“Purchased by God!”

February 28, 2008March 6, 2008 ~ Stephen C. Weber

Oregon shoreline
Photo by Howard J. Blichfeldt (used by permission)

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“Purchased by God!”

“And they sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation'” (Revelation 5:9).

I first met Floyd Miles about fifteen years ago when I lived in New England. At that time he was on the staff at a local Teen Challenge Center and had been saved for several years. We established a friendship and I’ve kept up with him through the years. He went on to establish the Teen Challenge in New Haven, Connecticut and is presently serving as a pastor in Indianapolis, Indiana. He sent me a book that has his testimony in it.

The title of the chapter dealing with his life’s story is “No Chance on Earth” and indeed his testimony is another evidence of the “wonderful grace of Jesus, reaching the most defiled.” Floyd is my age but what vastly different backgrounds we have: he growing up in a rough inner city area in Harlem, New York City and me being raised in the small suburb of Belton, Missouri.

But now we are related through the blood of Christ! What a wonderful thing to be purchased by God! We become a part of God’s family comprised of every tribe and language and people and nation. The divine blood of Christ is the medium of exchange and it is absolutely, altogether adequate for the purchase.

Today’s text is a portion of a worship song sung by the twenty-four elders as they knelt before Jesus. It expresses the foundational act of redemption: “You were slain.” It also covers redemption’s glorious scope: “with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Today, members of my family are everywhere. The following song stirs my heart every time I hear the words:

It’s the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
It’s the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain
The song of Asian believers
Filled with God’s holy fire
It’s every tribe, every tongue, every nation
A love song born of a grateful choir*

We enjoy hearing from our readers, whether local or from around the world. No experience in this life will compare to the day we meet face to face in our future dwelling place, since the vast majority of our readers we interface with only through the internet. You are representative of the redeemed who are summoned from “every tribe and language and people and nation.” We do know that people from many tribes and languages and nations receive it. Each of our readers, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, are equally purchased by God! Just ask Floyd Miles when you see him in heaven.

Let every kindred, every tribe, on this terrestrial ball,
To Him all majesty ascribe, and crown Him Lord of all;
To Him all majesty ascribe, and crown Him Lord of all!

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we thank You for this medium of internet communication that makes it possible for us to join our brothers and sisters all around the world in honoring You as we grow together in Your grace and knowledge. We are all grateful recipients of Your mercy and grace. On a future date we will join together with the angels around the throne and our redeemed brothers and sisters and proclaim in word and song, “Praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever.” Amen.

*”He Reigns” by The Newsboys

Our current home
(satellite photo from Google maps)

In today’s message I mentioned growing up in Belton Missouri, a small suburb south of Kansas City (BTW, most of Kansas City is in Missouri)

For as long as I can remember I have liked maps and geography. My favorite subject in school was social studies, that at that time included a lot about geography (no telling what they teach in “Social Studies” now)

The last several years I and I am sure many of you have enjoyed puttering around with Google earth and Google maps, examining where you live and other interesting places as seen from a satellite. Well, for my personal amusement I located each place where I have lived and compiled it on a web page called my life story as seen through google maps.

Today’s Suggested Music and
Supplemental Resources

“He Reigns” (audio)

“Holy, Holy, Holy” (audio)

“How Great Thou Art” (audio)

Today’s photo is by Howard J. Blichfeldt. His website is here.

Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement.

Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

Please help us continue this free encouragement ministry
Personal Ministry Update

“The Ultimate Extended Table”

February 22, 2008 ~ Stephen C. Weber

Today we are getting a snow storm and there are closings all through our area.
This morning I took a walk down the path across from our house and shot today’s photo.

Listen to this message on your audio player.

“The Ultimate Extended Table”

“Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. These are true words of God” (Revelation 19:9).

Yesterday I met Randy Williams; a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. We talked for a few minutes and in the course of our discussion he told me about a local furniture store he would shop at when he needed extended dining room tables. Extended tables, common in our area, are used for seating a large family and/or friends around a meal. We ate a Sunday meal with a family last year that seated twenty-two comfortably at their main table. The most interesting feature is that their table leafs are self-storing so the table can extend from seating a small family to a pretty large group.

I asked Randy why he would need several extended tables of this type and he explained that he and his wife gave them as wedding gifts to their children. Later Brooksyne and I commented on what a practical, long-lasting and valuable gift a dining table is. So many great memories are made around the dinner table. Family, friends, homemade food, and flowing conversation are key ingredients for making memorable settings and deepening human relationships.

Early in our marriage we purchased an old 48”x48” oak dining table for $50.00 at an estate sale that had five 12” leafs (but not the self-storing kind.) We later found a table almost identical to ours advertised for $10.50 in a 1906 Sears catalog, so our table has actually appreciated in monetary value over the past century!

Upon the initial purchase the table was an absolute mess with the laminate top and carved legs etched in deep scratches. Multiple colors of stains were smeared over the wood. The leafs had ancient linoleum glued over the oak which looked rather hideous. I saw little hope for the pitiful table before Brooksyne spent a good month stripping, sanding, and staining it. Jeff Worrall, a long-time friend of ours, assisted her with the structural restoration and even I got on board by drilling new holes and inserting better fitting dowels for the leafs. Fully extended it comfortably seats 14 people. As I consider the photos I have taken through the years, including many used on this site, it’s pretty remarkable to consider how many have eaten and fellowshipped around this old oak table. Today’s photo was taken 20 years ago of my family who joined us for Christmas in 1988.

I sure like today’s verse. There are many mysteries in the Word that make us wonder how it will all come about, but most of us can identify with sitting around a large table with great food and lots of family and friends. We can be assured that all the words of the Scripture are true but in this case it’s reinforced in the text itself, “These are true words of God.”

“Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” The photo to the left is a common depiction of the table set for this marriage supper of the Lamb. You might say it’s the ultimate extended table! The extent of God’s hospitality is in the ultimate invitation, “Whosoever will, may come.” And even more familiar to many of us are those wonderful words from the Golden text (John 3:16), “whosoever believes in Him.”

Brooksyne and I received an early invitation to a wedding this summer. These solemn occasions are very memorable events and the reception to follow gives us great opportunity to celebrate with the family and friends of the couple. But nothing in this life will compare with a future marriage supper to be held in heaven at the ultimate extended Lord’s table.

Brooksyne and I expect to see you there and, by all means, please stop by so we can visit!

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne

Daily prayer: Father, salvation belongs to You who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb! Words are inadequate to express our joy in knowing that one glorious day we will attend the Wedding Supper of the Lamb because You have provided for our salvation. Though words cannot adequately express our joy, the way we conduct our lives is an expression of thanksgiving to You. We look forward to that glorious day when we receive our wedding garments which will be robes of white. Until then, we prepare ourselves by serving You, praying faithfully, and keeping ourselves in Your love as we wait for the future wedding supper of the Lamb.

Our dining room table as originally sold in the Sears catalog!
(From 1906 as we recall)

Today’s Suggested Music and
Supplemental Resources

“What A Day It Will Be” (Audio)

“Come To Jesus” (Powerpoint with audio)

“Come Just As You Are” (Audio)

“Worthy Is The Lamb” (Audio)

Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement.

Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

Please help us continue this free encouragement ministry
Personal Ministry Update

“Press On”

February 1, 2008 ~ Stephen C. Weber

Ed Carocci, a friend who lives in northern Pennsylvania, sent me this photo. I don’t have information as to who took it or where, but it sure looks like northern Pennsylvania, where we lived for nearly sixteen years. We had bear on our back deck and twice our dog got in a tussle with porcupines. But we never had deer come up to our window like this! It appears the deer may be even more curious than the cat!

Listen to this message on your audio player.

“Press On”

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

Here in America our national sports interest turns to football throughout the fall and early winter culminating in the “Super Bowl” this weekend. This year since one of the teams is undefeated this game has a special intrigue. Over one billion people worldwide are expected to watch it. Still, today’s illustration may not connect with non-football fans or international readers though it has an important spiritual application. Please read on.

A successful football season is a series of steps with the ultimate goal of qualifying for and winning the Super Bowl. This is true of many sports seasons. In individual games throughout the season its getting yardage, first downs, scores, and the game win; then winning the playoffs, league championship and finally the Super Bowl.

There is a similar pattern in the Christian life. The Christian’s ultimate goal, analagous to the Super Bowl, is “to win the prize” which is reaching heaven. In the daily text the Apostle Paul writes, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” This victory is absolutely assured by the grace of God for those who faithfully believe and follow Jesus Christ.

Yet reaching this goal is a long series of “spiritual first downs.” In football the first down is an incremental step normally taken to reach the goal. In life “first downs” are the incremental overcomings that comprise the daily business of life.

Sometimes we get sacked, sometimes we may even get piled onto. We need to get up and press on. (Many years ago I shared this concept in our church in New England and Joyce, a woman who had grown up in church shared of a song she recalled from the fifties with a line that sure brings a smile. “Drop-kick me, Jesus, through the goal post of life.”)

Some of you are down today. Circumstances of life have sacked you. The forces of the adversary may have even piled on you. In fact as I type this I have some specific friends in mind.

Get up and press on! Paul wrote our daily verse from prison. He sure knew from personal experience what it meant to be sacked and even piled on (read 2 Corinthians 11:23-33). But in his last letter he confidently wrote, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:18).

Stay faithful today and keep pressing on! The victory is ours and the greatest prize is yet to come.

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Brooksyne’s prayer: Father, You bless those who revere Your name and delight in Your commands. In the midst of inner turmoil or outer conflict I will not be shaken for my heart remains steadfast trusting in You and Your overall plan for my life. I want to remain firmly grounded as I overcome the daily obstacles common to all who live on earth. Help me to learn the valuable lessons along the way as I press on toward the goal for which You have called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Amen.

This morning we had freezing rain which resulted in some tree branches being coated with ice. This is a dogwood tree in our front yard.

PS: In the course of my preparation today I came across this page, which explains something I had been curious about.

A free tip from Daily Encouragement! Aunt Annie’s, the pretzel company, is headquartered right here in Lancaster County. They’re celebrating their 20th anniversary and are giving away free pretzels tomorrow Feb. 2 from 10 AM to 4 PM. I expect that you may have a pretty long line to wait in! Maybe you’ll start up a new friendship with a fellow pretzel lover. See here. (No I am not commissioned by Aunt Annies, but I do like their pretzels!) Many of you may not be aware that Annie Beiler (Aunt Annie), who founded the company as a single pretzel stand here in our area, is a committed Christian.

