Daily Encouragement Net - A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
 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, August 19, 2010  Crawford Barn at the Longaberger Homestead  Listen to this message on your audio player."A Basket Story" "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands" (2 Corinthians 11:30-33). This past Tuesday we visited the Longaberger Homestead near Dresden, Ohio on our way home from the family reunion. Brooksyne, Ester and I made a basket together, although I'll readily admit Brooksyne did most of it (along with the official Longaberger basket maker)! After we made our basket we went up on a catwalk overlooking the factory floor (which is the size of 17 football fields) and saw hundreds of employees of the Longaberger Basket Company making baskets of all colors and sizes! The visit prompted a basket story from the Bible.  When William Carey, the Father of Modern Missions, was leaving for India as a missionary, he told a group of interested friends, "Saving souls can be likened to a man drowning in a deep well and a volunteer can do nothing unless there are people who will hold the rope for him to be lowered till he reaches the drowning man, and then pull them up to safety." Carey adds, "I will go to India as a volunteer to seek sinners drowning in the well of SIN. But I can't do it alone. I need rope-holders. Will you be my rope-holders?"Perhaps William Carey was, at least in part, considering a rather obscure event recorded in the Bible when he told this story. Acts 9 tells the story of Saul's conversion. He had gone to Damascus, "breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples." But he was dramatically converted and immediately began to preach for Christ while still in Damascus. He then experienced the same persecution of which he had once been a zealous participant and now a plan was devised to kill him (v.23).  Interestingly the very ones he had come to persecute days earlier were now essential in his daring nighttime escape. Paul learned early on that he was part of a team. Acts 9:25 states, "But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall." Can you mentally picture these disciples tightly holding the ropes as they slowly and carefully lowered him down the city wall in a basket.Now these unnamed disciples were instrumental in helping Saul out of town in the midst of persecution that was aimed directly at him. They, along with Ananias, (who perhaps was among them) became the first of many, many ministry associates to Saul, whom of course we now know as the apostle Paul. Saul experienced divine protection in the midst of persecution, but he would also learn that God's deliverance often comes in cooperation with other people. This is one of the most vital lessons we need to apply in our service for Christ. When Saul was converted God could have directly intervened and removed the blinding scales from his eyes, but instead His healing power was released through the obedient hands of Ananias. I am thankful for the scores of godly people through the years whom I have teamed with to advance God's cause. Many of you receiving this message are a part of that team as you regularly read our messages, share them with others, give us feedback, support us in prayer and even give financial support. Today consider your life and ministry for Christ. There are surely those who have held the ropes for you. They've given a word fitly spoken, interceded in prayer for you, helped you out of a jam, lovingly rebuked you when you needed it (but didn't really want it), etc. Consider also those whom you've reached out to and held the ropes for. It may have been hard, inconvenient or even dangerous (as it was for the original rope-holders). But aren't you thankful these disciples did it? Keep holding the ropes out there for fellow believers, for your spiritual leaders, for those in missionary service, for your brothers and sisters in church and for loved ones who've not yet submitted their hearts to God! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, we're thankful for the rope-holders who bear our burdens and encourage us in times of weakness and difficulty. You work through such human vessels to convey Your strength, comfort, protection, and challenge as we walk together in faith. Help us to be faithful in doing our part to encourage, pray, and offer support to those You lay on our hearts that we may be united and strengthened in our Christian journey. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Text of today's experience as recorded in the Acts account. Our visit to the Longaberger Homestead  Brooksyne and Ester making our basket.  Our finished basket! (Should you decide to go to the Longaberger Village Tuesdays are the day to go. We were fortunate to have picked this day unaware that baskets were two for the price of one, along with many other two for one special pricings!)  We wonder if the basket they lowered Saul in was this big!  The Longaberger Basket Company factory floor.  The world's largest apple basket!  The Longaberger Basket Company headquarters office building is in Newark, Ohio. It is open on the inside as a huge atrium surrounded by offices with skylights for a ceiling. (see this photo)   The Weber Grill Restaurant has a huge grill attached to the building. I had hoped to get a photo with my two brothers next to the grill similar to a photo Ester took of me this spring at a Weber Grill in the Chicago area. 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.) "We Are God's People" Video "Thank You For Praying For Me" Video Information about the Longaberger Homestead Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
  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 8/18/10 $9,193.00 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 by us 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 through feedburner.Cancel: We respect and value your time and privacy. If you no longer desire to receive these messages you can remove your address from the list by merely using the link automatically inserted by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each email message. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Weekly Version: The weekly version is intended for those who may not check their email regularly or who may desire less frequent mailings. It is Friday's message with a link to previous messages. To receive the free weekly version, send a blank email to this address. Reader Survey: Please take a few minutes to assist us in improving our ministry effectiveness by filling out this online reader survey. To take the survey click here. Please feel free to pass these messages on! "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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