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 Dick Innes


Weekend Encounter

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

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Vol. 18 – No. 4916  December 03, 2016

 
Thought for the week: "Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand." – Chinese Proverb
 
    INDEX
1.   Words of Wisdom
2.   On the Lighter Side
3.   Two Wolves
4.   The Power of One
5.   There Won't Always Be Tomorrow
6.   Angels of Mercy
7.   Beware of Bible-Babble
8.   Receive Daily Encounter Devotional  Without Charge
9.   Weekend Encounter E-mail Edition  Without Charge
10.   Know God ... Without Having to Be Religious
11.   When God Is Silent
12.   Prayer Partners Needed
13.   Please Help Support Weekend Encounter
14.   Helpful Books
15.   Free Services
16.   Foot Note
Find and know God without having to be religious.

1. Words of Wisdom

"Freedom requires that we learn and put into practice the three R's: Respect, Responsibility and Restraint." – Fr. Brian Cavanaugh

"If all you do is all you're doing, all you'll get is all you're getting." – Brian Tracy

"Always give more in service, than you receive in payment, and customers will beat a path to your door." – Denis Waitley

"Words can sometimes, in moments of grace, attain the quality of deeds." – Elie Wiesel, Author and Activist

"To adjust to changing times, follow unchanging principles." – Chris Long

"You can always tell your true values by looking at your behavior—especially under pressure." – Brian Tracy

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Index

2. On the Lighter Side

Sheila walked into the kitchen to find her husband, Fred, stalking around with a fly swatter.

"And what are we doing?" she asked.

"Hunting flies" he responded.

"Oh? Killing any?" she asked, with a smirk.

"Yep! Got 4 males, 3 females," he replied.

Intrigued, she asked. "How the heck can you tell?"

"Simple." He replied, "4 were on a beer can, 3 were on the phone."

    – Cited on ArcaMax.com

Index

3. Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a debate that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
 
"The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,  "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

    – Submitted by Joy Innes

Index

4. The Power of One

I am only one,
but still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

    – Edward Everett Hale

Index

5. There Won't Always Be Tomorrow

There won't always be tomorrow ... to tell someone you care,
There won't always be tomorrow ... when you can just be there,
Do not leave unsaid ... words that may ease some strife,
Do not leave undone ... things that may change a life,
Waiting until tomorrow ... is just not good enough,
Do today what must be done ... get up off your duff,
Tomorrow is not promised ... you may not even have today,
Tell people that you love them ... right now while you may,
Hold a hand, share a laugh ... there's so much you can do,
Give a hug, play a game ... realize they love you,
Tomorrow is not promised ... so today is gold,
You may not have another chance ... to have and to hold,
Say out loud those kind things ... you would wish you'd said,
Tell people that you love them ... before you go to bed,
Reach out and hold a hand ... you may bring some light,
Into someone's loneliness ... bring brightness to their night,
Tomorrow may never come ... but you have today,
To spend some time with loved ones ... together you can pray,
Do not leave regrets ... live your life to the max,
On many peoples lives ... make sure you leave your tracks,
For you have this time, this day, this very hour.
Do what you must do ... do all within your power
To mend broken bridges ... to say "I love you" ...
To rekindle friendships ... even to start anew.
There won't always be tomorrow when you can just be there,
There won't always be tomorrow ... so tell someone [today] you care.

– Debbie Preuss ©. Submitted by
   Dr. Cath Filmer-Davies
www.cathf.addr.com

Index

6. Angels of Mercy

By Michael Josephson, Character Counts (420.1) 

A few years ago, Dave, a dear friend, went through a terrible throat surgery and long hospitalization. Though he's a professional motivational speaker who frequently talks about the power of positive thinking, he told me he was surprised to really see how much his attitude affected the amount of mental anguish and physical pain he experienced. Even more, he was surprised how much his attitude was affected by the attitudes of the health care workers he saw each day.

"You could just feel the difference between the few who genuinely cared about you as a person and those who thought of you as one of their daily burdens," Dave said. Unfortunately, the majority of men and women who came in and out of his room were coldly indifferent. They treated him as a medical problem rather than as a person suffering from a medical problem and he found the experience demoralizing, depressing and deeply disrespectful.

Many doctors and nurses seemed annoyed by his presence and his problems. They would often talk about his condition in front of him as if he weren't there. Most failed to demonstrate the slightest concern with the effect their callous words and demeanor might have on their patient. Dave found this attitude outright toxic.

In contrast, the few workers who went out of their way to lift his spirits and brighten his day with simple but sincere expressions of concern and encouragement weren't just good medical professionals. They were good people. These "angels of mercy" who bring their hearts to their work, knowing that mental sunshine and flowers can be as important as drugs, deserve our love and admiration.

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

Index

7. Beware of Bible-Babble

Sample of Daily Encounter by Dick Innes

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1, NIV).

Certainly I believe that God does lead, direct, and communicate with us today. However, unless the word received is directly from the Bible or in direct harmony with biblical principles, it needs to be rejected. Remember that God never goes against his own Word—ever.

If we use "God-talk-Bible-babble" as a means of getting our own way—God-talk such as: "The Lord told me it is to be such and such a way," or "God told me you are to be my wife/husband," etc., etc.; or when we quote a Bible passage out of context (which is really a pretext), or even make inappropriate uses of such phrases as "Praise the Lord" when we hit our finger with a hammer (a good old "Ouch!" is more like reality); or when we blame God for our problems or for things that go wrong when it is entirely our own fault, or quote the Bible as a means of avoiding our own or another's reality, it is meaningless Bible-babble.

Bible-babble may sound impressive if we don't know what God's Word teaches. More often than not it is a defense against facing our fears and insecurities and as a means of avoiding personal responsibility. It is often a form of denial, which is always a self-deceptive and dangerous path to follow. If there is one thing I believe God wants us to be, it is to be real, to be honest, and to stop using Bible-babble. God always desires truth.1

One of the major problems with denial is that when we are in it, we deny that we have it.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please deliver me from the sin of denial and using Bible-babble and God-talk when I am using it as a means of avoiding reality. Help me to be real always in all ways and at all times. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. See Psalm 51:6.

Index

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Index

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Index

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

Click on: Know God

Index

11. When God Is Silent

Click on: God Silent

Index

12. Prayer Partners Needed

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Index

13. Please 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 33,000+ subscribers, and every week Weekend Encounter is going to 8,800+ 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—over 2100 in the past 15 months!

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Index

14. Helpful Books and Cassette Messages

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

   On Sale at: https://actscom.com/books_sale_5-14.php

Index

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Index

16. Foot Notes... includes links to past Daily and Weekend Encounters

ARCHIVES: Daily and Weekend Encounters

 

"The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace."


Know God

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