Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
To receive the email edition of Weekend Encounter (without charge) click on the Subscribe button.
Privacy policy: We do not sell or rent subscriber's e-mail
addresses to anyone. We value your privacy.
Global Communications Outreach:
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. 10 – No. 2408 June 14, 2008
Thought for the week: "God promised a safe landing, not smooth sailing." – Unknown
"No change of circumstances can repair a defect of character." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
"There's a big difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do." – Michael Josephson
"Men, great and influential in other things, but small in prayer, cannot do the work Almighty God has set out for His Church to do in this, His world." – E. M. Bounds
"A realist is an idealist who has gone through the fire and been purified. A skeptic is an idealist who has gone through the fire and been burned." – Warren Wiersbe
"Your attitude determines your altitude." – Stephen R. Covey
"Yesterday is like a cancelled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is like ready cash. Use it wisely, for today is the most precious possession you can have." – Unknown
An expressive woman wandered into a worship service of an upper class mainstream church. As the pastor preached, she became so caught up in his message that she exclaimed, "Praise the Lord!" A fellow worshipper leaned over and whispered, "Excuse me, but we don't 'praise the Lord' in this church." A man down the pew corrected him: "Yes we do; it's on page 19."
In an article on "What's Wrong With Buying Lottery Tickets?" Hal Lane observes, "Legalized gambling teaches the following principles:
Gambling is good. The state will give its seal of approval to a practice that has led many into addictive and destructive lifestyles. They will be sanctioning a false hope of instant wealth that has resulted in abandoned children, divorce, financial ruin, theft and suicide. They will lose the moral authority to oppose other forms of gambling that will follow.
Greed is good. The state will seek to entice players to take a chance on instant wealth. Instead of teaching the biblical principle that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, it will teach that the lack of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
It is good to educate the wealthy with money from the poor. Despite skewed statistics that attempt to say that lottery tickets are bought by a cross section of the economic spectrum, the truth is that the poor and desperate buy disproportionately more lottery tickets. "Those making less than $10,000 per year spend more than any other income group, averaging $597 per year. Furthermore, the top 5 percent of lottery players account for over 50 percent of lottery sales, spending on average $3,870 per year." (Timothy A. Kelly, Family Research Council)
The end justifies the means. It is not how we raise money but how we use the money that determines the morality of the means. If citizens are OK with using revenue generated from lottery ticket sales, will state legislators next consider legalizing pornography and prostitution and earmarking those funds for students' benefits?
Lotteries are thinly veiled cloaks for greed and selfishness. Christians can stand out as stars in a dark culture by refusing to participate in the many forms of gambling, including the lottery."1
"I was given a most precious gift this morning when I woke up. It's a gift I never received before. It's one I can't keep, can't return, can't save, and don't know how well it will really work. I do know it's a most wonderful and beautiful gift. I hope I value and appreciate it enough to use it wisely. That gift is 'this day!' Enjoy yours and make it a very special one."
By Ray Lammie, a four-time cancer survivor in "Random Thoughts on Life." To subscribe to his ezine send an email to RIL3@aol.com with Subscribe in the Subject line.
We don't need to look far to be amazed by the intricate designs of creation. Our very own bodies bear witness to the wonders of our Creator. Each of us contains around 1 trillion cells, of more than 100 types, knitted together in a very complex manner. Our hearts pump the equivalent of 1,800 gallons of blood a day. Our brains process roughly 100 million pieces of data each second yet use far less electricity than a light bulb to do so. We can hear over 300,000 different tones and see approximately 8 million color differences. As for our muscles, if all 600 pulled together in one direction, we would be able to lift around 25 tons of weight.
As Lily Tomlin said, "No matter how cynical I get, I can't keep up."
Our economy has been shattered by widespread corporate fraud; kids lie, steal, and cheat at unprecedented rates; and parents beat up each other or referees at youth sports events or supply alcohol to fuel organized hazing. Our confidence in the integrity of journalism, accounting, stock brokering, sports, organized religion, and business is continually shaken by a relentless barrage of shameful behavior.
It's tempting to throw up our hands in despair and surrender to cynicism.
It reminds me of the tale of the pious young man whose car broke down on his way to his place of worship. He had to walk through an area where homeless people huddled against buildings for warmth, alcoholics and mentally ill adults wandered the streets, and crack dealers sold drugs to kids. He was overcome with a sense of despondency and doubt about the power and intentions of God.
"God," he prayed, "how can you allow all this pain and misery and do nothing?" Receiving no answer, he became frustrated and raised his voice, "Lord, my very faith is at issue! How can you allow this suffering and do nothing?"
Then someone behind him whispered, "He didn't do nothing. He made you."
What a profound insight and daunting responsibility it is to realize that you can be the instrument of reform. That your courage, compassion, and creativity in your own sphere of influence can set into motion a ripple effect of healing actions and attitudes to make a better world.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you [God]. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you."1
I have read how "two fellows were driving a delivery truck down a road when they came to a tunnel. The sign above said: 'Warning: Maximum Height 10 feet zero inches,' so they got out and measured their truck. Unfortunately, the truck was just over 12 feet high.
"They didn't know what to do, when finally one of them looked in both directions and said, 'I don't see any police, let's go for it!'"
The result was obvious.
I guess far too many of us knew very well we shouldn't do a certain thing or commit a certain sin, but we did it anyhow because we thought no one was watching.
We may not have seen the immediate effects, but we always reap what we sow—even if it is eventually. Furthermore, acting wrong too often because no one is watching can easily become a habit.
As George Dana Boardman wisely said, "Sow an act ... reap a habit; sow a habit ... reap a character; sow a character ... reap a destiny."
The reality is that we can never hide from God. He sees all. He knows all. And he judges all unless we confess our sins and receive his forgiveness. As God's Word also says, "Be sure your sin will find you out."2
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me always to be honest with myself and with you and always do good and refrain from doing bad, not because anyone is watching or not watching, but because I believe in doing right and living in harmony with your will. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."
Daily Encounter, a free weekday e-mail inspirational from ACTS International is now going to 169,000+ subscribers. Scores of letters from around the world have come from readers saying how much they are being helped by this brief, practical devotional.
Over 41 million e-mail Daily, Weekend and Prayer Encounters are delivered to subscribers every year!
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 Daily Encounter.
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.
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.
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
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 169,000 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 12-14 salvation responses from around the world—over 5000 in the past 12 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:
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
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
"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."
ACTS International
PO Box 73545
San Clemente, CA 92673-0119
U.S.A.
To receive the email edition of Weekend Encounter
without charge click on the Subscribe button.
Privacy policy: We do not sell or rent subscriber's e-mail
addresses to anyone. We value your privacy.