Today’s Suggested Music and
Supplemental Resources

“Press On” (Video) We both really enjoy this powerful song by Selah.

“Drop Kick Me Jesus Through The Goalposts Of Life” (Audio) This is the song Joyce shared with me in New England. Here are the lyrics. Get ready to smile! The drop kick is so unusual many younger football fans may not have even heard of it but is still legal in the NFL.

Info about multi-media files used on daily encouragement.

Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne.

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Personal Ministry Update

“There’s Still Room”

October 25, 2007 ~ Stephen C. Weber

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“There’s Still Room”

“Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. These are true words of God.” (Revelation 19:9) “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room'” (Luke 14:22).

The most remarkable eating place here in Lancaster County and actually perhaps anywhere I’ve ever eaten is the Shady Maple. It’s an all you can eat buffet so I approach cautiously and rarely. I would have an even bigger pouch if I went there as often as I like! The food is great but the most outstanding feature is the tremendous variety of about everything edible. It’s by far the biggest restaurant I’ve patronized with the main dining area seating 1,200 people and the banquet facilities another 1,000. As much as I look forward to a visit to the Shady Maple, it pales in comparison to the anticipation I feel as I contemplate the great banquet Jesus is preparing for believers in heaven.

Heaven is going to be an extraordinarily remarkable place. Among our blessings will be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, an absolutely incredible banquet that will surely be unlike any on this earth. When I try to figure out how all this will happen I quickly realize that while I live in this tent of a body I “see through a glass darkly.” Or as the old hymn says, “the half has never yet been told.”

Perhaps Jesus had this marriage supper in mind when He told the Parable of the Great Banquet in Luke 14:15-24. The overall message of the parable is about the excuses and outright rejection of many in regard to entering God’s Kingdom. That’s still true today! The Master instructs His servants to go out and extend invitations to a great banquet. Many who were invited made excuses as to why they couldn’t come.

The banquet invitation was then extended further, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” The servants returned to their master with the report found in the daily text, “what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.”

Yes indeed, there’s still room. And today the Master’s servants continue to extend the invitation to a great banquet. Scores of devoted missionaries, evangelists and pastors are proclaiming “There’s still room.” Dedicated lay people are taking this message to their world today, “There’s still room.” Through this internet ministry Brooksyne and I want to declare, “There’s still room!”

And of course many people continue to make excuses. What a great truth is found in verse 23 where we read of God’s desire “that my house will be full.”

Let me ask you today. Have you accepted the invitation or are you still making excuses? If you have accepted the invitation, are you joining the servants in faithfully proclaiming, “There’s still room!”

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Jesus, the theme of the great banquet parable calls to mind another parable where You challenge the conventional way of thinking as You forthrightly tell Your listeners, “the first shall be last and the last shall be first.” We see a lot of people who’ve been invited to the banquet table to eat of the Bread of Life. Some have tasted and seen that the Lord is good while others continue to crave the pleasures of this world instead. You are the Bread of Heaven that nurtures our spiritual hunger and the Living Water that quenches our eternal thirst! Our lives will never be the same as they were before we drew from Your well of salvation. Since Your well is bottomless and Your supply unending we invite all to inherit eternal life, for there is still room because You are not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Amen.

Note from Brooksyne: One of the ways we can reach others to let them know “there’s still room” is by sharing our testimony. Since that can be very difficult to verbalize when one is nervous or limited for time it’s great to have it available in print. When people meet me as a “seasoned” believer it can be difficult for them to picture my life before I made a decision to follow Christ. I wrote a brief testimony about my salvation experience about four years ago and often share it in my chaplaincy role, in letters, and in other settings so that I can reveal the miraculous redemptive work God has done in my life at an early age. If you haven’t already, may I challenge you to write your testimony and distribute it to those you seek to influence for Jesus. When Christ calls me home I can think of no other way to influence people for Jesus than to have my testimony read at my funeral. Should you consider doing this spiritual exercise here’s an easy outline I devised that may be of help to you as well:
1) My life before Christ
2) The way I came to Christ
3) The changes in my life after I received Christ
(It’s important not to be too wordy or people will not spend the time reading it. Major on the majors and minor on the minors.)

Here’s an online version of my testimony.

Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)

Jim and Wendy have been our friends since we moved down from New England in early 2001 and he is the former pastor of the church we attend. This last Saturday their son Jonathan married Norma and we attended the wedding and reception. Jim is a good man with an earnest walk. Wendy is a wonderful compliment to him and one of the kindest persons we’ve ever met. Both have been very loving to Ester and attentive to her. Since Wendy is often mistaken for Brooksyne’s sister Ester calls her Aunt Wendy and certainly loves her as though she were blood related.

This wedding was a lot different than any I’ve ever been to:

Jonathan is a very colorful young man and he had all the men in the wedding party dress in kilts (you can’t tell from the photo but Jim is wearing one.) That’s interesting since Jim is Italian!
The flower girl pulled the ring bearer, a little guy about eight months old, in a wagon! That was sure cute.
But the highlight, hopefully captured on video for America’s Funniest Videos: When the bride and groom were ready to walk back down the aisle after getting married the minister had mistakenly stepped on her train. Since she had some slack she walked a bit before being snapped back. He then lifted his foot and she lunged forward! Her new husband caught her. He already proved his worth as a husband minutes after saying “I do.”

The Shady Maple is a huge restaurant well known in these parts.

Today’s music:
As we considered music for today’s message an old gospel song came to mind, “There’s Room At The Cross For You”, but I was unable to find an audio online. But here are some great songs.
“Come Just As You Are” (Audio)
“Come To Jesus” (Video) A beautiful song set to some wonderful photos.
Another version (Same song with different background images) The young people who put these together really do a great job (I assume they are young people!)

As I prepared today’s message and viewed these videos I have several specific people on my heart today that I hope and pray will view them and indeed come to Jesus.

Anytime these messages are prepared some readers are going through a trial of some type. This morning we are remembering in prayer our readers in southern California.

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Personal Ministry Update

“The Everlasting God”

October 11, 2007 ~ Stephen C. Weber

Stained glass cross

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“The Everlasting God”

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom” (Isaiah 40:28).

Yesterday we attended the Celebration service for a friend of ours we had met in 2001 through our chaplain ministry. For the last several years Craig, 49 years old, had a debilitating disease which progressively weakened his strong, athletic body. I mentioned his passing briefly yesterday in a footnote. The service was an outstanding recognition of a life lived well and for the glory of God. It was one of those services you leave with a strong sense of the presence of God and the joyful reminder of what we have to look forward to when we’re promoted to God’s eternal Kingdom. Let me share a little about the service in today’s message in memory of Craig and in honor of his family.

My spirit was so uplifted as we began to sing with blended voices the time honored hymns like “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “Amazing Grace.” We also sang the great classic hymn, “How Great Thou Art” and a key change came just before we came to the final verse which only added to the intensity of which believers felt in this kind of setting; “When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home what joy shall fill my heart…” Our voices swelled in the midst of the glorious presence of the Holy Spirit as we proclaimed together in song and imagined the future scene within out hearts, “Then I shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, ‘My God how great Thou art'”! All ages were represented with a wide variety of denominational backgrounds and inevitably many different musical tastes, but all these differences blended into a precious harmonious unity as we worshiped together the Living God.

There were many touching tributes in the funeral service and most heart-rending were the tributes by his two older children who, though they struggled emotionally, pressed on to express their tremendous love and esteem for their dad.

Craig had a vision for a stain-glassed cross for the front of their new church sanctuary but his disease had so limited his motor skills that he was unable to use his hands. Determined to the end, he painstakingly described the intricate project piece by piece, and Katie, his 19 year old daughter, essentially became his hands and they completed the project just this summer. Just looking at the stain-glassed cross on the front wall of the sanctuary and knowing the story behind it was so moving during the service. *

As Craig’s disease progressed he needed to wear an oxygen mask and his daughter described removing the mask for a moment so her dad could speak and he resolutely declared, “Praise the Lord.” That’s genuine faith that we all hope to experience till we draw our last breath, no matter what way God chooses for us to leave behind these mortal bodies.

Early in the service Pastor Joe Sherer, a friend of ours, acknowledged the mystery of God’s ways as many people had been praying fervently for Craig’s healing here on earth. I appreciate that type of candid honesty from a pastor. Of course we don’t understand and the latter part of today’s portion states, “His understanding no one can fathom.” What blessed consolation to know that even when we don’t see physical healing on this side we can be confident that believers will experience healing in its fullness on the other side.

I want to especially feed on one phrase from today’s Scripture portion, “The LORD is the everlasting God.” These words were written some 2,700 years ago. Let us declare along with the prophet of God and the people of faith through the ages both on this earth and in heaven, “The LORD is the everlasting God.”

One thing I know that I have found
Through all the troubles that surround
You are the Rock that never fails
You never fail

You never change,
You’re still the same
You are the Everlasting God
You will remain
After the day is gone and things of earth have passed
Everlasting God

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, though life is full of many changes and though challenges are always before us we walk not in our own strength but in Your strength, for You never grow tired or weary. You understand the happenings in our lives and how they are working for our eternal good even when we are perplexed or struggling to trust Your plan. Thank You, Father, for giving us hope, not in the present circumstance but in Your sovereign will for our lives. It is You who renews our strength so that we can soar on wings like eagles who rise above the storm clouds. As we, by faith, rise above the troubling circumstances of life, we will walk steadily without falling for You walk alongside us and uphold us with Your loving hand. In the marvelous Name of Jesus we praise You. Amen.

Note from Brooksyne: As we shared our reflections about Craig’s devoted life and how God saw him through the best and worst of times, I thought about the daily encouragement readers who are confined to their beds or wheel chairs. We hear from those of you who’ve been injured in accidents or stricken with a debilitating disease. There are some of you who listen to our voices because you’re unable to see the screen, and likely there are those of you who read our message because you’re unable to hear our voices. May God give you a special word this day as His promises are for all His people who patiently trust Him. He will provide for whatever need you have and sustain you physically, emotionally and spiritually as you continue to trust Him with all your heart.

* Here’s a well-written article in the Lancaster newspaper about the stained glass cross project.

Today’s suggested music:
“Everlasting God” (Audio) This was the song used at the end of today’s message. See below to oder the CD or DVD.
“Blessed Be Your Name” (Audio)

Last night we said farewell to Junnbug, another very good friend we met through our chaplaincy four years ago, who will be moving to his native Puerto Rico in several weeks. He has been to our home for fellowship many times and often worked in the vegetable and flower gardens with Brooksyne. Since he lived in the city he was glad to get out and work the soil! I was sharing encouragement from Proverbs 3:5,6 as Brooksyne took the photo.

Yesterday we drove by a roadside stand in front of a farmhouse selling bouquets of freshly cut flowers. The stand was self-serve with a small box to place the money in (honor system). It had a hand-written note stating to the effect, “Please leave the glass jars if you can.”
Ah, the simplicity of country life!

Today’s featured song “Everlasting God” (listen) is on the “My Savior Lives” CD or DVD and may be ordered here:
My Savior Lives CD My Savior Lives DVD

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Personal Ministry Update

“We Are A Vapor, He Is Eternal”

August 27, 2007 ~ Stephen C. Weber

Saturday we toured the Stone Gables Estate near Elizabethtown, PA that had a magnificent dahlia garden.
Click here for a larger image.

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“We Are A Vapor, He Is Eternal”

“You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). “But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God, the eternal King” (Jeremiah 10:10).

We had a wonderful church service yesterday, with an extra special touch of the Lord’s Spirit. A candid testimony of victory and overcoming by one of our youth who is heading off to college dovetailed into the morning’s message. The testimony brought tears to many eyes and the pastor followed with a special call to sensitivity toward the Holy Spirit’s leading in each of our lives. The next several songs were so appropriate in focusing praise to God and the congregation sang out with heartfelt enthusiasm. The praise team and congregation were visibly moved as the Spirit was working within our hearts. As we were being seated the pastor commented, “Our praise team’s enthusiasm this morning is not a result of their eating Wheaties, but it is the moving of the Spirit.”

One of the songs, “Be Unto Your Name” especially moved us into grateful worship toward God. The following stanza transformed my heart as I contemplated God’s time perspective in contrast to a finite earthbound way of regulating time.

We are a moment, You are forever.
Lord of the ages, God before time.
We are a vapor, You are eternal
Love everlasting, reigning on high.

I suppose the one line that especially stayed with me even through this writing, “We are a vapor, You are eternal.” Songwriters, Lynne DeShazzo and Gary Sadler, share their thoughts about writing this song: “We started talking about how fragile and temporal life is —that it’s just a vapor or a moment and how our lives pass so quickly and yet God’s life goes on and on forever. Juxtaposed against the vastness and eternity of God, all that we could say in the chorus of the song we wrote is what anyone would say when faced with that reality – Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. It seemed to echo a heart expression of every believer – awe, humility and reverence in the light of One so great.”

James writes of this in the first daily text. “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” Based upon our present comprehension of time this may be hard to grasp although I notice time seems to move a lot faster as I’m quickly edging along in the life cycle.

To seek another perspective of how quickly time flees take a walk through a cemetery. We walk past Kraybill Cemetery 1/3 mile up the road from our house almost everyday. Sometimes Brooksyne and I take a slow, thoughtful walk through examining the markers. As we do we’re always reminded that life is indeed a vapor. Expressions of faith on some of the grave headings remind those left behind of the eternal dimension of one’s life. A Scripture message we inscribed on my parent’s marker sums up the entire reason for living as well as the reason for dying, “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.”

What great assurance the short statement that comprises our second daily verse must have given Jeremiah and will also give us today. “But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God, the eternal King” (Jeremiah 10:10). Three words describe the immutable God of the universe; true, living and eternal.

Consider each of these bedrock adjectives in light of the shifting sands of the world’s value system. They are just as valid in describing God today as they were 2,600 years ago, for God does not change. They describe the One who said “I am the God of…” The present tense is always necessary in describing the true, living and eternal God. He always “is”.

The song I noted in the earlier part of the message goes on to proclaim,
Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.
Highest praises, honor and glory.
Be unto Your name, be unto Your Name.

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Eternal God, faithful throughout the ages, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power. Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, King of the ages. How grateful we are for all Your works and for Your redemptive love that saves us from our sins. Amen.

Some Fellow Overcomers
Last Friday I visited with John Shetrzer, a friend I met shortly after moving to Lancaster County in 2001. Early this year he went through a very challenging work transition as he sought God’s direction. I ran into him several months ago at 5:00AM at a WaWa market. At that time I was driving for my Amish boss and John was delivering papers. The Lord opened a great door for John and he is now the executive director of Black Rock Retreat, a Christian retreat center in southern Lancaster County. Of course in many ways I remain in transition (I probably always will by intent due to the itinerant nature of our ministry and our desire to have various ministry fronts!)

Yesterday afternoon Chris Bert, a friend from our local church stopped by and we went on a four mile country walk, followed by a glass of iced tea on our deck. Chris has had some hard setbacks in life the last several years and has gone through a divorce and is now dealing with custody issues with his children. But he is seeking to stay faithful to God and daily draw closer to Him.

Saturday Garden Tour

Brooksyne and I went on a garden tour Saturday on the grounds of the Stone Gables Estate near Elizabethtown PA. The home was built 100 years ago by the founder of the famous chocolate company, M&M Mars located in Elizabethtown. It is now used by the Abel family who founded Brittany’s Hope. They believe it is their purpose in life to advocate for children worldwide making it financially possible for loving families to adopt them. They have adopted many children into their family. What a delightful afternoon and very worthy cause! Brittany’s Hope

Cluster of Variegated Dahlias. There are over 500 varieties growing on over 2500 dahlia plants. What a sight to behold!

