Daily Encouragement (05/07/10) "Leading A Quiet Life"

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The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home · About Us ·· Podcast · Free email <Previous Message  ·  Archives  ·  Archive edition Friday, May 7, 2010 Amish One Room Schoolhouse Lancaster County, PA. Listen to this message on your audio player. "Leading A Quiet Life" "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need" (1 Thessalonians 4:11,12). Yesterday we had a very memorable visit to a one room Amish schoolhouse with 25 children and one young teacher. She very proficiently supervised her students, grades 1-8, as she led them in reading, fact memorizing, singing, and reciting. Brooksyne, Ester and I sat beside our friends, Jesse and Anna Ruth with their three younger children, on the back bench as we observed the students.  As we quietly took our seats two first graders were at the front of the class orally reading from their text books.  It was extra special that Moses Allen, our friends' oldest child, was one of the readers.  We've known him since he was born and watching him grow up is especially delightful. Now that Moses is in school he, along with all the other students, will become multilingual like their parents, as they are thoroughly taught in the English language in the school.  Before they attend school they speak Pennsylvania Dutch in the home and in social settings amongst themselves. Their church services are in German. Many of our readers enjoy reading about the Amish since it is a lifestyle quite different than the English, so we have several photos with descriptive captions following our message today along with a more detailed description of the school experience by Brooksyne. Getting back to our text we sure love God's Word; its doctrinal truths and also its practical instruction for everyday living. Today's Scripture portion is so needed in today's harried world. In many ways the Amish have really done well with the teachings of this verse! The apostle Paul lists three disciplines that had been commanded in his previous ministry to the Thessalonians that were to be their ambition (and through the Holy Scriptures ours as well). Not one of them seems deep in doctrinal teaching, but more practical in the way we are to conduct ourselves. 1) Lead a quiet life. 2) Attend to your own business. 3) Work with your hands. The antonyms of the points in our Scripture today would be: 1) Instead of leading a quiet life we're stirring up trouble and bringing undue attention upon ourselves. 2) Instead of attending to our own business we're busybodies, prying into other people's personal business. 3) Instead of working with our own hands we're looking to others to provide our essentials (an entitlement attitude). Perhaps there are those who might say that this verse is no longer applicable in our "modern" world, but I happen to believe the teachings of Scripture apply to all cultures and generations, for "all Scripture is given by inspiration and is useful...for training in righteousness." We want to consider how this "quiet life" might be fleshed out in our attitude, in our conversation and in the way we conduct ourselves today. We like the challenge Warren Wiersbe sets forth on this verse: "Living a quiet life may seem like a paradox; if you are ambitious, your life will probably not be quiet. But the emphasis is on quietness of mind and heart, the inner peace that enables a person to be sufficient through faith in Christ. Paul did not want the saints running around creating problems as they earned their daily bread." God wants us to be a witness to unbelievers as we lead quiet lives, uplift others in our conversation, and work productively with our hands.  Let's honor Him and bless others by doing so this day and every day! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, the mindset of the world too often is a driving force in the way I conduct myself day in and day out.  But as I saturate myself in Your Holy Scriptures I am much more inclined to regard Your approval and Your direction in the way I live. May the meditation of Your Word keep my focus on You, not myself this day.  Let my conversation be wholesome rather than empty or conniving so that I benefit both the listener and myself.  Let the work of my hands be productive and helpful to others, my family and myself.  Let it be a positive witness to unbelievers of the work You are doing within me.  In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen. Today we want to share a lot more photos than usual due to our experiences the last couple of days beginning with our visit to the Amish school yesterday. Brooksyne's obervations about the school: It was a setting much like "Little House on the Prairie", but the real thing. A specific grade of students took turns reading aloud from a reading book at the front of the class while the remainder of children sat at their desks working on their specific assignments.  The teacher made her way around the classroom quietly checking students work as she also held the open reader in her hand that children in the front were reading.  She didn't miss a line as she would interject her turn after the students each had a turn. It required precise coordination, tremendous multi-tasking, and the skill was so pleasantly executed by the teacher.  The children were absolutely quiet during the entire classroom visit unless they were called upon after they raised their hand.  Of course, they frequently peered to the back of the room to check out their visitors.  The order was absolutely refreshing in comparison to the few times I visited Ester's classroom when she was in school! The hymns sung by the children and the prayer they recited before lunch warmed my heart and made me wish I had such an upbringing in my school years.  The children graciously lined up for their lunches and then sat in circles on the ground to eat their food.  It was delightful to see them sitting and laughing together, all ages mixed together, chatting and eating. They ate till every bite and drink was gone!  Most expressed thanks for the meal provided. We signed a visitor's book and had the opportunity to read each child's profile as they wrote about themselves.  Each had to list their favorite chores at home and at school.  Cleaning the chalkboards and sweeping out the toilets tied for favorite chore at school. The contrast yesterday at the school to the public schools was so very different.  Even Ester volunteered, "Mom, I wish I could have gone to a school like this.  There's no drama.  Everyone's happy."  Much more could be written, but you've been kind to read what we've written up to this point.  Here's another view of the Amish schoolhouse as you enter off the farm road. Beautiful farm landscapes are viewed in every direction  as you walk on the grounds.  Many of the children ride scooters to school, as you can see. The bell is located in the entryway. Two small outhouses are in the back. The school had 25 children from grades 1-8. This school is very similar to the Nickle Mines school where the horrendous shootings occured several years ago. (In fact that area is only a couple of miles away.) The Amish are understandably wary of guests, for various reasons,  so our invitation and the warm reception we received was a real blessing. The inside of the school from the main door in the back. It's heated with a coal stove and naturally air conditioned by the many windows! It has a small sink in the back but the kids used a pump bottle of hand cleanser to wash their hands prior to eating lunch.  Instead of standing in a long line waiting their turn, they got up one by one as they correctly responded with answers to the teacher's verbal history quiz.  The only modern type poster in the school was a PA Department of Health warning about the H1N1 flu. I am doing something here that very few "English" have ever done; ringing the bell in an Amish one room school! We prepared a lunch that we thought would adequately feed the students (called scholars) and their young teacher, but they went right through it and came back for more.  We didn't find a morsel of food wasted nor did anyone reject that which was given to them.  When Brooksyne asked Anna Ruth if the children would enjoy a particular food item she said, "Amish are taught not to be picky, but accept that which is given to them."  And that's just what they did.  The soda pop was a special treat. Following our visit to the school we went back to our friend's house and Eli James wanted to show us their cute Australian cattle dog puppies. But it was just way too tempting to merely look in from the outside! The puppies were very happy to see Eli! Of course Ester wanted to take a puppy home! Brooksyne with friendly baby goat on our trail back home. As we left we passed a train from the Strasburg Railroad which is a tourist train using a real steam engine! Now, let me share several photos from an ordination service Ester and I went to Wednesday evening in Camp Hill, PA. We attended the service with my brother Pat who pastors a church in the Lehigh Valley about 100 miles northeast of us. Ester is always pleased to see her Uncle. I was so blessed to see Joseph Cullen, a young man from the church we served in New England. Joey (as we know him) has a wonderful testimony of deliverance from sin.  He is serving as a youth pastor in Philadelphia and is getting married next month to the daughter of Phil Menditto, a friend from Bible College.  It was a blessing to meet Jesse Ledbetter who was among the 23 candidates receiving their ordination in the service. He is now serving as pastor of the church Brooksyne and I started in 1977 in northern Pennsylvania. He reports the church is doing well, which is so encouraging to us.  He is only the third pastor the church which is nearly 33 years old. We served till 1993 and Ed Carocci, who succeeded me, served up until a couple of years ago. I visited with Harold Crosby, whom I consider one of my ministry mentors. He is nearing 90 and has been in the ministry for nearly 70 years. He's as spunky is ever. His wife Elizabeth is in a nursing home and he visits her every day. Tomorrow is an anniversary for two significant events in my life. On May 8, 1976 Brooksyne and I were married in Sapulpa, Oklahoma and on May 8, 1979 I was ordained in York, Pennsylvania. I find value in attending ordination services in reminding me of the high calling I have received as a minister of the Gospel! All should heed this sacred challenge: Will you be faithful to the sacred trust of the ministry by diligence, by prayer and study, by uprightness in business matters, by ministerial ethics and courtesy, by self-sacrifice, by purity, by avoiding the very appearance of evil, by cherishing the anointing of the Holy Spirit, even unto death?  Once again I heartily respond,  "I will!" 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.) "Amish children singing in school"  Video  Apparently someone else attended an Amish school and recorded the singing. When Brooksyne heard this she said, "It sounds just like what we heard!"  The kids really sing out and are excited about picking the next song. "Breathe On Me"  Video  This was sung at the ordination service followed by "Let Your Mantle Fall On Me"  Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update 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 5/6/10 $5,148.00 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  through feedburner. 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! 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!) 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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Daily Encouragement (05/05/10) "Not Knowing"

