Daily Encouragement Net Header
The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
Home   About Us  Archives   Free email subscription   ListenListen to these messages

Follow Daily Encouragement on Daily Encouragement on FacebookFacebook, Daily Encouragement on TwitterTwitter or Daily Encouragement on LinkedInLinkedIn

<Previous Message                           Next Message>

Friday, September 23, 2016

  Kraybill Road sunset (Photo by Doug Maxwell)

A Kraybill Church Road sunset across from our home
Photo taken by our neighbor, Doug Maxwell

"Our Glory And Joy"


Message Summary: 
A great source of joy in heaven will be the presence of those whom we, like Paul, have impacted for Christ. So let us keep His light shining today. At times you may see the immediate results of your work, but more often you will see the evidence in future years, and I believe in many ways the greatest results will be seen in heaven. Stay faithful!

ListenListen to this message on your audio player.

"But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy" (1 Thessalonians 2:17-20).

Consider how many people have touched your life. Some in significant, memorable ways, others in a lesser yet still impacting way. So many for the good while others not so much.

Sunday School teacher
Each of you are also impacting other lives! And the greatest impact is when we influence others for Christ and eternity, most especially our family members but also beyond that. You may have impacted others through your faithful service as a Sunday School teacher, musician, nursery worker, pastor, college professor, church custodian and scores of other ways we serve the Lord. How gratifying to know of the difference we can make on this side, but in many cases we will never really know till the other side.

The apostle Paul had a brief but fruitful time of ministry in Thessalonica before being run out of town (Acts 17:1-10). He left a small congregation of believers and later wrote a letter to encourage them in their faith and gave them further instructions and even some correction.

In the daily text he turns away from any self-boasting of his spiritual accomplishments and instead turns the spotlight on the Thessalonian believers, those whom he influenced for the kingdom, and the very recipients of his letter.
"For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy."

Now we probably tend to read this text in a rather detached way. After all, we are reading a letter written to a church nearly 2,000 years ago. We properly read it as sacred Scripture, God's Holy Word. We should seek application in each section.

But picture yourself sitting in the Thessalonian congregation about 50 AD. You are a newer believer since the gospel only came to your town a short time earlier when Paul and Silas came through. You may have been part of those first meetings or perhaps you are an even more recent convert. You don't have a Bible in your hand and this was long before PowerPoint verses were projected on a screen.

NT church service
But a church elder arose to read a letter written by your church's founder, the Apostle Paul. You've heard Paul's name mentioned often as he is greatly respected among the believers of Thessalonica. The room grows quiet giving careful attention to Paul's words of counsel and instruction.

But you especially perk up when the elder reads the portion that is today's text. He reads,
"For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His coming?"

The elder continues, "Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy."
He's writing about you! You look around the room as people smile at each other heartened by the apostle Paul's tender reference toward them.

When we stand in the presence of the Lord at His coming
what will be our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Paul answers that question for himself regarding his ministry to the Thessalonians. I believe it would be representative toward all to whom he ministered. "Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy." In our case it will be those whom we have blessed in the name of Christ.

Warren Wiersbe
Warren Wiersbe comments, "When the Christians at Thessalonica read this letter, it must have encouraged them tremendously. They were going through intense persecution and suffering, and perhaps some of them were tempted to give up. “Don’t give up!” Paul encouraged them. “Lay hold of the spiritual resources you have in Jesus Christ. You have the Word of God within you, the people of God around you, and the glory of God before you. There is no need to give up.”

A great source of joy in heaven will be the presence of those whom we, like Paul, have impacted for Christ. So let us keep His light shining today. At times you may see the immediate results of your work, but more often you will see the evidence in future years, and I believe in many ways the greatest results will be seen in heaven. Stay faithful!


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily prayer: Father, we want to follow Christ’s example who made Himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant. He reached out to the rich, the poor, the powerful and powerless, the young and old, the weak and strong. Though their needs varied that could only be met through Christ each of them needed a relationship with You, our Father, and that is true of every generation no matter our ethnicity, our wealth or lack thereof, our educational background or any other factor. We have opportunity to impact people from all walks of life so we ask You to guide us to them as we give ourselves in ministry and service to others who desire to follow Christ. It is in His name that we pray. Amen.



Strasburg Country Store

The Strasburg Country Store in Strasburg, PA
We both enjoy the fall season decorations


Strasburg Country Store
The Strasburg Country Store is an old-fashioned country store with wood floors. The kind of store you just want to mosey through just for the simple ambience.



Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"God's Been Good"  Video  Legacy Five

"He Will Carry You"  Video  
Brian Free & Assurance


Contact Us
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.)


Support Our MinistryWe want to thank all who financially support our ministry. We realize there are many fine ministries and causes requesting support but if the Lord would lead you we surely need and appreciate the financial support from our readers and listeners. Our ministry labor is comprised of half our time to Daily Encouragement and the other half to our chaplaincy ministry to companies for which we receive a fee (of course this percentage of time varies week by week). Each of these ministries essentially is the same as a part-time job (20+ hours weekly) for each of us. Our goal for many years is that each phase would provide half of our ministry expenses and income. If you would like to make a donation to our ministry see here for more information. Donations through my chaplaincy endorsing ministry are tax deductible and will be receipted directly by them.  Thank you!

Make A Donation using PayPal
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, international supporters, and for those who may not be concerned regarding receiving an official receipt. Click here to donate using PayPal.

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.

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 2016 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552  USA

dailyencouragement.net

Contact Us

"Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"



This device counts unique visitors by nation and state. I installed the international version in mid April 2010 and the state version later. They thus register unique visitors to since then.
free counters



Free counters!