I found this bright, shiny leaf intriquing. It appeared to be lit from within! I enjoy flowers but also leaves such as the Coleus that have deep hues of color and density. I’m not sure what kind of leaf this is.

Today’s suggested music:

“Be Unto Your Name” (audio) sample clip of the song we sang yesterday that I used in the message.
“You are Holy – Prince of Peace” Here’s the song we ended our worship set with yesterday. This is a highly produced version with lots of instruments in a concert setting. In MHO it sounded a lot better in our little country church with mostly vocals! (audio)

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Personal Ministry Update

“Heavenly Climatization”

August 7, 2007 ~ Stephen C. Weber

Fireworks at Celebration City Branson

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“Heavenly Climatization”

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3).

While on vacation we attended a church service in Springfield, MO with our friends David and Sandy Simpson. I heard a phrase in the pastor’s closing prayer that especially caught my attention. He prayed on behalf of himself and the congregation that God would “climatize us to the atmosphere of heaven.” I thought that was an interesting word to use in describing a spiritual concept.

To climatize means to acclimate or become acclimated. It means to adjust to a particular setting. It is something that anyone who has ever moved to a different climate has experienced to some degree but an extreme example would be for a person to move from the Brazilian rainforest to Fairbanks, Alaska in the winter!

We are experiencing it in a minor way as it’s much hotter here in Branson than Lancaster County. Yesterday it was nearly 100 degrees. As a child I recall visiting my grandparents here in southern Missouri in day after day of 100 degree+ weather. But I did get used to it and it sure didn’t stop me from playing outdoors, particularly if I could find a farm pond!

One of the great ongoing issues we all deal with in one way or another in our walk with Christ is keeping a heavenly perspective in the midst of all of the stuff of life. Essentially we are by nature very acclimated to the “climate” of this physical life, or as the text states, “on earthly things.”

But today’s Scripture portion is a strong call to heavenly climatization. Spiritually we who have accepted Jesus as our personal Savior have been “raised with Christ.” This speaks of our present position. Paul had written in the previous chapter that we “have been given fullness in Christ” (2:10).

Since we have been raised with Christ we are to set our hearts and minds on things above. This is an act of the will and must be an ongoing attitude in the life of the believer. The experiences of yesterday, however wonderful they were, need to be regularly refreshed with the present working of the Holy Spirit in our lives today.

We must seek to live with a heavenly perspective day in and day out. Many years ago I committed the daily Scripture portion to memory. Today I want to keep this heavenly perspective and do so by personalizing the verse, “Since, then, I have been raised with Christ, I set my heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. I set my mind on things above, not on earthly things. For I died, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, I have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of Your Son where I find redemption, the forgiveness for my sins. It is in Your holy kingdom that my heart is transformed from an earthly nature to that of a heavenly nature. As I clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience my affections for the temporary pleasures of this world diminish in light of the eternal joys to come. Remind me of this when I am tempted to give up that which is lasting for that which is but momentary. Amen.

Yesterday we visited Celebration City, a theme park here in Branson and had a great time.

Like folks who enjoy riding on a bicycle built for two we enjoyed sitting in a rocking chair built for three! It’s the first time we ever had to “climb” up to get on a chair seat since we were toddlers.

Ester met “Barney Fife”

Pesonal note: Today we will return to Springfield and spend the evening with longtime friends David and Sandy Simpson (Dave has been a friend since first grade). Tomorrow we will return to Kansas City via Baltimore and home to Pennsylvania late tomorrow night. We will not prepare a message tomorrow but expect to resume sharing these messages on Thursday.

I want to thank several who have helped me on this trip:

My Uncle Don and Aunt Mary picked us up at the KC airport last week and after spending the evening with them Aunt Mary drove us down to meet a friend in Warrensburg MO. Uncle Don is my Dad’s only living brother and was always such a blessing to my Dad. They are very active in retirement serving faithfully in their church. We met their pastor who specifically told us this!

John Wiseman has been a friend through Daily Encouragement for many years! He lived in Florida when he originally subscribed but about ten years ago he moved to Springfield. He picked me up in Warrensburg last week and will take me to the KC airport tomorrow. John presently works for the blood bank and is a powerful witness for the Lord. He has an interest in chaplaincy much like the work Brooksyne and I do.

Dave and Sandy Simpson
We spent a couple of nights with them and Dave lent us a vehicle to use the entire time we have been in the Springfield/Branson area. Sandy has had Multiple Sclerosis for twelve years now but maintains a vibrant faith and positive outlook. Last year I also visited them and wrote a message based on their testimony. David is a businessman in the Springfield area.

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Personal Ministry Update

“The Ultimate Reunion”

August 6, 2007 ~ Stephen C. Weber

Sunset on Table Rock Lake

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“The Ultimate Reunion”

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Many of us have family reunions, although sadly there is an increasing disconnectedness, making it impossible for some to have such a gathering. Some families live relatively close and see each other frequently but in my family we’re spread all around the country and even in some foreign countries. Since we don’t see each other regularly a family reunion is a very special time for us.

We just completed our annual Steincross reunion here in Branson, Missouri with some 80 descendents of my grandparents attending. We’ve been doing this since 1975. Prior to that year we gathered at my grandparents little white house in Harwood, Missouri but never actually called it a reunion. But when my grandparents died the next generation began an intentional effort to stay connected.

We gathered and reminisced from Thursday through Sunday morning but there came a time we said our goodbyes, expecting, but by no means certain, that we will see each other again next year. Two years ago my Mom attended her final earthly reunion in Oklahoma. Earthly reunions all end that way don’t they?

Our daily text speaks of a great future reunion unlike any other. Indeed it will be the ultimate reunion and will include several notable, distinct features.

1) It will include all of our loved ones who have lived for Christ. Some have been missed at other reunions I’ve attended. At these reunions some had already gone on to be with the Lord. Others simply couldn’t make it due to a conflicting schedule.

2) There will be no transportation problems getting to this reunion. No one will miss because they had to work. Sickness or disabilities won’t hinder. Wheelchair ramps will be done away with and hearing devices will be nonexistent. No one will be excluded due to the cost.

3) Our “family” will be greatly expanded. Those who followed Christ will be there from every tribe and language and people and nation. The redeemed from all the ages will be at this reunion. Our common bloodline will be the divine, redeeming blood of Jesus Christ!

4) It will be in the loveliest location; far, far exceeding any beautiful place on this earth. Now I’ve been to some mighty pretty areas as the Creator sure made a masterpiece on this earth. But this reunion will be in heaven. One of my favorite theologians, R.C. Sproul, asserts that “the remarkable descriptions we have of heaven in the Bible are greatly understated.”

5) This reunion will be forever. No more tearful hugs of departure. No more, “See you next year” when that just may not be the case. “We will be with the Lord forever” the Scripture tells us. Notice that wonderful pronoun “we”, which refers to both the dead in Christ and those who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord. And it will include the abiding presence of the Lord, not just spiritually but also physically. That will be the very best part.

Won’t it be wonderful there! But for now we “encourage each other with these words.”

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, I pray that You will capture our minds and draw our hearts to future events. May we with child-like anticipation keep our attention drawn to the eternal truths of Your Word. And may these spiritual truths turn our face toward heaven. Our future home where we will enjoy a sinless atmosphere, never-ending fellowship with our brothers and sisters and the majesty of Your presence forever. Amen.

We have more photos than usual to share today!

Stephen’s first cousins
There is a 25 year+ span of ages among us.

Stephen’s cousin Doug and his wife Georgia live in Wisconsin.
The wives devised a way they could be taller than their husbands!
(Doug is obviously taller than Stephen, who is 6 foot 2 inches.)

Stephen’s grandparents, George Washington and Nellie Mae Steincross
They passed away in the early seventies
7 children lived into adulthood
(all but one, their youngest daughter has passed away.)
16 grandchildren (all living)
Many great as well as great,great grandchildren.

Aunt Frances, my Mom’s youngest sister. She and her husband, my Uncle Jim, made quite an effort to come down from Lincoln, Nebraska but we were sure blessed by their presence!

Ester got to drive the “Duck” boat on Table Rock Lake
and received her “official” duck boat license.
Stephen has decided that he would like to some day be a duck driver, since they meet people from all over and have a lot of fun!

The Branson Landing has a spectacular water, fire, light and music show. We enjoyed this beautiful show last night. (These are not my photos, although I tried!) See here for info.

Jody Sherrell, Ester, and Brooksyne
Brooksyne enjoyed a visit with her youngest brother who joined us for an extended afternoon luncheon at the Branson Landing. Jody resides in Tulsa which is over 200 miles from Branson.

Today’s suggested music: “I can only imagine”
This version is from a musician named Brian Powell.
Listen to instrumental audio version This is a beautiful instrumental version with saxophone from this site.

Pesonal note: We will spend another day here in Branson and plan to return to Springfield tomorrow, then Kansas City to Baltimore and home to Pennsylvania late Wednesday. We hope to get another message off tomorrow before we leave Branson.

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Personal Ministry Update

“The Unseen Eternal”

July 25, 2007 ~ Stephen C. Weber

Photo by Doris High

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“The Unseen Eternal”

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Burd Coleman is a tiny village near Cornwall, Pennsylvania that is merely a single road with identical stone factory houses built on each side. These homes are about 150 years old but have been carefully restored and are beautiful; many decorated with colorful flowers. It seems as you drive by them that they’re from an ancient era and are really old.

But are they older homes or are they newer homes? It depends on your perspective. Actually they were built when over 90% of the present Christian era (up to today) had already taken place. From this perspective they are newer homes!

One of the great challenges of living for God in the daily grind is keeping a good balance of spiritual and eternal perspective. We are bombarded with loud data to accomodate and even lure the physical senses and it can so easily drown out the “still small voice” in which God often speaks to us.

We face this challenge whether life is peaceful and prosperous or whether life is beset with multiple trials and hardships. The tendency is to fix our eyes on what is seen. Whether life is going well or is very hard we need to always remember “this too will pass.”

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.” Fixing our eyes in this manner requires concentration and focus. It means to “fix one’s gaze upon, to concentrate one’s attention on.” Physically our eyes observe the seen but Paul is referring to our spiritual eyes here, a focus on the unseen, eternal Kingdom that awaits all who follow Christ.

“For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” What we now see with our physical sight is temporary. Only God who created and oversees the entire universe is stable and unchanging. The Greek word used here for “temporary” (proskairos) indicates the contrast between the temporal, which is also indefinite and the eternal, which is definitive.

Today I urge you to focus your heart on the One of whom we sing, “Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not, as Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be”. Fix your eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. In the midst of any struggles you are dealing with on this day view these struggles not just with a temporal perspective but also with a spiritual perspective. If you do this, You will surely see the unseen eternal.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord,
Open the eyes of my heart;
I want to see You, I want to see You.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord,
Open the eyes of my heart;
I want to see You, I want to see You.

Be encouraged today,

Stephen C. Weber

Daily Prayer: Father, I ask for Your Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that I may know you better. I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened that I may better know the hope to which You have called me, the riches of Your glorious inheritance available to me, and Your incomparably great power for those of us who believe. May the limited view I physically enjoy while journeying here on earth not overshadow the glorious view or faith perspective of my future eternal home. Many treasures that do not have permanent storage here on earth have an eternal place in heaven so I want my focus to be heavenward so that earthbound entrapments don’t rob my heart of the rewards that are yet to come. Amen.

Today’s photo was taken from Doris High’s photo blog. Doris and her husband Cerwin are friends from my association with Transport For Christ, a chaplain ministry for truck drivers.

A friend sent me this video which relates to yesterday’s message.

Today’s morning walk took us through a corn canyon. Some of the corn stalks are now over 12 feet tall. The corn was planted in mid April and at this rate the corn would grow to 48 feet in one year. It sure makes for a very pleasant walk!

Today’s music:
“Open The Eyes Of My Heart”
“Shine Jesus Shine”

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Personal Ministry Update

“Whatever Happens”

July 18, 2007 ~ Stephen C. Weber

Morning glory collage

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“Whatever Happens”

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you” (Philippians 1:27,28).

Once again I awaken to another beautiful day and as I prepare today’s message I expect this to be a typical day for me and my family with continued peace in our specific area of the world. I really do not have a worry concerning being persecuted for my faith on this day as many do. On my heart however is a report of current crucifixions of Christians taking place in the Middle East. The report indicates, not at all surprisingly, that this persecution is at the hands of Muslim militants and directed primarily to those who have converted to Christianity.

Bill Bright wrote prior to his death, “The most important moment in anyone’s life as a believer is the last breath because the next breath is in heaven. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. A Christian can’t lose, if we live, we go on serving Him. That’s an adventure. If we die, we’re in heaven with Him, and that’s incredible.”

I memorized the first part of the daily Scripture portion many years ago. Paul directs us to resolve in our hearts that we will stay faithful to Christ. “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

Today I am especially drawn to the phrase “Whatever happens…” I have always considered the “whatever” to mean whatever happens to me (Stephen Weber or any reader of the passage.) That is, whether I am having a good day or a bad day, whether things are going well or I’m going down a rough road; whatever happens to me I am to conduct myself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Now that is certainly a valid outlook in life and I will continue to see the passage this way, yet I am not sure that’s exactly what the Apostle Paul meant when he initially wrote these words. As I carefully study the context, both the verses before and after, I consider another sense or meaning.

Just prior to this verse Paul had written concerning his own realization that would either continue to live for Christ or he might die for Him (martyrdom). Here’s that passage.

When Paul originally wrote this passage, I believe he was instructing his fellow believers, that “Whatever happens to me (Paul) you are to conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

He goes on to write, “Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence…” Now what really intrigues me is that Paul had every intention of going to see the Philippian believers if it was God’s will that he remain alive.

However it was also his firm expectation that should this not be the case, I will “hear about you in my absence.” The “absence” in this context would be his departure to be with the Lord (his death). This is similar to his statement in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.”

He is confident that if that were the case (his being with the Lord) he would still hear the good report that the Philippians were “standing firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.”

Our service for the Lord Jesus Christ has eternal consequences. When we, in our divinely appointed time, are absent from the body and at home with the Lord, like Paul, we will still hear the good report concerning the ongoing results of our ministry! Let us stay faithful to our call whatever happens!

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily Prayer: Father, we praise You and give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy and most especially the freedom to worship You. But we know that there are many regions in our world where Christians are persecuted and suffer martyrdom at the hands of those who are enemies of the cross. We lift them up to You in prayer and ask that You will give them supernatural strength and resolute resolve to stand up for You in the face of evil surroundings. Though wicked men may destroy the flesh, they cannot rob the soul of inner peace and the uncompromising determination to “stand firm unto the end.” Sustain those who have endured the painful loss of loved ones as well as those whose family members are being held captive and are presently enduring persecution. May You be glorified in the midst of these horribly adverse circumstances and may souls be saved.

Here’s the report concerning persecution of our fellow brothers and sisters in the Middle East. Of course I can’t verify the accuracy of this particular story but there is no question that believers in Christ all through the Middle East are suffering for their faith.

In response to requests concerning freezing corn (based upon the photo yesterday): Drop shucked ears of corn in boiling water. Submerge for 5 minutes. Remove ears of corn and submerge in ice water for 5 minutes. (This is called blanching.) Cut the corn off the cob and package for freezing. Enjoy fresh tasting corn all through the year! See here for more info.

Today’s suggested music:
“I can only imagine”
Vocal version
Instrumental version
“Forever”
Vocal version

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Personal Ministry Update