A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Thursday,
December 20, 2018
We passed this church early yesterday in northern Lebanon County on a very frosty morning. Since it's about a 50 minute drive Brooksyne sometimes "rests her eyes" and she did so yesterday morning only to open them as I started to pass this beautiful site. Following her "orders", I turned the car around and she caught this picturesque view.
Daily
prayer:
Father, we thank You
for the disciple,
John, who devoted His
life to Christ's
teaching and zealously
passed on eye witness
accounts to readers
far and wide, accounts that we now read over 1,900 years later so that
we might have a sense
of who Jesus was in
the flesh. Though we
have not seen Him we
know Him. Help us to
faithfully proclaim
the Word of life to a
needy world around us
and forever wonder at
the Incarnate Word who
became flesh and dwelt
among us. Amen.
* Our Amish grandchildren - These are the children of our long-time friends Jesse and Anna Ruth whom we met as our neighbors right after their marriage in 2002. We've helped them welcome all seven of their children and affectionately call them our grandchildren and they likewise affectionately refer to us as grandparents and Ester as Auntie. The Old Windmill Farm is now a tourist attraction in Lancaster County and they are meeting people from all over the world.
The horse and buggies were all parked on the other side of the school. Note that one has brought over the teacher's gift from the parents, a deluxe rocking chair! Two dads carried it in afterwards, one carrying the rocker and the other carrying the back and seat cushions
Each year we share several online resources that we have used over the years and that may be a blessing to families and churches during this Christmas season.
"In Remembrance of Me" pdf This is a passion-filled Scripture reading for two adults. For many years Brooksyne and I have used this reading with great receptivity during Christmas Eve services. We suggest, if possible, a musical background as the message is read. It is also a great lead-in to a Communion service. It should be thoroughly practiced and read with great feeling. It is suitable for a church or family gathering
"When Christ Was Born" pdf This is an adaptation to the tune of "How Great Thou Art". It's a great song to sing as a congregation since most are familiar with and love the tune.
Responsive Christmas Scripture readings for church or family:
John 1:1-18 pdf
"O Come Let Us Adore Him" pdf
My First Christmas In Heaven This is a blessed reminder for all who lost a loved one this year. This is the poem that Brooksyne read and wrote about in this message.
Christmas Knowledge Test
We passed this church early yesterday in northern Lebanon County on a very frosty morning. Since it's about a 50 minute drive Brooksyne sometimes "rests her eyes" and she did so yesterday morning only to open them as I started to pass this beautiful site. Following her "orders", I turned the car around and she caught this picturesque view.
(Click on
photo for larger view)
"The
Incarnate
Word"
(Part
4)
This week our
messages will all be on
"The Incarnate Word".
These messages may tend
to be a bit more
theological in nature
than many of our
messages!
Message summary: "This we proclaim concerning the Word of life". Let us believe and receive and do our part in proclaiming the incarnate Word of life.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life" (1 John 1:1).
Message summary: "This we proclaim concerning the Word of life". Let us believe and receive and do our part in proclaiming the incarnate Word of life.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life" (1 John 1:1).
Living
nativity scenes are
popular and take a lot
of effort. These scenes
seek to recreate our
customary view of the
stable where Christ was
born using live people
and animals. Depending
on the temperature and
other weather conditions
these scenes can be a
real labor of love for
the participants,
especially if a real
baby is used for the
infant Jesus!
Our church has a life-sized nativity scene in the foyer but it's not "live". Rather it has large stuffed animals including chickens. They welcome the children to walk in and touch the animals. The other night we took four of our Amish "grandchildren"* to a service and the girls loved petting the stuffed animals which was special to them. After all, they have plenty of opportunity to be with real animals on the Old Windmill Farm!
The first two messages in this week's series were expressions of the incarnate Word in the prologue to John's Gospel. The same John begins his first epistle with a similar epic expression, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life".
This was written at the end of the first century and assuming John was similar in age to Jesus he would now be in his eighties or even nineties. He muses concerning his own personal experience with Jesus some 60 years earlier.
Heard, seen, looked at, handled; these verbs speak of the incarnate Word. He would have had to be true "flesh and blood" (and not an apparition as some heretically taught) for all of these verbs to actually be experienced by John and the other apostles in their encounters with Jesus.
Kenneth Wuest conveys the idea of the perfect tense in his paraphrase. "That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard with the present result that it is ringing in our ears, that which we have discerningly seen with our eyes with the present result that it is in our mind’s eye, that which we gazed upon as a spectacle, and our hands handled with a view to investigation, that which is concerning the Word of the life."
