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Monday, November 16, 2015
Note: We seek to keep up with current events although we don't often address them in this series. Certainly our hearts and prayers go out for all who were impacted by the Islamic terrorist attacks in Paris last Friday.
Listen to this
message on
your
audio player.
"Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name" (Malachi 3:16).
When Mom died I placed up a web page of sympathy expressions I had compiled that were written by family and friends, as well as readers in this series; many who did not even know her personally. I have kept that page up and periodically read it as I am encouraged by the expressions of love people wrote. In a sense it serves as a very personal "Scroll of Remembrance". (See below for link.)
The daily text begins with a reflection of how the Lord observes our relationships with others on this side. "Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard." This is an interesting text to muse. In a number of businesses we visit, especially service companies like HVAC and home improvement, I observe the service techs "talking shop" before they begin their day, discussing the work ahead and sharing tips with one another. I wonder what "shop talk" in church sounds like to the Lord as we discuss spiritual matters with others who fear Him? We can be sure the Lord is listening!
Apparently this talking with one another prompted the writing of "a scroll of remembrance" which was prepared in God's "presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name."
Today let us consider this "scroll of remembrance". Although we don't know all the details We have wondered if this scroll is similar to the Book of Life mentioned elsewhere in the Bible. It does not specify in the text who wrote in this "scroll of remembrance", just that it was "written in His presence". Perhaps it was angels or even God Himself.
I wonder to what extent our heartfelt tributes to the living or memorials to the dead are a means of doing this. I wonder in what way we can honor and remember "those who fear the LORD and honor His name"? "
Certainly our lives have been immeasurably enriched by those, like my mom, whom God has strategically placed in our lives. We hope you can consider many though for most it is our parents (sadly not all though) And yet, one by one, they go on before us and eventually it will be our turn.
I just read an article by Sabra Penley titled "What If Today Was My Last?" which included this thoughtful Scripture portion, "Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure" (Psalm 39:4-5). Today that phrase, "even those who seem secure" jumped out at me. Just consider all the people who found out how insecure life on this side is last week in France.
Today pause for a moment and consider those who have made an eternal impact on your life. For many, but certainly not all, it will be your mother and father. Raise a prayer of thanksgiving in remembrance of this person. If they are still living perhaps the Lord will lead you to visit or call them. Send them a note or a card.
Keep these questions before you:
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Loving Father, You shower me with
spiritual blessings as You place godly men and women in my path who
revere Your holy name and honor You with their lives. They live above
reproach and serve as examples of those who have overcome the world!
Just as You brought these dear brothers and sisters into my life
for a season, I pray that I, too, will make a positive difference for
those who are presently watching me. I want my testimony to be an
example of Your life-changing, all-sufficient, and all-sustaining
grace. Amen.
Some Scenes From Our Weekend
Saturday afternoon we passed this farm view in eastern Lancaster County
Web page I made for my Mom
What If Today Was My Last? Article by Sabra Penley
"What You Leave Behind" Video Talleys
Operation Christmas Child
Eastland Alpaca Farm
Special Thanksgiving Resources
We offer these resources to families and church leaders to enrich the spiritual impact of the Thanksgiving holiday. We will leave them up through Thanksgiving.
We appreciated singing the traditional Thanksgiving hymns. Here are several classics that you may or may not have heard this season.
"Be Magnified" Video Kim Hill
"In Everything Give Him Thanks" Video The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
"In Everything Give Thanks" Video Charlotte Ritchie, Jeff & Sheri Easter This song will bring joy to your heart!
"Now Thank We All Our God" Video Best Loved Hymns
"Come Ye Thankful People Come" Video Traditional version
Contemporary version but thankfully maintaining same tune and lyrics Video
"Thanksgiving Medley" (We Gather Togather, For The Beauty Of The Earth, Come Ye Thankful People Come) Video Studio Musicians
"Give Thanks" Video Don Moen
"Thank You Lord" Video Community choir at a Lancaster Day of Prayer event in 2008.
