Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 11 – No. 1909 May 09, 2009
Thought for the week: "The drops of rain make a hole in the stone, not by violence, but by oft falling." – Lucretius
Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers for Sunday, May 10
1. Words of Wisdom
"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no help at all." – Dale Carnegie
"There is a sense of exhilaration that comes from facing head-on the hard truths and saying, 'We will never give up. We will never capitulate. It might take a long time, but we will find a way to prevail.'" – Jim Collins
"If you meet me and forget me, you have lost nothing, but if you meet Jesus Christ, and forget Him, you have lost (everything) eternal life." – Unknown
"You cannot see faith, but you can see the footprints of the faithful. We must leave behind "faithful footprints" for others to follow."
– Dr. Dennis Anderson
"A good plan is like a road map: It shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there" – H. Stanley Judd
"The greatest discovery of this generation is that a human being can alter their life by altering their attitude." – William James
Little Johnny's kindergarten class was on a field trip to their local police station where they saw pictures tacked to a bulletin board of the 10 most wanted criminals. One of the youngsters pointed to a picture and asked if it really was the photo of a wanted person. "Yes," said the policeman. "The detectives want very badly to capture him." Little Johnny asked, "Why didn't you keep him when you took his picture?"
Dr. John Maxwell of San Diego, California, claims that the average person influences 10,000 people—either for good or bad—in the course of a lifetime.
Everyday our words, our actions and our behaviors are heard, seen and felt by many. According to Dr. Maxwell, at least two or three of those people will be impacted daily by those words, deeds and actions. We don't think much about it, but we are always "on stage." We do make a difference one way or the other. That influence may affect another for many years to come.
Source: Thought for Today by Ray Lammie. To subscribe, send a blank email to RIL3@aol.com with Subscribe in the Subject line.
Karl Barth was lecturing to a group of students at Princeton. One student asked the renowned German theologian, "Sir, don't you think that God has revealed himself in other religions and not only in Christianity?" Barth's answer stunned the crowd. With a modest thunder he answered, "No, God has not revealed himself in any religion, including Christianity. He has revealed himself in his Son [Jesus]."
4 years old: My Mommy can do anything!
8 years old: My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 years old: My Mother doesn't really know quite
everything.
14 years old: Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.
16 years old: Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 years old: That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 years old: Well, she might know a little bit about it.
35 years old: Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 years old: Wonder what Mom would have thought
about it?
65 years old: Wish I could talk it over with Mom
Today's thought: DIAPER spelled backward is REPAID.
It's a sad and sobering fact that as I get older, attending funerals of dear friends and relatives become an ever more frequent part of my life.
I spent a recent birthday in Detroit at the funeral of my Uncle Marvin, a gentle, generous, modest man described by all as a mensch—a person of extraordinary character.
It's been said that "If you want to know how to live your life, think about what you want people to say about you after you die—and live backward." Uncle Marvin seemed to do that, and he would have been pleased by the things people said about him.
Although it's heartwarming to hear words of tribute for a life well lived, I confess I feel a profound sense of loss and foreboding when I'm forced to face the fact that people I care about have left and will never come back.
In one of my poems, I acknowledge that "Some day it will all come to an end; there will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours, or days." I can't get my mind around the idea that there will be a day when my life will not be measured by moments but by memories. And it chills me to contemplate not being able to caress, counsel, or comfort my wife and children. Far worse is any thought of the grief they may suffer when I leave them.
Yet I know I must accept what I cannot change. Although it doesn't feel like enough, I find some consolation knowing I'm striving daily to live my life as fully as I can and will not squander any opportunity to express my love and appreciate the love I'm lucky enough to receive.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."1
I have read how, in 1929, business tycoon J.C. Penney was in the hospital because of his severe anxiety. One night he was sure he was going to die, so he wrote farewell letters to his wife and son.
But he survived the night, and hearing singing the next morning in the chapel, felt drawn to go in. A group was singing, "God will take care of you," after which followed Bible reading and prayer.
Penney said, "Suddenly something happened. I can't explain it. It was a miracle. I felt as if I had been instantly lifted out of the darkness of a dungeon into warm, brilliant sunlight. I felt as if I had been transported from hell to paradise. I felt the power of God as I had never felt it before.
"I realized then that I alone was responsible for all my troubles. I knew that God with his love was there to help me. From that day to this, my life has been free from worry. The most dramatic and glorious minutes of my life were those I spent in that chapel that morning."2
Most causes of anxiety and worry lie within ourselves. At best they are triggered by outside circumstances. Only when we admit to and resolve these causes, are we free to fully surrender our worries and anxieties to God and experience his peace.
Whether this peace comes instantly or over a period of time doesn't matter. The important truth to remember is that God is always there. His love and power are constant and available to all. As we reach out to him through the fog of our worry and damaged emotions, we discover that he is waiting to help us if only we will be totally open and honest with him, respond to his love, and give him the chance.
Every day, visualize Jesus being with you and opening yourself to receive his love, joy and peace. After resolving the causes of worry and anxiety as spelled out in Wednesday and Thursday's Daily Encounters, the ultimate source of worry-free living is found in learning to trust God fully for every detail and in every circumstance of our life.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, again today I commit and trust my life and every circumstance in which I find myself to you. I choose to trust you regardless of my feelings. Help me so to do. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
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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
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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...
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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."
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