"This we proclaim concerning the Word of life". Let us believe and receive and do our part in proclaiming the incarnate Word of life.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Our church has a life-sized nativity scene in the foyer but it's not "live". Rather it has large stuffed animals including chickens. They welcome the children to walk in and touch the animals. The other night we took four of our Amish "grandchildren"* to a service and the girls loved petting the stuffed animals which was special to them. After all, they have plenty of opportunity to be with real animals on the Old Windmill Farm!
The first two messages in this week's series were expressions of the incarnate Word in the prologue to John's Gospel. The same John begins his first epistle with a similar epic expression, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life".
This was written at the end of the first century and assuming John was similar in age to Jesus he would now be in his eighties or even nineties. He muses concerning his own personal experience with Jesus some 60 years earlier.
Heard, seen, looked at, handled; these verbs speak of the incarnate Word. He would have had to be true "flesh and blood" (and not an apparition as some heretically taught) for all of these verbs to actually be experienced by John and the other apostles in their encounters with Jesus.
Kenneth Wuest conveys the idea of the perfect tense in his paraphrase. "That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard with the present result that it is ringing in our ears, that which we have discerningly seen with our eyes with the present result that it is in our mind’s eye, that which we gazed upon as a spectacle, and our hands handled with a view to investigation, that which is concerning the Word of the life."
"This we proclaim concerning the Word of life". Let us believe and receive and do our part in proclaiming the incarnate Word of life.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, we thank You
for the disciple,
John, who devoted His
life to Christ's
teaching and zealously
passed on eye witness
accounts to readers
far and wide, accounts that we now read over 1,900 years later so that
we might have a sense
of who Jesus was in
the flesh. Though we
have not seen Him we
know Him. Help us to
faithfully proclaim
the Word of life to a
needy world around us
and forever wonder at
the Incarnate Word who
became flesh and dwelt
among us. Amen.* Our Amish grandchildren - These are the children of our long-time friends Jesse and Anna Ruth whom we met as our neighbors right after their marriage in 2002. We've helped them welcome all seven of their children and affectionately call them our grandchildren and they likewise affectionately refer to us as grandparents and Ester as Auntie. The Old Windmill Farm is now a tourist attraction in Lancaster County and they are meeting people from all over the world.
Special
Year-end Financial Appeal
We want to thank all who
have financially supported our
ministry this past year (and some for
many years!). We realize there are many
fine ministries and causes requesting
support at this time but if the Lord
would lead you we surely need and
appreciate the financial support from
our readers and listeners. Like
many ministries, we typically see a
spike in giving at the end of the year
for which we are most thankful.
Our ministry labor is comprised of approximately half our time to Daily Encouragement and the other half to our chaplaincy ministry to companies for which we receive compensation. 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 would provide half of our ministry expenses and income.
If you would consider making a donation to our ministry see here for more information.
To donate directly online here. This will open to a page that designates the offering to: WEBER,STEPHEN CHAP, Specialized Chaplaincy Ministry ID: 700001-237376
Please Note:
We also provide this easy option due
to the convenience, for
international supporters, and for
those who may not be concerned
regarding receiving an official tax
deductible receipt.
Click here
to send an offering using PayPal.
This will open to a page that states
"Brooksyne Weber"
Thank you,
Stephen & Brooksyne
Our ministry labor is comprised of approximately half our time to Daily Encouragement and the other half to our chaplaincy ministry to companies for which we receive compensation. 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 would provide half of our ministry expenses and income.
If you would consider making a donation to our ministry see here for more information.
To donate directly online here. This will open to a page that designates the offering to: WEBER,STEPHEN CHAP, Specialized Chaplaincy Ministry ID: 700001-237376
Please Note:
We also provide this easy option due
to the convenience, for
international supporters, and for
those who may not be concerned
regarding receiving an official tax
deductible receipt.
Click here
to send an offering using PayPal.
This will open to a page that states
"Brooksyne Weber"Thank you,
Stephen & Brooksyne
Our first
visit early yesterday morning was to Audrey's, a
wholesale distributor of home decor
items located in rural Lebanon County
(near where our lead photo was taken).
Brooksyne saw this Scripture verse and
told me it brought to mind a needy soul
we have met over the past year. She has
a major skin disorder since childhood
that is very unsightly and very
uncomfortable and yet on her personal
mission card she uses this scripture to
honor God. Perhaps someday we'll be able
to write about her amazing story!
