Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 17 – No. 3015 July 25, 2015
Thought for the week: "How we spend our days, of course, is how we spend our lives" – Annie Dillard
"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men of talent. Genius will not ... the world is full of educated derelicts." – Calvin Coolidge, 30th US President
"You will become as small as your controlling desire, as great as your dominant aspiration." – James Allen
"The will to win means nothing if you haven't the will to prepare." – Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner
"Humor is the shortest distant between two people" – Victor Borge
"The more reasons you have for achieving your goal, the more determined you will become." – Brian Tracy
"If people knew how hard I worked to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful." -- Michelangelo, Artist
When the books of a certain Scottish doctor were examined after his death, it was found that a number of accounts were crossed through with a note: "Forgiven—too poor to pay." But the physician's wife later decided that these accounts must be paid in full and she proceeded to sue for money. When the case came to court, the judge asked but one question: Is this your husband's handwriting? When she replied that it was, he responded: "There is no court in the land that can obtain a debt once the word forgiven has been written."
What an incredible blessing it is to know that when we confess our sinfulness to God and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, God has totally forgiven us forever because Jesus paid the penalty for all our sins when he died on the cross.
In September of 2005, a social studies schoolteacher from Arkansas did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with permission of the school superintendent, the principal, and the building supervisor, she took all of the desks out of the classroom. The kids came into first period; they walked in; but there were no desks. They obviously looked around and said, "Where's our desks?"
The teacher said, "You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn them."
They thought, "Well, maybe it's our grades."
"No," she said.
"Maybe it's our behavior."
And she told them, "No, it's not even your behavior."
And so they came and went in the first period, still no desks in the classroom. Second period, same thing. Third period. By early afternoon television news crews had gathered in the class to find out about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of the classroom. The last period of the day, the instructor gathered her class.
They were at this time sitting on the floor around the sides of the room. She said, "Throughout the day no one has really understood how you earn the desks that sit in this classroom ordinarily. Now I'm going to tell you."
She went over to the door of her classroom and opened it, and as she did, 27 U.S. veterans, wearing their uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. And they placed those school desks in rows, and then they stood along the wall. By the time they had finished placing the desks, those kids for the first time perhaps in their lives understood how they earned those desks.
Their teacher said, "You don't have to earn those desks. These guys did it for you. They put them out there for you, but it's up to you to sit here responsibly, to learn, to be good students and good citizens, because they paid a price for you to have that desk, and don't ever forget it."
I received an email with a story worth sharing. Only the names have been changed to preserve privacy.
Doug is the proud and loving father of Emma, a high school junior who takes a leadership class responsible for putting on dances and other student events. All student body officers must take the class, but a number of other kids like Emma who just like to participate are also enrolled. Well, Emma is a little different and she's becoming more aware of those differences. Recently, she began to tell her father through tears, "I don't like having Down's syndrome."
Doug comforted and encouraged his daughter the best he could, but he admits he always wonders how her classmates really perceive her. Do they just tolerate or patronize her, or do they see the richness of her character and appreciate her sense of humor and the beauty of her heart?
These concerns came into play when he visited Emma at a school event where she was working at a table with the student body president, a handsome kid named Chris. Later, Emma announced that Chris had invited her to the homecoming dance. Doug was doubtful and afraid that she might be embarrassed or hurt if she misunderstood. So he checked with the leadership teacher, who discreetly confirmed it was true. This extraordinary young man asked Emma to accompany him to dinner and the dance.
Doug was moved to tears and confessed he was ashamed he doubted this could happen. He wrote of his joy seeing his daughter prepare for one of the greatest days in her life. And he marveled at the kindness and self-confidence of the young man who was able to see and care about the inner Emma.
Doug was rightfully proud of Emma, but how good would you feel to be Chris's parents?
Back in 1929 Georgia Tech played the University of California in the annual Rose Bowl football game. In that game a man named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for California. Unfortunately he became confused and began running the wrong way. One of his teammates, Benny Lom, overtook and tackled him just before he scored for the opposing team.
This was during the first half. Everyone was wondering what Coach Nibbs Price would do with Roy Riegels in the second half. During the half-time break Riegels sat alone in a corner, wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, put his hands in his face and cried like a baby.
Three minutes before the start of the second half Coach Price looked at the team and said, "Men, the same team that played the first half will start the second."
Riegels never moved. The coach called him and again he never moved. Coach Price went over to where Riegels sat and said, "Roy, didn't you hear me? The same team that played the first half will start the second."
Reigels said, "Coach, I can't do it to save my life. I've ruined you. I've ruined the University of California. I've ruined myself. I couldn't face that crowd in the stadium to save my life."
Then Coach Price reached out and put his hand on Riegels' shoulder and said, "Roy, get up and go on back, the game is only half over."
Roy Reigels went back. Those Tech men will tell you they have never seen a man play football as Roy Riegels played that second half.
And isn't that what God does for you and me? Time and again we blow it. We fail. We mess things up. We feel like such a failure. But Jesus is always there. He places a hand on our shoulder and says, "Get up. Don't quit. I am with you. You are forgiven. I love you and I will never leave you or forsake you no matter what!"
Actually, if we were to translate Jesus' words literally, they would read, Jesus said, "I will never, never, never, never, never (five times over) leave you or forsake you," or "I will never, not ever, no never leave you or forsake you."
As the saying goes, the only real failure is not to get up one more time than we fall or get knocked down.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You that You love me and accept me just as I am—warts and, failures and all—and have forgiven me for all my sins and failures. I thank You that You will never leave me or forsake me. Please help me to learn and grow through all my mistakes and failures, and little by little become the man/woman You planned for me to be. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."
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