Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 18 – No. 0916 February 27, 2016
Thought for the week: "Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once." – Lillian Dickson
"Do a little more than you're paid to. Give a little more than you have to. Try a little harder than you want to. Aim a little higher than you think possible, and give a lot of thanks to God for health, family, and friends." – Art Linkletter
"No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure." – Emma Goldman
"A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them." – John Maxwell
"The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears." – Unknown
"Ninety percent of all those who fail are not actually defeated. They simply quit." – Paul J. Meyer
Louis Pasteur, the pioneer of immunology, lived at a time when thousands of people died each year of rabies.
Pasteur had worked for years on a cure. Just as he was about to begin experimenting on himself, a nine-year-old, Joseph Meister, was bitten by a rabid dog. The boy's mother begged Pasteur to experiment on her son. Pasteur injected Joseph for ten days—and the boy lived. Decades later, of all things Pasteur could have had etched on his tombstone, he asked for three words: Joseph Meister Lived.
Thought: Our greatest legacy will be those who live eternally in heaven because of our efforts.
– Leadership Journal. Cited on, www.oakhillcoc.org.
From his earliest days in politics, Lincoln had a critic who continually treated him with contempt, a man by the name of Edwin Stanton. Stanton would say to newspaper reporters that Lincoln was a "low cunning clown" and "the original gorilla."
He said it was ridiculous for explorers to go to Africa to capture a gorilla "when they could find one easily in Springfield, Illinois." Lincoln never responded to such slander, and never retaliated in the least. And when, as President, he needed a Secretary of War, he selected Edwin Stanton. When his friends asked why, Lincoln replied, "Because he is the best man for the job."
Years later, that fateful night came when an assassin's bullet murdered the President in a theater. Lincoln's body was carried off to another room. Stanton came, and looking down upon the silent, rugged face of his dead President, he said through his tears, "There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen." Stanton's animosity had finally been broken. How?
By Lincoln's patient, long-suffering, non-retaliatory love.
Dr. Dale Johnson from Sermon "How Is Your Love Life?" Cited on eSermons.com.
A few years ago I came across a video by a very dynamic speaker, a former middle school teacher named Taylor Mali. He is now what's called a performance poet—someone who delivers poetry as singers deliver songs. The poem that caught my attention was "What Do I Make?" an articulate and aggressive response to a critic who was putting down teachers. Mr. Mali's insights inspired me, and with Mr. Mali's permission I built on the platform of his ideas and concept in my own version I call "Making Lives":
Making Lives
The topic of education came up and a successful business executive said, "The problem with our education system starts with teachers. What can we expect from people who think teaching is the best way to make a living? Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." A guest protested, "I've been a teacher for 20 years, and that's simplistic and unfair." "Really?" the executive said. "Then be honest, what do you make?" "I suppose you're thinking of money," the teacher replied. "I earn enough, but let me tell you what I make.
"I make children read, think, write, wonder, and talk about important things—such as the world and their role in it.
"I make them appreciate the value of education so they will become interested and interesting lifelong learners able to find out whatever they want to know.
"I make them try things they think they can't do, work harder than they want to and accomplish more than they thought possible and, whenever they do their best, I make them feel proud, capable and worthy.
"I encourage them to be skeptical without being cynical, and to be optimistic without being naïve.
"I make them understand that the quality of their life will be determined by their choices, and I make them take responsibility for their actions.
"I make them appreciate the importance of integrity and honor in a world that too often shows little regard for either.
"I make them respect themselves and treat others with respect.
"I make them feel proud and grateful to live in America where people are entitled to be treated fairly and with respect and judged by their accomplishments and character, not by their color, creed, or the size of their bank account.
"Most of all, I make a difference.
"I don't just make a living, I make lives."
*To see Mr. Mali's original version and other poems and works, visit http://www.taylormali.com.
"As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."1
The question has often been asked, "If you knew today was the last day of your life, what would you do?"
Do you have any impaired relationships you would want to resolve before you pass on? Have you left a will so your loved ones will benefit from your life's work? Most important of all, when you come to the end of life's journey and you stand before a holy God at the entrance to Heaven, if God asked you, "Why should I allow you to enter Heaven," what would you say? In other words, if you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would spend eternity in Heaven with God?
If not, I urge you to make that preparation today. Eternity is forever. As I did in younger days, many people think that if they do enough good deeds to outnumber or outweigh the wrongs (sins) they have committed, this will qualify them to enter God's heaven. Wrong.
God's Word makes it very clear that nobody enters heaven because of their good works. It is only by God's grace (unmerited favor) that we are given God's gift of forgiveness and saved for all eternity. His Word says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."2
God's Word also says, "For the wages [consequences] of sin is death [spiritual death which is eternal separation from God], but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."3
Because God is a God of infinite holiness no sinner can ever survive in His presence any more than a moth can survive in a flame. Furthermore, because God is also a God of infinite justice, all sin must be judged according to God's standard of holiness and perfection, and His justice calls for death; that is, spiritual death which is eternal separation from God in the place the Bible calls hell.
Fortunately however, God is also a God of infinite love. This is why He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cruel Roman cross 2,000 years ago in your place and mine to meet the demands of God's justice so we can be forgiven of all our sins and receive God's gift of eternal life. This is the expression of His perfect love.
All you need to do is believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died in your place to pay the penalty for all your sins, and to ask God for His forgiveness and accept His gift of eternal life. The following prayer will help you to do this.
Prayer: "Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and am sorry for all the wrongs/sins I have committed. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross in my place to pay the penalty for all my sins. Please forgive me. I invite You, Jesus, to come into my heart and life to be my Lord and Savior. I commit and trust my life to You. Please give me the desire to be what You want me to be and to do what You want me to do. Thank You for dying for my sins, for Your free pardon, for Your gift of eternal life, and for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name. Amen."
NOTE: If you prayed this prayer and truly meant it, please be sure to Click HERE (http://www.actsweb.org/decision.php) to let us know you prayed this prayer, and we will send you the URL (web site address) of the free "Ten Steps to Christian Growth" which will help you to grow in your new spiritual life.
1. Hebrews 9:27, (NKJV).
2. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV).
3. Romans 6:23 (NIV).
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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
Healing, Wholeness & Happiness by Dick Innes
Loving & Understanding People by Dick Innes
I Hate Witnessing by Dick Innes
God's Formula for Success by Dick Innes
Damaged Emotions by David Seamands
Healing of the Memories by David Seamands
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