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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
continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is
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.
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."
© Copyright 2014 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
<Previous Message Next Message>
Tuesday July 8, 2014
Listen
to us read this
message on
your
audio player.
"Come, follow Me" (Matthew 4:19a).
Early this morning in the course of our chaplain visits we stopped by Lowes to check out the clearance flower section (a favorite hobby as we mentioned in yesterday's message). While there we met another shopper with a t-shirt with these words, "I Have Decided". She was there for the same reason and we enjoyed our special buys. We didn't think her radiant smile was due to the special buys so we probed!
I (Stephen) had a good idea what "I Have Decided" meant but asked her, "What have you decided?" She smiled and said, "I have decided to follow Jesus!" She explained it was a t-shirt her church gives to those who are being baptized, which we think is great idea and a question provoking witnessing tool.
Many of us recognize the phrase as part of a song of commitment often sung at baptisms. In fact it may have been one of the first songs I learned as a young Christian. Like most songs there's a story behind it, the true story of a family in India who lost their lives because of their faith in Jesus Christ; a family whose sacrifice to follow Jesus influenced their entire community.
This story took place in the small village of Assam in northeast India where a man came to saving faith in Jesus Christ. He, along with his family, was converted to Christianity in the middle of the 19th century through the efforts of a Welsh missionary. This agitated the village so much that an angry mob gathered and shoved them into the public square.
The lyrics are based on his last words. Called to renounce his faith by the village chief who confronted his family and said to the man, "If you and your family will not recant your faith, you will all surely die!" The man didn't know what to say or do. The only thing that came to mind were the words of a song that he himself had composed when he first surrendered his life to God. The convert declared, "I have decided to follow Jesus."
In response to threats to his family, he continued, "Though no one joins me, still I will follow." His wife was killed, and he was executed while singing, "The cross before me, the world behind me." This display of faith is reported to have led to the conversion of the chief and others in the village.
Christ calls us to decide to follow Him and make a lifelong commitment that will, of course, extend into eternity. "Come, follow Me" was the call to decision first issued to the disciples and it is the call we all must decide upon. There are far too many who sing this song during the height of their Christian experience perhaps even in a baptismal service where they're surrounded by fervent believers. But when they depart from that inspirational circle they delve right back into the ways of the world and the words are quickly forgotten or even trampled upon.
Today we urge all our readers to make this earnest declaration whether for the first time or the thousandth time, "I have decided to follow Jesus!" Let no circumstance or individual sway your private and public declaration even if no one else joins you.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
when Your tender Holy Spirit stirred the spiritual slumber of my heart
strings, I awakened to my need for a Saviour who could save me from the
mess I had made of my life. I invited Jesus to come into my heart, save
me from my sins, and restore my broken relationship with You. It was
then that I decided to follow Jesus all the days of my life. The cross
before me and the world behind me became the theme of my life.
Like the martyr who declared, "Though no one joins me, still I
will follow" I want to be one hundred percent sold out to You. I choose
not to fear man or the things he can do to me, but to fear You and hate
all evil. I have decided to follow Jesus and there is no turning back
for me all the days of my life. Because of Jesus' amazing grace I come
to You in prayer. Amen.
We found this "Hopeless Cause" plant today at Lowes.
Do you suppose we can bring it back to life? Stay tuned!
(Brooksyne's's Note: I'm afraid Stephen has just a little too much confidence in my gardening skills. I tried to sway him away from this burned up plant but he thinks I can make it grow again. Hmmmm! We'll see......)
It was the place to be for many of the old-order groups in our area.
We are accustomed to one style of old-order buggies used in our area. Lee explained that this is a courting buggy.
Lovely petunias graced this horses stall as the horses awaited their number. I wonder if their new home will hang flowers in their stall?
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"I Have Decided To Follow Jesus" Video Marissa
"I Have Decided To Follow Jesus" Video Selah (An African version)
"I Have Decided To Follow Jesus" Video (This version includes the story behind song)
"We Choose The Fear of The Lord" Video Maranatha Singers
"Today, I Choose" Video Brian Doerksen
"Take Up Your Cross" Video Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
"Follow Me" Video Kelly Willard
This last Saturday the Lancaster PA newspaper featured an article
about our corporate chaplaincy work. We share this with many of our
readers who inquire about what workplace chaplaincy consists of.
In this photo by Jeff Ruppenthal we are talking to Gene in front of a
large CNC machine used for making metal parts. We are pleased to see
the article was also picked up by Bloomberg Business Week.
"I Have Decided!"
Listen
to us read this
message on
your
audio player."Come, follow Me" (Matthew 4:19a).
Early this morning in the course of our chaplain visits we stopped by Lowes to check out the clearance flower section (a favorite hobby as we mentioned in yesterday's message). While there we met another shopper with a t-shirt with these words, "I Have Decided". She was there for the same reason and we enjoyed our special buys. We didn't think her radiant smile was due to the special buys so we probed!
I (Stephen) had a good idea what "I Have Decided" meant but asked her, "What have you decided?" She smiled and said, "I have decided to follow Jesus!" She explained it was a t-shirt her church gives to those who are being baptized, which we think is great idea and a question provoking witnessing tool.
Many of us recognize the phrase as part of a song of commitment often sung at baptisms. In fact it may have been one of the first songs I learned as a young Christian. Like most songs there's a story behind it, the true story of a family in India who lost their lives because of their faith in Jesus Christ; a family whose sacrifice to follow Jesus influenced their entire community.
This story took place in the small village of Assam in northeast India where a man came to saving faith in Jesus Christ. He, along with his family, was converted to Christianity in the middle of the 19th century through the efforts of a Welsh missionary. This agitated the village so much that an angry mob gathered and shoved them into the public square.
The lyrics are based on his last words. Called to renounce his faith by the village chief who confronted his family and said to the man, "If you and your family will not recant your faith, you will all surely die!" The man didn't know what to say or do. The only thing that came to mind were the words of a song that he himself had composed when he first surrendered his life to God. The convert declared, "I have decided to follow Jesus."
In response to threats to his family, he continued, "Though no one joins me, still I will follow." His wife was killed, and he was executed while singing, "The cross before me, the world behind me." This display of faith is reported to have led to the conversion of the chief and others in the village.
Christ calls us to decide to follow Him and make a lifelong commitment that will, of course, extend into eternity. "Come, follow Me" was the call to decision first issued to the disciples and it is the call we all must decide upon. There are far too many who sing this song during the height of their Christian experience perhaps even in a baptismal service where they're surrounded by fervent believers. But when they depart from that inspirational circle they delve right back into the ways of the world and the words are quickly forgotten or even trampled upon.
Today we urge all our readers to make this earnest declaration whether for the first time or the thousandth time, "I have decided to follow Jesus!" Let no circumstance or individual sway your private and public declaration even if no one else joins you.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
when Your tender Holy Spirit stirred the spiritual slumber of my heart
strings, I awakened to my need for a Saviour who could save me from the
mess I had made of my life. I invited Jesus to come into my heart, save
me from my sins, and restore my broken relationship with You. It was
then that I decided to follow Jesus all the days of my life. The cross
before me and the world behind me became the theme of my life.
Like the martyr who declared, "Though no one joins me, still I
will follow" I want to be one hundred percent sold out to You. I choose
not to fear man or the things he can do to me, but to fear You and hate
all evil. I have decided to follow Jesus and there is no turning back
for me all the days of my life. Because of Jesus' amazing grace I come
to You in prayer. Amen.
We found this "Hopeless Cause" plant today at Lowes.
Do you suppose we can bring it back to life? Stay tuned!
(Brooksyne's's Note: I'm afraid Stephen has just a little too much confidence in my gardening skills. I tried to sway him away from this burned up plant but he thinks I can make it grow again. Hmmmm! We'll see......)
A few more photos of the New Holland horse auction taken by our friend Lee:
It was the place to be for many of the old-order groups in our area.
We are accustomed to one style of old-order buggies used in our area. Lee explained that this is a courting buggy.
Lovely petunias graced this horses stall as the horses awaited their number. I wonder if their new home will hang flowers in their stall?
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"I Have Decided To Follow Jesus" Video Marissa
"I Have Decided To Follow Jesus" Video Selah (An African version)
"I Have Decided To Follow Jesus" Video (This version includes the story behind song)
"We Choose The Fear of The Lord" Video Maranatha Singers
"Today, I Choose" Video Brian Doerksen
"Take Up Your Cross" Video Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
"Follow Me" Video Kelly Willard
This last Saturday the Lancaster PA newspaper featured an article
about our corporate chaplaincy work. We share this with many of our
readers who inquire about what workplace chaplaincy consists of.
In this photo by Jeff Ruppenthal we are talking to Gene in front of a
large CNC machine used for making metal parts. We are pleased to see
the article was also picked up by Bloomberg Business Week.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
continue to prepare and provide this daily resource which is
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.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."
© Copyright 2014 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA