 The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive edition Wednesday, December 1, 2010  In our area local business and farm owners often use their buildings to display Christmas symbols such as this one. I am moved by the depiction of Bethlehem's star and Calvary's cross.  Listen to this message on your audio player."Getting Ready For Christmas" "Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: 'Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me'" (Hebrews 10:5). "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (Romans 12:1). "Are you getting ready for Christmas?" That's the greeting we expect to start hearing as we usher in the new month of December. If you haven't yet already, you will! For many of us this means decorating, baking, shopping, special musical and drama events, banquets then there's more shopping and a host of other events, family and otherwise! Brooksyne is directing a Christmas musical in four different places over the next two weeks and we have several company Christmas parties to attend in our chaplain role. We've got our tree up but that's it for decorations. I've yet to bring in the ornaments and other decorations we store in our barn loft. Ester and Brooksyne decorate inside our home and I decorate outside, hanging a star on our barn loft door and a wreath on the front of our brick home. My Uncle Don gave us a homemade angel that is back lit that we will place in our front yard. Have you ever thought much about how God prepared for Christmas? His preparations of course are quite different than ours. The Bible speaks of the "Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world" (Revelation 13:8). Isaiah prophetically looked ahead and says of Christ, "He was led like a lamb to the slaughter" (Isaiah 53:7). When John prepared the way for Christ's ministry he declared, "Behold the Lamb of God!" (John 1:36). The miraculous incarnation of Christ is astounding. At Christmas we usually focus on the human dimension of "The Greatest Story Ever Told." We read the accounts in Matthew and Luke of Mary and Joseph, the angels, the shepherds and the wise men. But it seems our daily text gives a view from Christ's perspective, "a body you prepared for me." That "body" in one sense began in the way we all begin with a normal gestational period and birth. The marvelous distinction in the preparation of the incarnate body of Christ is the mystery of His conception. Now let us consider the most important way we can prepare for Christmas and for that matter living the remainder of our lives on this side of eternity. "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (Romans 12:1). This Christmas season let us, with thankfulness and joy, recall the wonderful love that God demonstrated for fallen humanity as He prepared a "Body" attired in flesh and blood as He sent His only begotten Son to this earth. And let us present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is our spiritual service of worship." Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Jesus, though You would ultimately surrender Your life at Calvary, You willingly chose to take on flesh and live among us. In great humility You stripped Yourself of the privilege, position, power and wealth You possessed in heaven. When You walked among Your people You experienced betrayal, misunderstanding, hatred and temptation, yet You were without sin. Even as You made necessary preparations to come to this earth, and live among a sinful people, help us to make necessary preparations to enter into eternity. And just as You gave of Yourself so willingly help us to give of ourselves as a fragrant offering to You and as a witness to this darkened world. In Your name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.Yesterday we prepared some food the old fashioned way and want to share some photos.  Yesterday some friends came over with some freshly harvested venison along with some pork and they spent the afternoon canning. Jesse and Wilma cut up the meat and Brooksyne filled the canning jars with broth.  The meat is cooked in jars for three hours at a steady boil in the large canner. Following the long boil (whick both cooks and preserves the meat) Brooksyne listens for the telltale pop on the canning lid indicating it sealed. It was the first time she has canned meat products. Growing up on a farm she helped her mom can thousands of vegetables and fruits over the years and during our 34 years of marriage. But this was a first for meat products. This was the method used before the freezer became a household appliance. The Dourtes who wanted us to enjoy this experience was giving us a bit of history as we worked. They saw the pumpkins Brooksyne was about to process and pitched right in to help us with that project as well.  This is a huge 37 pound neck pumpkin I had bought at a roadside stand several weeks ago here in Lancaster County.  We cut it into large sections, peeled it and then cut it into small chunks. Brooksyne will tell you this is my first involvement in preserving foods - how could I let the Dourtes work so hard and not pitch in myself. And after all I was the one who picked out the huge pumpkin for Brooksyne to process.  We peeled and then cut the pumpkin in chunks. This photo shows only about 1/3 of the pumpkin we got from the huge pumpkin and a smaller neck pumpkin.   Brooksyne's Note: What a nice time it was to have help in the kitchen yesterday. I am typically a "soloist" in the kitchen unaccustomed to others helping me in big or small projects. And to have Stephen come on board made it extra special. He acknowledged afterward how much work it is to process foods for canning. Maybe he'll think twice the next time he spots a 37# pumpkin now that he realizes the work that goes into such a mammoth pumpkin!  She uses the pumpkin for making Pumpkin Pie (of course!), Pumpkin Cranberry Bread, Pumpkin bars, Muffins, Velvety Pumpkin Curry Soup and anything else she's inclined to make out of pumpkin.We had not heard of neck pumpkin prior to moving to Lancaster County nearly ten years ago but now Brooksyne feels it's the best along with most in our area! Here's a photo I found with Brooksyne and a neck pumpkin around her neck! 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.) "Hallelujah Chorus" Video This is interesting and sounds great. It is a video made at the Macy's store in Philadelphia with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and all the shoppers allowed to sing along at noon on October 30, 2010. This is the former Wanemaker Department store and has the largest pipe organ in the world. John Wanemaker was a devout Christian and he once had a D.L. Moody meeting in one of his stores with 300 employees serving as ushers. (Note: my Missouri "show me" scepticism is just how much we are really hearing the shoppers or if it's a recording of the Opera singers with the people singing along but not picked up by the microphones. Anyway it really would have been neat to have been there. The moving praise toward God at the end is astounding. Finally today:  Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 10/21/10)  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 11/30/10 $13,034.00 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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