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 Dick Innes


Weekend Encounter

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

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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. 11 – No. 1509 April 11, 2009


Celebrate Easter click HERE


Thought for the week: "Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind." – Henry James
 
    INDEX
1.   Words of Wisdom
2.   On the Lighter Side
3.   Three Things in Life...
4.   Enthusiasm
5.   Inverse Paranoid?
6.   Good Relationships Make a Good Life
7.   Forgiveness Vs. Reconciliation
8.   Receive Daily Encounter Devotional  Without Charge
9.   Weekend Encounter E-mail Edition  Without Charge
10.   Know God ... Without Having to Be Religious
11.   Prayer Partners Needed
12.   To Submit a Prayer Request
13.   Please Help Support Weekend Encounter
14.   Helpful Books and Cassette Messages
15.   ACTS in Action Report; Archives for Daily and Weekend Encounter
 

1. Words of Wisdom

"Talent made a poor appearance. Until he married Perseverance." – Arthur Guiterman

"Laughter is inner jogging." – Norman Cousins

"As one goes through life, one learns that if you don't paddle your own canoe, you don't move." – Katharine Hepburn

"Life... It tends to respond to our outlook, to shape itself to meet our expectations." – Richard M. DeVos

"If we all did the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves." – Thomas Edison

"If God let you hit a home run the last time up, then who struck you out the time before that?" – Tigers' Manager, Sparky Anderson

"If you dream it, you can do it." – Walt Disney

Index

2. On the Lighter Side

Random Musings

Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life, we could simply press 'Ctr Alt Delete' and start all over?

If raising children were going to be easy, it never would have started with something called labor!

Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.

When weeding a garden, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it was a valuable plant.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

How is it that one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here and drink whatever comes out."?

Who was the first person to say, "See that chicken there? I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta its butt."

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Source: Bill's-Punch-Line by Bill Rayborn http://www.ilevite.com

Index

3. Three Things in Life...

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back:
1. Time 2. Words 3. Opportunity

Three things in life that can destroy a person:
1. Anger 2. Pride 3. Unforgiveness

Three things in life that you should never lose:
1. Hope 2. Peace 3. Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable:
1. Love 2. Family and Friends 3. Kindness

Three things in life that are never certain:
1. Fortune 2. Success 3. Dreams

Three things that make a person:
1. Commitment 2. Sincerity 3. Hard work

Three things that are truly constant:
1. Father 2. Son 3. Holy Spirit

I ask the Lord to bless you, as I pray for you today; to guide you and protect you, as you go along your way. God's love is always with you, God's promises are true. And when you give God all your cares, you know God will see you through.

Submitted by Douglas Roman

Index

4. Enthusiasm

"Every memorable act in the history of the world is a triumph of enthusiasm. Nothing great was ever achieved without it, because it gives any challenge or any occupation, no matter how frightening or difficult, a new meaning. Without enthusiasm you are doomed to a life of mediocrity but with it, you can accomplish miracles."

Og Mandino. Source: Bob Proctor insights@insightoftheday.com

Index

5. Inverse Paranoid?

If you want to keep happy and healthy, try being an "inverse paranoid." An inverse paranoid is someone who thinks everyone is out to make him happy. Try it. It works. Just imagine everyone you meet is trying to bring happiness and joy to your life. And then try to do the same for them. You and I are called by God to be happy. To be happy does not mean that everything has to go right, and that problems and frustrations disappear. A happy person in the Lord is one who knows from where strength and comfort come. Live joyfully in the forgiveness that is yours each day.

Rich Bimler. Source: This Day's Thought, www.thisdaysthought.org

Index

6. Good Relationships Make a Good Life

By Michael Josephson of Character Counts (581.1)

If we interviewed 100 people who are unusually happy, I think the most prominent common denominator would be unusually good relationships.

Despite the widespread promotion of materialism and vanity in our popular culture, wealth and beauty are not enough to produce happiness. In fact, they're not even necessary. What's more, bad relationships—at work, at home, or among friends—are a surefire source of anguish and heartache.

For most of us, the connections that most strongly influence our level of happiness are family bonds. And the most powerful of all are at the inner core of family, especially parent-child relationships.

No matter what your age, kinship with your parents will always have a unique capacity to generate comfort or pain. Many children have ambivalent feelings about their folks. Yet most crave their approval, respect, and love. Parents have a similar need.

If you're a parent, resolve to make more consistent and conscientious efforts to make your children feel appreciated. If you want to make their lives and yours happier, be careful to not demean or diminish their achievements and to avoid expressions of disappointment. Tell your child you're proud to have him or her as a son or daughter.

And if you still can, give your parents pleasure by showing that you love them, not only for what they did for you as a child but for who they are now. Talk to them frequently and talk of meaningful things. Ask their advice—and don't roll your eyes if you disagree with it. One of the best ways to express your love is through respect.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

© 2009 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. Forgiveness Vs. Reconciliation

Sample of Daily Encounter by Dick Innes

"Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."1

Following a series of Daily Encounters on "Forgiveness," a number of readers wanted to know if forgiving another person means that we have to forget what has happened; or to love and stay with them if they are abusive; or to trust them?

The answer is no, no, no! Let me explain further.

When we have sinned, we need to be reconciled to God,2 but while reconciliation with others is the ideal, it isn't always possible--and sometimes not to be desired.

Some teachers argue that forgiveness isn't possible unless the offending person admits what she/he has done and asks for forgiveness of the one they have hurt. If this were true, many of us would be stuck for life because many people do not, or will not, admit that they have done anything wrong, let alone apologize for it.

Forgiveness is dependent only on the person who has been hurt. Reconciliation is dependent on both the offended and the one who has offended.

One reader, whose husband was an alcoholic and physically abusive and dangerous when drunk, wanted to know if forgiving him meant loving and trusting him. Whew ... she was in quite a predicament. However, the most loving thing she could do was to confront him and let him know that she was not going to tolerate his behavior any longer.

Furthermore, unless he got into recovery, and overcame his alcoholism and abusive behavior, she needs to separate herself and the children from him, and not return until his counselor could assure her that she and the children would be safe to live with him again. If she keeps tolerating his abusive and destructive behavior, she becomes part of his sickness.

In cases like this, the first thing victims need to do is to get professional counsel and help because some of these abusive husbands can become very dangerous. And unless destructive and/or toxic, abusive people repent and change their ways, it is wise to avoid associating with them wherever possible. As the Bible indicates, it just isn't possible to live peaceably with all people.

Suggested prayer, "Dear God, in all my relationships, please help me to forgive all who have hurt me, to seek forgiveness where I have hurt others, and give me the wisdom to know when reconciliation is or isn't advisable or possible, and give me the courage to do what I need to do no matter how painful or frightening it may be. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Romans 12:17-18 (NASB).
2. 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV).

Index

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11. Prayer Partners Needed

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Index

12. 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

13. 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 266,000+ 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 10 salvation responses from around the world—over 3600 in the past 12 months!

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Index

14. Helpful Books and Cassettes

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

Click HERE for books, tapes and poems by Dick Innes and others.

Index

15. 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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