Our
second company visit yesterday was
to White Oak Display
and Design. Here's the neat
gift they are giving to their
customers! Using their laser machine
they had an intricate design in the
display holding their custom made
mug, Keurig pod, coffee and
snowflake
ornament.
Yesterday
afternoon following our chaplain
visits we went to a Children's
Christmas program in an Amish one room
schoolhouse. The little schoolhouse
above was packed full with parents and
grandparents and many others. The kids
do a fantastic job (about 18 attend).
Many of our readers would enjoy seeing
some photos and video but we respect
their wishes and refrain. It really is
a special experience.
After being in the program about 15 minutes I realized I hadn't checked my phone to make sure it was on vibrate and whispered to Brooksyne to make sure hers was off as well. It was. A few minutes later Siri blurted right out, loud enough to fill the whole school room and said, "Turn right on Cherry Hill Road". It startled the room including the children on the platform since the voice came from my phone GPS which I had used to get directions to the school and didn't realize was still on. I fumbled around to get it off. We all had a good chuckle and later Sadie Ruth told Brooksyne it happened at a perfect time because the little boy reciting at the time was struggling with his recitation - it gave him a moment to recall his line and he pulled it off perfectly! So perhaps the Lord was in my absent-mindedness after all.
(Click on photo for larger view)
After being in the program about 15 minutes I realized I hadn't checked my phone to make sure it was on vibrate and whispered to Brooksyne to make sure hers was off as well. It was. A few minutes later Siri blurted right out, loud enough to fill the whole school room and said, "Turn right on Cherry Hill Road". It startled the room including the children on the platform since the voice came from my phone GPS which I had used to get directions to the school and didn't realize was still on. I fumbled around to get it off. We all had a good chuckle and later Sadie Ruth told Brooksyne it happened at a perfect time because the little boy reciting at the time was struggling with his recitation - it gave him a moment to recall his line and he pulled it off perfectly! So perhaps the Lord was in my absent-mindedness after all.
(Click on photo for larger view)
The horse and buggies were all parked on the other side of the school. Note that one has brought over the teacher's gift from the parents, a deluxe rocking chair! Two dads carried it in afterwards, one carrying the rocker and the other carrying the back and seat cushions
Yesterday
I had my lawn tractor serviced at a shop
about a mile from our home and rather
than pay $25.00 to have it hauled back
Brooksyne dropped me off and I drove it
home!
It was a
pleasant day and a pleasant drive home!
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
"We Are The Reason"
Video
David Phelps
"Make Room"
Video
Casting Crowns featuring Matt
Redman
"He Is Here"
Video
Gaither Vocal
Band
"I Serve A
Savior" Video
Josh Turner
"Christmas in Heaven"
Video
Scotty
McCreery Probably a bit
syrupy for some but a source of
comfort for those who have lost a
loved one this past year. I heard
this song on Saturday on the
Gospel greats with Paul Heil. Note:
This was one of the songs sang by
the Amish children in their school
program yesterday which really
surprised us. Usually their
selections are well-seasoned or as
we like to call it, "songs from
the past".
Some
resource material from today's
message is from the online Precept Austin
commentary, an excellent
resource for any who want to dig
deeper.
Resources
for
Christmas Celebrations
(We
will leave these resources
posted below our daily
messages through Christmas
Day)
Each year we share several online resources that we have used over the years and that may be a blessing to families and churches during this Christmas season.
"In Remembrance of Me" pdf This is a passion-filled Scripture reading for two adults. For many years Brooksyne and I have used this reading with great receptivity during Christmas Eve services. We suggest, if possible, a musical background as the message is read. It is also a great lead-in to a Communion service. It should be thoroughly practiced and read with great feeling. It is suitable for a church or family gathering
"When Christ Was Born" pdf This is an adaptation to the tune of "How Great Thou Art". It's a great song to sing as a congregation since most are familiar with and love the tune.
Responsive Christmas Scripture readings for church or family:
John 1:1-18 pdf
"O Come Let Us Adore Him" pdf
My First Christmas In Heaven This is a blessed reminder for all who lost a loved one this year. This is the poem that Brooksyne read and wrote about in this message.
Christmas Knowledge Test
"Christmas in Heaven"
Video
Scotty
McCreery Probably a bit
syrupy for some but a source of
comfort for those who have lost a
loved one this past year. I heard
this song on Saturday on the
Gospel greats with Paul Heil.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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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."
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