A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
 A daily, Bible-based message of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Click here to support our ministry.The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber. <Previous Message · Archive edition Monday, July 15, 2013  A "see through barn" near Tahlequah Oklahoma. We especially enjoy the climbing trumpet vine reminding us of another abandoned barn we saw last year in northern Indiana. "We Will See Each Other Again"  Listen to this message on your audio player. We were able to prepare a podcast today and expect to do so the next several days."But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  We visited the Cherokee Heritage Center near Tahlequah Oklahoma this last weekend. Since Brooksyne is part Cherokee it was interesting to observe a historic part of her heritage. We took a guided tour through "Diligwa" a 1710 Cherokee Village to observe what life was like at that time. Steve (left in photo), was our very colorful Cherokee tour guide who explained and illustrated various features of Cherokee life at that time.He shared with us some of the Cherokee language explaining that the Cherokee word for "Hello" is o-si-yo! But he told us there is no Cherokee word for "Goodby" rather they use the expression, "We will see each other again" which is expressed do-da-da-go-hv-i when speaking to two or more people and do-na-da-go-hv-i when speaking to just one person.* We are seeing a lot of family during this trip. Thursday-Saturday we were at a reunion at a lodge on Fort Gibson Lake from my mom's side. Yesterday Brooksyne and Ester went to Arkansas to see many of her kinfolks on her dad's side and tonight we will gather with family from her mom's side. Many times as we depart a reunion we use a phrase similar to the Cherokee expression, "See you next year." But one inevitable feature of multi-generational family reunions is that at the next gathering you can't be certain as to who won't be present. Our Steincross reunion began in 1975 after my grandparents died. Their children (my mom and her siblings) set up an annual gathering to stay in touch. Now that entire generation has passed on and two years ago we lost our oldest cousin, Jeannine, who was the first member of my generation. At the reunion the summer before she died we celebrated her 80th birthday and I recall the wonderful tribute her children gave her (she had been a widow for many years). Being in a family where many live in their nineties we didn't expect this to be her last reunion on this side. But for the Christian there's a spiritual lesson in the same manner in which the Cherokees express at their time of departure, "We will see each other again". Though in reality we can't be certain that we'll see each other again on this side. One of the glorious truths in Scripture is expressed in our daily passage, which is often referred to as the "Rapture passage", although the word rapture is not used in the Bible. This describes a future even when first those who have died in Christ (as His followers) and then those who are alive are "caught up in the air". This teaching has been brought into disrepute by specific date setters but nevertheless is part of the Scripture report as to future events. But today let us observe one comforting detail in the passage which was written as a means of assurance to those whose loved ones had died; "And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them" and even more specific those three words "together with them." Those living at the time will be together with those who have died. So for the Christian we can part company with this expression, "We will see each other again!" And be fully assured that we will; if not here, then in the air. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, in the words of Paul we're taught that we who are still alive when Christ returns will be caught up together with believers in the clouds to meet You in the air, and so we will always be with You. We encourage each other with these words of Scripture reminding us that as our Christian friends and family go before us we will see each other again at Your appointed time. Keep us faithful, hopeful and always watching for that glorious everlasting reunion. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.Some scenes along our journey:  A photo with Anna Lee, my oldest living cousin from Tulsa, taken at our reunion on Fort Gibson Lake. Anna Lee, 80, was the oldest cousin at the reunion. Her older sister Jeannine is the one whom we referred to that passed away early last year. I was the youngest first cousin at the reunion this year and my sister Genelle who did not attend is 56 so we have quite an age span.  A group photo of our Steincross reunion.  During our (90 degree plus) tour at the Cherokee Heritage Center we watched a full blood Cherokee elder skillfully make arrows and shoot them at a bull's eye in a round bail of hay.  These turtle shell rattles (filled with small rocks) are tied around the knees of Indian women during Cherokee stomp dances which are still held in that area. This bundle has only 9 turtles where most rattles have 15. Just lifting these shells was a good 15# or more so you can imagine what 6 more rattles would add in weight. I (Brooksyne) don't believe I could even raise my knees much less stomp my feet with these heavy, bulky weights.  This log cabin is from a reconstructed village know as Adam's Corner set in the 1890's.  Years ago my older brother Pat and I had some great BBQ in Tahlequah Oklahoma. I had a hard time finding the place again since it's in an old auto body shop off the main road with very poor signage. We found Fish's BBQ after inquiring among the locals. They just left the overhead door on and the dining area is behind it. I suppose it relies on reputation among the locals since it does a good business. The BBQ meal was outstanding (one customer described it as "awesome")!  Fish's BBQ had quite an interior decor as well.  Yesterday morning while Brooksyne and Ester were visiting her relatives in Arkansas I went to church in Tulsa with some Daily Encouragement friends, John and Bonita Watts.  This powerful poster was in our Sunday School classroom.  My oldest brother Mike joined me yesterday afternoon and we toured the Gilcrease Museum. "If We Never Meet Again" Video Booth Brothers "We Shall See Jesus" Video Ernie Haase & Signature Sound "Cherokee Heritage Center" * For a page about the Cherokee language see here. Gilcrease Museum |
 Stephen and Brooksyne Weber (Click on photo to enlarge) "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update (Revised 12/31/12)  Are our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? Each weekday morning Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all over the world. We ask you to consider an offering to Daily Encouragement Net so that we can continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support of its readers and podcast listeners. See here for more information on supporting this ministry. Gifts are tax deductible. Click here to donate online. 2013 YTD financial offerings to Daily Encouragement Net as of 7/14/13: $11,003.00 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION  If a friend forwarded this to you, you can subscribe here.These messages are never sent by us unsolicited. It was sent to you because you either signed up to receive it OR it was forwarded to you. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or as an email subscription through Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.) Cancel: These messages are only sent from us to people who request it; please accept our apologies if it reached you in error. You can unsubscribe from this list at any time. 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! Our other blogs: "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!) (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. 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. Other versions are also occasionally used. © Copyright 2013 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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