Daily Encouragement

The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

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Monday, June 23, 2025

A vista view in eastern Tennessee.

On the way to our work trip in North Carolina last week we stopped off at a scenic overlook along I-26 on the way. Roman and Sadie traveled with us along with their children (photo above) in a 15 passenger van that was also used for transport during the week. They, along with Jesse and Anna, were overseers of the 50 Amish Youth who worked all week restoring and rebuilding the housing destroyed during the hurricane and flooding last year. Walter, a good friend, also went along and was mightily used during the week since work teams split up to go to various worksites daily.

Click on photo to enlarge

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Message summary: To obey God has been vital since the very beginning of creation when Adam and Eve's transgression in the Garden was an act of disobedience. All through the Bible we have the call to obey God. Today let us teach and practice Christ's command "to obey everything I have commanded you".To obey God has been vital since the very beginning of creation when Adam and Eve's transgression in the Garden was an act of disobedience. All through the Bible we have the call to obey God. Today let us teach and practice Christ's command"to obey everything I have commanded you". "to obey everything I have commanded you".g I have commanded you".

Listen to our message on your audio player.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20).

Yesterday, during our missions emphasis week, we enjoyed hearing from Dale Losch who is a missionary and former president of Crossworld, a mission agency. He's also a very articulate speaker and captured our attention right away.

He read his main text (also referred to as the Great Commission) to the entire congregation before he paused and asked, "Did I read that Scripture correctly?"

Many years ago, actually Bible College days, Brooksyne and I memorized that passage and it still sounded right to me. Brooksyne didn't indicate she noticed anything out of place either. I guess in all honestly we really weren't listening carefully! Read the main text again (above). Do you see anything?

But in our church with some 1000 in attendance one brave soul who was sitting fairly close to the platform raised his hand and said to the effect, "You missed some of the words". Indeed the speaker had intentionally, for effect, deleted the critically important words, "to obey". Here's the full text:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20).

Dale pointed out the vital importance of obedience is part of the Great Commission; obedience in regard to the commission itself and in a broader sense obeying all that Jesus has taught us.

To obey God has been vital since the very beginning of creation when Adam and Eve's transgression in the Garden was an act of disobedience. All through the Bible we have examples of both obedience and disobedience and the steadfast call to obey God. Today let us teach and practice Christ's command "to obey everything I have commanded you".

Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we desire that all our ways would be steadfast in obeying You. In a day’s time there are many things to be done, people to see, goals to meet, places to go, and on and on the list goes. It’s easy to lose sight of our stated goal of obeying You in all matters since we’re daily exposed to ungodly philosophies, lifestyles, and trends that stand in direct opposition to teachings from Scripture. Yet Your Word tells us to remain steadfast in our Christian witness, prayerful in all matters, faithful in our example to others, and obedient to the teachings of Scripture. With the help of the Holy Spirit we will be obedient to Your decrees even as we pray for others to see the Light that shines out of this darkened world. Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Trust and Obey" Watch on YouTube Calvin Nowell

All this week I will share some photos from our trip in North Carolina but a major highlight was being the first group to tour Chimney Rock State Park since the flood. The park opens officially later this week but the rangers made it possible for the Amish youth to have a special guided tour, surely in part due to their service in the area. After driving up the mountain to a parking area, tourists walk back to a long cave-like tunnel through solid rock and take an elevator thirty stories up to the Chimney Rock lookout point. The Amish youth began to sing in the tunnel and we have a recording that will surely bless you as you listen: "We'll All Be There" Video (This will be up all week.)

Crossworld (Ministry speaker yesterday works with)

Last week I was in North Carolina with a large Amish youth group (about 50) assisting in the rebuilding following the devastating damage from the hurricane and flooding last fall. It was quite an experience and I expect to share photos and comments several days this week, perhaps all week-long.

Walter and I drove a work van to the site on Sunday but most of the group rode down through the night on a coach bus following their youth group meeting on Sunday night. Here they are gathered early Monday morning at the base camp in preparation for a full day of work. Another bus and several vehicles took them down the mountain to Bat Cave where the area was heavily damaged and where they worked all week.

Click on photo to enlarge

A second base camp was down in Bat Cave near the worksites. Here the girls look over the flooding damage in preparation for the day's work. At first they were assigned to arranging supplies and so forth but they wanted more physical labor so they soon joined the boys at their worksites. The ravaged building (left) across the river was a store as I recall. The water rose 30 feet above normal flow.

Click on photo to enlarge

The masonry crew on the way to their first worksite early Monday morning. Walter is in the yellow shirt. Quickly the young people gave him the nickname, Wally, which he has hasn't had since his school days! Walter and I drove the teams to and from their worksites as well as supplies and we really enjoyed our role. The Amish have a very strong work ethic and most of the boys have jobs in the trades so, even in their teens, they are very skilled. And the girls as well!!!

Click on photo to enlarge

Finally today:

Our friends Jesse and Anna Ruth Lapp arranged the trip to North Carolina last week. They also own and operate "The Old Windmill Farm" tourist site here in Lancaster County which we often write about. As we stated in our message yesterday we had a mission emphasis in our church. Following the worship service, a missionary speaker shared with our Crossroads class about his ministry to the Afghan refugees here in Lancaster. The previous week they held a camp for about 40 children and some of the leaders shared of their experience. What a nice surprise to see among their photos Old Windmill Farm where they had taken the children. It was a major highlight of their week since these children have had very little exposure to animals, even dogs and cats. They were so excited to feed calves, play with the goats, etc. They thoroughly enjoyed the hayride as well. The leader was so pleased that the children were given gospel tracts by the Old Windmill guides at the end of their time on the farm.

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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.

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