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 Dick Innes


Weekend Encounter

Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes          
Published by: ACTS International

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Learn how to be a missionary right from your own home and have a vital part in worldwide gospel outreach by becoming an ACTS People Power for Jesus Partner. Click HERE There is no charge.

Vol. 9 – No. 2907 July 21, 2007

 
Thought for the week: "I expect to pass through the world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness I can show to any creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer it, for I shall not pass this way again." – Stephen Grellet
 
    INDEX
1.   Words of Wisdom
2.   On the Lighter Side
3.   No Pay—No Pray
4.   The Best Vitamin
5.   Fiber for the Soul 'Uncommon Encouragement'
6.   The Box Full of Love
7.   Keeping on Target
8.   Receive Daily Encounter Devotional  Without Charge
9.   Weekend Encounter E-mail Edition  Without Charge
10.   Know God ... Without Having to Be Religious
11.   Seven Pillars of Character
12.   Prayer Partners Needed
13.   To Submit a Prayer Request
14.   Please Help Support Weekend Encounter
15.   Helpful Books and Cassette Messages
16.   Free Services
17.   ACTS in Action Report; Archives for Daily and Weekend Encounter
 

1. Words of Wisdom

"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." – Frank A. Clark

"There are many truths of which the full meaning cannot be realized until personal experience has brought it home." – John Stuart Mill

"What is harder than rock, or softer than water? Yet soft water hollows out hard rock. Persevere." – Ovid, Roman poet

"A man may learn wisdom even from a foe." – Aristophanes

"The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind forward." – Igor Sikorsky

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." – Albert Einstein

"The person rowing the boat seldom has time to rock it." – Author Unknown

"Few men during their lifetime come anywhere near exhausting the resources dwelling within them. There are deep wells of strength that are never used." – Richard Byrd

Index

2. On the Lighter Side

One hot day a young seminarian was taking it easy in the shade of a walnut tree. After a time he started eyeing speculatively the huge pumpkins growing on vines and the small walnuts growing on a majestic tree.

Sometimes I just can't understand the ways of God, He mused. Just fancy letting tiny walnuts grow on so majestic a tree and huge pumpkins on the delicate vines!

Just then a walnut snapped off and fell smack on the seminarian's bald head. He got up at once and lifting up his hands and face to heavens in supplication, said:

"Oh, God! Forgive my questioning your ways! You are all-wise. Where would I have been now if pumpkins grew on trees!"

– Cited on WITandWISDOM by Richard Wimer
   www.witandwisdom.org

Index

3. No Pay—No Pray

In the Newmarket church where Charles Spurgeon first served as pastor, there was an old gentleman familiarly known as Father Sewell. One day a meeting on behalf of home missions was being held, and he was only able to get to it at the very end. The pastor said, "Our brother who has just come in will, I am sure, close the meeting by offering prayer for God's blessing on the proceedings of the evening." He stood up, but instead of praying began to feel in his pockets.

"I am afraid that my brother did not understand me," Mr. Spurgeon said. "Friend Sewell, I did not ask you to give, but to pray."

To which the bluff old saint replied, "Aye! Aye! But I could not pray till I had given. It would be hypocrisy to ask a blessing on that which I did not think worth giving to."

– W.Y. Fullerton, Charles Haddon Spurgeon:
   A Biography

Index

4. The Best Vitamin

– Author Unknown
   Submitted by Kathy Savage

Index

5. Fiber for the Soul: 'Uncommon Encouragement'

I have been thinking, what is encouragement? We may get a pat on the back for a job well done, and may look to faithful friends and neighbors for the elusive encouraging word. Other times, we may notice someone's good deed and speak an uplifting word. But for the most part people are too stressed to say something encouraging, barely noticing another's discouragement.

There were times in my life when encouragement was needed. One of these was last year when I hit a low period after losing my brother and mother in a span of two weeks. Grief following the death of a loved one lasts an extended period and is different for each person. I found it difficult to concentrate on business, and would look for encouragement from someone. At times I found that just a timely phone call, or a cup of coffee with a friend was sufficient help for the day.

I am reading through First Thessalonians, and notice the word "encouragement" mentioned several times and often used in connection with love. Paul said that they shared the gospel of Christ and their own hearts because they loved the people. In one verse I found that God uses us to whisper encouragement to someone in the struggle to live by faith. People are discouraged when they lose a job, or lose a spouse; and I feel loving them goes hand-in-hand with encouraging, and it quickly becomes Uncommon Encouragement.

