the ball accurately into the hands of the holder is critically important. Games have been lost due to longsnapper error and won because of his proficiency, although he scarcely gets much credit. Consider how many times you've stood around the water cooler with your fellow employees the morning after the big game and discussed the athletic ability of the longsnappers?It's that way in the Body of Christ. The Bible says, "We have different gifts." Some have gifts that are prominent like famous preachers, singers, authors, etc. They're like the quarterbacks of God's Kingdom. We tend to value these gifts and often hold these people in high esteem since they're most prominent in God's Kingdom work. And I am indeed thankful for prominent members of the Body whom God has blessed mightily with certain gifts. But most of us have gifts that are less prominent. Only a tiny, tiny percentage of the Church even knows who we are! We're like longsnappers, whom most people don't pay a lot of attention to. But every one of us has gifts we are called to use to advance God's Kingdom. Matthew Henry further elaborates on this thought (long before there was football!): "In the spiritual body, some are fitted for and called to one sort of work; others for another sort of work. We are to do all the good we can, one to another, and for the common benefit. If we duly thought about the powers we have, and how far we fail properly to improve them, it would humble us. But as we must not be proud of our talents, so we must take heed lest, under a pretense of humility and self-denial, we are slothful in laying out ourselves for the good of others. We must not say, I am nothing, therefore I will sit still, and do nothing. I am nothing in myself, and therefore I will lay out myself to the utmost, in the strength of the grace of Christ. Whatever our gifts or situations may be, let us try to employ ourselves humbly, diligently, cheerfully, and in simplicity; not seeking our own credit or profit, but the good of many, for this world and that which is to come." All believers are part of the greatest team in the ultimate contest and every contribution makes a difference. We'll see how it all fit together much more clearly when we reach the other side. Appreciate what God is doing in You as He develops, grows and uses the gift(s) He has bestowed upon You. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, we recognize and thank You that little is much when You are in it. Your grace is measured out to us in the gift(s) You develop in our lives. Help us not to bemoan or draw comparisons with the gifting You've entrusted to us, for that would bring about resentment and jealousy. Instead we want to cultivate our gifting and bring glory to Your Name as we also edify the body of Christ. Help us not to look to the gift but to You the Giver of all good things. Anything we accomplish in this life is a result of Your empowering and enabling us to carry it out, and we do so in the name of Jesus. Amen.  Mike Stillman is a friend of ours here in Lancaster County. Mike played on the Penn State football team back in the eighties, excelling as a longsnapper and was on a NCAA national championship team! Here's Mike's testimony.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.) "Little Is Much When God Is In It" Video Ernie Haase & Signature Sound "If We Are The Body" Video Casting Crowns "We Are God's People" Video Information about football's Longsnapper |
 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 10/21/09  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.2010 YTD financial offerings as of 2/3/10 $620.00 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION  Were you forwarded this edition of Daily Encouragement Net? If you desire you can receive your own free! To receive these "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you either signed up to receive it OR a friend forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. or as an email subscription update through feedburner. You can also subscribe to Daily Encouragement feed updates by email.Cancel: We respect and value your time and privacy. If these messages no longer meet your needs (providing encouragement) you can remove your address by merely use 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. 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. Please feel free to pass these messages on! "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!) Last updated with the story of Mildred Swanson, who joyfully discovers her "spiritual gift" is sending forwarded emails! (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.  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 2010 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us  Endorsed chaplain "Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation" www.dailyencouragement.net |
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