Daily Encouragement Net - A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
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The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home · About Us ·· Podcast · Free email <Previous Message  ·  Archives  ·  Archive edition Wednesday, May 5, 2010 Our backyard Azalea is in full bloom! Listen to this message on your audio player. "Not Knowing" "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there" (Acts 20:22). On a daily basis we receive comments from readers or podcast listeners which we find most encouraging in regard to the time and labor we put into this ministry. But we also get a sense of what is happening in the lives of fellow travelers when one of our messages prompts a response from a reader who bears their soul to us. Although we're not always able to respond, we certainly read over the emails, talk together about the needs, pray for the individual(s), and when possible try to send a personal encouraging word or personalized prayer. Several weighty needs came to us yesterday that really touched our hearts.  Let me share just one from an international reader: "I live with a recovering addict and heavy drinker who gets violent with me every now and then. He is my son. I love him. He just hit me again because he did not get his own way.  Your devotion really helped. Please pray for me and my wife."  (We have prayed for this man and am sure some of our readers will as well.) Many of us will testify that the Lord deals with us in unusual ways in the midst of trials. Trials tend to shake us out of complacency and, although undesirable and unpleasant at the time, they can draw us closer to the Lord helping us to focus on that which really matters. A spiritual truth I've learned in regard to trials is that you don't pick your trials nor do you schedule them!   If we could schedule them we'd likely put them on Feb. 29 so we'd only encounter them once every four years and hope that all would be over by the end of the day, for at least another four years. (For a 76 year old that would mean they'd have only 19 days of trials over their lifetime!) We begin the spiritual journey when we place our faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord. This journey is a long, marathon-like race. It will certainly include many "dangers, toils and snares." The single, summarizing quote of an early sermon by Paul was, "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). We all know what it is to have hardships but some deal with extensive trials all through their pilgrimage.  Recently Brooksyne sat at the bedside and read to a 60 year old woman who has never been able to read.  In addition her speech is extremely difficult to understand, discernable only to a few. She wears braces on both legs. She has been this way all her life.  Imagine trying to live your entire life with those limitations. There is a lot we can know about our spiritual journey. We have many wonderful assurances in Scripture concerning the overall plan and the final outcome.  But there are many specifics along the way that are not revealed to us.  Today I consider two phrases the Apostle Paul uses in the daily text: "And now, compelled by the Spirit." This has the sense of being strongly urged or constrained by the influences of the Holy Spirit.  The KJV states "bound by the Spirit." Like Paul we need to seek the Holy Spirit's strong leading in life. "Not knowing what will happen to me there." Although Paul was confident in the Spirit's leading him, he didn't know what awaited him. In the following verse he indicates that he had been forewarned that this will be a very trying time, but was not given foreknowledge about how the trials would "flesh out." In this technological age we often say, TMI (too much information).  I would say that Paul was given TLI (too little information), just enough to make one quite reluctant about making such a trip.  Surely he could come up with plenty of excuses to delay this trip until the Spirit led him elsewhere, where people would welcome his visit, care for his every need.  But Paul was a man of prayer and he was more interested in being obedient than being comfortable. Not knowing all the details of how things will work out is the way we test our faith. Is it rooted and grounded in Christ or is it based on whether we get exactly what we want when we want it.  Brooksyne often quotes Warren Wiersbe, "Faith that cannot be tested is faith that cannot be trusted."  So how is the testing going for you?  Can you trust your faith?  Many of you reading this are in the very midst of a fiery trial. I sure hope you have the blessed assurance of the Romans 8:28 perspective. (If you haven't memorized that verse you sure should.) As you're enduring the trial you may wonder how in the world God is ever going to work this situation out. As a preacher of the Gospel I have often ministered to people in deep trials; for many the most anguishing part is the "not knowing." This is true for Brooksyne and me as well.  We want a detailed plan for each step and a specific date for the return of "normalcy." But we don't get that. Instead we are called to trust. And those who trust Him fully find Him wholly true! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, it is in the testing of our faith that we prove the worth of our Christian walk.  Help us to endure the test and trust You for the outcome, for we know that faith that cannot be tested is faith that cannot be trusted.  O for grace to trust You more and more.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen. Let me share another note we received today from Ghana, West Africa: I am an ardent listener of your daily encouragement devotional for barely a year now. This is just a note to let you know how much of a blessing your ministry has been to me and a couple of friends of mine in my office. We listen in every afternoon during break-time and I must say that I truly enjoy the beautiful pictures, music and anecdotes used to “spice” up each devotion. One such devotion that I has made a huge impact in my life has been the 24th March, 2010 edition on “A Godly Legacy” to our children and generations after us. This has led me to begin daily devotions with my children at home before they go to school every morning and I want to say that this has been a real blessing to us. Please keep up the good work and may God bless you richly. Special regards to Ester, my prayers are with her and wish her well. Note: Our message on "A Godly Legacy" is here.   We are blessed to have readers (and listeners) from all over the world and this is a very heartening aspect of our ministry. Several weeks ago I installed a program that registers unique visitors to the main daily encouragement website and arranges them by countries on a map. This gives us a sense of where our readers are from. If you receive this message by email, RSS feed or podcast please check this map out and if your country is not included please visit our main site to register a visit from your country! Another note: We will not be preparing a daily encouragement message tomorrow. My brother Pat is coming in for a visit today and tomorrow we have chaplain visits as well as a visit to an Amish school where we will be preparing and serving 24 children lunch! National Day Of Prayer: Tomorrow is a National Day Of Prayer here in the USA.  Wherever you are we encourage you to pray for your country. Here is the website for the USA site. Here is the prayer written by Franklin Graham: Lord, We are thankful for the abundant blessings You have bestowed on America.  Our forefathers looked to You as Protector, Provider, and the Promise of hope. But we have wandered far from that firm foundation.  May we repent for turning our backs on Your faithfulness. We pray that this great nation will be restored by Your forgiveness. From bondage, You grant freedom. Through Your own sacrifice, You offer salvation. From the state of despair, You offer peace. From the bounties of Heaven, You have blessed – not because of our goodness – but by Your grace. You have given us freedom to worship You in spirit and in truth as Your holy Word instructs.  May our lives honor You in word and deed.  May our nation acknowledge that all good things come from the Father above. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that our nation should set apart a day for national prayer to confess our sins and transgressions in sorrow, “yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon… announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.” “We have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our own hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own… we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us!  It behooves us then… to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.” Help us to pray earnestly for our president and leaders who govern, that they will humble themselves and seek Your guidance so that everything we do will shine the light of Your glory in a darkened world. May our prayers as a people and a nation be heard and blessed for such a time as this.  We make this plea in faith, believing in the mighty name of Jesus our Lord. Amen Not only our Azalea busy but many other plants in our yard are blooming. This is a ground cover known as Yellow Archangel Lamium. 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.) "Through It All"  Video  Andre Crouch "Lead Me Lord"  Video  Gary Valenciano "Lead Me Lord, I Will Follow"  Video  Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir  This has the lyrics posted as well.  A wonderful song appealing for the Lord's leading. "God Will Make A Way"  Video  Don Moen "Amazing Grace"  Video  An acapella version         Through many dangers, toils and snares         I have already come;         'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far         and Grace will lead me home. "The Story of Amazing Grace"  Video  Includes song as well as descriptive text explaining the story of the song. A short teaching on Romans 8:28 with an interesting perspective.  Video   Finally today: I hope this curious cat photo will give you a smile!  It was taken by Georgia, my cousin's wife, who lives in Wisconsin. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne

"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update 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 5/4/10 $4,953.00 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  through feedburner. 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! 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!) 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

Daily Encouragement is issued Monday-Friday.  To make sure you continue to receive these e-mails in your Inbox (so they're not sent to a junk folder), please add scweber@dailyencouragement.net to your address book or safe sender list. You are receiving these recurring messages as a subscriber to Daily Encouragement Net because you signed up on our website or otherwise requested it unless someone forwarded the message to you. If you desire to unsubscribe use the link below.  However, please do not use this link unless your address is the subscribed address below as you will otherwise unsubscribe the person who forwarded it to you!

 

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Daily Encouragement (05/04/10) "Be Prepared"

Daily Encouragement Net - A daily, Bible-based message of hope and encouragement.
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. Home · About Us ·· Podcast · Free email <Previous Message  ·  Archives  ·  Archive edition Tuesday, May 4, 2010 "What are you staring at?" I found this beautiful close-up of a cardinal on Doris High's photo blog (used by permission) Listen to this message on your audio player. "Be Prepared" "Prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12). "For we will all stand before God's judgment seat" (Romans 14:10). I was in the Boy Scouts for many years and to this day value the training and discipline I received. The Boy Scout motto is a simple two word phrase, "Be Prepared".  Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting was once asked, "Be prepared for what?"  He didn't think hard and long for a profound response, but simply replied, "Why, for any old thing". His response was based on good old fashioned common sense that seems in short supply these days.  But I'd like to take his reply a step further as it applies to the Christian faith.  What should every person be prepared for?  As you might expect, I believe the most important preparation we must give serious thought to is the coming judgment. The notion of this coming judgment is scoffed at by most in our "enlightened" world.  I wonder what the typical person who is inundated by a worldly perspective thinks when he sees a large sign on a barn or on a sign along the road proclaiming, "Prepare to meet thy God."  We see these types of signs all the time here in rural Pennsylvania. Ridicule they may, but God's Word clearly teaches a future judgment that will involve every person who has ever lived.  It will not matter whether one believed in God or the final judgment during their lifetime.  All will stand before God's judgment seat and give an account. Even in the church there is a tendency to downplay the coming Judgment as we primarily focus on God's love, mercy and forgiveness.  Of course these wonderful truths need to be emphasized, however, God's Holy Word plainly tells us there will be a final accounting, a great judgment.  Millions confess this regularly when they say the Apostle's Creed; "He shall judge the living and the dead." But I direct my word of encouragement today to the faithful people of God; to those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, to those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Savior and now seek daily to please Him; to those who are "sinners saved by grace".   Because Christ died in our place we can face this Judgment with peace and confidence; with deep abiding assurance.  Our standing is not based upon what we have done, for that would lead to vanity and pride, a works based righteousness.  Rather it is based on what Christ has done on our behalf: "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God" (1 Peter 3:18). "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Our preparation for the Judgment fundamentally involves turning to God in faith.  Here is a prayer that expresses that faith. If you have not done so already, I urge you to pray this prayer from your heart today.  If you have done so already I encourage you to again pray to God this basic expression in reaffirming your faith. "Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner.  I believe that You came to this earth and died on the cross as a substitute for me.  I place my faith in You and what You have done for me.  I receive You into my life today and ask You to forgive me of my sins.  I choose this day to follow You and walk in Your ways according to the Bible. Thank You for seeing my need and hearing my prayer of salvation." Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, as we see the day approaching help us to be fully prepared for the day when we will stand and give account for the choices we make in this life.  We know that preparation begins the day we commit our lives to You, but many other choices will confront our faith along life's pathway.  May our faith stand the test of time and our devotion to You be evident in this life so that we will be able to rejoice in Christ's words of personal commendation, "Well done good and faithful servant." Green grass (and weeds) My brother Pat is coming over for a visit today and I mowed my lawn after the rain yesterday. It is a vibrant green, which is one of my pleasures in life. However in just a matter of hours it seems the dandelions sprout up!  When I see green grass like this I recall a specific detail in Scripture. Can you recall the portion I am referring to? See here. Green is the Greek word "chloro" 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.) "Come To Jesus"  Video   "Come Just As You Are"  Video "Cry Out To Jesus"  Video   "Just As I Am"  Video   I periodically refer to Doris High, a local friend and photographer. Here's a larger version of today's photo of the staring cardinal. Here's the photo collection it came from. Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne

"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update 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 5/3/10 $4,953.00 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  through feedburner. 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! 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!) 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

Daily Encouragement is issued Monday-Friday.  To make sure you continue to receive these e-mails in your Inbox (so they're not sent to a junk folder), please add scweber@dailyencouragement.net to your address book or safe sender list. You are receiving these recurring messages as a subscriber to Daily Encouragement Net because you signed up on our website or otherwise requested it unless someone forwarded the message to you. If you desire to unsubscribe use the link below.  However, please do not use this link unless your address is the subscribed address below as you will otherwise unsubscribe the person who forwarded it to you!

