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Bible teaching
ministry of
Stephen &
Brooksyne
Weber
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Wednesday,
March 20, 2024
As
we headed
toward Lebanon
County at 7 am
yesterday the
sun was
brilliantly
illuminating
all the
landscape as
we started our
50 minute
drive. This
farm photo is
on preserved
farmland on
Grandview Road
due north of
Mount Joy.
Click to enlarge
Daily prayer:
Father, we
live in a
decadent age
with a flood
of
dissipation,
where the
hearts of so
many are
turned away
from the true
living God and
live instead
by the world’s
dictates. But
we who have
accepted
Christ and
have the
indwelling
Holy Spirit
must continue
to build our
lives on the
foundation of
Jesus Christ
as we spread
the gospel
message,
“Jesus is the
first and
final answer
to all of
life’s
problems.” We
seek to be
directed by
Your Spirit
and live in
such a way
that we honor
You even as
scoffers
ridicule us.
May we show
mercy to those
whose faith is
wavering and
rescue others
by snatching
them from the
flames of
judgment. In
the process of
daily living,
as we reach
out to the
lost and
dying, help us
not to stumble
into the ways
of the world
so that on
Your appointed
day we will be
brought into
Your glorious
presence for
all eternity
because of
Jesus Christ
in whose name
we pray. Amen.
Click to enlarge
"Enough
Of The Old
Life!"
Message
summary:
We
live in an age
with a flood
of
dissipation.
"Enough Of The
Old Life!" All
will give an
account to
God. Are you
ready?
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead" (1 Peter 4:1-5).
Yesterday
I greeted
Mike, a new
employee at
White Oak
Display, one
of the
companies we
serve as
chaplains. He
told me he
lived at the
Lebanon Rescue
Mission which
gave me a clue
about him. We
went on to
visit for a
few minutes.
He told me he
followed
Christ but
still had his
struggles but
he had a
revived
determination
to stay on the
right path.
Brooksyne
joined us
after visiting
with some
other
employees and
we told him
about our
writing
ministry. I
assured him
that some
reading his
story would
pray for him
and he gave
permission to
share and
invites your
prayer
support.
"Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead" (1 Peter 4:1-5).
Yesterday
I greeted
Mike, a new
employee at
White Oak
Display, one
of the
companies we
serve as
chaplains. He
told me he
lived at the
Lebanon Rescue
Mission which
gave me a clue
about him. We
went on to
visit for a
few minutes.
He told me he
followed
Christ but
still had his
struggles but
he had a
revived
determination
to stay on the
right path.
Brooksyne
joined us
after visiting
with some
other
employees and
we told him
about our
writing
ministry. I
assured him
that some
reading his
story would
pray for him
and he gave
permission to
share and
invites your
prayer
support.He
was
essentially
raised by his
grandmother
who was a
woman of faith
as his mom and
dad both
struggled with
addictions. He
remembered a
childhood
influence was
a bus ministry
by God's
Missionary
Church in
Lebanon, a
church we have
visited and
know the
pastor and
where several
of our friends
attend.
I
shared today's
verse with
Mike and urged
him to live
daily for
Christ in
overcoming the
temptations to
his old way of
life. He has
wasted too
many years of
his past
living the
wrong way. God
wants to
restore that
which the
devil had
destroyed.
This
verse is
especially
helpful for
those recently
starting on
the path of
righteousness
but is really
a good
life-long
verse as well.
I
have learned
that
regardless of
age, in one
way or
another,
there's always
the pull of
the world! As
the old hymn
"I Must Tell
Jesus"
candidly
expresses, "O
how the world
to evil
allures me, O
how my heart
is tempted to
sin".
In
our daily
Scripture
reference the
apostle Peter
is writing to
a group of
first century
believers
undergoing
persecution.
This passage
(1 Peter
4:1-5) was
very
meaningful to
me as a new
Christian teen
in the
seventies. I
had accepted
Jesus Christ
as my Savior,
but for over a
year I lived
with nominal
commitment to
His cause.
At
that time in
my life (late
teens) the
pull of the
world was a
persisting
peril.
I still wanted
to have my
associations
with the world
as I continued
to put one
foot in the
world and one
foot into my
new Christian
walk. What a
miserable way
to live! In my
senior year of
high school I
put both feet
into a
Christian
ministry
(Campus
Crusade for
Christ) after
a committed
believer sat
down with me
and boldly
shared this
passage and
the Holy
Spirit did His
wonderful work
of
enlightening
and convicting
my heart.
Peter forthrightly tells his initial readers and all who heed the sacred words of Scripture, “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles” (v.3). However old you are this statement applies; you've spent enough time in living in the ways of the world.
