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Thursday,
December
17,
2020
Morning view from our home following the big
snow storm!
(Click on photo for larger view)
(Click on photo for larger view)
"The
God Of Joy"
Message summary: Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well with the Lord.
Listen
to this message on your audio player.“In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'" (Luke 2:8-10).
All is
well all is well
Angels and men rejoice
For tonight darkness fell
Into the dawn of love's light
Sing Al-le
Sing Al-le--lu-ia
Angels and men rejoice
For tonight darkness fell
Into the dawn of love's light
Sing Al-le
Sing Al-le--lu-ia
Anytime
you talk with people before a forecasted snow storm
it becomes the main topic of discussion. Some
look forward with joyful anticipation, others with
fear and dread. And such was the case yesterday!
Workers in both companies we visited came in several
hours early to get ahead of the soon coming snow,
especially those in the shipping departments. We did
get a big storm with lots of snow. Being able to
stay home safe and sound with everything working
(power that controls our heat and water) we are of
the joyful camp, especially today after we've
already been out playing in the snow. (Yes, those in
their 60's can still play in the snow but not like
60 years ago, playing now is more like shoveling,
clearing off the vehicles and snapping photos!!!)
Today
we consider "joy", the third of four customary
themes presented during the advent season
along with hope (Tuesday's message), peace (Wednesday's
message), and love.Most
anyone can offer you a description of joy but
let's consider Merriam Webster who describes joy
as "the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or
good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what
one desires." I tend to consider joy more like
this alternative description offered: "Joy is the
emotion that makes life worth living in the moment
because it resonates with our core identity. It is
associated with feelings of appreciation and meaning."
Look around you as we are nearing the Christmas holiday. Do some people-watching when you're out and about, though, with covid-19 permeating most every community, our preparations for Christmas may be quite limited. In a typical year, the malls, post offices, or even the faces of drivers on the road often exhibit more impatience, signs of stress or lack of consideration than the folks you see who demonstrate a deep, expressive joy! Greed, anger, jealousy, fear and other ungodly attitudes have filled the hearts of people since the fall of Adam and Eve.
But on the other hand the Christmas season also brings out the best in people regarding generosity, kindness, the sharing of our resources and time with others such as shut-ins and others who have particular struggles in life (again, covid-19 has been hard-hitting in this typical outreach).
Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well with the Lord. Joy carries a deeper meaning than just the present circumstance of one's life. That can and should be our experience. Because of the coming of our Savior ultimately for those who accept Him, all is well, and that leads to inner joy even in dismal settings.
The very heart of the gospel is the message the angel proclaimed to the shepherds as expressed in Luke 2:10, "I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people". Just consider the aspect of "great joy" these lowly shepherds received in the message of the Gospel. It was certainly a night unlike typical night watches where shepherds move about in the dark, gathering stragglers and keeping watch for predators and other dangers.
This event had none of the normal trappings we associate with joy today. It wasn't available to just the Hollywood elite, the intellectual, the wealthy, or the big name politicians. The joy the angel spoke of wasn't related to flashy consumer goods; there was no big sweepstakes giveaway, no great buy at the mall.
Instead the angel spoke of joy that originates from an entirely different source. This great joy is the result of the birth of Jesus who came to save all people who ask forgiveness for their sins. The angel's message went on to proclaim, "For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'".
The foundational reason the shepherds found great joy that dark night was because a Savior was born for them. That should be a reason for all, no matter how dismal the 2020 season may be for some, that we can have great joy.
The joy we have in Christ is:
We encourage you to look to the genuine Source of enduring joy. Let us express deep abiding joy daily as a testimony of what Christ has done for us, what He has done in us, and what He wants to do through us. May God bless each one of you with great joy this Christmas season and every day!
Look around you as we are nearing the Christmas holiday. Do some people-watching when you're out and about, though, with covid-19 permeating most every community, our preparations for Christmas may be quite limited. In a typical year, the malls, post offices, or even the faces of drivers on the road often exhibit more impatience, signs of stress or lack of consideration than the folks you see who demonstrate a deep, expressive joy! Greed, anger, jealousy, fear and other ungodly attitudes have filled the hearts of people since the fall of Adam and Eve.
But on the other hand the Christmas season also brings out the best in people regarding generosity, kindness, the sharing of our resources and time with others such as shut-ins and others who have particular struggles in life (again, covid-19 has been hard-hitting in this typical outreach).
Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well with the Lord. Joy carries a deeper meaning than just the present circumstance of one's life. That can and should be our experience. Because of the coming of our Savior ultimately for those who accept Him, all is well, and that leads to inner joy even in dismal settings.