 

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Daily Encouragement (05/03/10) "Upper or Downer?"

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The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Home · About Us ·· Podcast · Free email <Previous Message  ·  Archives  ·  Archive edition Monday, May 3, 2010 Several weeks ago we shared a close-up photo of a geese laying on her eggs looking warily up at us while the male geese floated in the water nearby protecting her. We have been watching for the geese family ever since and last night we were pleased to see the happy couple with twelve goslings! (The cows were also interested and walked down to the edge of Donegal Creek to be in the photo.) Listen to this message on your audio player. "Upper or Downer?" "But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it" (Deuteronomy 1:38). I heard an interesting teaching of how we impact other people using an elevator as an illustration. Consider being around those who always take you "up" on the elevator. When you are around them they are energy givers, encouragers, people who have a powerful way of uplifting others. As I consider my long string of friends through life I am blessed to have so many that have this characteristic.  I consider a friend named Mark. He called yesterday to catch up and just a few minutes of conversation with him tends to be uplifting. Then there are those who seem to have only one button on their elevator; down, sometimes all the way to the basement! They are energy drainers, discouragers and just have a way of sucking the life right out of you. And yes, I have also met my share of these as well. Getting on the down elevator with them is not an "uplifting" experience! Selecting an example of such a person is a bit of a challenge. After all, someone might know them! However, I'll go back about twenty-five years ago and consider a man who came to our church for a short season. I can't remember his name (and if I did I wouldn't use it!) but do recall he had a rather gloomy, negative type disposition.  I hadn't seen him in church for awhile when I met him in a store. I told him I had missed seeing him and he informed me that he was upset at me because he had waved at me one day but I didn't wave back. Truth is I didn't recall ever seeing him wave at me, but he had drawn the conclusion that I had snubbed him! I see something very significant in the daily text; two words from God to Moses regarding Joshua. "Encourage him."   This is the first use of the word "encourage" in the entire Bible (in KJV and NIV versions). This was repeated later, "But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see" (Deuteronomy 3:28).  The emphasis in both texts seems to be the heavy demands of leadership which necessitates encouragement. Moses did a great job as an encourager and Joshua went on to be a great leader. In his final recorded message he encourages the people with the familiar call to join him in commitment to the Lord, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15). Some 3,400 years later that verse continues to encourage me and many others! Today you will interact with many others in various settings.  You are going to encounter and be encountered.  I hope you are blessed with those who will encourage and refresh you.  May they strengthen you and take you up on the elevator! And may you seek to be that provision today for the weary, discouraged soul whom you meet in the course of this day who is in need of uplift. Today you have a choice; will you be an upper or a downer? Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Lord as I meet people you providentially place in my path help me speak words that will uplift and encourage. Brooksyne took a photo of me preparing our garden using this small two cycle "Mantis" tiller. It does quite a job and is easy to handle. Ken, a friend of ours, had brought over some natural fertilizer (aka manure) and I am working it into the rich Lancaster County soil. 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.) Note: Brooksyne is out this morning for a routine cardiac exam for Ester. I normally rely on her to suggest related music and was unable to recall songs pertaining to encouraging one another. However, here's a nice song I found in the process! "Word Of God Speak"  Video   Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne

"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update 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 5/2/10 $4,853.00 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  through feedburner. 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! 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!) 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

Daily Encouragement is issued Monday-Friday.  To make sure you continue to receive these e-mails in your Inbox (so they're not sent to a junk folder), please add scweber@dailyencouragement.net to your address book or safe sender list. You are receiving these recurring messages as a subscriber to Daily Encouragement Net because you signed up on our website or otherwise requested it unless someone forwarded the message to you. If you desire to unsubscribe use the link below.  However, please do not use this link unless your address is the subscribed address below as you will otherwise unsubscribe the person who forwarded it to you!

 

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