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 The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber. <Previous Message · Archives · Archive edition Thursday, March 10, 2011  Foggy morning drive Photo by Doris High "Good Character Still Matters" "Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33). My parents modeled good character to their children. The longer they're gone the more I increasingly realize and value the example they were in this very important virtue. After Mom died I read through some of her old stuff. I regret to say that it didn't mean much to me when she was alive, although she wanted to show me and it would have meant so much to her if I had shown more interest.  But since her promotion to heaven the sentimental value has greatly increased. All her life she kept recognition notes from her grammar school teachers from the little school she attended in Harwood Missouri that housed grades 1-12. As I perused the material I see the unapologetic attempts to instill character by the public education system. My Mom was in the last graduating class as the school closed in the late thirties. However to this day (at least up till several years ago when I was in Harwood) the school still stands out on the edge of town with the windows all boarded up.She went to college in a nearby town across the state line in Kansas. Among her activities in her 1941 public college yearbook was participation in a campus group that had three main objectives: 1) To unite in a desire to realize full and creative life through a growing knowledge of God.2) To determine to have a part in making this life possible for all college people. 3) To seek to understand Jesus and follow Him. Hope was an elderly lady in our church in Massachusetts who has gone on to be with the Lord. She shared with us how she recalled her teacher reading aloud daily to the students from the Bible in a public school in Massachusetts! Now in most cases even posting the timeless, character building Ten Commandments is illegal and deemed unconstitutional! Schools had a vital role in developing character and I recall this even in my school years back in the sixties. Now there is a renewed emphasis on teaching "character" in schools. But whose character will be taught and what will this character be based on? If we understand "character" in both a negative and positive sense as a "way of life" or "moral habits", we see that plenty of character is already being taught! In most cases, the message is loud and clear; reject God, established moral authority, and do your own thing.  Consider the effect of one bad apple in a bunch of good apples. Of course the bad apple will spoil the good apples so you must get rid of the bad apple if you want to keep the good ones. The reverse is true as well. Placing one good apple among a bunch of bad apples will cause the good apple to rot. It will not cause the bad apples to be good!!! Such is the corrosion of unchecked sin in our lives.Meaningful godly character development must be focused in the home and church, daily stressing the timeless truths and application of God's Word. Indeed, "bad company corrupts good character." Is your home a "safe haven" from the evil influences of the world? Are you actively participating in a Bible-believing and Christ-honoring church? Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Jesus, I can't hide the fact from you that too much of my time and energy is spent being concerned about how others perceive me. I fuss about my appearance, am preoccupied about my weight, try to be "with it" so others might think highly of me and at times try to surround myself with just the right people, saying just the right things. I realize, in light of Your Word, that these entrapments don't speak of godly character whatsoever. It's not how others perceive me that counts at all – but it is how You see the very person I am when no other human is looking. As I spend quiet, reflective, and alone time with You I become more like You. Help me to develop and guard my daily gathering with You! In Your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.We know many public school teachers and we bless you. Many of you receive these daily messages and I want to encourage you as you seek to let your light shine. Even though the public sector denies opportunities for Christians to speak freely in the classroom, devoted Christian teachers will, by their godly character, reveal Christ in their attitudes and actions. So far, to my knowledge, that's not illegal. Thank You! Ester has received many birthday greetings from friends from all over the world. She was touched. Each one of you who took the time to share a note made her day extra special. Thank you again!  Each year Ester pays a visit on her birthday to Patty at Longwood Manor who was also born on March 9. Patty was delighted with a little cake Brooksyne decorated for her and the hymn DVD's Ester gave her. Patty loves to sing hymns for the Lord as best she can.  Little Miss Molly found the most comfortable bed available; Ester's lap. Ester is so thoroughly enjoying her new pup and Stephen is enjoying the fact that she's already fetching a frisbee at 9 weeks of age. Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Give Us Clean Hands" Video Mark Schutz "Ancient Words" Video Michael W. Smith For the terminally curious Harwood, Missouri is located here (Google map) Today's photo of the foggy morning was taken by our friend Doris High and is a part of her photo collection taken this last weekend at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in northern Lancaster County. During this season thousands and thousands of Snow Geese stop by the mountain lake during their migration north. Note: Yesterday I had a photo of snow geese and Brooksyne mistakenly edited the caption and stated that the snow geese were migrating south. Of course they migrate north in the Spring as an alert reader pointed out. My fault for not re-editing her work and she embarrassedly chuckled as she does know her north from south. We're delighted that they're headed back north to our neck of the woods. Finally today: Riding on this portable ever-ready outdoor toilet would be an excellent Mothers or Fathers Day gift and it will certainly be unlike other gifts you've given in the past.  Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne. |
 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 12/31/10)  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. 2011 financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 3/9/11: $2,000.00 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. Daily Encouragement on Facebook and Twitter:  The daily message and prayer on Facebook. The daily message and prayer on Twitter.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 2011 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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