For"); document.writeln("God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes"); document.writeln("in him shall not perish but have eternal life.1
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In"); document.writeln("the late 1800\'s, the British Studd brothers were rising to fame due to their"); document.writeln("skill and success in the game of Cricket. After winning a game against the"); document.writeln("undefeated Australians, Charles Thomas Studd, otherwise known as C.T., was"); document.writeln("pronounced the best Cricketer in England. Having grown up in a wealthy family,"); document.writeln("the Studd brothers now enjoyed a care-free life of money and fame.
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It"); document.writeln("was during this time that their father, Edward Studd, became a Christian and"); document.writeln("with his newly found faith came the desire to share the Gospel, especially with"); document.writeln("his family. Soon the Studd\'s family mansion turned into a place for Bible Study"); document.writeln("and meetings with pastors and missionaries. The more Mr. Studd spoke of Christ,"); document.writeln("the more his sons tried to avoid all things having to do with Christianity. One"); document.writeln("day a visiting preacher confronted each of the Studd boys directly about their"); document.writeln("faith and as he quoted John 3:16 to them they each saw their need for"); document.writeln("Salvation.
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C.T.\'s"); document.writeln("life was changed as he began to question who he was really living for. His"); document.writeln("athletic career continued to soar until the day one of his brothers fell"); document.writeln("gravely ill. As C.T. came to realize that his success meant nothing in the end,"); document.writeln("he questioned, \'What is all the fame and flattery worth \'¦ when a"); document.writeln("man comes to face eternity?\' This realization caused him to rethink the direction of his"); document.writeln("life and C.T chose to leave the game of Cricket to become a missionary.
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The news of this decision came as a shock"); document.writeln("to the country because leaving a life of fame and fortune for the uncertain"); document.writeln("life of a missionary made no sense. Nevertheless, just three years after his"); document.writeln("famous Cricket win, C.T. Studd was headed to China and later would continue on"); document.writeln("to India and then to Africa where he would take his last breath.
"); document.writeln("C.T. Studd thought he had everything"); document.writeln("until he met Christ and realized he actually had nothing. In a famous poem he"); document.writeln("wrote: Only one life \'twill soon be past."); document.writeln("Only what\'s done for Christ will last.
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Suggested Prayer: Dear God, far too long"); document.writeln("have I lived for my own glory thinking that everything I have accomplished has"); document.writeln("been through my own merit. I now realize that without you, I am nothing."); document.writeln("Without you I have nothing, and anything that I have done without you has been"); document.writeln("in vain. Today, I give You my life to use for your purpose and for Your glory."); document.writeln("In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
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1. "); document.writeln("John 3:16.
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Today\'s Encounter was written by:"); document.writeln("Veronica B.
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This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online.
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