Daily Encounter with: ACTS International

Today's Daily Encounter
Where Is God Part I
"The heavens declare the glory of God."1
Splashed with bright white paint right across the side
of the garbage truck in large, bold letters, a baffled
university student had written, "Where is God?"
Most people wonder about this same question at some
time or other. If there is a God, how can we know that
he exists and how can we find him?
In some ways God is like an atom. You can't see him
with the naked eye but you can see evidence of his
presence and power everywhere you look.
For instance, God shows himself to us through
creation. As David the psalmist said, "The heavens
declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work
of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge. There is no
speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words
to the end of the world."2
In My Search for the Ultimate, research scientist
Lambert Dolphin Jr. writes, "Confronted every day with
the mysteries of space and the atom, I continue to be
amazed at the complexity and order of our universe.
From the sub-microscopic realm of the atom to the
expanding reaches of the galaxies, our universe runs
like intricate and well-oiled clockwork according to
great physical laws which never change or falter.
"Our sun, which is the nearest star, a hundred earth
diameters across, is 93 million miles into space. Each
day the sun supplies our solar system with heat, power
and light at the rate of a million billion, billion
horsepower! Yet it is only an average star.
"Our island universe of stars which we call the Milky
Way is 100,000 light years across. If we could travel
at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second), it
would take us 100,000 years to traverse the Milky Way!
Yet this is only one of a billion or more such island
universes stretched out in every direction from our
earth to distances measured in billions of light
years."
However, one doesn't need to be a scientist to see and
feel the greatness of creation all around us. (To see
how, be sure to read tomorrow's Daily Encounter.)
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you have
revealed yourself through creation and that the earth,
the sun, the moon, the stars, and the vastness of the
universe all declare your glory and show that all have
come into existence through Intelligent Design and that
you are the Master Designer. Thank you for this great
revelation of yourself. Gratefully, in Jesus' name,
amen."
1. Psalm 19:1 (NIV).
2. Psalm 19:1-4 (NIV).
<)))><

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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Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

<>< <>< <><
Today's Daily Encounter
Where Is God? Part II
"From one man he [God] made every nation of men, that
they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined
the times set for them and the exact places where they
should live. God did this so that men would seek him
and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he
is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live
and move and have our being.' As some of your own
poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'"3
As we noted yesterday, one doesn't need to be a
scientist to see and feel the greatness of creation
all around us. Vacationing on Kangaroo Island in South
Australia, I marveled at the wonders of nature--the
grandeur of rolling hills, the brilliance of spring
flowers, the majesty of cliffs rising from the sea
with the waves crashing rhythmically against them and
pounding lonely, deserted beaches.
I watched a sea gull, beautiful and agile, swooping
over the waves, tipping its beak into the water to
pluck a tasty meal from the sea. I marveled at the
grace of a huge pelican, stretching his wings to a
span of eight to ten feet as he soared effortlessly
above me.
So many marvels to see: a playful porpoise dodging
beneath the bow of our boat, gliding with ease through
the crystal clear water; a curious fur seal, popping
out of the sea in answer to a child's call; a kangaroo
bounding across a distant field; and a koala high in a
eucalyptus tree. Later, a million stars shone above to
dance in chorus with a brilliant full moon and mirror
their beauty in a now calm sea.
I have stood breathless at the sight of millions of
gallons of water plunging over the Niagara Falls, and
speechless at the splendor of the Grand Canyon. I have
walked in amazement in the Yosemite Valley where
mountains of granite seem to reach up out of nowhere
to stab the sky in unparalleled artistic beauty.
"Did all this happen by chance?" I ask myself. For me
it would take more faith to believe that than to
believe that our world and universe were created by a
Master Designer whose power and greatness are beyond
human understanding.
Besides revealing himself through creation, God has
also shown himself through the human soul. (To see how
be sure to read tomorrow's Daily Encounter.)
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you have
revealed yourself to mankind in varied ways. Open the
eyes of my blindness so that I can see with my spirit
all that you are and have done for me. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."
For help to find and know God, read, "How to Be Sure
You're a Real Christian . . . without having to be
religious" at: www.actsweb.org/christian.
3. Acts 17:26-28 (NIV).
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
The Power of Influence
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other
up."1
As a child in school in Australia Gordon had a problem
with dyslexia, but nobody was able to diagnose his
problem at the time. For years his mother took him to
speech therapy, and he practiced saying, "Thora thrust
thick thistles through the thinning hedge," five
thousand times!
What turned Gordon's life around was his fourth grade
primary school teacher, Miss Higgins, who called the
class to order when they laughed at Gordon's attempt
to read before the class. You could imagine how
terrible Gordon must have felt every time other kids
poked fun at him because of his inability to read. I
would have felt devastated. But thank God for an
understanding teacher who said to the class: "Do not
laugh at his reading. One day Gordon will be the best
reader in the whole school." Little did Miss Higgins
or his school mates realize just who Gordon would
become. And little did Miss Higgins realize that her
encouragement planted the seed to motivate Gordon
towards an extremely fruitful and productive life.
Today Gordon is known as the Reverend Dr., The
Honorable Gordon Moyes, MHR.
Besides being the senior minister and superintendent
of the very influential Wesley Central Mission in
Sydney, Australia, Gordon has been a radio broadcaster
for 44 years, the host of a weekly TV program on the
National Nine Network for 26 years, and is a Member of
the House of Representatives in the state government of
New South Wales. Gordon is still dyslexic and still
mirror reads God as dog--which presents quite a
problem for a minister of religion!
In his appeal to the state government for children
with dyslexia Rep. Moyes said, "The effect of dyslexia
in society possibly includes unemployment, poverty,
alcoholism, drug abuse and dependency and even family
breakdown, and as a result dyslexic people are over
represented in the prison population, are more likely
to drop out of school, and often withdraw from their
friends and family or attempt suicide.
"Children with dyslexia often have high IQs but poor
reading and writing skills. They are often sent out of
classes or to the back of the room as they become
distracted because of the frustrating nature of their
condition. You can understand my concern for such
children of our members or in our Sunday Schools.
Dyslexia is a disability, and the Government should
supply support for such students."2
May we all remember Gordon's story and always be an
encourager to children, teens, and adults who struggle
with any kind of a handicap.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for every
teacher and all who give the gift of encouragement to
those who struggle with life's handicaps. Thank you,
too, for all who encouraged me when I needed it most.
Please help me always to be sensitive, loving, kind
and encouraging to any and all fellow strugglers who
come into my life and/or who cross my path. Thank you
for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in
Jesus' name, amen."
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV).
2. http://www.cdp.org.au/main.asp.
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

