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Horse and Colt in eastern Lancaster County, PA
(Photo by our friend Brenda Harry)
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"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
Yesterday churches around the world celebrated Pentecost Sunday. Before Jesus ascended into heaven He stated very clearly the purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit in our daily verse. It can be summed up in the phrase, "Power for witness."
Some 721,500 days have passed since the initial outpouring when God's Holy Spirit fell upon the 120 who gathered in the Upper Room. Yet today the Holy Spirit continues to empower men and women, young and old to touch people for Christ even to the ends of the earth.
Today you have left the spiritual comfort zone of your church and entered the mission field God has called you to. Many of you are surrounded by people who curse and blaspheme God. There are people who may mock and revile you because of your stand for Christ. These are the people that God has empowered you to be a witness to!
The rubber is meeting the road when you are in their presence. The spiritually enriching, perhaps emotionally touching experience of yesterday was for this very witness. God has called you to BE a witness (Gr. "martus"). Now this will certainly include the verbal defense and explanation of our faith. However it really involves all that we are; Christ's character being formed and demonstrated in our lives.
It is God's plan to continue to fill His people with the Holy Spirit even as He did in the book of Acts. Peter preached a great sermon following the initial outpouring in Acts 2 and 3,000 people were saved! We certainly still need the power of the Spirit today. In examining Peter's sermon we note that God gave Peter power to proclaim the Gospel message and he demonstrates four characteristics we need in our witness:
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, as Your Holy Spirit empowers us we can effectively proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ through Scriptural teaching and through our godly example. Help us to faithfully witness in the mission field You've appointed us to. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Saturday evening we had a ladies banquet and we thought this was a colorful scene. I filled our car trunk with flowers to take to the banquet. We prepared a "Name That Flower" quiz for the banquet (using Powerpoint) with photos of flowers. For those who may be interested here is a similar online edition of the quiz with a link to the answer key!
Brooksyne shared a message at the banquet speaking on a gardening theme and growing in Christ with the ladies memorizing 2 Peter 3:18.
Her message included:
Three requirements for Growing Plants:
I
am inspired by examples of perseverance in nature. This tiny plant
keeps trying to pop up through the pavement in our church parking lot.
Apparently a seed was covered over when some pavement was patched last
fall and this tiny plant has a will to live!
Alberto Hernandez is a friend of ours
and fellow chaplain. He is a native of Peru but has been in the states
with his wife Jenny and their four children about ten years and is
involved in church planting ministry throughout south-central
Pennsylvania. He will be assuming a chaplaincy role at a large
wholesale greenhouse near Reading Pennsylvania and will be considered
the "farm chaplain". We met together with the owner on Friday afternoon
and toured the large 200 acre farm with 240 greenhouses!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Horse and Colt in eastern Lancaster County, PA
(Photo by our friend Brenda Harry)
Listen to this message on
your
audio player."Power For Witness"
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
Yesterday churches around the world celebrated Pentecost Sunday. Before Jesus ascended into heaven He stated very clearly the purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit in our daily verse. It can be summed up in the phrase, "Power for witness."
Some 721,500 days have passed since the initial outpouring when God's Holy Spirit fell upon the 120 who gathered in the Upper Room. Yet today the Holy Spirit continues to empower men and women, young and old to touch people for Christ even to the ends of the earth.
Today you have left the spiritual comfort zone of your church and entered the mission field God has called you to. Many of you are surrounded by people who curse and blaspheme God. There are people who may mock and revile you because of your stand for Christ. These are the people that God has empowered you to be a witness to!
The rubber is meeting the road when you are in their presence. The spiritually enriching, perhaps emotionally touching experience of yesterday was for this very witness. God has called you to BE a witness (Gr. "martus"). Now this will certainly include the verbal defense and explanation of our faith. However it really involves all that we are; Christ's character being formed and demonstrated in our lives.
It is God's plan to continue to fill His people with the Holy Spirit even as He did in the book of Acts. Peter preached a great sermon following the initial outpouring in Acts 2 and 3,000 people were saved! We certainly still need the power of the Spirit today. In examining Peter's sermon we note that God gave Peter power to proclaim the Gospel message and he demonstrates four characteristics we need in our witness:
- 1) No one has power to proclaim unless the Lord gives him strength to stand up (Acts 2:14).
- 2) No one has power to proclaim who leaves the Scriptures unopened and unused. Notice Peter's use of Scripture in his sermon (Acts 2:17-21, 25-28 and 34,35).
- 3) No one has power to proclaim whose life is not centered on Jesus (Acts 4:13).
