Daily Encouragement (9/21/21) "Our Spiritual Lineage"
Published: Tue, 09/21/21
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A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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Tuesday, September 21, 2021 
Yesterday we passed this oversized load on Landisville Road!
(Click on photo for larger image) "Our Spiritual Lineage"
Listen to this message on your audio player. "I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also" (2 Timothy 1:5).
 Last Saturday morning Glenn Musser stopped by for a brief visit. Glenn leads a local prayer group that prays for our community and schools and also leads our National Day of Prayer event.Glenn is a retired Penn State trained agricultural engineer and shared about an invention when he worked for a farm implement company that we all have benefited from. Like so many beneficial inventions we probably give it no thought at all. (It is an improvement to the harvesting head of a combine to increase productivity when harvesting beans that is now widely used.)
There's a lot happening to the blessing and benefit of others that we give little thought to. Most people making these contributions are not famous. That's true on the spiritual impact level as well.
 Glenn told me about his grandfather, Monroe Dourte, seen in this photo. Years ago we often mentioned one of his sons, Jesse and his wife
Wilma, whom we came to love while we served a small country church in Mastersonville PA over ten years ago. They expressed such vibrant faith up to their time of departure from this life into their eternal resting place.Glenn expressed esteem for his grandfather, who is a part of his own spiritual lineage and Glenn is now seeking to pass his faith on to his grandchildren. Perhaps the photo will stir a memory for some of our readers of one of your spiritual ancestors!
Here's a blunt confession: The older I get the less esteem I have for "famous" people, very few who seem to demonstrate a life lived worthy of respect. This is true in politics, sports, entertainment, even famous people in the church world. Frankly more than a few of the famous national preachers are an utter embarrassment to the Cause of Christ. In reality most of the beneficial and real eternal impact made on our lives is not due to the input of famous people but rather among those who know us and live out their Christian faith in person before us, similar to Timothy's grandmother and mother. Interestingly in this case there's no mention of his father and grandfather and some have speculated his father was not a
believer.
In the daily text the Apostle Paul is reminded of Timothy's sincere faith. The word sincere conveys unhypocritical, genuine, without show or pretense. This sincere faith "lived" first in his grandmother and mother, who apparently passed their faith on to Timothy. Paul even calls them by name, "your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice".
Paul was persuaded that this sincere faith lived in Timothy as well. "I am persuaded, now lives in you also". What a blessing when people who know us well, observe our life and are persuaded our faith is genuine.  A few verses later, Paul commissions Timothy with this charge, "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others" (2 Timothy
2:2). Timothy had a lineage and was to be part of the lineage of others.Our spiritual lineage is a valuable part of who we are. For most of us on a personal level it's distinct to us and others in our immediate circle (family and church). Like Glenn's grandfather, those most valuable in passing their faith on to us would not be known to very many. They are likely little known outside this circle and are not famous. But they faithfully lived a genuine faith and passed it in to others. Now we devote our life to Christ and seek to pass our faith along to others. May all who come behind us find us faithful! Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber  Daily prayer: Father, we thank You for those who have shown us the way
of salvation both by their lifestyle and by the biblical principles they espouse. Just as Paul was reminded of Timothy's sincere faith, which first lived in his grandmother Lois and in his mother Eunice and now was evident in Timothy, may we also pass down to those whom we influence the way to eternal life. Just as we have a spiritual lineage we want to be a lineage to others so that they may follow Christ all their days. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Find Us Faithful" Video Let There Be Praise Singers
We're pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road,
and those who've gone before us line the way. cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary, their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace. After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone, And our children sift thru all we've left behind, May the clues that they discover, and the mem'ries they uncover, Become the light that leads them, to the road we each must find. Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, Let us run the race not only for the prize,
But as those who've gone before us let us leave to those behind us,
The heritage of faithfulness passed on thru godly lives. Refrain: O may all who come behind us find us faithful,
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe, And the lives we live inspire them to obey. Yesterday we got a little exercise riding our bikes on the Lancaster Junction rail trail after we dropped Ester off for work at Fuddruckers.
 The trail is well maintained with a pleasant riding stone surface. It's especially nice to ride over fallen leaves.
It's likely that an enterprising Amish child set up this small produce stand on the trail!
(Click on photo for larger image) 
These multi-color sheep are seen right off the trail which runs through farmland on both sides of the trail.
(Click on photo for larger image) Finally today:
 Yesterday we showed a photo of an unusual piece of farm equipment parked in the field across from our house. It was a huge pump used to pump manure from a dairy farm about 1/2 mile away to this tractor applying the organic fertilizer to the field last night. This method actually places the mix in the ground and covers it thus we have less odor! (Some forms of manure spreading is very malodorous as locals will attest!!!) David, a reader from Ohio explains: Out here in Northwestern Ohio, we have many, many large hog confinement barns & quite a few very large 3000-5000 cow dairy farms, who use the services of individuals who pump the manure from underneath the confinement barns or out of manure collection lagoons onto the surrounding fields. I have a 1st cousin out in eastern Indiana (Berne, IN), whose 2 sons do this besides farming. They pump the manure out of
a barn or lagoon into a 4 or 5 inch diameter very long hose, (dragline) & either spread it on top of the ground or inject the manure underground. Any manure spread on top of the ground must be incorporated into the soil within 24 hours to minimize runoff into the ditches, creeks & rivers to prevent pollution.
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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." © Copyright 2021 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
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