---------------------
Today's Daily Encounter
Blame Game or Wise Choice
"So he [the business owner] called him and said to
him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account
of your stewardship, for you can no longer be
steward.'"1
"Two young boys were raised in the home of an
alcoholic father. As young men, they each went their
own way. Years later a psychologist who was analyzing
what drunkenness does to children in the home searched
out these two men. One had turned out to be like his
father, a hopeless alcoholic. The other had turned out
to be a teetotaler.
"The counselor asked the first man, 'Why did you
become an alcoholic?' He asked the second, 'Why did
you become a teetotaler?'
"They both gave the same identical answer in these
words, 'What else could you expect when you had a
father like mine?' It's not what happens to us in life
but how we react to it that makes the difference. Every
human being in the same situation has the possibilities
of choosing how he will react, either positively or
negatively."2
It is true that children who grow up in a warm,
loving, and caring family atmosphere are given a much
greater start in life. However, there is no guarantee
that they will become model citizens. They, too, like
the rest of us, either consciously or unconsciously,
make the choice in how they are going to live their
life.
If we grew up in a less than desirable home
atmosphere, we can choose to feel sorry for ourselves,
play the blame game, and limp along in the shadows of
life without a goal or purpose--and waste our life.
Or, if we so desire, like President Ronald Reagan whom
I understand also had an alcoholic father, we can
choose to make something worthwhile with our life,
grow through our difficulties, and with God's help
become the person God envisions for us to be, and, in
so doing, invest our life in a worthwhile cause and
noble purpose. The choice is ours.
I realize that it can be very difficult to honor a
mother or father who is an alcoholic, an abuser, or an
abandoning parent. However, I believe the greatest way
we can honor such a parent is not to allow our past to
determine our future. What an honor it would be for all
of us parents should our children rise above their
early setbacks to invest their lives wisely in doing
good for others.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to
overcome any and all setbacks I may have had in the
past, and choose--with your help--to invest my life
wisely so that, when I give an account of my life
before you, I will hear your welcoming words, 'Well
done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of
your Lord.' Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. Luke 16:2 (NKJV).
2. From The West Side Baptist. Cited on
www.sermons.com.
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Perception Vs Reality
"According to your faith will it be done to you."1
A Daily Encounter reader wrote, "I'm still out there
seeking what God's plan for me is, but how can I go
from the cradle to the grave without ever having any
prayers answered. I have stepped out of my so-called
comfort zone often in my life, but no great
discoveries or blessings have I found. How do I get a
job like yours where I can publish doggerel and
shopworn biblical phrases for fun and profit?"
"Dear, Terry," (not his real name), I replied, "You
can get a job just like mine--minus the doggerel, the
shopworn biblical phrases and the profit--if you do
the same as what I had to do; that is, spend several
years getting trained in Bible school, college and
graduate school, and working part time all the while,
to pay for the privilege, at any job I could find,
including scrubbing floors. It also took many years to
build the ministry of ACTS International, and I
continue to work 60-70 hours a week, including working
a second part-time job to help support myself."
True, God feeds the birds of the air, but he doesn't
throw the food into their nest. God's will is never
handed to us on a silver platter. God gave the ancient
Israelites the Promised Land but, even with his help,
they had to battle to gain every inch of it. Had God
not given it to them, they never would have been able
to conquer it. God has a plan for you and me too, but
we also have to work diligently--with God's help--to
see it achieved in our life.
The reality is that what we see is what we get. It all
lies in our perception, and that, no matter how
distorted, becomes our reality. Distorted perception,
like distorted eye lenses, distorts everything we see
in life. It also distorts our prayer life, our faith,
and our view of God. Jesus gave us a divine principle
when he said, "According to your faith will it be done
to you." With distorted faith our prayers will be
distorted and the results will match our distorted
perception of reality.
So how do we get to the stage where our perception is
based on reality instead of our "reality" being based
on our perception? Not easy. However, we get there by
becoming real; that is, honest at the gut level with
one's self (that includes our true emotions and our
motives), with God, and with at least one trusted
friend. The fact is, the more dishonest I am with my
inner self, the more I will distort all other
truth--including God's truth. Only personal gut-level
honesty will deliver us from distortion so we can see
reality as it truly is--and as God sees it.
As God's Word says, "Behold, You [God] desire truth in
the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will
make me know wisdom."2
For further help be sure to read, "Dare to Be Honest"
at: http://tinyurl.com/dare-to-be-honest.
Suggested prayer: Dear God, please confront me with
the truth about me. Help me to see myself as you see
me so that I can, with your help, resolve every issue
in my life that causes me to distort reality, so that
I will become truly authentic in every area of my
life--honest with myself, honest with others, and
honest with you for the glory of your name. Thank you
for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in
Jesus' name, amen."
1. Matthew 9:29 (NIV).
2. Psalm 51:6 (NASB).
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.
<><


Today's Daily Encounter
More about Prayer
"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who
call on him in truth."1
A Daily Encounter reader wrote to me saying that
Christ's promise of "ask and you will receive" was a
painful lie.
I think that for some people prayer is like a magic
wand that is supposed to remove all of life's
difficulties. Not so. Neither is prayer a lucky charm
to gain special favors. Nor is it a painkiller like
taking a giant aspirin: "Take God three times a day
and you won't feel any pain!" as John Powell put it.
These things are never the purpose for prayer. First,
for God to answer prayer, we need to be in a right
relationship with him through Jesus Christ. Second, we
need to pray in harmony with God's will as seen in his
Word, the Bible. Third, our prayers need to be sincere
and truthful from the heart. In fact, prayer is
communicating our heart to God. When we adhere to
these requirements, God always answers our prayers.
Sometimes the answer is "yes;" sometimes it is "no;"
and sometimes it is "wait a while." God always knows
what is best for us. He will give us wisdom,
guidance, and direction if we ask for it, but he will
not do for us what we can and need to do for
ourselves.
When Abraham sent his servant to seek a bride for his
son, Isaac, the servant said, "I being in the way, the
LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren."2
There he found Rebekah who agreed to become Isaac's
wife. The point I am making is this: when Abraham's
servant acted responsibly and did his part, God did
his part and directed him in the way that he should
go.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please open the eyes of
my understanding so I that can read and understand
what your Word, the Bible, teaches and therein see the
direction of my life that you would have me take. Help
me always to pray in harmony with your will and see
what my part is and act responsibility. Every day I
will commit and trust my life and way to you, and
trust you to guide me in the way that you would have
me go. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen.
For further help read, "How to Pray Effectively"
online at: http://tinyurl.com/good-morning-God
1. Psalm 145:18 (NIV)
2. Genesis 24:7 (KJV).
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
It's What?
"Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave
himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice
to God."1
Alan Smith tells the story about a dignified, elderly
woman who was among a group viewing an art exhibition
in a newly opened gallery. When one contemporary
painting caught her eye, addressing the artist
standing nearby, she gasped, "What on earth is that?"
He smiled condescendingly. "That, my dear lady, is
supposed to be a mother and her child."
"Well, then," reasoned the little old lady, "why isn't
it?"2
Having seen some modern art, I can appreciate her
question.
Sadly, according to various reports I have read there
is little difference in the life of the average
Christian than that of the average non-Christian. If
we don't act like Christians, behave like Christians,
live like Christians, and look like Christians, how
will we ever impact the world in which we live for
Christ?
To "look like Christians" we need to know what God's
Word teaches--and obey it!
And when we're not sure how to act, we can ask
ourselves the question: "What would Jesus do?"
And let us always pray that God will help us to be as
Jesus to every life we touch . . . and to help us to
"love one another." As Jesus said, "By this all men
will know that you are my disciples, if you love one
another."3
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to so live that
in everything I am and do I will 'look like a
Christian'--a true Christ follower--and be as Jesus to
every life I touch, and in so doing help to impact the
world in which I live. Thank you for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name,
amen."
1. Ephesians 5:2 (NIV).
2. Alan Smith, Thought for the Day
www.TFTD-online.com.
3. John 13:35 (NIV).
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Welcome Home

"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful
servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I
will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the
joy of your lord.'"1

A Daily Encounter reader, C.A. wrote, "I returned home
to New York City this morning after being away for 4
days visiting my Mom. At home, early on the first
morning, I was awakened by the voices of my
grandbabies, Charlene and Charles who were staying
with us. As I came down the hallway to the bathroom,
Charles was entering the hallway with his hands full
of toys. He looked up at my face and said, 'Grammie,'
dropped all his toys, stretched his arms upward for me
to pick him up, gave me a kiss, and wrapped his little
arms around my neck as I held him in my arms for a
hug.

"It was such an overwhelming welcome that I
continually thought about it until I realized that the
lingering impact of the experience was so moving to me
because I want Jesus to welcome me home just like
that--with recognition, welcome, warmth, acceptance,
love, and an all-enveloping embrace."

That welcome home to heaven is available to everyone
who has accepted Jesus as his/her Savior and has
faithfully served the Lord [God] here on earth. Our
service to God doesn't get us into heaven. Only
accepting Jesus as our Savior and his forgiveness for
our sins does that. However, we will be rewarded for
faithful service to God. How disappointing it would be
when we meet Jesus face to face should we have nothing
in the way of service to offer him. But how wonderful
and rewarding to receive his welcome home knowing that
we had served him to the best of our ability, and to
hear his wonderful words, "Well done, good and
faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, because you gave your
life and died in my place on the cross to pay the
penalty for all my sins, help me to live my life in
loving service to you every day for the rest of my
life. Help me to so live that when I meet you face to
face I will hear your welcoming words, 'Well done,
good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your
Lord.' Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

Note: If you are not absolutely certain that you have
accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and thereby have
received God's gift of forgiveness so that you know
that you know that you know you will go to heaven when
you die, I urge you to read the article, "How to Be
Sure You're a Real Christian--without having to be
religious at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. Matthew 25:23 (NKJV).

<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Not What--But Who
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no
other name under heaven given to men by which we must
be saved."1
I have read how Hayley Mills, a child star at the
time, was escorted through Disneyland. As she was led
past hundreds of people standing in line, a security
guard attempted to stop her. "Hey there," he called to
Haley's escort, "who do you think you are? Walt
Disney?" Imagine his mortification when the escort
turned around and said, "As a matter of fact I am Walt
Disney."
As the saying goes, "It's not what you know but who
you know." That certainly holds true to get into many
places. Joy, my wife, had the opportunity to be a
guest at the inauguration of President Bush. How come?
Because of someone she knew. She was a very good friend
of the mother-in-law of a high ranking military officer
who was stationed at the White House. Joy phoned me
from the ball room to share her excitement about
seeing the president in person. Jokingly I kidded,
"Have you touched the hem of his garment yet?"
There is one place much greater than any inauguration
ball, the White House, or Buckingham Palace where so
many would like to be invited to. However, to be
invited to this one place it is absolutely imperative
that we know the only person who can get us in--yes,
it's into God's heaven. And that person is Jesus. You
may know about Jesus, but do you know him as your
Savior? And does he know you? If not, I urge you to
accept his invitation to meet him today. For help, be
sure to read the article: "How to Be Sure You're a
Real Christian without having to be religious" at:
www.actsweb.org/christian.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that your
invitation to heaven is to 'whosoever will may come.'
Thank you that that includes me. I confess that I am a
sinner and thank you for dying in my place to pay the
penalty for all my sins. I accept your invitation to
come to you for my salvation, to ask for and accept
your forgiveness, and to receive the gift of eternal
life so that I will live with you forever in heaven.
Thank you for your great gift of salvation and thank
you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully,
in Jesus' name, amen."
If you prayed this prayer and genuinely meant it,
please let us know by going to
www.actsweb.org/decision.php
1. Acts 4:12 (NIV).
<)))><

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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Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
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and made possible through the donations of
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Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
True Friendship
"A friend loves at all times"1.
I remember years ago how a friend said that some
people are "cursed with the affliction to give
advice." I had no idea what he meant. Sure sounded
strange to me. Now I understand. He was talking about
unsolicited advice; that is, giving advice where it is
neither asked for nor wanted.
According to Webster's Dictionary, people "offering
unwanted advice or services" are officious. I think
that word is close to "obnoxious." Such advice can be
thinly veiled criticism.
I'm not talking about going to a lawyer, an
accountant, a car mechanic, or whatever when we need
professional advice. What I'm talking about is when we
share our struggles and feelings with a friend and they
have a compulsion to tell us what we should or
shouldn't do, or how we should or shouldn't feel. They
are in fact putting us down in that they are assuming
that they know our needs and understand our situation
better than we do ourselves.
Even when some people want advice about a personal
issue, it is more effective not to give it to them,
but help them come up with their own options and
solutions.
A good counselor doesn't tell people what they should
or shouldn't do. He helps them see for themselves what
they need to do.
What I want from a friend when I am feeling in the
pits, is someone to listen to me with their heart, to
give me their presence, and accept me as I am, and let
me know that they care--not try to fix me--or someone
who will weep with me when I weep. Such friends may be
rare but they are worth their weight in gold.
In his book, Out of Solitude, Henri Nouwen wrote,
"When we honestly ask ourselves which persons in our
lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is
those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or
cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch
our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who
can be silent with us in a moment of despair or
confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief
and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not
curing, not healing and face with us the reality of
our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be a
true friend and to be there for those who are hurting,
not to give them advice or try to fix them or resolve
their problems, but to listen to them, accept their
feelings, give them my presence, love them, and be as
Jesus to them. Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. Proverbs 17:17 (NIV).
<)))><

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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Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
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and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
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Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Being Real Part II
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know
my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting."1
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to love open,
honest, and authentic people--and how difficult it is
to even like defensive, dishonest people who are
living in denial?
A good definition of denial has been called Truth
Decay. In the long run denial can be extremely
destructive to one's physical, mental and spiritual
health--and also destructive to relationships, and to
the emotional and spiritual health of families and
societies.
True, as children many of us were forced to build
defenses around our feelings in order to survive.
However, as adults we need to rid ourselves of
unhealthy defenses in order to fully live and fully
love--that is, to live productive lives and develop
healthy, lasting and loving relationships. As long as
I live behind a mask--no matter how attractive that
mask may appear--I can never feel loved because my
mask is not me. Only real people can get close to
others and experience intimacy and real love.
Furthermore, the more dishonest I am with my inner
self (my true feelings and motives), the more I will
distort all other truth--including God's truth--to
make it match my perception of reality, and use it to
justify my behavior. Ultimately I end up unhappily
believing my own lies.
So where do we begin to overcome the problem of
denial, which may very well be the most destructive
personal and societal problem we have?
First, let's call denial what it is. It's SIN--and a
destructive sin at that. Remember, it's just as big a
sin to lie to myself as it is to lie to anyone else.
We can call poison by any name we like, but poison is
still poison. Same goes for sin. We can call it
freedom of choice, misspeak, or by any other fancy
name to give it a sugar coating and make it sound
attractive, but that makes it all the more deceptive
and dangerous.
Second, confession. Remember that we change the world
one person at a time. The first person to start with
is myself. I need to realize that I can be as guilty
of the sin of denial as anyone else and come to God
with a genuine and humble heart asking him to "search
my heart" and reveal to me, no matter how painful it
may be, any areas in my life where I may be in denial
and to confront me with the truth about myself.
Third, realize that without access to the truth there
is no healing or recovery of individuals or societies,
and there is no freedom but self-deceptive bondage. As
Jesus said, only the truth sets people free (see John
8:32). It is not without good reason that God "desires
truth in our innermost being."
Fourth, accept the fact that pain was the way into
denial and pain is the way out of it. As they say in
AA, "It's not the truth that hurts us but letting go
of the lies." Indeed, facing one's truth can be
painful but incredibly freeing and ultimately
fulfilling. I say painful because it usually takes
painful experiences to break through our
self-defeating defenses.
Finally, the pursuit of truth needs to be a life-long
journey. It is a journey that leads to fully living
and fully loving--and ultimately to life everlasting.
Lies are of the devil and ultimately lead to hell here
on earth and in the life to come.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in the words of the
psalmist, 'Search me . . . and know my heart. Try me,
and know my anxieties. And see if there is any wicked
way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.' No
matter what the cost, please deliver me from the sin
of denial. Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. Psalm 139:23-24 (NKJV).
<)))><

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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Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Being Real Part I

"Surely you [God] desire truth in the inner parts; you
teach me wisdom in the inmost place."1

I once asked a group what they felt was the
Christian's number one problem. One jokester called
out, "Apathy, but who cares?" Another said, "I don't
know and I don't care." As the old saying goes, "many
a true word is spoken in jest."

