Brooksyne’s favorite rose pose is “when the dew is still on the roses.”
Reminds me of a great old hymn!
Listen to this message on your audio player.“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).
Joel and Adrienne Charest are a young couple who served with us in our church in New England, working with our children and youth for several years. They made a long-term impact on many of our kids, including our daughter.
They are presently serving in Africa in missions, which had been their aspiration when we first met them in the nineties. We attended their wedding in May 2000 in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. They now have three children and are committed to passing their faith on.
Our daily text indicates the divinely ordained method for the transmission of truth. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” Thank God for the chain of transmission since Paul gave this solemn charge to Timothy and for the “others” at the end of the verse. For they, in their turn, became the transmitters of truth to their generation down to our own.
I am thankful for the hundreds (likely thousands) of faithful servants who are in that chain in my life. Interestingly, I only know a few of them. Among the links in my chain would be the ministry of Campus Crusade For Christ. I received my earliest discipleship training through this ministry which was founded by Bill Bright.
I heard this story last week at the Watchman conference I attended. Bill Bright was challenged by Henrietta Mears who taught him and many others. I also recall reading a book by Henrietta Mears titled “What The Bible Is All About”. In fact it was a required textbook in the Bible College I attended. However I have no idea who influenced her or those before her. But they are nevertheless a vital part of the chain going back to the Lord’s ministry and earliest apostles.
And now I have the privilege of being a part of the chain and am at a point when I see many I’ve entrusted truth to, such as Joel and Adrienne, passing it on to others. Yesterday we shared about Wayne and Yvette. Recalling these people we consider Paul’s words regarding the Philippians: “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved” (Philippians 4:1).
Are you a believer? Then you are a part of this chain! Some of you just recently took your first step on your spiritual journey and are a newer link, but only for a short time. You also will heed the call to pass it on and there will be links in your life on both the reception and transmission side.
The exciting thing about ministry is that you also impact through those whom you yourself impacted for Christ. There is great joy when our spiritual children win others to Christ, be it their own family members, their co-workers or through a ministry in which God has called them. They also may challenge us in our own spiritual walk, either by their example or the inspiration of their words.
Today let’s determine that we will be another faithful link in the transmission of faith. Notice the characteristic “reliable”. I thank God for my spiritual genealogy, but now I desire to be a link to many spiritual descendents. I desire now to have a part in someone else’s spiritual genealogy. And I hope you do as well! After all, it’s our turn now.
Yes, it’s my turn now.
My turn to give my life away.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, from the time of creation generation after generation have proclaimed the truths passed down to them from the prophets to their own people. It is our turn, in the 21st century, to boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world, to give them hope beyond their present circumstances and eternal hope beyond the grave. We want to be a solid link in the transmission of truth and salvation to all who will receive through Jesus Christ in whose Name we pray. Amen.
Study Note: Today’s verse is so powerful and each word is worthy of careful consideration. I consider the significance of:
- The things you have heard me say
- The presence of many witnesses
- Entrust
- Reliable
- Qualified to teach others
Passing It On: Yesterday I received an interesting email that illustrates this pattern of passing it on. Someone apparently was doing a search for a minister whose name I mentioned in a message several years ago and they contacted me wanting to know how to reach him. She told me her mother enjoyed his music and wondered if he might have any records left! This gave me the occasion to call the minister, whom I first met over 30 years ago when he spoke a powerful, life-changing Scripture verse to my heart at an opportune moment. Edward Menaldino is now in his eighties, doing fine and still serving the Lord in various ways (and he does still have some records). Here’s the story I wrote several years ago.
Today’s Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
“Watchmen On The Wall” is the conference I went to last week where I heard the story about Henrietta Mears and Bill Bright. This conference challenged pastors to take a strong, uncompromising stand for Biblical truth.Pastor friends: I urge you to examine this ministry and join me in being a “watchman pastor”.
Lay people: Consider sending this message to your pastor with a note asking him to look into this.
“My Turn Now” Video A very early Steven Curtis Chapman song that came to mind and serves as a good title for today’s message.
“Pass It On” Video Evie from a Billy Graham Crusade in 1976
“Jesus Saves” Video Travis Cottrell
Here’s an article about Henrietta Mears and her influence for Christ.
Here’s Joel and Adrienne’s website. A funny memory from the archives: At Joel and Adrienne’s wedding he was subjected to quite a prank from his friends the night before the wedding. They sat him in a chair (to watch a hockey game – at least that’s what he thought). They proceeded to duct tape his mouth and his body to the chair and posted a sign on him stating, “I’m getting married in the morning”. Then they placed him in the hotel elevator and pushed the button! After being asked to leave the hotel they hauled him around a bit, finally ending up at a Denny’s restaurant where one of them came up with a bright idea. They clipped a concealed walkie-talkie on him, put his chair at the entrance and hid in the bushes. When people would walk into the restaurant one of the pranksters would speak into the walkie-talkie from the bushes, “Welcome to Denny’s, may I please take your order?”
Windsor Locks, Connecticut (where Joel and Adrienne were married) is near Enfield where Jonathan Edwards preached one of the most famous sermons in American history on July 8, 1741. Does any reader recall the title of that sermon (Hint: Such a title probably wouldn’t go over very well today!) Respond here if you would like to answer and I will post the correct answer in tomorrow’s message.
Tomorrow I will post a close-up of the lettering on the stone.
Finally today: Yesterday I shared this photo and inquired about what it represented.
However several of our readers also wondered if it might have spiritual significance such as “My guess is that the scene is representative of that glorious day for which we are all waiting – the day when Jesus comes and receives His own into the Kingdom of heaven physically. Otherwise known as the rapture!”
Recent errors in predicting end-time events notwithstanding we still await that glorious day! By the way, for those who may be curious here’s a photo of Harold Camping.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.
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Ministry Update (Revised 12/31/10)
Daily Encouragement 