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Tuesday, December 2, 2025
"Good
Character"
Note:
Today we had
our first
covering snow
of the season
although by
late morning
it is already
melting off!
Message summary: Meaningful godly character development must be developed in the home and church, daily stressing the timeless truths and application of God's Word. "Bad company corrupts good character." But the converse is true as well: "good company promotes good character". Is your home a "safe haven" from the evil influences of the world? Are you actively participating in a Bible-believing, Christ-honoring church?
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33). "You ought to live holy and godly lives" (2 Peter 3:11).The longer I live and the longer they're gone the more I realize how my parents modeled good character. My (Stephen's) mom kept a lot of old stuff, of little to no interest to most people including family members, with some exceptions. I regret that I am one of those family members who took little time to hear of Mom's childhood interests though it would have meant a lot to her.
But since her promotion to heaven over 20 years ago I have grown far more sentimental. My blasé attitude for how she held onto that which was of no value materially has changed to admiration for how she held onto that which was foundational to her living a life above reproach. She still had recognition notes from her grammar school teachers and, as I perused the material, I observed the unapologetic attempts to instill virtuous character by the public education system.
She held on to her 1941 public college yearbook where she participated in a campus group that had three main objectives:
2) To determine to have a part in making this life possible for all college people.
3) To seek to understand Jesus and follow Him.
Now in most cases even posting the timeless, character building Ten Commandments is considered illegal and deemed unconstitutional! (Have you ever noticed how the word "unconstitutional" is bantered about for just about everything these days even though it usually is something not even mentioned in the Constitution and something the Framers could have never imagined?)
But now we see the increasingly rotting fruit of removing the historic Judeo/Christian underpinnings of character education, although there is now a renewed emphasis on teaching "character". But whose character will be taught and what will character traits be based on?
Our first daily text states, "Bad company corrupts good character". "By keeping evil company, Christians are in danger of being conformed to the pattern of this world. But we need to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.* Christians, we must read, pray and apply the Word of God to our lives so that it shapes our thinking, not the evil company of this world." (Enduring Word Bible Commentary)
Meaningful godly character development must begin in the home and church, daily stressing the timeless truths and application of God's Word. Indeed, "bad company corrupts good character", it always has and always will. But the converse is true that good company promotes good character. Is your home a "safe haven" from the evil influences of the world? Are you actively participating in a Bible-believing and Christ-honoring church, living in such a way that you are helping our country return to its biblical foundations? (This would be true for any country you may live in.)
Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, grant
us strength
and courage as
we face the
many decisions
to divert from
Your plan of
truth and
righteousness.
May godly
character be
that by which
we are known,
for a good
name is more
desirable than
great riches
(Proverbs
22:1). May the
rewards of our
good character
lead to
blessings for
our family,
for our
country, for
our community
and nation
(Proverbs
20:7). And may
our children
be known by
their actions
as well,
whether their
conduct is
pure and right
(Proverbs
20:11). Let us
honor and love
You in all
that we do,
through Christ
Jesus our
Lord. Amen.
(prayer
adapted from
mysunshineroom.com)
* Romans 12:2 commands us, "Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will."
Hope
Winchoba, a
descendant of
a family that
came over on
the Mayflower
back in 1620,
was in her
golden years
when we served
in Taunton,
Massachusetts.
We recall her
telling us how
her teacher
daily read
aloud to the
students from
the Bible in public
school. Due to
an infamous
Supreme Court
Decision in
1963, prayer
and Bible
reading in
school began
to phase out
when we began
school
although
Brooksyne
still
remembers it
in her early
years. She
memorized "The
Lord's Prayer"
because of the
daily
recitation in
Jane Addams
Elementary
school
followed by a
moment of
silence. Of
course at some
point even
that was
phased out
lest someone
might be
offended by
it.
Several
years ago a
public school
in
Pennsylvania
removed a
posting of the
Ten
Commandments
that had stood
since 1957 due
to an ongoing
complaint from
the godless
"Freedom from
Religion
Foundation".
It seems one
atheist
student and
her Mom were
"offended"
that the
Commandments
were posted.
Consider all
the evil and
nonsense that
takes place in
public schools
these days
that offends
me and so many
others!
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"The Jesus Way" Watch on YouTube Phil Wickham
Yesterday afternoon four of our neighbor's sons were pulling carrots to be sold at the Lancaster Farm Fresh COOP and may end up at a store near you. It was a cold day but these boys work hard and responsibly, which is a good character builder! Likewise, how much bad character is a result of idle time! (Look carefully to see the fourth boy.)
They are not very appetizing at this stage! But they will clean them and prepare them for market in the barn.
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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 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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