Yes, I agree that one of our major problems is apathy.
According to a journalist who writes for the LA Times
newspaper, one reason why vocal radical minorities are
winning in areas such as gay marriage, partial birth
abortion, etc., is because enough Christians don't
care enough to do anything about it. They sit back, do
nothing, let it all happen--and when it's too late,
cry, "Foul." The fact that in this country (the U.S.),
according to a report by Chuck Colson, only 33% of
evangelical Christians are registered to vote speaks
volumes about our apathy. How soon we forget that "the
price of freedom is eternal vigilance!"

However, apathy is just one of our problems. While we
all struggle with various problems to one degree or
another, my personal belief--either rightly or
wrongly--is that our biggest problem is that of
denial; that is, being unreal (avoiding the truth
about ourselves). We hide our true feelings and
motives behind a facade or mask of busyness,
intellectualism, performance, success, achievement,
religiosity, saccharine sweetness, rationalization,
belligerence, control of others, addictive behaviors,
superficiality, over- conscientiousness,
self-righteousness, aggressiveness, satirical humor,
shyness, a negative critical attitude, and any one of
a hundred or more other ways--including apathy.

Some of us who say we stand on the Word of God
actually hide behind it. Ironically we use God's Truth
as a defense to avoid facing the truth about ourselves.
Controlling, dictatorial religious leaders do this.
They hide their deep insecurities behind a façade of
theological rigidity, super-spirituality, and/or
authoritarianism--and deny that they are in denial.

Sadly, people living in denial don't recognize what
authenticity is and, in fact, are threatened by it.
They may withdraw from authentic people. For others,
it "rattles the cage" of their phony facade and, when
they are in denial, they tend to shout all the louder
and get even more belligerent, or become very
defensive.

To be continued . . . .

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that the
principles found in your Word, the Bible, are for our
protection, well-being, and for our personal freedom.
Help me to live in harmony with your will and be
truthful in my innermost being--truthful to myself, to
my closest companions, and above all truthful to you.
Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Psalm 51:6 (NIV).

<)))><

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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Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Mirror Image
"Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming
more and more in every way like Christ, who is the
head of his body, the church."1
Dr. William Barker tells about the actor, Ben Kingsley
who "starred as the main character in the motion
picture GANDHI. He spent months preparing for the
role, visiting the various Indian locales Gandhi had
frequented. He even learned to spin cotton thread on a
wooden wheel while holding conversations as Gandhi did.
The physical resemblance between Gandhi and Kingsley
was almost startling. After filming a scene in a
village south of Delhi, Kingsley stepped out of a car,
and an elderly peasant knelt to touch his feet.
Embarrassed, Kingsley explained that he was merely an
actor playing Gandhi. 'We know,' replied the villager,
'but through you he will surely live again.'"2
As Christians, if we truly follow and serve the Lord,
we will become more and more in every way like Christ.
May God help us to so live that others will see the
likeness of Jesus in us--as this is by far the most
powerful and effective witness of our Christian faith
that any one of us could ever have.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in the words of the song
writer, 'I have one deep supreme desire / that I might
be like Jesus / to this I fervently aspire / that I
might be like Jesus / I want my heart His throne to be
/ So that a watching world may see / His likeness
shining forth in me / I want to be like Jesus.'3
Please help me to so live that people will always see
Jesus in me and thus be drawn to you. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."
1. Ephesians 4:15 (NLT).
2. Dr. William P. Barker, Tarbell's Teacher's Manual,
(Elgin, Illinois: David C. Cook Church Ministries,
1994). Quoted in a sermon by Rev. Billy D. Strayhorn,
"One in Christ" http://www.epulpit.net/billy112.htm
3. Thomas O. Chisholm.
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Obnoxious Effluvium
"But he, willing to justify [excuse] himself, said
unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?"1
The effluvium (stench) in Joy's home office was
putrid. It was about the same as when we had a dead
rat in a wall in the last home where we lived. Leaving
the windows open day and night didn't alleviate the
wretched smell. Burning several scented candles in the
room didn't help either. Joy and I must have looked a
sight crawling around the room on the floor sniffing
the walls to see if we could find the place where the
rat or rats had been trapped and died. We emptied
drawers and sniffed in them. We sniffed in the closet.
We sniffed the bookshelves. All our sniffing efforts to
find and eliminate the culprit were in vain. We even
had a termite inspector crawl around in our attic
thinking the offensive culprit may have died in the
ceiling.
Then lo and forsooth, a few days later, Joy happened
to be cleaning her desk and there, right under our
nose, under a pile of papers was the sickening
culprit. No, it wasn't a rat. It was an Easter egg
left there by one of our grandkids some weeks before.
What a mess! What a stink! We had a great laugh at our
folly!
Seriously, have you ever noticed that many of our
personal problems are caused by our failure to clean
up our lifestyle? And how we search everywhere for a
hook upon which to hang the blame for our problems . .
. and all the while the problem is right under our
nose?
Speaking personally, more often than not, I am the
main cause of the difficulties I have. What others
have done to me may or may not be a problem, but how I
react is always my responsibility--and to the degree
that I overreact, that is always my problem. In other
words what bothers me is my problem. And the answer to
resolving my problem so often lies within myself.
Difficult to see, I know, and even harder to admit,
but the fact remains I am my own biggest problem and
as long as I play the blame-game, I will never
overcome or resolve my problems.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in every conflict in
which I happen to find myself, please confront me with
the reality of what I have contributed or am
contributing to it. Help me to accept responsibility
for my part and resolve that--and commit and trust to
you any others that may be involved. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."
1. Luke 10:29 (KJV).
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
God's Will--Our Hiding Place
"For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his
dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his
tabernacle and set me high upon a rock."1
In her bestseller book, The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten
Boom tells of the tense times in Holland during the
German invasion. One night when there was bombing and
shelling happening all around the house where she and
her sister lived, Corrie couldn't sleep. Hearing her
sister in the kitchen, she decided to go down and join
her.
Long into the night after all the bombing ceased and
all was silent, Corrie returned to her bed only to
find that her pillow--right where her head lay--had
been pierced with a sizable piece of sharp metal
shrapnel from an exploding bomb! Going downstairs to
the kitchen saved her life!
She rushed to tell her sister saying, "Betsie, if I
hadn't heard you in the kitchen . . . ." To this her
saintly sister interrupted, "Don't say it, Corrie.
There are no ifs in God's world. The center of his
will is our safety."
Later through terrible trying times in a Nazi prison,
Miss Ten Boom was to learn over and over this
marvelous truth: "God's will is our hiding place."
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I don't ask that you
deliver me from the storms of life, but please help me
to find deliverance in them. Hide me in the hollow of
your hand, and in the shelter of your tabernacle, and
set me high upon a rock. Gratefully in Jesus' name.
Amen."
1. Psalm 27:5 (NIV).
<)))><