"Thank You Lord For Saving My Soul" Video Holland Davis
"Thankful For The
Thorns": A
family reading and exercise that is a
wonderful way to give a thoughtful focus around your Thanksgiving
Table. The
Thanksgiving celebration typically includes family coming together for
a huge meal and hopefully a heartfelt prayer of thankfulness. However
it can often be difficult to have a spiritually oriented conversation.
Why not add some stimulating discussion about the ways
God has worked in your life over the past year! Some of
you are not in charge and are only visitors at your Thanksgiving
gathering, but if it is possible share together
around
the table the theme of "Thankful for the Thorns" (printable web page).
"A Thanksgiving family exercise" (pdf) We have used this questionnaire as a stimulus for discussion among family members in the past in our home. We encourage you to share results around the table at Thanksgiving before or after the meal.
A Thanksgiving prayer: Written by Joe Sherer, a pastor friend of ours and shared as the benediction at our community Thanksgiving Eve service several years ago. (web page) For those who enjoy written prayers this would be a beautiful prayer to read together at the Thanksgiving table.
A Thanksgiving Scripture reading: A selection of Old and New Testament readings dealing with thankfulness appropriate for church, family and personal readings. (pdf) (Suitable for printing out and copying.)
"Thanks" Video Marshall Hall and the Homecoming Singers
"I Want To Thank You" Video Karen Peck and New River This is a song expressing thankfulness to the many people who impact our lives and also reminds us of the blessing of seemingly insignificant expressions of faith. From the Gaither Homecoming series.
"Thank You Lord For Your Blessings On Me" Video Gordon Mote & Jason Crabb
"Come We Thankful People Come" Video Traditional version Here's a bit more contemporary version with same lyrics.
"I'm Forever Grateful" Video Willow Creek
"Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart" Video Don Moen
"When I Thank Him For What He Has Done" Video The Cathedrals
"Worthy Is The Lamb Crown Him .. Crown Him With Many Crowns" Video Travis Cottrell
"Thank You, Lord" Video Dennis Jernigan
"Thank You For Loving Me" Video Tommy Walker
"10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" Video Matt Redman
"For These Reasons" Video Lincoln Brewster
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe to our email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)
Are
our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? We ask you to
consider making a donation to Daily Encouragement Net so that we can
carve out the time in our weekly schedule to continue preparing and
providing this daily resource,
accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily
Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support
of its readers and podcast listeners. See here
for more information on supporting this
ministry. Gifts are tax deductible.
Please Note: Our chaplain agency is unable to provide a receipt
if the donation is made through PayPal. However we provide this option
due to the convenience, for the benefit of international supporters,
and for those for whom an official receipt is not needed.
You can
also set up for recurring donations. Click here.
Permissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. I do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
Text only version for printing: To make a text only version for printing (without photos or any of the supplemental materials)
1) Open the basic text editor that comes with all computers (known as wordpad, textpad, etc.) You can also use a program like Word and select paste text only.
2) Select and copy the text from the portion of the message you want to print.
3) Paste into the text pad. (The photos won't show up but you will have a brief text description of the photo which you can delete or just ignore.)
4) Format if you desire (change font, increase or decrease size, etc.)
5) Print!
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.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
© Copyright 2015 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
<Previous Message Next Message>
Monday, November 16, 2015
"A Scroll Of Remembrance"
Note: We seek to keep up with current events although we don't often address them in this series. Certainly our hearts and prayers go out for all who were impacted by the Islamic terrorist attacks in Paris last Friday.
Listen to this
message on
your
audio player."Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name" (Malachi 3:16).
When Mom died I placed up a web page of sympathy expressions I had compiled that were written by family and friends, as well as readers in this series; many who did not even know her personally. I have kept that page up and periodically read it as I am encouraged by the expressions of love people wrote. In a sense it serves as a very personal "Scroll of Remembrance". (See below for link.)
The daily text begins with a reflection of how the Lord observes our relationships with others on this side. "Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard." This is an interesting text to muse. In a number of businesses we visit, especially service companies like HVAC and home improvement, I observe the service techs "talking shop" before they begin their day, discussing the work ahead and sharing tips with one another. I wonder what "shop talk" in church sounds like to the Lord as we discuss spiritual matters with others who fear Him? We can be sure the Lord is listening!
Apparently this talking with one another prompted the writing of "a scroll of remembrance" which was prepared in God's "presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name."
Today let us consider this "scroll of remembrance". Although we don't know all the details We have wondered if this scroll is similar to the Book of Life mentioned elsewhere in the Bible. It does not specify in the text who wrote in this "scroll of remembrance", just that it was "written in His presence". Perhaps it was angels or even God Himself.
I wonder to what extent our heartfelt tributes to the living or memorials to the dead are a means of doing this. I wonder in what way we can honor and remember "those who fear the LORD and honor His name"? "
Certainly our lives have been immeasurably enriched by those, like my mom, whom God has strategically placed in our lives. We hope you can consider many though for most it is our parents (sadly not all though) And yet, one by one, they go on before us and eventually it will be our turn.
I just read an article by Sabra Penley titled "What If Today Was My Last?" which included this thoughtful Scripture portion, "Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure" (Psalm 39:4-5). Today that phrase, "even those who seem secure" jumped out at me. Just consider all the people who found out how insecure life on this side is last week in France.
Today pause for a moment and consider those who have made an eternal impact on your life. For many, but certainly not all, it will be your mother and father. Raise a prayer of thanksgiving in remembrance of this person. If they are still living perhaps the Lord will lead you to visit or call them. Send them a note or a card.
Keep these questions before you:
- What am I doing that is making an eternal impact for Jesus Christ?
- Who will write about me in a "book of remembrance"?
- What will they write?
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Loving Father, You shower me with
spiritual blessings as You place godly men and women in my path who
revere Your holy name and honor You with their lives. They live above
reproach and serve as examples of those who have overcome the world!
Just as You brought these dear brothers and sisters into my life
for a season, I pray that I, too, will make a positive difference for
those who are presently watching me. I want my testimony to be an
example of Your life-changing, all-sufficient, and all-sustaining
grace. Amen.Some Scenes From Our Weekend
Saturday afternoon we passed this farm view in eastern Lancaster County
Saturday evening we went to see the movie Woodlawn that has a redemptive message so needed in our day. It essentially tells how Jesus Christ makes a dramatic difference to a high school deep in the south back in the seventies. Coming out of the theater close to ten o'clock we noticed the horses and buggies in the parking lot so sure hope these Amish young people (we assume young people) were there to see a good movie, perhaps Woodlawn!
Yesterday morning our church collected and sent off some 200 Operation Christmas Child boxes. Notsen and Thobekile Ncube are standing behind the trailer along with Nelson and Joyce Heisey who will be delivering the boxes. The Ncube's were involved in the distribution of Operation Christmas Child boxes in Zimbabwe so they now have seen both sides of the process!
(Photo by Ester)
Yesterday afternoon I took our Zimbabwean friends, Nathan and Neville, to the Eastland Alpaca Farm open house. They told me there is no animal like the Alpaca in their country.
A one day old Alpaca
Nathan and Neville with a very tall live scarecrow at Eastland Alpaca Farm
Last night we had two country Bluegrass gospel groups sing at our church; Mountain Gospel Harmony and Henry Werner and Sons. Both groups joined at the end for some impromptu jamming. Here's a video sample "I'll Fly Away"
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
Web page I made for my Mom
What If Today Was My Last? Article by Sabra Penley
"What You Leave Behind" Video Talleys
Operation Christmas Child
Eastland Alpaca Farm
Special Thanksgiving Resources
We offer these resources to families and church leaders to enrich the spiritual impact of the Thanksgiving holiday. We will leave them up through Thanksgiving.
We appreciated singing the traditional Thanksgiving hymns. Here are several classics that you may or may not have heard this season.
