Vol. 15 – No. 4513  November 09, 2013

1. Words of Wisdom

"I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well." – Diane Ackerman

"One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession." – Sophocles

"Every farmer knows that you can't sow and reap on the same day. There is a timetable for your harvest that requires both working and waiting. Patience is a small price to pay for what you will receive." – Neil Eskelin

"Trying times are not the times to stop trying." – Ray Owen

"Everything that is done in the world is done by the hopeful." – Martin Luther

"There are no hopeless situations—only people who are hopeless about them." – Dinah Shore

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2. On the Lighter Side

Father O'Malley answers the church phone: "Hello, is this Father O'Malley?"

"It is!"

"This is the IRS. Can you help us?"

"I can!"

"Do you know a Ted Houlihan?"

"I do!"

"Is he a member of your congregation?"

"He is!"

"Did he donate $10,000 to the church?"

"He will."

       Copyright 2013 Mike Atkinson, www.mikeysFunnies.com

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3. Are We Really Caring?

In Soulguide, Bruce Demarest tells of Dateline NBC's report on Boston oncologist Dr. Jerome Groopman. Dateline followed the doctor for two years as he attempted to save the lives of Gene, who suffered from AIDS, and Elizabeth, who suffered from breast cancer. As the patients were treated, Dr. Groopman grew in intimacy with them. After watching them eventually lose their lives to their diseases, he concluded: "If you care for someone without addressing his or her soul, you're not really caring for them."

Is the same not true for the Christian who walks among the spiritually dead of this world? If we meet material and emotional needs, but never address the spiritual need, then we're not really caring for them.

The Autoillustrator, www.autoillustrator.com/preahing.html

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4. Thank You Lord

Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings ... Thank you, Lord, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf.

Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible ... Thank you, Lord, that I can see. Many are blind.

Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising ... Thank you, Lord, that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden.

Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned, tempers are short, and my children are so loud ... Thank you, Lord, for my family. There are many who are lonely.

Even though our breakfast table never looks like the picture in magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced ... Thank you, Lord, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry.

Even though the routine of my job often is monotonous ... Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job.

Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest ... Thank you, Lord, for life.

– Author unknown. Submitted by Joy Innes

        
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5. Why People Stopped Going to Church

Tony Whittaker writes, "I came across this quotation recently. I can't locate the source, but it rings true, tragically: 'When surveying people who stopped attending church after six weeks, 92% of them said it was because no one talked to them.'"

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6. "Mommy, Do You Think She Speaks Love?"

      By Michael Josephson of Character Counts (418.4)

Lots of parents are filled with pride when they talk about how bright, beautiful and/or talented their children are. I'm certainly no different. I look for every chance to show pictures of my kids and regale my captive listeners with anecdotes of their charm and cleverness.

Years ago, a proud mom named Gail Silvers wrote to tell me about another quality in her adopted six-year-old son Kyle—his loving heart. Apparently, Kyle has a sort of poetry of love and kindness in his blood. When he was five, he told his mom, "When I kiss you, it means that my heart is going into my lips to tell you how much I love you."

She told me of the time when she and Kyle were on their way home after a five-hour stint with Meals on Wheels, and they stopped to render aid to a woman whose car had broken down and was parked on the side of the road. In her car were three children, including a two-year-old baby.

Kyle was curious and when his mom told him the family needed some help, he replied, "There's a baby in the car who's scared because their car is broken. I have to talk to her." When Gail told him the little girl didn't speak English, he said, "Mommy, do you think she speaks love?"

Kyle went to the baby, talked quietly, hugged her and kissed her cheek. Then he decided to entertain the two-year-old with a 10-minute slapstick routine that even took Gail by surprise. As the baby and everyone else laughed, it was clear that Kyle's instincts were right. The baby knew how to speak love, a universal language we all ought to speak more often.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

© 2005 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

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7. A Voice in the Night

A sample of Daily Encounter by Dick Innes

"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."

NOTE: If you prayed this prayer, please let us know by clicking on: http://tinyurl.com/pgntm and we will send you a few practical articles (without charge) to help you in your Christian life. (Be assured that we will never give any information about you to any other person, organization, or business.)

For more help click on: http://tinyurl.com/real-christian for the article, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian— without having to be religious."

1. Linda Hook
2. Matthew 3:7.
3. Hebrews 9:27.
4. John 14:3.
5. Revelation 3:20.

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

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11. Prayer Partners Needed

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    "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.

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13. Helpful Books, CDs and Cassettes

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14. Services Without Charge

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15. ACTS in Action Report and Encounter Archives

	ACTS in Action ... Monthly Report Letter
	ARCHIVES: Daily and Weekend Encounters