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 Dick Innes


Weekend Encounter

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

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Vol. 13 – No. 3511 August 27, 2011

 
Thought for the week: "We have committed the Golden Rule to memory; let us now commit it to life." – Edwin Markham, American Poet
 
INDEX
1.   Words of Wisdom
2.   On the Lighter Side
3.   It's Happening in Britain
4.   One of Life's Most Valuable Lessons
5.   Appreciate the Present Moment
6.   Good News and Bad News
7.   Rising Above Discouragement
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, CDs, and Cassettes
15.   Services Without Charge
16.   ACTS in Action Report; Archives for Daily and Weekend Encounter

1. Words of Wisdom

"I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when He is silent." – Jewish refugee, World War II ... See: www.actsweb.org/god_silent.php

"It's not the weight of the load that gets you down but the way you carry it." – Lena Horne

"I have always been driven to buck the system, to innovate, to take things beyond where they've been." – Sam Walton, Wal-Mart founder

"Most people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to do everything they think they should, they never get around to do what they want to do." – Kathleen Winsor

"The will of God is not something you add to your life. It's a course you choose. You either line yourself up with the Son of God ... or you capitulate to the principle which governs the rest of the world." – Elisabeth Elliot

"It's not your position in life; it's the disposition you have which will change your position." – Dr. David McKinley

Index

2. On the Lighter Side

In the cafeteria of a Catholic school, the children were lined up for lunch. At the head of the line was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note and she had placed it in front of the apples. The note read: "Take only one, God is watching."

Further down the cafeteria line was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies... One of the boys had written a note of his own. The note he placed in front of the cookies read: "Take all you want, God is watching the apples."

– Source: The Good, Clean Funnies List

Index

3. It's Happening in Britain

It's happening in Britain; it could happen here.

A recent study from Great Britain shows that thousands of native-born Britishers are converting to Islam, while membership in the Anglican church continues to decline. Alan Wisdom, vice president for research at The Institute on Religion and Democracy, is not surprised by the report: "When you have a spiritual vacuum, something is going to fill it. And the Church of England and Christianity in Great Britain in general, have become very weak in their proclamation of the gospel.... It may be now that the numbers of Muslims who worship every week are greater than the numbers of people worshipping in the Church of England."

Studies show that while 30 Anglican parishes close every year, 70 new mosques appear across Great Britain.

The American News Commentary, Vol. 16, No. 5, February 2, 2011. © 2011 To Subscribe (no charge), click on: american_news-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Index

4. One of Life's Most Valuable Lessons

"One of the most valuable lesson that you need to learn is to do the thing you have to do—when it ought to be done—whether you like it or not."

– Author Unknown

      Index

5. Appreciate the Present Moment

"You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear. Do it! Develop an appreciation for the present moment. Seize every second of your life and savor it. Value your present moments. Using them up in any self-defeating ways means you've lost them forever."

– Wayne Dyer, Author and Speaker

Ed. Note. While it is true that we will, at the end of life, regret the many good things we didn't do, no doubt there will be regret over some of the things we did do; things for which we need God's forgiveness and, for some, the forgiveness of others.

Index

6. Good News and Bad News

By Michael Josephson of Character Counts (710.3)

There's good news and bad news in newly released data from a 2010 Josephson Institute of Ethics survey of more than 43,000 high school students.

The good news is that rates of stealing and cheating dropped about 5 percent since 2008. The bad news is that far too many high schoolers engage in dishonest conduct: Twenty-seven percent of the students admitted stealing from a store within the past year, and 60 percent said they cheated on an exam.

Twenty-one percent said they stole something from a parent or other relative, and 18 percent confessed they stole something from a friend.

More than two in five (42 percent) said they sometimes lie to save money.

As bad as these numbers are, it appears they understate the level of dishonesty exhibited by America's youth. More than one in four (26 percent) confessed they lied on at least one question on the survey. Experts agree that dishonesty on surveys usually is an attempt to conceal misconduct.

Despite these high levels of dishonesty, these same kids have a high self-image when it comes to ethics. A whopping 92 percent said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character, and 79 percent said that, "when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know."

This data reveals entrenched habits of dishonesty in today's young people, and that doesn't bode well for the future when these youngsters become the next generation's politicians and parents, cops and corporate executives, and journalists and generals.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

© 2011 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. Rising Above Discouragement

A sample of Daily Encounter by Dick Innes

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but when dreams come true at last, there is life and joy."1

"These boys won't make it. Go back to Liverpool, Mr. Epstein, you have a good business there." This is what a recording company executive told the Beatle's manager at their first audition!

"That kid can't play baseball. He can't pull the ball," is what the manager of the Brave's Triple A team said about Hank Aaron in 1952. Aaron went on to hit 755 home runs, breaking all previous records.

Remember, no matter what the critics say, in God's economy, everybody has a purpose and everybody has something of value to offer. Never give up until you know what your talent is; then sharpen it, dedicate it to God, and give it all you've got. Take courage. Nothing you do for God will ever be in vain. Remember, too, that one of the greatest ways we can serve God is by helping others—and every one of us can do that every day.

Also, as long as what you are choosing to do is in harmony with God's will, then dream big dreams, work hard, trust God, and in time you will reap what you sow and be richly rewarded. Know your God-given dreams and keep hope alive—no matter what the setbacks—and never ever give up.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to know my God-given life purpose and dreams. Help me to be faithful to this calling and keep hope alive so that I will never give up and in due course will receive the reward that comes from serving you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name. Amen."

1. Proverbs 13:12 (TLB)(NLT).

NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness for all your sins and His invitation for a full pardon Click on: www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or if you would like to re-commit your life to Jesus Christ, please click on www.actsweb.org/decision.php to note this.

     For more information on Daily Encounter, Click HERE.

Index

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Index

9. Receive E-mail Edition of Weekend Encounter ... Without Charge

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Index

10. Know God ... Without having to be religious

Click HERE to Know God and be sure you're a real Christian

 

Index

11. Prayer Partners Needed

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 one prayer report is e-mailed monthly. Thank you.

Click HERE to subscribe

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 408,000+ subscribers, and every week Weekend Encounter is going to 7,987 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 5-6 salvation responses from around the world—almost 3000 in the past 12 months!

If you find value in the 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:

Donate Online: You can donate online at ACTS secure web site. Click HERE on ACTS support donations.

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Index

14. Helpful Books, CDs 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, CDs, tapes and poems by Dick Innes and others.

Index

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GO TO: http://www.actsweb.org/links.php

Index

16. 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."



© 2011 ACTS International


Know God

ACTS International
PO Box 73545
San Clemente, CA 92673-0119
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To receive the email edition of Weekend Encounter
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