Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 12 – No. 3910 September 25, 2010
Thought for the week: "To lead the orchestra, you have to turn your back on the crowd." – Max Lucado
"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." – Alice Walker
"All great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties." – William Bradford
"Character—the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life—is the source from which self-respect springs." – Joan Didion
"If people knew how hard I worked to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful." – Michelangelo
"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." – Francis of Assisi
"Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitudes toward life. The longer I live the more convinced I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it." – Charles Swindoll
Charlie, a new retiree greeter at Walmart, just couldn't seem to get to work on time. Every day he was 5, 10, 15 minutes late. But he was a good worker, really tidy, clean-shaven, sharp-minded and a real credit to the company and obviously demonstrating their "Older Person Friendly" policies.
One day the boss called him into the office for a talk: "Charlie, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic. You do a bang-up job, but being late so often is quite bothersome."
"Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it."
"Well good, you are a team player. That's what I like to hear. It's odd though you're coming in late. I know you're retired from the armed forces. What did they say if you came in late there?"
"They said, 'Good morning, General, can I get you coffee, sir?'"
3. A Pocket Parable: An Eraser and Thirty-Seven Cents
What did you hide in your pockets when you were a kid? What do you keep in your pockets now? Perhaps there is a treasure stuffed into your pocket right now!
It was Poppa's birthday, and there was never a little boy more anxious to please his grandfather than Lance. The family party with cake and gifts was not enough for Lance. He was a big boy now. He was three years old and he wanted to give his own present.
As little boys will do, Lance always had pockets full of junk, including erasers. For some reason he dearly loved erasers. He thought it was magical that they could make pencil marks and even finger prints on the walls disappear.
Poppa was engrossed in the newspaper. "Poppa," said Lance. "Happy Birthday, Poppa. I have my own present for you." Poppa lowered the paper and looked over the top of his glasses. Lance reached down deep into the pocket of his patched Levis and struggled to pull out a tiny gift wrapped in a Kleenex and a rubber band twisted into a bow. "It's for you, Poppa. It's my favorite eraser. Cause, Poppa, I really love you." Then Lance's little freckled face broke into a huge grin. "I have something else for you Poppa, cause I love you." He struggled again to reach down to the bottom of his Levi pocket. He pulled his chubby dimpled hand out and opened it to reveal some coins. "Here Poppa, you can have all my money. This is all the money I've got, and it's for you, Poppa. Happy Birthday."
Now tears are sneaking their way down Poppa's cheeks. "Oh, Lance, I can't take all your money." "Yeah, Poppa, it's for you 'cause you are my Poppa and I love you. Is it lots of money, Poppa? How much is it?" "Oh yes, it's lots of money, Lance. It's 37 cents. Thank you very, very much."
It was only an eraser and thirty seven cents given by a little boy in patched Levis. Yet that simple act of unreserved giving brought Heaven to earth in one stunning moment. A sweaty dimpled little hand revealed a glimpse of God.
Who do you love enough to give everything you have in your pockets? Has anyone ever given everything for you? Well, Jesus gave his all when he gave his life for you. As he surrendered his life, he erased all your mistakes and misdeeds simply because He loves you.
The [recent] plan to burn copies of the Quran to demonstrate opposition to those who attacked America on 9/11 was the idea of a leader of a small (50 member) religious group—called in some accounts a "church"—in Florida, became a dramatic illustration of how the media can lead the public into a frenzied reaction, pro and con.
To begin with, there is nothing unusual about the current day destruction of religious books. Our own military just last year confiscated and burned hundreds of Bibles sent to American service men in Afghanistan. Every day we read of Christian churches burned, and Bibles confiscated, shredded and burned by Muslims in countries around the world, and there is no outcry, no objection. But let there be even talk of a copy of the Quran being destroyed, and in Muslim countries the Amerian flag is burned and threats of death are vowed against all Americans.
Life is a "long distance run"—however, there are times when you need to "sprint." When those times come—in work or in your personal life—do whatever it takes. Put in the hours, focus on the issue, and put aside most everything else. Good business leaders do this all the time. When the job is completed, then take time off, or just slow the pace down. The trick, of course, is to know when you must sprint.
There are those who sprint all the time; this never works long term. They burn out. Workaholics do this and they pay a price. Sometimes their health suffers and many times it's their personal life that pays the price. Some others are addicted to adrenaline and always seem to need the rush of sprinting. These types seem to get down a lot. One day they are motivated like crazy, and the next day they can't seem to get going.
Source: Thoughts in Color and Black & White by Raymond & Barbara Lammie
In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy asks Charlie Brown, "Why do you think we were put on earth?"
Charlie answers, "To make others happy."
Lucy replies, "I don't think I'm making anyone happy," and then adds, "but nobody's making me very happy either. Somebody's not doing his job!"
People like Lucy are so sure happiness is a matter of getting something that they ask, not what they can do for others but what others can and should do for them. They usually feel shortchanged or cheated. They become so preoccupied with what they don't have that they can't enjoy what they do have.
What's more, they don't realize one of the best ways to be happy is to experience the joy and self-worth of making others happy.
In his book, Happiness Is a Serious Problem, Dennis Prager argues that it's human nature to want and feel we need more. The problem is, the quest for more is endless because we can always add more to whatever we have. As a result, the Lucys of the world often live in an "if only" world that keeps them one step away from happiness: "If only I get this raise, make this sale, pay off my debts, or win this game, I'll be happy."
Abraham Lincoln understood that happiness is essentially a way of looking at one's life: "A person is generally about as happy as he's willing to be."
Thus, we're more likely to experience happiness if we realize it's not just getting what we want. It's learning to want what we get.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"Sit up!" the voice in the night said, "and take a deep breath."
It was a stormy night, a personal friend shared, and we were awakened by an extremely loud clap of thunder. After the initial fright, checking the kids and the house, we went back to bed and to sleep.
Then came the voice. I was certain I heard someone speaking. "Sit up and take in a deep breath," it said.
I only half-awoke and thought I must have been dreaming, so rolled over and went back to sleep.
The voice spoke again with more insistence, "Sit up and take in a deep breath."
This is weird, I thought, so again rolled over and went back to sleep.
"SIT UP! Take in a deep breath!" the voice spoke again with great urgency.
So I sat up and took in a deep breath ... and smelled smoke! I was fully awake in an instant ... awakened my husband ... rushed to wake the children ... we had the oldest one phone 911 (for emergency) ... my husband took over the phone ... the operator asked if the lights were working ... my husband said they were going out one room at a time.
"Get OUT of the house immediately," declared the operator. "Your house has been struck by lightning."
As quick as a flash the family rushed outside ... immediately the house exploded and burst into flames. It took firemen six hours to put the fire out. The house was totally destroyed ... but the entire family was saved.1
Talk about a God-wake-up call!
Surely this was a God thing. Fortunately the members of this family were committed followers of Jesus Christ, and even though they lost their house, their lives were saved. Furthermore, God has used this happenstance to touch and encourage many thousands of others.
God doesn't usually speak to most of us in an audible voice. He doesn't have to because his "wake-up call" is spoken to us repeatedly in his Word, the Bible.
"Wake up!" God says to every one of us, "Flee from the wrath to come"2 (God's judgment of a world that has turned from Him to go its own sinful ways). "Wake up!" "It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment."3
"Wake up!" "I will come again," Jesus said and promised to take all who believe in him to be with him in heaven forever.4 "Wake up!" Jesus is coming again ... it may be today. If it were, would you be ready? Again Jesus said, "I stand at the door [of your heart and life] and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in."5
Whatever you do don't miss God's wake-up call. Have you opened the door of your life and invited Jesus, the Son of God, to come into your heart and life as your God and your Savior? If not, may I urge you to do that today—right now—by praying a simple prayer such as the following:
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I hear your wake-up call as faint as it may be. I confess that I am a sinner and ask for your forgiveness. Thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross to pay the penalty for all my sins. I invite you to come into my heart and life as my God and my Savior. With your help I repent of and turn from my sinful ways. Thank you for hearing my prayer, for forgiving me of my sins, and for coming into my heart and life as my Savior. Help me to live for you always in all ways. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
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1. Linda Hook
2. Matthew 3:7.
3. Hebrews 9:27.
4. John 14:3.
5. Revelation 3:20.
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