Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 10 – No. 4708 November 22, 2008
Thought for the week: "The deeper one penetrates into nature's secrets, the greater becomes one's respect for God." – Albert Einstein (as cited in Brian 1996, 119)
"We simply assume that the way we see things is the way they really are or the way they should be. And our attitudes and behaviors grow out of these [often false] assumptions." – Stephen Covey
"No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has." – Henry Ward Beecher
"Have you ever noticed that if you spend time around people who have strong personalities, you will automatically be affected by them? You'll find yourself doing the things they do. Their mannerisms will rub off on you. You can't help it. They just influence you, especially if they are people you respect and admire." – Gloria Copeland
"You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you." – Walt Disney
"My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."
– Charles Kettering
"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." – Winston Churchill
The day I immigrated to the United States, when I was fifteen years old, I was given a green ID card that featured a cute photo of me.
Years later, when I went to the courthouse to become a citizen, one of the clerks confiscated my Green Card. "What will you do with it?" my wife asked.
"We have to burn it," was the answer.
"Could you please at least cut the photo off and let us keep it?" my wife queried.
"Absolutely not!" the clerk replied. "This is official government property and as such it cannot be mutilated before we destroy it!"
In his Ministry Toolbox newsletter, Rick Warren emphasizes the importance of offering listeners an opportunity to respond to the gospel. He says, "I believe we should always offer unbelievers an opportunity to respond to Christ in a seeker-service. They may choose to not respond, and you must respect that without pressuring them, but I feel the opportunity must always be offered. Too many pastors go fishing without ever reeling in the line or drawing in the net."
i can't verify the validity of the following story but what I can verify is that, as the hymn writer so stated: "God moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform."
A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her small daughter was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication. She got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys in the car. She didn't know what to do, so she called home and told the babysitter what had happened. The babysitter told her that the fever was getting worse. She said, "You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door."
The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been left on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time had locked their keys in their car. She looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this." She bowed her head and asked God to send her help.
Within five minutes a beat up old motorcycle pulled up, with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head. The woman thought, This is what you sent to help me? But, she was desperate, so she was also very thankful. The man got off of his cycle and asked if he could help.
She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?" He said, "Sure." He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was opened. She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank you so much! You are a very nice man." The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour."
The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud, "Oh, thank you, God! You even sent me a professional!"
I delight in giving and receiving the joy of God's Spirit.
My joy is not dependent on the events, material things, or even the people around me. True gladness flows from the Spirit of God within me.
A joyful spirit from the Spirit is strengthening, for it encourages me to find good in any situation. Joy keeps me focused and positive, even when those around me are not. There is a joy in watching the flight of a butterfly or hearing a baby's laughter. There is an overflowing joy of spirit in spending time in prayer.
Joy is not something I keep to myself. The more I share it, the more I receive in return. As I let the light of joy shine in my eyes and through my voice and actions, I find that the people I meet respond in positive, cheerful ways. I delight in giving and receiving the joy of the Holy Spirit.
The virtue of respect is demonstrated by being courteous and civil and treating everyone in a manner that acknowledges and honors their essential human dignity.
An important but often neglected aspect of respect is listening to what others have to say.
Respectful listening is more than hearing. It requires us to actually consider what's being said. That's hard when we've heard it before, aren't interested, or don't think much of the person talking. It's even worse when we act like we're listening but are really waiting for our turn to speak.
The fact is, most of us don't listen very well, certainly not all the time, and especially with people closest to us. Kids are especially adept at tuning out their parents, but parents are equally skilled at ignoring or dismissing as foolish or irrelevant what their kids have to say.
Disrespect is most apparent when others ignore or patronize us. Like when they roll their eyes or betray fake interest by vacantly staring or letting their gaze wander.
We all want to know that what we say and think matters. But if we want others to care about what we say, we need to care about what they say. Like all the important virtues, we teach respect best by demonstrating it.
So listen up! It'll make people feel better, and you may even learn something.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."1
You may have read the story about the piano teacher who was affectionately known as Herman. One night at a university concert, a distinguished piano player suddenly became ill while performing an extremely difficult piece. No sooner had the artist retired from the stage when Herman rose from his seat in the audience, walked on stage, sat down at the piano and with great mastery completed the performance.
Later that evening, at a party, one of the students asked Herman how he was able to perform such a demanding piece so beautifully without notice and with no rehearsal. He replied, "In 1939, when I was a budding young concert pianist, I was arrested and placed in a Nazi concentration camp. Putting it mildly, the future looked bleak. But I knew that in order to keep the flicker of hope alive that I might someday play again, I needed to practice every day. I began by fingering a piece from my repertoire on my bare board bed late one night.
"The next night I added a second piece and soon I was running through my entire repertoire. I did this every night for five years. It so happens that the piece I played tonight at the concert hall was part of that repertoire. That constant practice is what kept my hope alive. Every day I renewed my hope that I would one day be able to play my music again on a real piano, and in freedom."
I'm sure that some of our readers at this time are facing great hardships and may even be in peril for their life. The Apostle Paul knew what it was like to experience great hardships, shipwreck, whippings, and being thrown into prison for his faith. He was the one who wrote today's Scripture verse encouraging the Christians in Rome (who, if they weren't going through persecution at the time, would soon be) to find encouragement and hope in the Word of God. May you and I do the same.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in times of hardship, despair and suffering, please help me to keep practicing my faith every day, putting my trust entirely in you. And please bring me through triumphantly to the last day when I will see you face to face and know you as you are. Grant that this hope and the encouragement from your Word will keep me enduring to the end. Gratefully, in Jesus' name. Amen."
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