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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Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Don't Quit
From the Apostle Paul: "But this precious
treasure--this light and power that now shine within
us--is held in perishable containers, that is, in our
weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious
power is from God and is not our own. We are pressed
on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and
broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and
quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us.
We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep
going."1
I suppose there are times when all of us feel overcome
by problems and feel like quitting. I've been there,
but couldn't find anything better than my Christian
faith to quit to. Today I thank God for the courage to
keep going, not knowing that God was allowing trials to
strengthen my faith and to help me grow.
If you feel like giving up and quitting, perhaps the
following poem will encourage you to hang in, hang on,
but never hang up when the going gets tough.
Don't Quit
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow!
Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell just how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
It's when things seem worst that you must not
quit.2
I also like a quote that Robert Schuller has used:
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Or
as the title of one of his books says, Tough Times
Never Last. Tough People Do.
God never forsook the Apostle Paul who faced
incredible trials and opposition. And he will never
forsake you or me as long as we place our trust in
him.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you will
never forsake or abandon me. Please help me always to
put my trust in you and your faithfulness regardless
of my circumstances, knowing that in the end my faith
and trust in you will be justified. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."
1. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (NLT).
2. Anonymous
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Handling Nastiness
"He that would love life and see good days, let him
keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking
guile; let him turn away from evil and do right; let
him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord
are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their
prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those that
do evil."1
No doubt, most of us, at one time or another, have
been hurt deeply either through a misunderstanding or
purposely by another. When we are, how do we handle
our hurt and angry feelings in a gracious and God-like
manner? Not always easily I have to admit.
Recently I received a letter from a pastor that was
the most vitriolic letter I had ever received from a
church leader in over 40 years of ministry. It was
over an extremely simple issue. In an advertisement in
a pastor's magazine I had offered a free copy of my I
Hate Witnessing book providing the recipient paid only
for the postage. One pastor, after he received the
book, accused me of extortion because I offered the
book for free but requested he pay the postage. He
added further nasty words about California Christians.
He told me never to contact him or his church again! I
don't get my feelings hurt very often, but I confess,
this letter not only hurt my feelings, but it also
ticked me off (triggered my anger).
So how did I respond? Not in a hurry as I know it is
never wise to answer anyone when feeling hurt, upset
and/or angry. I admit that I wanted to give this man a
piece of my mind so when I was ready to reply, I had to
pray that God would help me to be "as Jesus" to this
man. I did reply and sent this man a copy of the ad
where it was very clear in two places that the book
was free providing the recipient pay only for the
postage.
Before mailing the letter, however, I sat on it for a
couple of days, and also had Joy, my wife, read it to
make sure there wasn't any bitterness in what I had
written.
The day before I wrote the first draft of this letter,
I read the following timely quote from Leonard Hodgson
who said: "Whenever pain is so borne as to be
prevented from breeding bitterness or any other evil
fruit, a contribution is made to rescuing God's
creation from the devil's grip."
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, whenever I am hurt and
feel unjustly criticized, please help me always to
deal with my emotions in a creative way, never lash
out and hurt back, and always be ‘as Jesus" to the one
who lashed out at me. And when the criticism is
justified, please help me to accept it graciously and
make changes wherever such is needed. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."
1. 1 Peter 3:10-12.
P.S. In addition, at the time of writing, of the 430+
pastors (including a few church leaders) who received
a free copy of the book--two months later--only 75 had
paid for the postage. I will send a third reminder,
graciously.
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Overcoming Lust
"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each
other so that you may be healed."1
A Daily Encounter reader from South America writes:
"My name is Juan and I am writing for help. I have a
‘cannon' within that is destroying my life--it is the
cannon of uncontrollable lust. I'm married but am
unable to control myself. I have been unfaithful, each
time telling myself it's the last time, yet again and
again I fall. I've tried all within my will to stop
but just can't. I've lost all sense of self-worth and
just go through the motions of life. I love God and I
miss the sweet fellowship I once used to enjoy. How do
I stop from destroying myself and my family? Please
help me."
Thank you, Juan, for the courage to admit that you
have a problem with lust. This is the first step in
the recovery from any problem. Next, while it may be
difficult to do, it is important to admit that when
lust causes one's life to be out of control, he is a
sex addict.
Third, understand that many, if not most, addictions
start as a means to avoid facing the pain of some
inner unresolved issue. It is the "fruit of a deeper
root."
Fourth, I urge you not only to confess your sin to God
which you have said that you have done many times, but
also to a trusted, safe male friend--one who will
never betray your confidence--and keep yourself
accountable to him. As God's Word says, "Confess your
sins to each other and pray for each other so that you
may be healed."1
Fifth, I understand that you have already confessed
your sexual sins to God, but you also need to
earnestly ask God to help you to see if there are any
unresolved issues in your life that are driving you to
act out in lust and sexual sins. For example, lust that
controls us is often a result of repressed love, so you
may still unconsciously be looking for the "mother
love" you never received as a child. Or you could be
unconsciously angry at your mother and taking out your
anger on other women. Whatever is the root cause of
your problem God knows what it is so I encourage you
to ask God to show you what it is.
Sixth, if possible, it could be a great help for you
to become a member in a SA (Sex Anonymous) group, just
like AA (Alcohol Anonymous), SA is organized to help
people to be freed from their addiction.
Seventh, I also strongly encourage you to get some
fine Christian counseling to help you discover and
resolve the hidden cause or causes of your sex
addiction.
Finally, the first thing every day be sure to commit
and trust your life and way to God. He can make a much
better job of your life than you can. Following is a
suggested prayer:
"Again, today, Dear God I commit and trust my life and
way to you. Please guide me in the way I need to go,
help me to overcome my problem with lust and sexual
sins, and become the man of God you want me to be.
Also, I am available, please use me today to be 'as
Jesus' in some way to every life I have contact with.
Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."
NOTE: I have quite a few articles on recovery so I
suggest you go to
http://www.actsweb.org/articles/Recovery.php and read
some of these articles. Especially read the article
"Lady of the Night" and "Adultery: Caught in the Act,"
Parts I and II.
1. James 5:16 (NIV).
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Unrelenting Love and Commitment
"There is none righteous, no, not one. For all have
sinned and fall short of the glory [holiness] of
God."1
"On Thursday, March 16, 2001, Kenneth Water, 46 years
old, saw a cell phone for the first time, drank his
first cup of Starbucks coffee, and ate his first
corned beef sandwich in two decades. Waters had just
emerged from 18 years in prison for a crime he did not
commit. His murder conviction had been vacated by newly
tested DNA evidence."2
And how was it that Waters was freed? It was because
of his sister, Betty's unrelenting efforts. From the
very beginning she was convinced that Kenneth was not
guilty of murder. At the time she was a young mother
of two children. She hadn't finished high school, so
she went back to school, finished her high school
education, went on to college, and then to law school
and ultimately became her brother's attorney. She
"waged an extraordinary legal battle that led to
Kenneth's release." Through the checking of DNA it was
proven that Kenneth Water was not guilty of the murder
of Katharina Brow.
"Betty Anne's commitment to proving her brother's
innocence is astonishing. By the time she walked out
of the courthouse on March 16, 2001, she had spent 18
years in unbroken service to him. What commitment!"2
What an amazing expression this was of Betty's love
for her brother. It is also a graphic reminder of
God's total commitment to you and me--not because of
our innocence, because we are all guilty before God in
that every one of us has broken at least one or more of
God's commandments, and have fallen far short of God's
requirement for holiness.
As God's Words reminds us, "There is none righteous,
no, not one. For all have sinned and fall short of
the glory [holiness] of God."1But because of God's
infinite love for us, he gave his Son, Jesus Christ,
to die in our place to pay the penalty for all your
sins and mine, so we could be fully forgiven and
receive God's gift of eternal life.
Suggested prayer, "Dear God, because of your total
commitment to me in giving your Son, Jesus, to die in
my place on the excruciatingly painful Roman cross so
I could be freely forgiven and receive your gift of
eternal life, I commit myself totally to you to live
for you all the days of my life. And please help me to
be as committed as Betty in helping to share your
gospel message to others so that they will be
delivered from a lost eternity and receive your
forgiveness and gift of eternal life. So help me God.
Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."
Note: If you have never received God's forgiveness by
accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, please
read, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian" online
at: www.actsweb.org/christian.
Or: If you would like to renew your commitment and
dedication to God and Jesus Christ, please let us know
by noting this on the response form at:
www.actsweb.org/decision.php.
1. Romans 3:10, 23 (NKJV).
2. When You Can't Pray, by Al Truesdale, Beacon Hill
Press of Kansas City, Missouri, 2002, pp 87, 88.
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Fully Living--Fully Loving Part III
"Jesus wept."1
In this, our final part in this series on "Fully
Living--Fully Loving," we ask the question, how do we
remove the barriers in our life that hinder or block
our learning how to fully live and fully love?
First, we need to recognize that we have a
problem--and admit it. As long as we deny the truth
about ourselves, there is no healing or recovery. So I
need to admit, "I have a problem. I need help."
Second, read good books, listen to CDs and tapes,
attend classes, seminars and retreats that deal with
personal growth and recovery. Learn all you can but,
remember, intellectual knowledge doesn't produce
healing or recovery, it just helps to understand our
problem and know how and where to look for help.
Third, realize that we get damaged in damaged
relationships and get healed in healing relationships.
Every one of us--single or married--needs a
soul-brother for men or a soul-sister for women. That
is, we need someone who won't judge us, put us down,
try to fix us or give us unsolicited advice--someone
with whom we feel totally safe so we can be totally
open and honest, and feel free to share our deepest
emotions (negative as well as positive), as well as
our joys, sorrows, successes, sins and failures and
thus be known for who we truly are--warts and all.
We all need someone who knows us fully and loves and
accepts us exactly as we are. This is what frees us to
change and begin to experience healing in the deepest
parts of our personality. Furthermore, only to the
degree that we are known can we ever feel loved.
Nobody can love a mask and nobody can ever feel loved
who hides behind a mask. As long as we stay in hiding,
we can never experience healing and grow to become a
whole and loving person.
Fourth, if we have deeply repressed emotions we may
need, as I did, intense skilled therapy. We each need
to find the type of therapy that works for us, and a
therapist with whom we can work. What works for me may
not work for you and vice-versa. Group therapy can also
be very helpful.
Fifth, many of us will need help to learn not only how
to get in touch with our feelings, but also how to
express them in healthy and creative ways. Learn from
the life of Jesus. When he was sad, he wept.1 When he
was angry, he expressed his feelings. At times he did
this verbally and when he found the money changers
ripping people off in the temple, he got a whip and
drove them out.2 What we need to remember, however, is
to always speak and act the truth in love.
Last and most important of all, learn to put God first
in your life and seek his guidance and help for every
area of your life. Learn how to pray effectively by
praying the right prayers.3 Ask God to confront you
with the truth about yourself. If you are serious
about this, God will show you; but be prepared because
it usually takes pain to break through our defenses.
For me personally, only when my pain is greater than
my fears am I able to get in touch with my inner pain.
Remember as God's Word says, "The Lord is near to all
who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."4
God's Word also says, "Behold, You [God] desire truth
in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will
make me to know wisdom."5
If you consistently follow these six principles, you
too, will be well on the road to fully living and
fully loving.
Suggested prayer: Dear God, please help me to be
totally honest with you, with myself, and with at
least one trusted friend and/or counselor, with all
that is in my inner self. And please help me to get in
touch with any and all unresolved guilt and/or
repressed negative emotions, and learn how to express
(‘get rid of') these in creative ways so that every
barrier in my life that blocks my fully living and
fully loving will be removed. So help me God. Thank
you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in
Jesus name, amen."
1. John 11:35.
2. John 2:14-16.
3. See "How to Pray Effectively" at
http://tinyurl.com/kb62w.
4. Psalm 145:18.
5. Psalm 51:6 (NKJV).
Note: For further help, see articles on recovery at:
www.actsweb.org/articles/Recovery.php
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Fully Living--Fully Loving Part I
"Love one another."1
There's an old story about a school teacher who
injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around
the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and
was not noticeable.
On the first day of the term, still with the cast
under his shirt, he found himself assigned to the
toughest students in school. Walking confidently into
the rowdy classroom, he opened the window as wide as
possible and then busied himself with desk work. When
a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took the desk
stapler and stapled the tie to his chest.
He had no trouble with discipline that term!
Sometimes it would be nice if life were that simple;
that is, if we could wear a plaster cast around our
heart so our feelings wouldn't ever get hurt!
Not so. Life isn't that simple. The problem is that
when we put a cast or wall around our hurt feelings,
that same cast also blocks out our warm and loving
feelings! We turn into zombies.
We happen to be feeling beings. Can you imagine what
life would be like without emotions? As another has
said, it would be like playing a trombone with a stuck
slide; that is, deadly dull and boring. The truth is
that when our emotions are repressed we are
characteristically bored with life.
I've led seminars and taught classes on relationships
and recovery for many years and the number one
complaint I hear from women on both sides of the
Pacific is a variation on the theme, "My husband
doesn't understand my feelings and doesn't share his."
No wonder so many relationships fall apart at the
seams. Without being in touch with one's inner self
(his/her emotions) there is no intimacy and no real
closeness. Such couples live together alone apart--and
their relationship dies a little every day.
Furthermore, when we hide and subsequently bury our
feelings, we never bury them dead but very much alive.
In so doing, in one way or another they come back to
taunt us. What we fail to talk out creatively, we
inevitably act out destructively in one way or
another. We can act out buried negative feelings by
lashing out in anger or hostility at others and those
we love the most. We can withdraw and go into silence
when we are hurt or angry, which is an equally "dirty
way to fight." We can go into depression, suffer from
anxiety attacks, ruin our relationships, set ourselves
up to fail, and/or become physically ill. As John
Powell put it, "When we bury our emotions, our stomach
keeps score." How true this is.
Furthermore, when our negative emotions are blocked
and buried, it is impossible to fully live and fully
love as we are so instructed by Jesus.
To be continued. . . .
"Dear God, I know that you have commanded that we,
your followers, are to love one another. Please help
me to live in harmony with your Word, so that I will
be able to truly fully live and fully love. So help me
God. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully in Jesus name, amen."
1. John 13:34.
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.
----
Today's Daily Encounter
Fully Living--Fully Loving Part II
"So get rid of your feelings of hatred. Don't just
pretend to be good! Be done with dishonesty . . .
deception, envy, and fraud. Long to grow up into the
fullness of your salvation,"1
As I've often said, by the time I was five I had
learned that "big men" don't cry so I learned early in
life to stuff and deny my emotions, and by the time I
was thirty-five, I suffered from miserable hay fever,
and had bursitis in both shoulders so that I couldn't
lift my arms above my shoulders without pain. Worse
still, while I had plenty of friends, close
relationships were non-existent. My marriage of 25
years turned out to be a disaster. Two repressed
people living together do not make for a healthy
relationship; in fact, they don't have any kind of
meaningful relationship. You live together alone
apart; emotionally, that is.
Even though professionally I was doing okay,
relationally I was at a loss. Furthermore, emotionally
I constantly felt empty and had no idea what my problem
was. I just knew I needed help. I had grown up with the
belief that feelings weren't important and couldn't be
trusted. In spite of this, I was so frustrated I got
down on my knees and asked God to give me some
feelings back anyhow. Whew, that prayer turned my
world upside down and made praying for patience look
like a Sunday school picnic. It took considerable pain
to break through my cast-like defenses.
My recovery and emotional healing didn't happen
overnight, but the good news is that when I learned to
break through my defenses and get in touch with my true
emotions, and how to express them creatively, over time
my life changed dramatically. Plus my physical
wellbeing also improved dramatically.
Many of our physical ills can be symbolic. For
instance, when I stuff my tears where do they go? For
me they apparently expressed themselves in miserable
hay fever which I suffered from for many years. I say
this because when I was able to sob out years of
painful hurt, I was healed of hay fever and have never
suffered from it since. And when I learned to resolve
years of buried hurt and anger, I was healed of the
painful bursitis in my shoulders and have never had
this pain recur. And when I was able to resolve lots
of buried fear caused by painful hurts in the past, my
interpersonal relationships improved out of sight.
In fact, I am physically healthier today than I was at
half my age, and I am now in a very happy and
fulfilling marriage. I feel that I am now well on the
way to fully living and fully loving. My professional
life happens to be very fulfilling also.
It may not sound refined, but the fact is that the
feelings we stuff, stuff up our lives! Literally.
So you ask, how did you resolve all your personal
issues? I wish I had a simple three-step program, but
I don't. I believe in miracles but not magic--miracles
take a lot longer. There is no such thing as a quick
fix. We take years to become what we are and don't
undo that overnight. However, the following are a few
principles to help.
To be continued . . . .
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, as your Word instructs,
please help me to: ‘get rid of my feelings of hatred
[and all forms of unresolved anger]; stop pretending
to be good outwardly, and be done with dishonesty,
deception, envy, and fraud . . . and grow up into the
fullness of my salvation.' So help me God. Thank you
for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in
Jesus name, amen."
1. 1 Peter 2:1-2 (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: 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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
The Thing I Fear
"What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has
happened to me."1
A Daily Encounter reader writes, "My new husband is in
the military and recently left for his first
deployment. I have been feeling very sad and mournful
about his leaving. I felt like the Lord showed me that
I feel abandoned. I know this is an irrational feeling,
because I know he has been working so hard to get to
this place for two years. He and I both feel like this
is a calling on his life. I knew when I married him
that he would be leaving for months at a time. But now
that it is here, I can't help but feel like his love
for me is smaller than his love for his job. What
steps should I take to deal with my abandonment
issue?"
Dear Jane (not her real name), chances are your
abandonment issue has little, if anything, to do with
your husband being away. His absence has merely
triggered unresolved issues from your past--in all
probability (as you also implied) going back to your
early relationship with your emotionally-uninvolved
father and then reinforced by your former marriage. If
this is true, you need effective counseling to help you
resolve your "father wound." If you don't resolve this
issue, you will be troubled by it in some way for the
rest of your life. Furthermore, it is very important
that you don't project this feeling onto your husband,
or the thing you fear you may unconsciously make to
happen.
While your feelings of abandonment may seem to be
irrational, they are actually logical in that they are
authentic feelings based on your past experiences. This
is why it is so important not to project these emotions
onto your present situation and blame your husband for
the way you feel. For those of us who have an
abandonment issue, we need in-depth therapy to help us
resolve our problem. It seems to me that if we have a
"father wound," we need to resolve this with a trusted
male therapist and, if a "mother wound," with a female
therapist.
Unfortunately, there are no simple quick-fix answers.
True, God can heal quickly, but more often than not he
heals these wounds through healing relationships. That
is, as we were damaged in damaging relationships, we
are healed in healing relationships. The healing takes
place over time as we are connected to a safe, loving,
non-threatening counselor or very understanding friend
who gets to know all about us and loves and accepts us
just as we are--unconditionally and without strings
attached. Little by little this experience reprograms
our feelings to produce in us what counselors call
"object constancy." In other words we become secure in
our love with our loved ones so that when we are
separated from them, we no longer feel abandoned nor
suffer from separation anxiety.
To start, tell God exactly how you feel and ask him to
lead you to a safe counselor and to the help you need
to overcome your abandonment issue. And don't ever
give up praying for and getting the help you need
until your abandonment issue/father wound is healed.
Until you are freed from this past issue, you will not
be free to fully live and fully love.*
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that your love
for me is totally unconditional and everlasting. Help
me to feel secure in your love and get the help I need
to feel secure in my human relationships knowing that I
have 'object constancy.' Thank you for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name. Amen."
1. Job 3:25 (NIV).
*Note: For further help read "Healing a Man's Father
Wound" at:
http://tinyurl.com/9dse4 The same principles apply to
the healing of a woman's father wound.
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
A Religious War . . . Reminder

"Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have
heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many
antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the
last hour. Who is the liar? It is the man who denies
that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the
antichrist--he denies the Father and the Son."1

A friend of ours recently returned from England where
he received first-hand knowledge of Muslims active in
the very place where he worked for many years. These
Muslims were claiming that Judaism was dead, that
Christianity was dead, and that now is the time for
Islam to become the dominant world religion and world
power.

Certainly not all Muslims are radical, but many around
the world are radical fundamentalists who not only hate
Jews, Christians, Americans and other Westerners, but
are determined to have us killed or made slaves to
their religion. Be assured of this, Allah of the Islam
faith and the Koran is not the God of the Bible, nor is
he the God of creation. To Muslims, Jesus Christ may be
a prophet, but he is NOT God the Son who died for our
sins, nor is he the Savior of the world. Note today's
Scripture verse and what God's Word says about those
who deny that Jesus is the Christ.

The war today against terrorism that is seeking to
destroy Jews, Americans, Westerners and Christians is
a religious war. We are not warring against a people
or a nation as such, but against religious zealots
whose goal, as taught by the Koran, is to destroy all
infidels. And who are the infidels? It's everyone who
is not a Muslim or a member of the Muslim or Islamic
faith. That includes me and many of our Daily
Encounter readers. Some of our readers in various
parts of the world are already in the crosshairs of
radical, fundamental Muslims. And as 9/11 has shown
us, we in the West are not as safe as we would like to
think we are.

According to Michael S. Rose of CruxNews.com, a
well-known French actress "denounces the
'Islamacization' of France and blames the degeneration
of French society on her country's liberal immigration
laws. 'For twenty years we have submitted to a
dangerous and uncontrolled underground infiltration,'
she writes in her new book that became an instant
bestseller in France when published. 'Not only does
[Islam] fail to give way to our laws and customs.
Quite the contrary, as time goes by it tries to impose
its own law on us.'"2

Think of Spain, too, where the majority of people not
so long ago voted out government leaders who were
taking a stand against terrorism and voted in leaders
who yielded to terrorists' tactics. God forbid that we
should ever surrender to religious terrorists' tactics
here in the U.S.

Tragically, however, here in America where Christian
bashing is increasing at an alarming rate and where
even using the word, God, in public places is being
condemned by so many who claim to be leaders, who, at
the same time, are appeasing Muslims, and claiming
that Islam is a religion of peace.

What is the answer against all forms of evil? We
Christians need to awake and not only demonstrate our
faith in our everyday lives, but also aggressively
communicate the gospel in word and action across the
nation and around the world. The average American
church is spending 95% of its income on
itself--preaching to the choir as it were. No wonder
we Christians aren't making an impact on our society,
let alone the rest of the world.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, open the eyes of every
Christian at home and abroad so that we will see what
the forces of evil are doing among us in today's
world. Please send a great spiritual awakening so that
we will never yield to the beliefs and tactics of those
who deny that Jesus is the Christ, Son of the Living
God. And help us in our manner of living to
demonstrate the love of God in everything we do, and
be genuinely committed to help spread the gospel
across the street and around the world. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."

1. 1 John 2:18, 22 (NIV).
2. From J. Grant Swank, Jr. on MichNews.com
http://michnews.com.

For a comparison grid between Christian and Islamic
beliefs go to: http://tinyurl.com/24zlgs3.