The very heart of the gospel is the message the angel proclaimed to the shepherds as expressed in Luke 2:10, "I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people". Just consider the aspect of "great joy" these lowly shepherds received in the message of the Gospel. It was certainly a night unlike typical night watches where shepherds move about in the dark, gathering stragglers and keeping watch for predators and other dangers.
This event had none of the normal trappings we associate with joy today. It wasn't available to just the Hollywood elite, the intellectual, the wealthy, or the big name politicians. The joy the angel spoke of wasn't related to flashy consumer goods; there was no big sweepstakes giveaway, no great buy at the mall.
Instead the angel spoke of joy that originates from an entirely different source. This great joy is the result of the birth of Jesus who came to save all people who ask forgiveness for their sins. The angel's message went on to proclaim, "For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'".
The foundational reason the shepherds found great joy that dark night was because a Savior was born for them. That should be a reason for all, no matter how dismal the 2020 season may be for some, that we can have great joy.
The joy we have in Christ is:
1.
A great joy.
2. An enduring joy.
3. A pure and holy joy.
2. An enduring joy.
3. A pure and holy joy.
We encourage you to look to the genuine Source of enduring joy. Let us express deep abiding joy daily as a testimony of what Christ has done for us, what He has done in us, and what He wants to do through us. May God bless each one of you with great joy this Christmas season and every day!
All is well, all is well
Lift up your voice and sing
Born is now Emmanuel
Born is our Lord and Savior
Sing Alleluia
Sing Alleluia
All is well
Lift up your voice and sing
Born is now Emmanuel
Born is our Lord and Savior
Sing Alleluia
Sing Alleluia
All is well
Be
encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, how marvelous that an
announcement made by an angel some 2000 years ago
would bring great joy to the lowly shepherds and the
people of that generation, but it continues to
resound even to our generation and those that will
follow. Your coming to earth brings great joy and
provides eternal hope to all who believe on You.
Today I will not walk under the cloud of bad news
but I will soar above the clouds because my steps
are ordered by You, rather than the news of the day.
You are my strength, my hope and my deep, abiding
joy! Therefore I will praise You all the daylong and
rest in You during the night hour! Amen.
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 click here.
This will open to a page that designates the
offering to: WEBER,STEPHEN CHAP, Specialized
Chaplaincy Ministry ID: 700001-237376
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 click 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
"All
Is Well" Video
Doxology Vocal Ensemble This
song brings to memory a church experience
from some 30 years ago when we served in
northern Pennsylvania. A lady in our
congregation who had a beautiful singing
voice was going through some personal
struggles. She was singing a song like
"All is Well" when she started weeping and
her voice became strained and broken. The
congregation sat frozen and silently
prayed for her "recovery" but one
courageous and caring woman named Nancy,
went forward and placed her arms around
the soloist to provide support which
touched us all, perhaps more than the
lyrics of the song itself.
"How
Great Our Joy!" Video Haven
"Joy
To The World" Video
Traditional Choir
Some
snow scenes from the Weber place!
Last
night during the storm I took this photo
of our lighted cupola on our barn.
Our
gazebo we've enjoyed in the summer months
collapsed under the heavy weight of snow
and freezing rain.
What
a blessing this morning when our neighbor
Leon showed up with his plow!
Resources
for Christmas Celebrations
(We
will leave these resources posted
below our daily messages through
Christmas)
Each year
we share several online resources that
we have used over the years and that
may be a blessing to you, your family
or church during this Christmas
season.
"In Remembrance of Me" pdf This is a passion-filled Scripture reading for two adults. Brooksyne and I have used this reading with great receptivity during Christmas Eve services over the years. 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. Here's a great Communion Hymn for Christmas (Video)
"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 page was first posted in 2005 soon after my Mom passed away.
Christmas Knowledge Test
"In Remembrance of Me" pdf This is a passion-filled Scripture reading for two adults. Brooksyne and I have used this reading with great receptivity during Christmas Eve services over the years. 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. Here's a great Communion Hymn for Christmas (Video)
"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 page was first posted in 2005 soon after my Mom passed away.
Christmas Knowledge Test
Finally today:
Our
border collie Molly is ten years old but
never wearies of playing in the snow.
She
flings
these rings up in the air (since she can't
get others excited about doing so in the
wet snow). She then catches them and does
it all over again! When she tires out she
just lays down in the snow.
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."
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 2020 Stephen C. & Brooksyne
Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA