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online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen
&
Brooksyne Weber
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Thursday,
July 27, 2023
Pony
Express Museum
This
is the view of
when the very
first horse
departed.
Click
on photo to
enlarge
"A
Letter From Christ"
Travel
Note: This
morning we are
in Kansas City
after
attending a
family reunion
in Nebraska.
We gathered
for three days
with Stephen's
cousins on his
Mom's side as
we have
annually since
1975. Due to
travel and
expected
busyness and
weariness we
are unable to
post messages
each day this
week. We are
accustomed to
using two desk
computers but
only have a
small laptop
with us which
Stephen
especially
finds hard to
use.
Message
summary: "You
show that you
are a letter
from Christ."
What do people
see in that
letter from
Christ?
Hopefully it
will be the
fruit of His
spirit,
supremely His
love.
(Due
to travel our
podcast is not
prepared for
this message.)
"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:2,3).
On
our way to
Kansas City
from Nebraska
yesterday we
passed through
Saint Joseph
and visited
the Pony
Express
Museum. How
many of you
remember what
the Pony
Express was?
St.
Joseph
was the
eastern
starting point
for the "Pony
Express". It
was an express
mail service
from St.
Joseph
Missouri to
San Francisco
CA that
started on
April 3, 1860.
It ceased
operations
with the
completion of
the
transcontinental
telegraph
almost 18
months later
on October 26,
1861. Until
the Pony's
last run it
brought news
of battles and
lists of dead
and wounded to
the anxious
westerners.
Its last run
was on
November 20,
1861 having
completed some
300 runs each
way over
600,000 miles
- and carried
over 33,000
pieces of
mail. It used
a relay of
ponies
(actually
horses) to get
mail out and
back which you
can imagine
was very
inefficient.
If you think
postage is
expensive
today,
consider how
much people
paid to use
the Pony
Express: five
dollars per
1/2 oz. for
mail,
eventually
reduced to one
dollar.
A
reference to
the Pony
Express is one
of the many
ways I tease
Ester. When
we've been
away from home
she's annoyed
when I ask her
if anyone
called while
we were out,
hearkening
back to the
good old days
when there was
just one
family phone
line. (We,
like most
these days,
each have our
own phones).
Then I ask her
if she's
checked the
answering
machine, which
of course is
now called
"voice mail".
She tells me
no one uses
voice mail
anymore, they
text. So then
I say "Well
then, did we
get a
telegraph
message?" and
finally ending
with, "Did the
Pony Express
stop by?"
When
we told Ester
about going to
the museum she
told us she
didn't know
the Pony
Express was a
real thing.
She thought I
had made it
up. I guess
she hasn't
watched the
old westerns
that often
showed the
Pony Express
delivering
mail.
Today
let's go way
back, long
before the
Pony Express,
to a letter
sent from Paul
to the
Corinthians.
It was a hand
delivered
letter by
Titus (most
believe) and
likely
traveled quite
slowly by our
standards.
This letter,
along with the
other New
Testament
letters,
comprise a
primary source
of our
understanding
of Christian
theology.
Paul had established the church in Corinth and spent 18 months as Pastor, "teaching them the Word of God" (Acts 18:11), before moving on and leaving the church under the care of others. We have more material written by Paul to the Corinthian believers than to any other single church.
He
wrote to them:"You
yourselves are
our letter,
written on our
hearts, known
and read by
everybody. You
show that you
are a letter
from Christ,
the result of
our ministry,
written not
with ink but
with the
Spirit of the
living God,
not on tablets
of stone but
on tablets of
human hearts."
This
is one letter
we should all
aspire to be.
Bible teacher
Richard
Stearns
writes, "As
followers of
Christ, we
bear the
responsibility
of
demonstrating
to the world
what Jesus
might look
like were He
to walk the
earth today.
Those who will
never enter
the door of a
church or read
a Bible or
hear a sermon
can still know
Jesus by
watching us!"
Notice especially the phrase, "You show that you are a letter from Christ". What do people see in our "letter from Christ"? Hopefully it will be the fruit of His spirit, supremely His love.
Notice especially the phrase, "You show that you are a letter from Christ". What do people see in our "letter from Christ"? Hopefully it will be the fruit of His spirit, supremely His love.
You're
the only
Jesus, some
will ever see
And you're the only words of life some will ever read,
So let them see in you
The One in whom is all they'll ever need,
'Cause you're the only Jesus some will ever see.
And you're the only words of life some will ever read,
So let them see in you
The One in whom is all they'll ever need,
'Cause you're the only Jesus some will ever see.
Be
encouraged
today, (Hebrews
3:13)
Daily
prayer:
Father, as we
walk according
to Your
commands we
become more
and more like
Jesus, as
though we are
a letter sent
from Him
written not
with ink but
by the
guidance of
Your Spirit
with in us. We
want to help
those who walk
in darkness to
see the light
of salvation
through Christ
Jesus; the One
in whom is
abundant life
and life
everlasting,
the One who
heals the
broken heart,
gives sight to
the blind, and
saves even the
vilest
offender who
truly
believes. May
our lives
reflect the
very image of
Christ in all
we say and do,
for it's in
His name that
we pray. Amen.
Click
on photo to
enlarge
Note:
We will share
more photos of
our trip when
we return to
Pennsylvania.
Today we are
going to visit
Union Station
in Kansas City
and take a
city trolley
tour. Stephen
grew up in
this area but
left 50 years
ago so things
have changed a
lot!
Finally
today:
Pony Express
Rider's were
required to
take this
oath:
"I,_________ ,
DO HEREBY
SWEAR, BEFORE
THE GREAT AND
LIVING GOD,
THAT DURING MY
ENGAGEMENT,
AND WHILE I AM
AN EMPLOYEE OF
RUSSELL,
MAJORS AND
WADDELL, I
WILL, UNDER NO
CIRCUMSTANCES,
USE PROFANE
LANGUAGE, THAT
I WILL DRINK
NO
INTOXICATING
LIQUORS, THAT
I WILL NOT
QUARREL OR
FIGHT WITH ANY
OTHER EMPLOYEE
OF THE FIRM,
AND THAT IN
EVERY RESPECT
I WILL CONDUCT
MYSELF
HONESTLY, BE
FAITHFUL TO MY
DUTIES, AND SO
DIRECT ALL MY
ACTS AS TO WIN
THE CONFIDENCE
OF MY
EMPLOYERS. SO
HELP ME GOD."
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want to thank
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realize there
are many fine
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causes
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WEBER -
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In considering support we are so pleased when we hear from you, our readers, that our messages are a source of teaching and encouragement to you. We also urge you to consider the mission aspect of these daily teachings that are freely available and read by many all over the world.
To
donate
directly
online
click here.
(This will
open to a page
that
designates the
offering
to: STEPHEN
&
BROOKSYNE
WEBER -
700001-237376 SERVING
IN SPECIALIZED
CHAPLAINCY)
If
you desire you
can also
donate
directly
through PayPal
using this link.
This will open
to a page that
states
"Brooksyne
Weber". We
keep this
option
available due
to the
familiarity,
convenience,
for
international
supporters,
and for those
who may not
need an
official
receipt. You
can also set
up for
recurring
donations.
Thank
you,
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
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Wordpress
iHeart
radioPermissions: 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. We 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."
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