Peter forthrightly tells his initial readers and all who heed the sacred words of Scripture, “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles” (v.3). However old you are this statement applies; you've spent enough time in living in the ways of the world.
David
Guzik writes,
"Sadly, many
Christians (in
their heart of
hearts) think
that they have
not spent
enough time
doing the will
of the
ungodly. They
want to
experience
more of the
world before
they make a
full
commitment to
godliness.
This is a
tragic mistake
and takes a
path that
leads away
from eternal
life".
Today
let us all
heed Peter's
call, "You
have spent
enough time in
the past doing
what pagans
choose to do".
Let
us heed Paul's
command, "I
appeal to you
therefore,
brothers, by
the mercies of
God, to
present your
bodies as a
living
sacrifice,
holy and
acceptable to
God, which is
your spiritual
worship. Do
not be
conformed to
this world,
but be
transformed by
the renewal of
your mind,
that by
testing you
may discern
what is the
will of God,
what is good
and acceptable
and perfect"
(Romans
12:1-2).
Have you dealt with it yet? The apostle Paul wrote that “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10,11). We can greatly rejoice today if we have taken care of this accounting and you can join me in boldly declaring, “Jesus is my final answer.” If you have not made this decision I urge you, please delay no longer.
Here is a sample prayer that expresses belief and commitment to Jesus Christ:
Have you dealt with it yet? The apostle Paul wrote that “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10,11). We can greatly rejoice today if we have taken care of this accounting and you can join me in boldly declaring, “Jesus is my final answer.” If you have not made this decision I urge you, please delay no longer.
Here is a sample prayer that expresses belief and commitment to Jesus Christ:
“Jesus,
thank you for
loving me. I
confess that I
am a sinner. I
believe You
are the
promised
Messiah who
came to die
for my sins.
Please forgive
me of my sin
and come into
my life. I
receive You as
my Savior and
will follow
You as my Lord
and Savior for
the rest of my
life. Thank
You for
hearing my
prayer. Amen”.
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, we
live in a
decadent age
with a flood
of
dissipation,
where the
hearts of so
many are
turned away
from the true
living God and
live instead
by the world’s
dictates. But
we who have
accepted
Christ and
have the
indwelling
Holy Spirit
must continue
to build our
lives on the
foundation of
Jesus Christ
as we spread
the gospel
message,
“Jesus is the
first and
final answer
to all of
life’s
problems.” We
seek to be
directed by
Your Spirit
and live in
such a way
that we honor
You even as
scoffers
ridicule us.
May we show
mercy to those
whose faith is
wavering and
rescue others
by snatching
them from the
flames of
judgment. In
the process of
daily living,
as we reach
out to the
lost and
dying, help us
not to stumble
into the ways
of the world
so that on
Your appointed
day we will be
brought into
Your glorious
presence for
all eternity
because of
Jesus Christ
in whose name
we pray. Amen.Further
study on
today's
passage:
Peter
goes on to
make a list of
sinful
behavior that
sounds very
familiar to
what pagans
still choose
to do in our
day. (See
here
for this verse
in a variety
of
translations.)
1)
“In regard
to these"
The sick six
from verse 3,
"lewdness,
lusts,
drunkenness,
revelries,
drinking
parties, and
abominable
idolatries", a
veritable
sewer of sin
often
resulting in
headline news
after
destruction of
property or
life while
under the
influence.
2) "they (your friends from your old way of life) think it strange" CH Spurgeon notes, "How strange this world is! It speaks evil of men because they will not do evil. Yet it has always been so. Those of whom 'the world was not worthy' (Hebrews 11:38) have been the people, like Paul, of whom the worldly said, 'Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!' (Acts 22:22). The world’s verdict concerning Christians is of little value."
Warren Wiersbe comments, "Unsaved people do not understand the radical change that their friends experience when they trust Christ and become children of God. They do not think it strange when people wreck their bodies, destroy their homes, and ruin their lives by running from one sin to another! But let a drunkard become sober, or an immoral person pure, and the family thinks he has lost his mind!"
3) "that you do not run with them” Genuine transformed believers do not run with, consort or hang out with unbelievers in the same way they once did:
4) "in the same flood of dissipation". Dissipation is rarely a word we use these days! Other versions translate this, "reckless, wild living" (NIV), "excesses of debauchery" (NASB), "wild and destructive things" (NLT). In sum, the picture here is of a large crowd running together in a mad, wild race—a melee pursuing sin.
5) This resulted in them (those from your old way of life) "speaking evil of you" an irony considering the actual evil they practiced! This is translated from the Greek “blaspheme”. Indeed the early believers encountered abuse and so do we in various ways. This abuse may be verbal ridicule from a fellow worker, the writings of a pagan “intellectual” or for some of our brethren, physical torture and death.
Peter makes the solemn statement found in the final portion of the daily text: “But they will have to give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:5). This account will be our final answer and by far it is the most important.
2) "they (your friends from your old way of life) think it strange" CH Spurgeon notes, "How strange this world is! It speaks evil of men because they will not do evil. Yet it has always been so. Those of whom 'the world was not worthy' (Hebrews 11:38) have been the people, like Paul, of whom the worldly said, 'Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!' (Acts 22:22). The world’s verdict concerning Christians is of little value."
Warren Wiersbe comments, "Unsaved people do not understand the radical change that their friends experience when they trust Christ and become children of God. They do not think it strange when people wreck their bodies, destroy their homes, and ruin their lives by running from one sin to another! But let a drunkard become sober, or an immoral person pure, and the family thinks he has lost his mind!"
3) "that you do not run with them” Genuine transformed believers do not run with, consort or hang out with unbelievers in the same way they once did:
Thanks
to Calvary I
am not the man
I used to be
Thanks to Calvary things are different than before.
Thanks to Calvary things are different than before.
4) "in the same flood of dissipation". Dissipation is rarely a word we use these days! Other versions translate this, "reckless, wild living" (NIV), "excesses of debauchery" (NASB), "wild and destructive things" (NLT). In sum, the picture here is of a large crowd running together in a mad, wild race—a melee pursuing sin.
5) This resulted in them (those from your old way of life) "speaking evil of you" an irony considering the actual evil they practiced! This is translated from the Greek “blaspheme”. Indeed the early believers encountered abuse and so do we in various ways. This abuse may be verbal ridicule from a fellow worker, the writings of a pagan “intellectual” or for some of our brethren, physical torture and death.
Peter makes the solemn statement found in the final portion of the daily text: “But they will have to give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:5). This account will be our final answer and by far it is the most important.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
"I
Got Saved"
Watch
on YouTube
Selah
"I
Must Tell
Jesus"
Watch
on YouTube
Canton
Junction
Early
yesterday
morning we
saw that an
Amish family
is preparing
for a wedding!
(My Amish
friend
speculates it
will probably
be this
Thursday.)
This is the
bride's home
where the
weddings are
held. The
service is
held in the
white
temporary
structure in
the front with
the curved
roof. The
canopy tent
type in the
back is for
the horses.
Today family
members
converge to
prepare a
large meal for
the wedding
guests.
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
We
try to take
the backroads
whenever we
can do so. We
passed this
imposing
structure in
Berks County
yesterday on
the way to
Cracker
Barrel. It is
the Spannuth
Mill built
in 1891. We
were
especially
intrigued by
the
cupola that
really sticks
out on top of
a decaying
flat roof.
We
had lunch
yesterday at
Cracker Barrel
with Pat and
Laverne,
Stephen's
brother and
wife. Although
we live about
100 miles
apart we try
to get
together every
couple of
months. The
fireplace with
the gigantic
hearth is
always
inviting over
the cool
months at
Cracker
Barrel.
While
at Cracker
Barrel we were
surprised at
seeing Kathy,
a friend we
hadn't seen in
years. Kathy
and Don Eaton
owned a 200
acre nursery
full of
beautiful
shrubbery and
trees where we
often visited
them in
Leesport. They
retired a few
years back and
we lost touch
so it was
wonderful to
reconnect. The
Eatons moved
from
Massachusetts
along with
their five
children some
25 years ago
to build a
beautiful tree
nursery from
which we and
many others
benefited.
They and their
family are
devout in
their faith
and a great
blessing to
many.
Another
surprise visit
with a friend
while at BJ's
last week; I
(Brooksyne)
became good
friends with
Natalie
Yakinov while
she was
employed at
Val-Co in New
Holland where
we served as
chaplains for
12 years. She
and her family
immigrated to
America from
Russia (or one
of the other
countries in
the former
Soviet Union).
Natalie
adopted a
precious
Navajo baby
nine years ago
and it has
been fun
watching her
grow up under
the loving
care of
Natalie along
with the
support of
other family
members. The
Lord led
Natalie to
attend Charis
Bible College
in Colorado a
few years ago
and we lost
touch except
in reading her
inspiring
biblical
messages she
posted on
facebook. She
may attend
again in the
future but is
back home for
now and owns a
vacation
rental
cleaning
service.
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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.
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Stephen
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Weber
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Church Road
Mount
Joy, PA 17552
To
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Stephen and
Brooksyne
Weber -
700001-237376
serving in
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Encouragement
is our
endorsed
special
chaplaincy
ministry).Thank
you,
Stephen & Brooksyne
Stephen & Brooksyne
2024
offerings YTD:
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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 and a variety of other versions.
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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