- 4) No one has power to proclaim unless the foundational message of the Gospel is shared. Peter stuck to the basics. In Acts the main things are the plain things (Believe, repent, be baptized, be filled with the Spirit, walk with Jesus). Let this be true in our own life and witness. (Acts 2:42)
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, as Your Holy Spirit empowers us we can effectively proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ through Scriptural teaching and through our godly example. Help us to faithfully witness in the mission field You've appointed us to. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Saturday evening we had a ladies banquet and we thought this was a colorful scene. I filled our car trunk with flowers to take to the banquet. We prepared a "Name That Flower" quiz for the banquet (using Powerpoint) with photos of flowers. For those who may be interested here is a similar online edition of the quiz with a link to the answer key!
Brooksyne shared a message at the banquet speaking on a gardening theme and growing in Christ with the ladies memorizing 2 Peter 3:18.Her message included:
Three requirements for Growing Plants:
- Bright Light
- Fertile Soil
- Adequate Moisture
I
am inspired by examples of perseverance in nature. This tiny plant
keeps trying to pop up through the pavement in our church parking lot.
Apparently a seed was covered over when some pavement was patched last
fall and this tiny plant has a will to live!Alberto Hernandez is a friend of ours
and fellow chaplain. He is a native of Peru but has been in the states
with his wife Jenny and their four children about ten years and is
involved in church planting ministry throughout south-central
Pennsylvania. He will be assuming a chaplaincy role at a large
wholesale greenhouse near Reading Pennsylvania and will be considered
the "farm chaplain". We met together with the owner on Friday afternoon
and toured the large 200 acre farm with 240 greenhouses!This morning Ester has a role in watching David and Adoree. They're somewhat captivated by the animated movie, "Cars."
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.)
(In some cases you may also need to click again to start the song.)
"The Comforter Has Come" Video In
our view one of the most powerful expressions in Christian hymnody is a
verse in this hymn. Here is a classic version by a Christian College
choir which includes this verse.
Here's a video version by Jars of Clay which is similar to the classic hymn but does not use all the verses.
"Spirit Of The Living God" Video with lyrics
"Draw Me Close" Video Oslo Gospel Choir
"Spirit Song" Video Maranatha Singers
Finally today:
For those who enjoy quizes here is another quiz Brooksyne prepared
1. _______________ is used to smother weeds, beautify flower beds and base of trees, and help retain moisture.
2. Old garbage can be turned into __________ which is used to enrich soil and stimulate plant growth.
3. What pesty insect has a problem with drinking beer, much to its demise? ______________.
4. A product that helps plants grow in quality and quantity is called _____________________.
5. Name two early spring vegetables that will withstand light frosts. __________________.
6. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map shows your area to be in which growing zone? ________.
7. The process of the sprouting of a seed is called ________________.
8. The method of gardening utilizing only materials derived from living things (i.e. composts & manures) is called ______________________.
9. The process of digging up a plant and moving it to another location is called _______________________.
10. The science of growing plants in mineral solutions or water, instead of in soil is called ___________________.
11. A flower that only grows only one growing season is called an _____________________.
12. A plant or ornamental that returns year after year is called a _________________________.
We will post the answers to this quiz tomorrow!
O boundless love divine! How shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine—
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine—
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!
Here's a video version by Jars of Clay which is similar to the classic hymn but does not use all the verses.
"Spirit Of The Living God" Video with lyrics
"Draw Me Close" Video Oslo Gospel Choir
"Spirit Song" Video Maranatha Singers
Finally today:
For those who enjoy quizes here is another quiz Brooksyne prepared
Testing Your Gardening Knowledge
1. _______________ is used to smother weeds, beautify flower beds and base of trees, and help retain moisture.
2. Old garbage can be turned into __________ which is used to enrich soil and stimulate plant growth.
3. What pesty insect has a problem with drinking beer, much to its demise? ______________.
4. A product that helps plants grow in quality and quantity is called _____________________.
5. Name two early spring vegetables that will withstand light frosts. __________________.
6. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map shows your area to be in which growing zone? ________.
7. The process of the sprouting of a seed is called ________________.
8. The method of gardening utilizing only materials derived from living things (i.e. composts & manures) is called ______________________.
9. The process of digging up a plant and moving it to another location is called _______________________.
10. The science of growing plants in mineral solutions or water, instead of in soil is called ___________________.
11. A flower that only grows only one growing season is called an _____________________.
12. A plant or ornamental that returns year after year is called a _________________________.
We will post the answers to this quiz tomorrow!
Send
a message to Stephen &
Brooksyne.
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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 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."
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Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
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