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. 11 – No. 2109 May 23, 2009
Thought for the week: "Housework is work that is largely unnoticed until it isn't done." – Unknown
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls, and looks like work." – Thomas Alva Edison
"Every man is the architect of his own fortune." – Appius Claudius
"Your own resolution to success is more important than any other one thing." – Abraham Lincoln
"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." – Abraham Lincoln
"What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog, but the size of the fight in the dog." – Unknown
"Knowledge is power, but enthusiasm pulls the switch." – Ivern Ball
"Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody." – Henry Wadsworth
"The best way to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm. If our community doesn't help itself, who will?" – Rena Hull
Karl Barth was lecturing 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]."
Deep down, true survivors know they'll win. As a U.S. Special Forces trainer said: "If you have a guy with all the survival training in the world who has a negative attitude, and a guy who doesn't have a clue but has a positive attitude, I guarantee you that the guy with a positive attitude is coming out of the woods alive!"
A survivor never, never gives up because nothing is impossible with God. A survival experience is an incomparable gift: "It will tell you who you really are."
"The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:27).
From Faith Thought of the Day by Ray Lamie. To subscribe send a blank email to RIL3@aol.com
Disdain for money is a common theme among moralists and philosophers. But money's not the problem. It's what people do to get it and what they do with it when they get it.
In Fiddler on the Roof, a poor man sings of his daydreams of the wonderful life he'd have if he were a rich man. And surely it would be better. As someone once said, "I've been poor and I've been rich. Rich is better."*
Yet the Biblical warning that "love of money is the root of all evil" reminds us to be aware of the difference between need and greed.
It's one thing to make money a central goal to escape poverty and provide for basic necessities. It's quite another when it becomes our primary motivation and measure of success or when we equate happiness or worthiness with wealth.
The love of money can have a powerful narcotic effect on our values. It can push us toward or keep us in unhealthy relationships and unsatisfying careers. It can lead us to undervalue the importance of relationships and work. It can make us into workaholics who neglect family and friends. And it can spawn dishonorable conduct that pollutes our souls and makes us unworthy despite our net worth.
According to an old Hasidic saying, "One who thinks money can do everything is likely to do anything to get it."
Perhaps Swiss philosopher Rousseau said it best: "The money you have can give you freedom, but the money you pursue enslaves you."
The challenge is to put the value of money in perspective. In the end, the question is: How much are we willing to pay to have money?
*This famous quote has been attributed to various people including Mae West, Sophie Tucker, and Gertrude Stein.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."1
One man, whom I shall call Jerry, was divorced by his wife twenty years ago. She has long since been remarried to another man. But Jerry is still living under the delusion that she will come back to him.
Instead of growing through longsuffering, Jerry is groaning through suffering long ... which is a thief of peace and happiness and has stopped him from getting on with his life (and growing)—and makes this kind of suffering worse than useless.
God's purpose for longsuffering is to help us grow, to learn patience, and become better, healthier, and more peaceful and fulfilled persons.
Suffering long is when we can change our circumstances (or at least our attitude) but keep doing what we've always done and expect different results. But as the old saying goes, "Nothing changes if nothing changes."
Unfortunately, when we are blind to the reality of what we are contributing to the situation we are in and keep hoping for change, too often we do more of the same of what we've been doing all along. And then as we remain in our pain, we play the excuse-game, the rationalization-game, and/or the blame-game ... blaming others, God or the devil for our misfortunes and miseries—but fail to take personal responsibility for changing ourselves!
And how do I know? Been there—done that! I wish they would have taught me this lesson in Sunday School—or even in college!
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in the words of another, 'Grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me.' 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 to280,000+ 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 70 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 280,000+ 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 15-16 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.