Paul sent Timothy to check up on the Thessalonian Christians. Timothy's report back to Paul was that they were quite exuberant in their faith. The point is that we can live through most anything that comes our way because of the love of God and the love of His people.

When it came to the loss of a family member, friend or neighbor, the Christians didn't know how to handle death. Later, Paul gave the answer that those who died will be raised first that day on which Jesus comes back for us—and together we'll be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And then we'll be with Him, and enjoy Him forever. It's going to be a family reunion. This is Uncommon Encouragement: Jesus loves us, and wants us to love others in the same way.

– A friend of Jesus, Gary Kallio

Index

6. The Box Full of Love

    By Michael Josephson of Character Counts (494.1)

According to a story circulating on the Internet, an 11-year-old boy I'll call Todd was struggling to adjust to the death of his mother. His father had abandoned the family long ago, and Todd was living with an aunt who made it known she resented the responsibility. On several occasions the boy's teacher heard the aunt tell Todd, "If it weren't for my generosity, you would be a homeless orphan."

The teacher tried hard to make Todd feel valued, and she encouraged his interest in making things. Just before the Christmas break Todd shyly presented her with a small decorated box.

"It's beautiful!" the teacher gushed.

Todd replied, "There's something special inside my mom gave to me before she died. She said it's the one thing I can give and still have plenty left. It helps you feel better when you're sad and safe when you're scared."

As the teacher started to open the box, Todd warned her, "Oh, you can't see it."

"Well, what is it?" she asked kindly.

"It's love. And you're the first person since my mom who I love."

The teacher hugged Todd and whispered in his ear, "I'll treasure this forever. It's the best gift I ever got."

She kept the box on her desk always. Whenever she was sad or scared, she opened it and the love inside never let her down.

Years later, Todd sent her the tassel he wore for his graduation from medical school. It's been in the box ever since.

In truth, the gift that keeps on giving is not diamonds; it's love. The more you give away, the more you have left.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

© 2007 Josephson Institute of Ethics; reprinted with permission. Michael Josephson, one of the nation's leading ethicists, is the founder of the Josephson Institute of Ethics and the premier youth character education program, CHARACTER COUNTS! For further information visit www.charactercounts.org

Index

7. Keeping on Target

Sample of Daily Encounter by Dick Innes

"Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again."1

In his book, Peak Performers, Dr. Charles Garfield describes how the astronauts keep their spacecraft on course.

"On their flights between earth and the moon, it was said, the Apollo ships were off course much of the time. In each instance, the spacecraft would wander off its path and the crew would correct—wander off and correct, again and again. And do you know what? It didn't matter. What mattered were the results. They got to the moon. They got home. They did it by having the discipline and knowledge to get themselves back on course. They followed not a perfect path, but a critical path."

Whether we're shooting for the moon, seeking to achieve a better personal or family life, or seeking to obey and serve God, whatever our goals, the principle is the same. There are always unpredictable and unexpected events that call for change and adjustment. Although the astronauts had to be precise in their calculations, they still allowed for mistakes and corrections. The person who doesn't allow for such adjustments will probably not reach his or her goals. As Charles Garfield explained, the "critical path" is the way to reach any target.

For the Christian our goal is to obey and serve God and to go on to maturity. We will stumble at times, make mistakes, fail, and hit many a bump in the road. When we fall, however, the important thing is the critical path—to get up, correct our course and go on.

And as one author reminds us, "The bumps are what we climb on!"

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, every day I commit and trust my life and way to you and commit my life to serving you. Thank you that you are always with me to guide and direct my life and correct any wrong or harmful turns that I might make—to keep me on target with the goals and purpose you have for my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Proverbs 24:16, (NIV).

Index

8. Receive Daily Encounter E-mail ... Free

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Over 15 million e-mail Daily, Weekend and Prayer Encounters are delivered to subscribers every year!

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Index

9. Receive E-mail Edition of Weekend Encounter ... Free

NOTE: Some ISPs (especially AOL) now use e-mail filtering software that allows you to add e-mail addresses to your 'buddy', 'safe', or 'approved' list. Please be sure to add acts@actsweb.org to yours so you won't miss any issue of Weekend Encounter.

Index

10. Know God ... Without having to be religious

Click on: How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian -- without having to be religious. Know God

Index

11. Seven Pillars of Character

The first of these six pillars of character are from Michael Josephson of Character counts to which I have added a seventh:

  • Trustworthiness
  • Respect
  • Responsibility
  • Fairness
  • Caring
  • Citizenship
  • Personal Honesty

Index

12. Prayer Partners Needed

One of ACTS greatest needs is Prayer Partners to stand with us as we seek to share the gospel with millions of people around the world through E-mail and the Internet and to win the lost to Jesus. If you would like to be an ACTS Prayer Partner, please subscribe to the Prayer Encounter list. Approximately two prayer reports are emailed monthly. Thank you.

Index

13. To Submit a Prayer Request

If you have a special prayer request please submit it to David Clark at: www.responda.co.uk/prayer.php. David is not on the ACTS staff but is offering this as a service to Daily and Weekend Encounter readers.

Helpers Needed: If you can help David pray for prayer requests, please could you go to:
www.responda.co.uk/member.php

Index

14. Help Support Weekend Encounter

    "Changing the World . . . One Person at a Time" 

Weekend Encounter and Daily Encounter are just two of the ways the nonprofit organization, ACTS International, is working to improve the spiritual and emotional life of many thousands of people around the world.

Every weekday Daily Encounter is going to 77,000+ subscribers, and every week Weekend Encounter is going to 10,000+ subscribers worldwide—many of whom are in places where it is forbidden to spread the Christian gospel and message. Plus we reach several hundred thousand more every week through our advertising. As a result every day we are seeing an average of 8-10 salvation responses from around the world—over 1876 in the past six months!

If you find value in the free Weekend Encounter and/or Daily Encounter, we hope you will be comfortable donating at least $26. That's only 50 cents a week for an entire year (tax-deductible in the U.S.). You can donate in one of the following ways:

Donate Online: You can donate online at ACTS secure web site. Click HERE on ACTS support donations.

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Index

15. Helpful Books and Cassette Messages

Oprah Winfrey: "Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi." – Oprah Winfrey

Books:

Books by Dick Innes, Editor of Weekend Encounter
   You Can't Fly With a Broken Wing
   How to Mend a Broken Heart
   I Hate Witnessing—A Handbook for Effective Christian
      Communications

Books by Bestseller and Popular Authors:
   The Miracle of Kindness
   His Needs, Her Needs by Willard F. Harley, Jr.
     has topped the charts as the best marriage
     book available. More than one million couples
     have read it ... made their marriage sizzle.
   Fall in Love Stay in Love
   Just Hand Over the Chocolate ...
   Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships
   Sex Starts in the Kitchen
   Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours
   Harried With Children
   Adolescence Is Not an Illness
   Show Time
   It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian
   On Sale at: http://www.actscom.com/store

Cassettes:

  Healing, Wholeness & Happiness by Dick Innes
  Loving & Understanding People by Dick Innes
  I Hate Witnessing by Dick Innes
  God's Formula for Success by Dick Innes
  Damaged Emotions by David Seamands
  Healing of the Memories by David Seamands...
  On SALE at:
http://tinyurl.com/2unmmy

More books, tapes and poems by D. Innes & others are also available at: http://www.actscom.com/store

Index

16. Free Services

 1. Bible concordance and Bible helps
 2. New Hope Crisis Counseling with trained
     lay/volunteer counselors. www.newhopenow.org
 
3. E-Word Today for a daily Bible reading
 4. To find your ZIP+4 Area Code in the U.S.A.
 5. How to find and write to your U.S. Representative
 6. ASK ... Smart answers fast
 7. Send a FREE greeting card for all occasions
 8. To check the weather in your area
 9. Hoax Web Sites
10. Plus many more sources of helpful information

11. Also donate to Food for the Hungry

GO TO: http://www.actsweb.org/links.php

Index

17. ACTS in Action Report and Encounter Archives

ARCHIVES: Daily and Weekend Encounters




"Because the world is hungry,
    go with bread.
Because the world is filled with strife,
    go with peace.
Because the world is filled with deceptions and lies,
    go with truth.
Because the world would die without,
    go with the love of God."


Know God

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PO Box 73545
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