"Be Magnified" Video Kim Hill
"In Everything Give Him Thanks" Video The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
"In Everything Give Thanks" Video Charlotte Ritchie, Jeff & Sheri Easter This song will bring joy to your heart!
"Now Thank We All Our God" Video Best Loved Hymns
"Come Ye Thankful People Come" Video Traditional version
Contemporary version but thankfully maintaining same tune and lyrics Video
"Thanksgiving Medley" (We Gather Togather, For The Beauty Of The Earth, Come Ye Thankful People Come) Video Studio Musicians
"Give Thanks" Video Don Moen
"Thank You Lord" Video Community choir at a Lancaster Day of Prayer event in 2008.
"Thank You Lord For Saving My Soul" Video Holland Davis
"Thankful For The
Thorns": A
family reading and exercise that is a
wonderful way to give a thoughtful focus around your Thanksgiving
Table. The
Thanksgiving celebration typically includes family coming together for
a huge meal and hopefully a heartfelt prayer of thankfulness. However
it can often be difficult to have a spiritually oriented conversation.
Why not add some stimulating discussion about the ways
God has worked in your life over the past year! Some of
you are not in charge and are only visitors at your Thanksgiving
gathering, but if it is possible share together
around
the table the theme of "Thankful for the Thorns" (printable web page)."A Thanksgiving family exercise" (pdf) We have used this questionnaire as a stimulus for discussion among family members in the past in our home. We encourage you to share results around the table at Thanksgiving before or after the meal.
A Thanksgiving prayer: Written by Joe Sherer, a pastor friend of ours and shared as the benediction at our community Thanksgiving Eve service several years ago. (web page) For those who enjoy written prayers this would be a beautiful prayer to read together at the Thanksgiving table.
A Thanksgiving Scripture reading: A selection of Old and New Testament readings dealing with thankfulness appropriate for church, family and personal readings. (pdf) (Suitable for printing out and copying.)
"Thanks" Video Marshall Hall and the Homecoming Singers
"I Want To Thank You" Video Karen Peck and New River This is a song expressing thankfulness to the many people who impact our lives and also reminds us of the blessing of seemingly insignificant expressions of faith. From the Gaither Homecoming series.
"Thank You Lord For Your Blessings On Me" Video Gordon Mote & Jason Crabb
"Come We Thankful People Come" Video Traditional version Here's a bit more contemporary version with same lyrics.
"I'm Forever Grateful" Video Willow Creek
"Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart" Video Don Moen
"When I Thank Him For What He Has Done" Video The Cathedrals
"Worthy Is The Lamb Crown Him .. Crown Him With Many Crowns" Video Travis Cottrell
"Thank You, Lord" Video Dennis Jernigan
"Thank You For Loving Me" Video Tommy Walker
"10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" Video Matt Redman
"For These Reasons" Video Lincoln Brewster
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe to our email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)
Are
our daily encouragement messages a blessing to you? We ask you to
consider making a donation to Daily Encouragement Net so that we can
carve out the time in our weekly schedule to continue preparing and
providing this daily resource,
accessed by believers and seekers all over the world. Daily
Encouragement Net relies solely on the generosity and financial support
of its readers and podcast listeners. See here
for more information on supporting this
ministry. Gifts are tax deductible. Please Note: Our chaplain agency is unable to provide a receipt
if the donation is made through PayPal. However we provide this option
due to the convenience, for the benefit of international supporters,
and for those for whom an official receipt is not needed.
You can
also set up for recurring donations. Click here.Permissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. I do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
Text only version for printing: To make a text only version for printing (without photos or any of the supplemental materials)
1) Open the basic text editor that comes with all computers (known as wordpad, textpad, etc.) You can also use a program like Word and select paste text only.
2) Select and copy the text from the portion of the message you want to print.
3) Paste into the text pad. (The photos won't show up but you will have a brief text description of the photo which you can delete or just ignore.)
4) Format if you desire (change font, increase or decrease size, etc.)
5) Print!
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.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
© Copyright 2015 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA