✝ Daily Encouragement (11/01/23) "Homeward Bound"
Published: Wed, 11/01/23
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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![]() Home Archives About Us ![]() ![]() Wednesday, November 1, 2023
An eye-appealing selection
of apples
at the entrance to the Village Farm Market on Rt 322 east of Ephrata, PA. This is an old steer bank barn re-purposed as a country store operated by an old-order Mennonite
family.
"Homeward
Bound"
Message summary: The apostle Paul's perspective on life and death is so liberating. He had a homeward bound outlook.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the
body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8).
Sunday afternoon we bid an earthly farewell to our friend, Fred Steudler, a
man who was an entrepreneur in various businesses and a caring philanthropist. For thirteen years we served as chaplains for two companies he and his brother owned. His funeral service was held in the chapel at Lancaster Bible College with our longtime friends Ron Hoover and Peter Teague officiating. We met both of them, along with Fred, through Convene, a Christian business mentoring group which Ron Hoover chaired for many years. Peter Teague had a long tenure as the president of
Lancaster Bible College, although he is now retired.
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My brother Pat had a friend who died following a long illness. At his time
of death he was with his wife and family. After expressing his love to them he raised his hands as he yielded his soul to the Lord saying, "To be absent from the body is to be home with the Lord" just before he died.
Pat didn't know whether he had purposefully planned ahead for this inevitable event to make his dying words a faith declaration or if it was a spontaneous, Spirit-led declaration. Either way, what a confident, victorious way to depart this earth! Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, had a significant influence in my life since I received much of my early Christian discipling through this ministry. In an interview toward the end of his earthly life he offers this perspective.
"The most important moment in anyone's life as a believer is the
last breath because the next breath is in heaven. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. A Christian can't lose, if we live, we go on serving Him. That's an adventure. If we die, we're in heaven with Him, and that's incredible."
This verse is part of a teaching by the apostle Paul. Notice how he introduces the concept with these words, "We are confident", "we are of good courage", "full of courage" and similar expressions depending on the version. Of all things in which to be confident this is surely at the top, an assurance of our future home due to what Christ has done for us. The present tense "are" describes Paul's attitude as one of continuous, courageous confidence because of God's express purpose and promise to bring Paul (and all believers) to glory and because of the Spirit who indwelt him and strengthened him to continually fight the good fight of faith. This courageous confidence was not a passing emotion for Paul but a continual state of mind. Paul's courageous mindset enabled him to face death not with fear but with great confidence. (Precept Austin commentary note on 2 Corinthians 5:8) The apostle Paul's perspective on life and death is so liberating. After his conversion on the Damascus road he began experiencing the great joy that comes in living for Christ. In confidence he faces death, with a willingness to "be away from the body". Indeed at our death, though our body remains, our spirit departs to be with the Lord. We are "at home with the Lord". Today, what a joy it is to follow Christ and have a deep, abiding assurance of His love. We are all homeward bound. When the time comes for our departure we shed our frail, aging, and mortal body and abandon our residency in this world that is day by day sliding into greater and greater decadence and destruction. We will "gain" and be better off by far with our immortal, ageless, and healthy bodies residing in a place that is timeless, ageless, and sinless. That's what we live for!
Praise the Lord, today I am a child of the King with my home address
presently on earth, but some "tomorrow", as a child of the king, my everlasting home address will be heaven. Won't you join me there as we finish well here.
Be encouraged today,
(Hebrews 3:13
)
Stephen & Brooksyne
Weber
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Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Christ Our Hope in Life and Death"
Watch on Youtube Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Papa
"Homecoming"
Watch on Youtube Cory Asbury
"Homesick For Heaven"
Watch on Youtube
Jim Brady Trio
"Finally Home"
Watch on Youtube
MercyMe
"Hymn Of Heaven"
Watch on Youtube
Phil Wickham
Fred and Bev Steudler along with Dedan from Kenya who worked at the company
Fred and his brother Rick owned and where we served as chaplains. Dedan lived with the Steudlers in their home for an extended period of time before he settled into his own house.
![]() Years ago we had Fred and his wife and two other couples over for a New England style seafood dinner. The men drank rhubarb punch from their redneck jars. Left to right; Ron and Bonnie Hoover, Fred and Bev Steudler, Rick and Jackie Steudler. We work with these men in the course of our chaplaincy ministry. Ron chaired our local Convene business group for many years and was very instrumental in seeing that doors opened for our chaplaincy ministry in a variety of companies. Fred and Rick own local businesses we served at the time.
An interesting "It's a small
world" concerning Ron Hoover: In the nineties we served a church in New England founded by a businessman named Augat who also owned a company in Attleboro Massachusetts called Augat Manufacturing. He passed away over 60 years ago. While we were there Ron was the CEO of that company although we didn't meet till we were in Pennsylvania. In December I have been invited back to preach to that church as they are celebrating their 95th anniversary. When I was there we celebrated the
church's 70th anniversary and I had a previous pastor come back so I guess it's gone full circle! Now I'm the old preacher coming back.
![]() We had a fine time sharing around the table during our meal and thereafter. Following our dessert and coffee we ended the evening by each saying a prayer.
What is your only comfort in life and
death?
That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him.
Heidelberg
Catechism
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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."
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Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
717-823-0592
Daily Encouragement Net
https://www.dailyencouragement.net
Mail service provider is aweber.com
495 Kraybill Church Rd
Mount Joy PA 17552
USA
Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options