A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
Home About Us Archives Free email subscription
Listen
to these
messages
Text only
for
printing
<Previous
Message
Next
Message
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 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."
Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com
© Copyright 2011 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
"When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them" (Luke 2:17,18).
Our
dog Roxie has
a form of "ministry", joining Brooksyne as she visits at Longwood
Manor, a local personal care center where we serve as chaplains. Some
would call this "pet therapy" but we
prefer to call it ministry. Our other dog, a growing border collie pup
named Mollie, is a little too young and rambunctious for this type of
ministry and
our cat Dottie really doesn't care to get out at all. In fact her trip
every couple
of years for her rabies shot is about all the travelling she can handle!
Brooksyne walks with Roxie through the facility as she greets residents and most of them as well as the staff enjoy seeing Roxie since she is really a friendly dog and mild-mannered. Roxie even wears a special collar for seasonal ministry!
But
she really likes being
around her family. Whether we're gone five
minutes or five hours she greets us as if she hasn't seen
us in ages. (typical of all dogs we have had). She indicates her joy by
wagging her whole hind end which
also happens to make her curly tail move very rapidly. This causes the
tip of her tail to hit her eyes repeatedly so it's interesting
to watch
her deal with the resulting discomfort. In addition we now have
Mollie who vies also for our attention. The jealousy between the two
can get
just a little ugly from time to time but I think it's safe to say they
have also become good pet friends (or siblings).
We feature Roxie in our opening illustration because she serves as a means of warming the hearts of residents who are pet lovers, who might not bother even talking with us as we seek to evangelize, if they have no interest in spiritual matters. This is the case in all types of outreach ministry. There are various ways we might stir the interest of nonbelievers as they connect with us in areas of similar interest, i.e. music, drama, object lessons, sports, flowers, or even our pets. But our main goal is "spreading the word" concerning our faith in Christ.
The first evangelists were some pretty smelly, sun parched shepherds. They had witnessed the infant Jesus lying in a manger and heard the Gospel from a heavenly choir. Now they "spread the word."
That's been the mission of believers ever since, commanded in the Great Commission and demonstrated in the Book of Acts. Jesus said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." He's still building His church and all believers are a part of that building process.
At the time of Christ's birth the Bible clearly states that after the shepherds had seen Jesus "they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child." We have no additional follow-up concerning these men after that eventful night.
Like so many at that time, through the ages of the Church and in our own day, they likely had to overcome some deep hurts and losses to cling to their faith in Christ as they lived out the rest of their life on this earth. It's always been that way. We have a couple long-time friends whose wives have multiple sclerosis and are confined to wheelchairs. Both have had some unexpected bumps in life's road, but they continue to rejoice in God's grace and faithfulness!
The shepherds were the first evangelists at the birth of Christ and we are all called to follow their example in spreading the word. All over the world, including your town and mine, this Gospel is bearing fruit and growing today. Our mission is to "Go tell everyone." Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, follow the shepherd's example and look for opportunities to spread the word.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
Prayer: Father, all over the world Your Spirit is moving. And
You move through people such as the shepherds who told all they knew
concerning the Christ Child. Two thousand years later we have so much
more knowledge and experiences to share with those around us because we
have the Word of God that shows Your divine character and tells us of
Your great and miraculous deeds. May we never tire of hearing the
stories of Jesus or become lax in telling others about Jesus.
Your choice to enter this earth in such a lowly and timely manner is a
story that not only the shepherds were commissioned to go out and tell,
but it is the commission of all believers to spread this amazing
story. It's not just for the people of Jerusalem or simply a
segment of our society or a select period in history. Instead Christ's
coming affects people of all tongues, tribes, and nations, from the
north to the south, from east to west - all who will call upon the Lord
Jesus to be saved. Help us to be bold and unwavering in
our quest to reach the lost and dying world that touches us each
day. Amen.
This
photo was taken several years ago but looks the same as today except
our other dog Mollie who was not with us at the time would be joining
them. After a wearying time of ministry Roxie crashed in front
of our coal stove, along with our cat Dottie who was glad her dog friend had made it
home safely (we assume that's what she is thinking). It's the warmest spot in our
house and they know it! We primarily heat our home with this coal
stove, using Pennsylvania anthracite coal. I fill
the hopper in the
back and empty the ashes early each morning. From the hopper the coal is slowly,
automatically fed to the burner, a white hot portion only
about 4x3 inches but generally adequate to keep
our entire house warm except for the coldest days.
It has a glass door on the front so I can see the warm glow and verify
that it's working. From a distance when I see the light I am confident
the heat is there as well!
Daily
Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com. Any orders
placed
to
Christian Book Distributers using this link
or any specific product link to
a recommended resource in a daily encouragement message will help our
Daily
Encouragement ministry through a small commission on the sale. Thank
you for considering using these links when purchasing online through
CBD! Tip:
If you are regular CBD customer consider bookmarking this link and using it whenever you
shop. This Christmas
many of our readers will be shopping for gifts that have
spiritual and lasting value as well as a means of witness and encouraging others.
Roxie greeting Josephine.
Josephine & Arlene (looking on) are now with the Lord.
Josephine & Arlene (looking on) are now with the Lord.
"Spreading The Word"
"When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them" (Luke 2:17,18).