<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actsweb.org

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
And Jesus Stood Still
"And Jesus stood still."1
Down the long, dusty road on their way from Jericho to
Jerusalem, almost two thousand years ago, trod Jesus
with his motley band of twelve disciples, followed by
a huge crowd.
They were all hot and sweaty. The dust clung to them.
They were weary, but Jesus was at the height of his
popularity, and the great crowd of people pressed
close to him. They were jabbering endlessly. Asking
questions. Seeking favors. They could be heard a mile
away.
"Hey, what's all the noise?" blind Bartimaeus asked
his friend as they sat by the roadside begging.
"I don't know," answered his friend with a puzzled
tone in his voice.
"Let's ask someone," they agreed.
"It's Jesus," a passerby informed them.
"You mean Jesus of Nazareth, the fellow they claim can
heal the sick and the blind?" Bartimaeus excitedly
asked.
"That's the one," the man said, "and I'm on my way to
see him. Good-bye."
The crowd came closer and closer. Excitement filled
the air. The noise became intense.
"I can't believe it," shouted Bartimaeus to another
friend. "This just has to be my lucky day. I've got to
get to Jesus; I know he can heal me."
"Hey, Bart, there he is," cried Bartimaeus's friend,
"but how will you ever get his attention?"
Dignity was dismissed. "This is it," said Bartimaeus,
"I may never see Jesus again and I desperately want to
be healed."
So, seeking to drown out the noise of the crowd,
Bartimaeus yelled at the top of his voice, "Jesus,
have mercy on me! O Lord, son of David, have mercy on
me!"
"Cool it, man! Shut up!" retorted some of the crowd.
"You're making too much noise. You don't stand a
chance of getting to Jesus, so just relax and quit
your stupid yelling!"
But Bartimaeus was all the more determined to get to
Jesus. He couldn't see, but he could yell. He cried
out all the louder. Hear his voice rise above the din
of the crowd. It rings out like a great clarion call,
"Jesus, O Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! Jesus,
O Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
And Jesus stood still.
And the crowds stood still.
And a great calm settled down over them all.
The winds and the waves couldn't stop Jesus. Neither
could angry mobs. Crowds of people couldn't stop him
either. But a lone, blind beggar could--and did.
And Jesus with his great heart of compassion asked for
Bartimaeus to be brought to him.
"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked.
"Lord," Bartimaeus replied, "please give me my sight."
And Jesus did!
"Go your way," he said, "your faith has made you
whole."2
Friend, what do you want Jesus to do for you? Are you
as determined as Bartimaeus was? Am I?
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, have mercy on me a
sinner. Hear the cry of my heart. Please save me from
sinfulness. Heal my wounded spirit and fill my empty
heart with your love, joy and peace. Jesus, Son of
David, have mercy on me too. Thank you for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Mark 10:49 (KJV).
2. Adapted from I Hate Witnessing by Dick Innes
(Updated Edition), 155-157. On sale at:
http://tinyurl.com/33kfbk.
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
People Power--A Mighty Force

Jesus Christ said, "You are to go into all the world
and preach [communicate] the Good News [the gospel] to
everyone, everywhere."1

People Power is without question one of the most
powerful means to accomplish any cause--either for
good or evil. As Richard Halverson pointed out "People
Power" is a mighty force.

People have the power to close down any operation--or
prosper it! For example, pornography prevails because
enough people want it, buy it, watch it, listen to it,
and read it. It is extremely profitable because
countless people prosper it!

People Power has also prospered the tobacco industry,
the liquor industry, the movie industry, the gambling
industry, the abortion industry and endless numbers of
other products and causes--some of great value, some of
little or no value whatsoever, and some that are
destructive of individuals, families, and society.

The People Power principle could also work miracles
for reaching millions of people around the world with
the saving gospel message of Jesus Christ. As God's
people we have the power to prosper or hinder the
reaching of people worldwide with the gospel. This is
why we believe God has led ACTS to commence a people
power for Jesus movement. To date 2,441 folk have made
a commitment to God (not to me) to be a part of this
movement.

I want to invite you to join this People Power for
Jesus movement and see how you can help reach people
for Christ in an extremely, simple yet attractive way.
For more information and to join go to:
www.actsweb.org/people_power/. And for helps in how to
be involved go to:
http://www.actsweb.org/people_power/tips.php.

If you truly care about helping to reach the lost for
Jesus, being obedient to Christ's command, and having
a vital part in what God is doing in the world today,
I urge you to prayerfully consider becoming a People
Power for Jesus Partner today. With God's blessing
untold millions of people worldwide can be reached
with the saving gospel of Jesus Christ through People
Power.

"When many people each do a little, together we can
accomplish great feats for God."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, because you gave your
life to die for me, I surrender my heart and life to
you in order to live always for you. Please use me to
be 'as Jesus' to every life I touch and use me to help
share the gospel in an attractive way with my family,
friends and contacts. So help me God. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."

Please join People Power for Jesus today at:
www.actsweb.org/people_power.

1. Mark 16:15 (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: 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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com
http://www.actsweb.org

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
No Harsh North Winds
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but
painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for those who have been
trained by it."1
James White wrote, "I once heard of a legend [that]
originated in a small town in Germany that for a
number of years experienced poor harvests. The
townspeople prayed at the beginning of a New Year
saying, 'God, our harvests have been so poor and so
scarce, for one year will you let us plan everything?'
"God said, 'All right, for one year.'
"They immediately set their plans for abundance into
motion, and God complied with their every request.
Whenever they asked for rain, God sent rain. Whenever
they asked for sun, God sent sun. The corn had never
grown higher, and the wheat had never been thicker.
But when the harvest came, they discovered that the
tall corn had no ears, and the thick wheat had no
heads of grain.
"'God, you have failed us!' they cried out. 'We asked
for sun, and you sent sun. We asked for rain, and you
sent rain. But there is no crop.'
"'You never asked for the harsh north winds,' answered
God. 'Without the harsh north winds, there is no
pollination, and with no pollination, there is no
crop.'"2
As Seneca said, "Gold is tried by fire, brave men by
adversity."
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to accept
trials and hardships as discipline and opportunities
to help me grow and become more fruitful, and more
like Jesus in every way. Thank you for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name,
amen."

1. Hebrews 12:11 (NIV).
2. Life Defining Moments by James Emery White,
WaterBrook Press, 2001, pp. 106-107. Cited on
www.sermons.com.
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Resolution or Repetition
"The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man
listens to advice."1
For a long time we had a crazy bird that kept smashing
into our kitchen window, obviously trying to reach its
reflection. I kept trying to outsmart it, but it kept
coming back for more of the same kind of treatment. I
had the same thing happening at my last home.
I have also read how, "If you put a buzzard in a pen
that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the
top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be
a prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins
a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet.
Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not
even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for
life in a small jail with no top.
"A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be
there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never
sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in
trying to find some way out through the sides near the
bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it
completely destroys itself."2
Some, perhaps many, people are entrapped in hopeless
situations because they are not looking for or seeing
the way out of their predicament. I've been there
myself in days past until I wised up. In my work I see
people making the same mistakes over and over, failing
to realize that what we don't resolve, we are destined
to repeat . . . repeat . . . repeat. As the saying
goes, "If we keep doing what we've always done, we'll
keep getting what we always got, and we'll keep
feeling what we've always felt."
The beginning point for finding the way out of any
predicament is always to look up--to look to God and
pray the right prayer. That is, ask God to show you
the truth of what you are contributing to any negative
situation you may be in, to show you what you need to
do to resolve it, and to help you to find the
help/counsel you need to overcome.
Today is the end of the year 2010. Resolve for the New
Year to no longer allow your past to control you, but,
with God’s help, commit yourself to becoming the
person God has envisioned for you to be.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me always to see
what I am contributing to any adverse situation I
happen to find myself in, and please give me the
wisdom to seek wise counsel, and the good sense to do
what I need to do to resolve my problem. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."
1. Proverbs 12:15 (NIV).
2. From PLANETNEWS broadcast. Cited on
Sermon_Fodder@yahoogroups.com.
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com

Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
A Sermon Walking
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves."1
In 1953 reporters gathered at a Chicago railway
station waiting to meet the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize
winner.
He was a big man, well over six feet tall, with bushy
hair and a large mustache.
Reporters were excited to see him and expressed what
an honor it was to meet him. Cameras were flashing,
compliments were being expressed when, looking beyond
the adulation, the visitor saw an elderly black woman
struggling to carry her two large suitcases.
"Excuse me," he said as he went to the aid of this
woman. Picking up her cases, he escorted her to a bus
and then apologized to the reporters for keeping them
waiting.
The man was Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the famous
missionary-doctor who had invested his life helping
poor and sick people in Africa.
A member of the reception committee remarked to one of
the reporters, "That's the first time I ever saw a
sermon walking." The measure of any man or woman is
not their name, nor their fame, nor what they say, but
what they do.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be a
doer of your Word and not just a hearer always in all
ways. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. James 1:22 (NKJV).
<)))><

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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
interested friends. Donations can be sent at:
http://www.actscom.com


Copyright (c) 2010 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009
ACTS International.