Our
dog Roxie has
a form of "ministry", joining Brooksyne as she visits at Longwood
Manor, a local personal care center where we serve as chaplains. Some
would call this "pet therapy" but we
prefer to call it ministry. Our other dog, a growing border collie pup
named Mollie, is a little too young and rambunctious for this type of
ministry and
our cat Dottie really doesn't care to get out at all. In fact her trip
every couple
of years for her rabies shot is about all the travelling she can handle!Brooksyne walks with Roxie through the facility as she greets residents and most of them as well as the staff enjoy seeing Roxie since she is really a friendly dog and mild-mannered. Roxie even wears a special collar for seasonal ministry!
But
she really likes being
around her family. Whether we're gone five
minutes or five hours she greets us as if she hasn't seen
us in ages. (typical of all dogs we have had). She indicates her joy by
wagging her whole hind end which
also happens to make her curly tail move very rapidly. This causes the
tip of her tail to hit her eyes repeatedly so it's interesting
to watch
her deal with the resulting discomfort. In addition we now have
Mollie who vies also for our attention. The jealousy between the two
can get
just a little ugly from time to time but I think it's safe to say they
have also become good pet friends (or siblings).We feature Roxie in our opening illustration because she serves as a means of warming the hearts of residents who are pet lovers, who might not bother even talking with us as we seek to evangelize, if they have no interest in spiritual matters. This is the case in all types of outreach ministry. There are various ways we might stir the interest of nonbelievers as they connect with us in areas of similar interest, i.e. music, drama, object lessons, sports, flowers, or even our pets. But our main goal is "spreading the word" concerning our faith in Christ.
The first evangelists were some pretty smelly, sun parched shepherds. They had witnessed the infant Jesus lying in a manger and heard the Gospel from a heavenly choir. Now they "spread the word."
That's been the mission of believers ever since, commanded in the Great Commission and demonstrated in the Book of Acts. Jesus said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." He's still building His church and all believers are a part of that building process.
At the time of Christ's birth the Bible clearly states that after the shepherds had seen Jesus "they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child." We have no additional follow-up concerning these men after that eventful night.
Like so many at that time, through the ages of the Church and in our own day, they likely had to overcome some deep hurts and losses to cling to their faith in Christ as they lived out the rest of their life on this earth. It's always been that way. We have a couple long-time friends whose wives have multiple sclerosis and are confined to wheelchairs. Both have had some unexpected bumps in life's road, but they continue to rejoice in God's grace and faithfulness!
The shepherds were the first evangelists at the birth of Christ and we are all called to follow their example in spreading the word. All over the world, including your town and mine, this Gospel is bearing fruit and growing today. Our mission is to "Go tell everyone." Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, follow the shepherd's example and look for opportunities to spread the word.
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere,
Go tell it on the mountain,
Our Jesus Christ is born.
Over the hills and everywhere,
Go tell it on the mountain,
Our Jesus Christ is born.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
Prayer: Father, all over the world Your Spirit is moving. And
You move through people such as the shepherds who told all they knew
concerning the Christ Child. Two thousand years later we have so much
more knowledge and experiences to share with those around us because we
have the Word of God that shows Your divine character and tells us of
Your great and miraculous deeds. May we never tire of hearing the
stories of Jesus or become lax in telling others about Jesus.
Your choice to enter this earth in such a lowly and timely manner is a
story that not only the shepherds were commissioned to go out and tell,
but it is the commission of all believers to spread this amazing
story. It's not just for the people of Jerusalem or simply a
segment of our society or a select period in history. Instead Christ's
coming affects people of all tongues, tribes, and nations, from the
north to the south, from east to west - all who will call upon the Lord
Jesus to be saved. Help us to be bold and unwavering in
our quest to reach the lost and dying world that touches us each
day. Amen.Bess loves animals and she looks amazing for a woman in her
mid 90's when this photo was taken!
Mollie
is not ready for "ministry" yet but will play "catch" all day long, in
this case catching her favorite rope toy. She rarely misses.
Ester took this photo.
Today's
Suggested Music
and Supplemental
Resources
"Go Tell It On The Mountain" Video Jacob Moon
"Jesus Saves" Video Tony Derosa Outstanding!
"Jesus Saves" Video In searching for a classic version of the hymn "Jesus Saves" I came across this stirring instrumental presentation. A lot of work went into this, the music is beautiful, and the simple timeless message "Jesus Saves" is seen in many places and various formats.
"The Comforter Has Come" Video Jars of Clay (A newer arrangement but same powerful lyrics.)
"Tell Me The Story Of Jesus" Video Carman
"Jesus Saves" Video Tony Derosa Outstanding!
"Jesus Saves" Video In searching for a classic version of the hymn "Jesus Saves" I came across this stirring instrumental presentation. A lot of work went into this, the music is beautiful, and the simple timeless message "Jesus Saves" is seen in many places and various formats.
"The Comforter Has Come" Video Jars of Clay (A newer arrangement but same powerful lyrics.)
"Tell Me The Story Of Jesus" Video Carman
Are
you Christmas
shopping online?
Daily
Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com. Any orders
placed
to
Christian Book Distributers using this link
or any specific product link to
a recommended resource in a daily encouragement message will help our
Daily
Encouragement ministry through a small commission on the sale. Thank
you for considering using these links when purchasing online through
CBD! Tip:
If you are regular CBD customer consider bookmarking this link and using it whenever you
shop. This Christmas
many of our readers will be shopping for gifts that have
spiritual and lasting value as well as a means of witness and encouraging others.Please
help us continue this free encouragement ministry
Sign up here for the free daily email encouragement.
Ministry Update (Revised 12/11)
Sign up here for the free daily email encouragement.
Ministry Update (Revised 12/11)
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 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."
Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com
© Copyright 2011 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA