Daily Encounter with: ACTS International

Today's Daily Encounter

Light the Fire  

"And then he [Jesus] told them, ‘You are to go into all
the world and preach the Good News to everyone,
everywhere."1

FedEx CEO and founder, Fred Smith, first developed the
idea for an innovative airfreight company while he was
a student at Yale University.

His professor was less than impressed. The paper Smith
submitted outlining the concept earned him a "C".
Thirty years later, FedEx was the world's largest
express transportation company, with 128,000 employees
and more than $7 billion in capital.

Smith's shortsighted professor didn't take a few things
into consideration. One was Smith's persistence--he
refused to give up. Another was his
resourcefulness--when plan A doesn't work, there is
always a plan B to put in motion. Most important,
however, was Smith's ability to recruit others to his
vision. 

This reminds me of my early days in ministry back in my
homeland of Australia. When I shared my vision with my
then pastor of how I thought we could reach many people
with the gospel, he stated emphatically: "That won't
work here!" Thankfully I didn't listen to him! 

Some years later his church folded up and was sold to
another denomination. As God's Word also says, "Where
there is no vision the people perish."2

Most people want to be part of what they are involved
in--even to the point of sacrifice. In the early days,
for example, Smith's pilots often refueled company jets
with their own money. Sometimes they sat on paychecks
for months to help keep the company afloat.3

Can you imagine what would happen if every Christian
had that kind of vision and attitude in wanting to be a
part of God's plan and what He is doing in the world
today--and was willing to make the kind of sacrifices
needed to follow Christ and accept His commission to
take the gospel to everyone everywhere?

Suggested prayer, "Dear God, in the words of the song
writer: 'Oh Lord please light the fire, That once
burned bright and clear, Replace the lamp of my first
love, That burned with holy fear.' Thank You for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's
name, amen."

1. Mark 16:15 (TLB).
2. Proverbs 29:18 (KJV).
3. Adapted from Coy Wylie, TX, www.cornerstonebc.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
  
  ACTS International
  P.O. Box 73545
  San Clemente, California 92673-0119
  U.S.A.
  
  Phone: 949-940-9050  
  http://www.actsweb.org 
  Copyright (c) 2016 by ACTS International. 
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016
  ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Judge but Don't Judge!  

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the
same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with
the measure you use, it will be measured to you."1

A Daily Encounter reader writes, "As Christians we are
told not to judge others. However, we are also told not
to cast our pearls before swine. Does that not involve
a judgment? This has always confused me."

A judgmental person is a critical, negative, and often
an angry and even hostile person. Jesus was saying that
if you project this kind of an attitude onto others,
that's what you will receive in return. That's true in
much of life, for what we project is what we get back.
Thus, if we project a judgmental attitude, that's what
we'll get back. Or if we project a loving attitude,
that's what we will receive in return. What we sow is
what we will reap!

Also, the Bible says, that a spiritual person judges or
appraises all things.2 So while we are not to be a
judgmental person, we need to judge or appraise actions
and "all things" to discern that which is good and that
which is bad or evil.

When Jesus said, "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do
not throw your pearls to pigs,"3 he was telling us to
use discernment and judge the actions of evil people,
but not to be judgmental towards them. We are to love
these people, but at the same time lovingly avoid
sharing with them what you know will be rejected and
trodden on.

For me personally, I find it very difficult to do this.
I still have a lot of growing to do in this area of my
life; that is, to love people when I hate and even
despise what they are doing.

Suggested prayer, "Dear God, please give me the wisdom
to know how to evaluate (judge) all things, and help me
to separate a person from his destructive actions. Help
me to hate sin but love the sinner just as You do. And
help me to love the things You love and hate the things
You hate--and give me the wisdom to know the
difference. Thank You for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV). 
2. 1 Corinthians 2:15. 
3. Matthew 7:6 (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.
  
  * * * * * * * 
  
  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
  
  ACTS International
  P.O. Box 73545
  San Clemente, California 92673-0119
  U.S.A.
  
  Phone: 949-940-9050  
  http://www.actsweb.org 
  
  Copyright (c) 2016 by ACTS International. 
  
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016
  ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

The Power of Love  

"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet
perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."1

Les Brown, an Emergency Technician, was driving home
from a busy day at work when he heard an emergency call
on his car radio scanner. A child was choking and in
need of immediate help.

The police dispatched a rescue squad but Les, realizing
he was only a few blocks away, knew that he could get
there sooner. He radioed the police to tell them that
he was also on the way. When he tried to exit the
freeway, he couldn't. A large caterpillar tractor had
dug a deep trench right across the exit.

Les pulled to the side, jumped from his car and yelled
to the tractor driver, "There's a baby in trouble down
the street. I have to get there urgently!"

Immediately, the man filled in a large part of the
trench he'd spent all day digging, packed the fill down
and waved Les across. Les rushed to where the call came
from. There he found a frantic mother waiting for help
to arrive. The baby she was holding had turned purple.
Les grabbed the child, put him over his knee and
carefully hit him on the back and out popped a button
from his mouth. Much to the mother's relief, the child
breathed again.

On the way home the following evening Les noticed the
tractor working at the same exit so he pulled over to
tell the driver what had happened. When the man saw
him, he jumped from his tractor and this time he yelled
to Les, "The baby you saved yesterday ... That was my
baby! Mine! Mine!"2

Here we see genuine love in action and such love has
many facets. In the powerful words of Scripture, it is
patient, thoughtful, kind and forgiving. It isn't
jealous, proud, boasting, self-seeking, rude or easily
angered. Nor does it keep a record of wrongs. "It
always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always
perseveres. It never fails."3

And that, dear reader, is the love that Jesus exhibited
for you and me when He died on the cross to pay the
penalty for your sins and mine. And when we accept and
appreciate the reality of what Jesus did for us and
accept His forgiveness--and with it the gift of eternal
life--we too can say to God with great appreciation,
"The life You saved is mine! Mine!"

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, how can I ever thank You
for all that You have done for me: for loving me, for
giving Your Son, Jesus, to die for my sins, for
accepting me, for forgiving me for all my sins, and for
saving me for all eternity. Because You died to give me
all of this, please help me to live fully and
faithfully for You all the days of my life. Thank You
for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in
Jesus's name, amen."

NOTE: If you have never received Jesus as your Savior,
be sure to read "How to Be Sure You're a Real
Christian-Without Having to Be Religious" at:
http://tinyurl.com/8glq9

1. Romans 5:7-8 (NKJV).
2. Adapted from "The Power of Love" by Dick Innes at:
   http://tinyurl.com/283t54
3. 1 Corinthians 13:7 (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
  
  ACTS International
  P.O. Box 73545
  San Clemente, California 92673-0119
  U.S.A.
  
  Phone: 949-940-9050  
  http://www.actsweb.org 
  
  Copyright (c) 2016 by ACTS International. 
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016
  ACTS International.


Today's Daily Encounter

No Greater Love  

"My command [said Jesus] is this: Love each other as I
have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that
he lay down his life for his friends."1

Terry Austin of Dallas, Texas, tells about Bert Frizen
who, in 1944, "was an infantryman on the front line in
Europe. American forces had advanced in the face of
intermittent shelling and small-arms fire throughout
the morning hours, but now all was quiet. His patrol
reached the edge of a wooded area with an open field
before them. Unknown to the Americans, a battery of
Germans waited in a hedgerow about two hundred yards
across the field.

"Bert was one of two scouts who moved out into the
clearing. Once he was halfway across the field, the
remainder of his battalion followed. Suddenly the
Germans opened fire, and machine gun fire ripped into
both of Bert's legs. The American battalion withdrew
into the woods for protection, while a rapid exchange
of fire continued.

"Bert lay helplessly in a small stream as shots
volleyed overhead. There seemed to be no way out. To
make matters worse, he now noticed that a German
soldier was crawling toward him. Death appeared
imminent so he closed his eyes and waited.

"To Bert's surprise, a considerable period passed
without the expected attack, so he ventured opening his
eyes again. He was startled to see the German kneeling
at his side, smiling. He then noticed that the shooting
had stopped. Troops from both sides of the battlefield
watched anxiously. Without any verbal exchange, this
mysterious German reached down to lift Bert in his arms
and proceeded to carry him to the safety of Bert's
comrades."

Amazing! A wonderful thing to see! But far more amazing
is the fact that when Jesus left the "Ivory Palaces of
Heaven," to come to earth as a man, He bridged the gap
that separated you and me from God. In giving His life
for us on the cross, He rescued us from a lost and
hopeless eternity to provide for us forgiveness for all
our sins, the gift of eternal life, and a home in
heaven where there will be the fullness of love and
life forever.

NOTE: To be sure you have received God's gift of
forgiveness and eternal life, be sure to read, "How to
Be Sure You're a Real Christian at:
http://tinyurl.com/8glq9.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You for giving Your
Son, Jesus, to stand in the gap that separated me from
You and, in so doing, You rescued me from a lost and
hopeless eternity. And Jesus, let my life be a living
'thank you' for Your dying sacrifice in giving Your
life to die in my place on the cross of Calvary. Thank
You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in
Jesus's name, amen."

1. John 15:12-13 (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
  
  ACTS International
  P.O. Box 73545
  San Clemente, California 92673-0119
  U.S.A.
  
  Phone: 949-940-9050  
  http://www.actsweb.org 
  
  Copyright (c) 2016 by ACTS International. 
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016
  ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Success  

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I
should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this
one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to
what lies ahead, Istrain to reach the end of the race
and receive the prize for which God, through Christ
Jesus, is calling us up to heaven."1

It has been said that "success is the ability to
embrace a worthwhile goal and employ all of your powers
to achieve that goal." An even better way to say this
might be: "Success is the ability to discover God's
goal and purpose for your life and then, with God's
help, employ all of your powers to achieve thatgoal."
I’m sure that this is the way the Apostle Paul lived
his life after he committed it to Jesus Christ and
became one of the most effective early Christian
leaders.

For you and me to succeed in God's eyes we don't have
to be an Apostle Paul or anybody else. We only need
todiscover God's goal and purpose for our life and stay
committed to that through thick and thin. Fulfilling
this purpose may not be easy. Even with God's help it
will take commitment, endurance, faith, and hard work.
However, it gives us something to live for that is
bigger than ourselves--and in the life to comethe
rewards will be eternal!

I like the words of the poet who wrote:
I would rather stumble a thousand times
   attempting to reach a goal,
Than to sit in a crowd
In my weather-proof shroud,
A shriveled and self-satisfied soul.
I would rather be doing and daring
All of my error-filled days,
Than watching, and waiting, and dying,
Smug in my perfect ways.
I would rather wonder and blunder,
Stumbling blindly ahead,
Than for safety's sake
Lest I make a mistake,
Be sure, be safe, be dead.

     - Author Unknown
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to lift my vision
and see beyond the temporal to get a glimpse of
eternity and live my life according to Your values and
in harmonywith Your goal and purpose for me. Thank You
for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in
Jesus's name. Amen."

1. Philippians 3:13-14 (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
  
  ACTS International
  P.O. Box 73545
  San Clemente, California 92673-0119
  U.S.A.
  
  Phone: 949-940-9050  
  http://www.actsweb.org 
  
  Copyright (c) 2016 by ACTS International. 
  
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016
  ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Control Freaks  

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they
follow Me. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger,
but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice
of strangers."1

Pastor Verne Arens writes how "he once knew someone who
was a leader in the congregation. At one time or
another he had filled most (if not all) of the
important leadership positions in that church. More
than that, however, oftentimes he was the one who would
volunteer for those tough, dirty jobs that no one else
wanted: washing dishes after a potluck supper, helping
to teach the confirmation class, stacking shelves at
the food bank.

"This is the kind of person you would like to clone and
with whom you'd like to fill the congregation, right?
Wrong! This person was a delight to have around until
things didn't go his way, and then he was a nightmare:
disruptive, divisive, even destructive. He didn't
understand the meaning of community and was not a team
player. And when (not for the first time) he and his
wife climbed into their huff-mobile and drove away
after some disagreement, the congregation finally had
the good sense not to beg them to come back. Finally
that congregation had learned to distinguish between
the voice of a shepherd and the voice of a stranger."2

Another description of this type of person is "a
control freak." Sometimes, after a reasonable number of
rebukes, the most loving thing we can do is to ask them
to leave. As long as we keep giving in to them, we
become a part of their sickness (insecurity). It's
interesting to note that when they threw Jonah
overboard, there was a great calm!

Suggested prayer, "Dear God, please grant that I will
never be a control freak and thereby play the role of
'God' in other peoples' lives. If I ever am, please
open my eyes to what I am doing and help me to change
my ways. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. John 10:27, 5 (NKJV).
2. "Help Wanted," by Rev. Verne Arens.

<)))><     
  
  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
  
  ACTS International
  P.O. Box 73545
  San Clemente, California 92673-0119
  U.S.A.
  
  Phone: 949-940-9050  
  http://www.actsweb.org 
  
  Copyright (c) 2016 by ACTS International. 
  
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016
  ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

The Door  

"So Jesus said to them again, 'Truly, truly, I say to
you, I am the door of the sheep.'"1

George Adam Smith, the 19th century biblical scholar,
tells of traveling one day in the holy land and coming
across a shepherd and his sheep. He fell into
conversation with him and the man showed him the fold
into which the sheep were led at night. It consisted of
four walls, with a way in.

Smith asked him, "This is where they go at night?"

"Yes," said the shepherd, "and when they are in there,
they are perfectly safe."

"But there is no door," said Smith.

"I am the door," said the shepherd.

He was not a Christian man and wasn't speaking in the
language of the New Testament. He was speaking from an
Arab shepherd's viewpoint.

Smith looked and him and asked, "What do you mean, 'you
are the door'?"

"When the light has gone," said the shepherd, "and all
the sheep are inside, I lie in that open space, and no
sheep ever goes out but across my body, and no wolf
comes in unless he crosses my body; I am the door."

And that's what Jesus is for all of His children, the
sheep of His pasture.

Suggested prayer, "Dear God, thank You that we have the
promise that Jesus is always with us no matter in what
circumstances we find ourselves, and that He is the
door to watch and guard over each one of His
children--including me. Thank You for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. John 10:7 (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
  
  ACTS International
  P.O. Box 73545
  San Clemente, California 92673-0119
  U.S.A.
  
  Phone: 949-940-9050  
  http://www.actsweb.org 
  
  Copyright (c) 2016 by ACTS International. 
  
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016
  ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

A God Moment  

"I being in the way, the LORD led me."1

Saturday is my "fixing things at home" day. On one
particular Saturday I had lots of jobs I was wanting to
get done. I was on my way home from the hardware store
and lumber yard with a trunk load of stuff to work on.
My shopping took much longer than I had planned and I
was in a hurry to get home and get to work. I was
singing heartily:

"Is there anything I can do dear Lord,
Anything I can do,
For all that you have done for me,
Is there anything I can do?
I'm willing to be used dear Lord,
What e'er the task may be.
Is there anything I can do, dear Lord,
Just make it plain to me."

Suddenly ... as I turned the corner I saw a "damsel in
distress"--two of them in fact!

Here was a van stranded at a red stop light with a
woman in the driver's seat and a teenage girl trying to
push the vehicle across the street through a red light!

"Oh, no, I don't want to stop and help," I thought to
myself. I'm already running late and have so much to
do. Besides I have a sore back." So I continued on my
way.

Immediately a little voice inside my head said, "You
hypocrite, Innes, singing 'Is there anything I can do
dear Lord ... Just make it plain to me!'" And another
little voice inside my head said, "And how much plainer
do you want it to be?"

I think God has a sense of humor ... "How much plainer
do you want it to be?" My better sense won, so I turned
back to help the ladies in distress. Fortunately
another man stopped to help so we were able to push
their van to safety off the main road.

I surely was glad that I stopped. The woman driver had
just been beaten up by her husband and come from the
hospital. Her face was a mess. There were several
stitches on her nose and she had a black eye. Her
husband was taken to jail and she and the daughter were
left stranded. I had also been to the bank so gave this
lady all the money I had on me. She wept. I asked her
if I could pray for them. She said yes. We then called
the local police who came to help.

I think God meant for me to be running late on Saturday
... and I'm so thankful that I listened to the little
voice inside my head! What a privilege it is to serve
the Lord by helping those in genuine need.

Suggested prayer, "Dear God, I am available. Please
help me always to be sensitive to those who need Your
help through me. Thank You for hearing and answering my
prayer, and for using me in Your work on earth. May it
always be for Your glory. Gratefully in Jesus's name,
amen."

1. Genesis 24:27 (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
  
  ACTS International
  P.O. Box 73545
  San Clemente, California 92673-0119
  U.S.A.
  
  Phone: 949-940-9050  
  http://www.actsweb.org 
  
  Copyright (c) 2016 by ACTS International. 
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016
  ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Healing Shame That Binds  

"Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped
trying to hide them. I said to myself, 'I will confess
my rebellion to the LORD.' And you forgave me! All my
guilt is gone."1

Go to any supermarket where a parent is busy shopping
and their child is being obnoxious or feels he or she
is being ignored by the parent. Some of the put-down,
shame-based criticisms these children receive make your
blood curdle. 

Listen to the angry tone of voice as the parent blurts
out: "You bad boy! If you don't stop your noise, I will
take you outside and...." If they are getting this kind
of treatment in public, you can imagine what they are
receiving at home: "You terrible girl; shame on you;
you wicked, bad boy/girl."

When a child receives a continual dose of any
shame-based accusations, he eventually believes that
that is the kind of person he is and continues to feel
this way throughout his adult life unless he gets the
help he needs to resolve his damaged self-concept. 

Another terribly shame-based group of people are those
who have been physically and, especially, sexually
abused in childhood or youth. Sex, to many of them, has
become a dirty, repulsive thing and because they have
sexual feelings, they often feel dirty and ashamed of
themselves. This is such a tragedy because they never
sinned but were grievously sinned against. 

So how do we overcome a shame-based self-concept? 

First, continually remind yourself that God loves you
just as you are and that He has totally forgiven all
your sins that you have confessed to Him. Keep
reminding yourself of this--regardless of how you feel.
This kind of repetition over time helps re-program your
faulty belief system. Many a time when I was feeling
shame-based, I said over and over to myself, "God loves
and accepts me as I am so I love and accept me as I
am." This kind of repetition (with feeling) programs
truth (or lies) into our deeper mind and belief system.


Second, realize that we were damaged in damaging
relationships and will get healed in healing
relationships. So, with God's help, seek out a trusted
friend (a skilled counselor if necessary) with whom you
can trust your very soul. Little by little start to
open up to this person and share all your shame-based
feelings and all your failures. This needs to be with a
non-judgmental, non-advice-giving-wanting-to-fix-you
person. It needs to be someone who knows you fully and
accepts you totally. Through their loving acceptance of
you just as you are, little by little you learn to love
and accept yourself. This does take time.

I know this can be threatening because many of us feel
that if we are known for who we truly are, we won't be
liked, let alone loved. But this is a false belief. The
fact is we can only be loved to the degree that we are
known. But again, it is very important that we never
open up to a shame-based, judgmental,
unsolicited-advice-giving person.

Third, realize, too, that love is a feeling to be
learned. When we are born, we have the capacity to
love, but how to love is learned. If we grow up in an
angry environment, we will learn to be angry or, if in
a fearful environment, we will learn to be fearful. But
if we grow up in a loving environment, we will learn to
be loving. We love by first being loved. Unfortunately,
what we didn't receive as a child, we need to receive
now. That's the way God created us and He doesn't go
against His own design. 

As the Bible says, "We love God because He first loved
us." The same principle applies to people--we love
others because someone needs to first love us." And, as
already noted, as we open up and are totally honest to
a safe, non-judgmental loving person, little by little
we learn to love ourselves in a healthy sense. This
then frees us to work on overcoming our failures. As
long as we hide our sins and faults, we are never free
to resolve them.

Remember the words of David who sinned grievously:
"Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped
trying to hide them. I said to myself, 'I will confess
my rebellion to the LORD.' And You forgave me! All my
guilt is gone."2

We too can find the same freedom from guilt,
false-guilt, and shame. 

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You again that You
know me exactly as I am inside and out, and still love
me. Lead me to the help I need so I can learn to love
and accept myself the way You love me, and be free from
all my guilt--both real and false--and shame. Thank You
for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in
Jesus's name, amen."

1. Psalm 32:5 (NLT).
2. Ibid.

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Today's Daily Encounter

Lessons from Trees  

"Whoever comes to Me [Jesus], and hears My sayings and
does them…is like a man building a house, who dug deep
and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood
arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house,
and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who
built a house on the earth without a foundation,
against which the stream beat vehemently; and
immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was
great."1

Ravi Zacharias tells how when he and his family lived
in "England some years ago a terrible windstorm hit
much of the country. Amazingly, thousands of trees were
felled in one night. Some days later we were walking
outside Buckingham Palace and my wife noticed something
very significant. While the trees themselves were huge
and very tall, their roots were unbelievably shallow.
We marveled at this seemingly inexplicable
disproportion." The reason was that the water level was
close to the surface and the roots didn't have to go
deep to get their nourishment. 

I have seen a similar thing happen in Southern
California where many Australian gum or eucalyptus
trees are grown. As this area is converted desert, all
or many of these trees are watered by a drip or
sprinkler system. Because the water is close to the
surface, many of these trees don't have a deep root
system either and I have seen many of them fall in a
wild windstorm after the ground was waterlogged.

Very different to gum trees growing up in the dry parts
of Australia where they are forced to drive their roots
down deep in order to survive. Their branches get
broken in storms but rarely do any of the trees fall. 

Furthermore, when I lived in South Australia at the top
of the Adelaide hills where the winds blow furiously, I
was advised to plant my trees while they were still
small and not to stake them too tightly. They needed
the freedom to bend and sway with the wind as this
helped them develop a deep root system from their
beginning in order to strengthen them when they had
fully grown. 

Or take the mighty redwood trees--magnificent trees
that grow in Northern California and reach their leafy
arms toward heaven--some of which were growing when
Jesus walked on earth! Normally they receive good rains
and have a sufficient water supply. These giants of the
forest also have a very shallow root system but as they
grow in groves, all their roots are intertwined so when
the wild winds blow and the storms rage, they hang on
to each other and hold each other up. 

The same is true of us. In order to survive the storms
of life we need to develop a deep root system that is
anchored solidly in our faith in God--the One in whom
we trust implicitly. And like the mighty redwoods, if
we want to grow strong and healthy, we need the support
of one another, for none of us can make it alone and
weren't created to do so. As God's Word also says "not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together."2

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You for Your Word
and its instructions for life. Help me to live by these
principles so that I will have deep roots built on a
solid foundation and can say with the hymn writer, 'On
Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is
sinking sand.' Thank You for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Luke 6:47-49 (NKJV).
2. Hebrews 10:25 (NKJV).

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Today's Daily Encounter

Guilty or Not Guilty  

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who
are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the
law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of
sin and death."1

"Why do I feel so guilty when I haven't done anything
wrong," someone asks. Another asks, "Even when I have
asked God to forgive me for things I have done wrong,
why do I still feel awful?" 

I think these are questions many struggle with. I
certainly have in the past. The problem lies in the
confusion between real guilt, false guilt, and shame.

First, let me again qualify real guilt. In the Bible
and in our society guilt is a legal term. If we have
disobeyed God or the law of the land, we are guilty
whether we feel guilty or not. The appropriate
emotional response for when we have done wrong in
biblical terms is godly sorrow. This is the way we
rightly feel when we have sinned and done wrong. If we
don't, we may have a dulled or dead conscience.
However, at least in our Western society, we tend to
think of guilt as an emotional response, so that's the
way I will address it here.

With real guilt, as we said yesterday, when we confess
our sin and wherever possible put wrongs right, we
should no longer feel guilty. God forgives us and we
are no longer under condemnation. If we still feel
guilty, chances are it is false guilt and/or shame.

True guilt says you have done bad (or badly). False
guilt makes you feel bad even when you are not guilty.
And shame says you are bad; that is, a bad person. The
latter two are both psychologically damaging and are
conditioned or learned responses.

For example, some children grow up in families where
guilt is used as a means of control. That is, the
message (usually non-verbal) is communicated that if
you do what I want you to do; behave the way I want you
to behave; conform to my wishes; and for some, if you
believe what I want you to believe, I will give you my
love and approval. If the child doesn't conform, love
and approval are withheld and the child is made to feel
guilty. This kind of love is called conditional love,
which isn't love at all. It's control. And tragically,
false guilt is often used in religious circles to get
adherents to conform to leaders’ dictatorial
control--and people who don’t conform are made to feel
guilty. This is false guilt. 

On the other hand, if a child grows up with a
condemning family and constantly gets the message,
"Shame on you … you are such a bad boy (or girl)," over
time this message is programmed into his subconscious
mind and he comes to believe deep down that he is a
bad, shameful person. So when things go wrong--even if
he isn't responsible for it--his shame-based belief
about himself is triggered and he feels wretched. 

So how are we freed from false guilt and shame?

To be continued.…

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You that when I
confess my sins to You, You forgive me and I am no
longer condemned because You paid the penalty for me
for all my sins. Please help me to know and feel the
freedom as a result of sins forgiven. If I still feel
bad, please help me to see if I am struggling with
false guilt and/or shame. If so, lead me to the help I
need to overcome this problem. Thank You for hearing
and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name,
amen."

1. Romans 8:1-2 (NIV).

<:((((><    
  
  NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness
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  please click on http://www.actsweb.org/decision.php to note this.
  
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Today's Daily Encounter

Overcoming False Guilt  

"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, 'If you
hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then
you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free.'"1

Yesterday we explained the difference between real
guilt, false guilt, and shame. Today we address the
question of how we can be freed from false guilt. 

Because the feelings of false guilt (and shame) have
been conditioned over many years, we don't undo or
re-condition them overnight. 

First, however, we need to recognize what is real guilt
and godly sorrow, and what is false guilt. As Jesus
pointed out, when we are His true followers we will
know the truth, and the truth will set us free. 

When someone is using false guilt; that is, trying to
manipulate us to feel guilty if we don't do what they
want us to do, we need to recognize their game and
refuse to allow them to control us--regardless of how
we feel. It will take a while to master this and you
will probably begin to feel angry at that person and
yourself for letting yourself be controlled. However,
the more you resist this kind of control, the stronger
you will become and the better you will feel about
yourself. 

A good response to "guilt throwers" is to say kindly,
"You're not trying to make me feel guilty are you?" 

Of course they will deny it, but if you stop being a
"guilt catcher," "guilt throwers" will eventually stop
throwing their “guilt trip" at you--and throw it to
others who don’t recognize their devious manipulation. 

A good place to begin practicing saying "No" is to
insensitive high-pressure sales people because you are
not emotionally involved with them. 

When dealing with “guilt throwers," again the key is to
recognize their ploy or tactic and simply say “no" to
what they want you to do if you don’t want to do it.
The more you exercise your "no-muscle" with
"guilt-throwers" the stronger in character you will
become and the easier it will be to say no to those who
want you to do things you don't want to do. 

I love the country-western song that says to a pushy
unwelcome suitor, “What part of NO don’t you
understand?" 

Overcoming shame is a different challenge because shame
has been programmed into your self-concept. We'll deal
with this in our next Daily Encounter. 

To be continued....

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me the insight
to recognize when someone is trying to lay a guilt trip
on me, and give me the courage to say no to them in a
kindly fashion--so that I will become stronger in
character--and not a guilt-thrower myself. Thank You
for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in
Jesus's name, amen."

1. John 8:31-32 (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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  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
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Today's Daily Encounter

Paid in Full  

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and
will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness."1

I have read how when the books of a certain Scottish
doctor were examined after his death, it was found that
a number of accounts were crossed through with a note:
"Forgiven--too poor to pay." But the physician's wife
later decided that these accounts must be paid in full
and she proceeded to sue for money. When the case came
to court, the judge asked but one question. Is this
your husband's handwriting? When she replied that it
was, he responded: "There is no court in the land that
can obtain a debt once the word forgiven has been
written." 

One of the problems common to many--if not most--of us
is that we find it very difficult to forgive someone
who we feel has hurt us deeply. 

The good news is that when we confess our sins to God
and ask for His forgiveness, He forgives us totally and
absolutely. He does this not because He ignores the
just penalty for our sins, but because in His
everlasting love for us He gave His Son, Jesus, to pay
that penalty for us through His death on the cross.
Because Jesus paid our penalty for us, God can now
write across our debt, "Forgiven--too poor to pay." And
He wipes out our debt forever!

If we have confessed our sins to God and asked for His
forgiveness, we need to accept His forgiveness by
faith--regardless of how we feel. However, if we still
don't feel forgiven, we need to deal with the problem
of false guilt and/or shame. I have addressed this
problem before but will do so again in the next Daily
Encounter. In the meantime be sure to thank God
regularly for His forgiveness regardless. And because
God forgives all of our sins and wrongs, we need to
forgive all who have wronged us. As we have said
before, "Failing to forgive is like drinking poison and
waiting for the other person to die." 

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, how can I ever thank You
enough for all You have done for me in giving Your Son
Jesus to pay the penalty for all my sins. In confessing
my sins to You, I thank You for Your gift of
forgiveness and eternal life. Please help me to be as
forgiving to others as You have been and are to me.
Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

Note: If you have never received God’s forgiveness, for
help be sure to read, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real
Christian" at: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9

1.  1 John 1:9 (NIV).

<:((((><    
 
  
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  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
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Today's Daily Encounter

Fear Vs. Love  

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out
fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears
has not been made perfect in love."1

As we noted in Monday's Daily Encounter some unresolved
fears from the past can cripple us and hinder or even
block us from becoming and doing all that God
envisioned for us to be and do. While it is true that
perfect love casts out fear, unresolved fear can block
out love. 

For example, in today's world untold numbers of people
are being terrified through abuse of one sort or
another. Think of the terror of those living in
war-torn places where parents are killed, children are
left homeless, women are raped, and homes are
destroyed. Think, too, of the children who are
abused--physically, emotionally, and/or sexually in
every society. Unless these fears and terrors are
confronted, dealt with and resolved, a person can be
greatly limited or even left emotionally handicapped in
adult life by these hidden tormentors. 

To be made perfect in love, it is imperative that these
hidden tormentors be confronted and resolved. I wish I
had a simple, easy answer for resolving these fears but
I don't. I can only talk realistically from my own
experience. Because of a terrifying experience in early
childhood I was left with a buried terror which caused
me to unconsciously run from love much of my life. 

At the risk of being repetitious, here's how I overcame
my deep seated fear. In my loneliness and despair I
literally begged God to confront me with the truth and
reality of what I was contributing to the situation I
was in. Almost immediately I saw how codependent I was
which had caused me to mistake need for love. I then
came to the realization that I had been running from
close relationships all of my life for fear of being
hurt again. Once I saw and admitted my problem, I was
able to realistically ask God to lead me to the help I
needed to overcome my problem. The answer didn't come
easily but I was determined with God's help and to do
what I needed to do (get in-depth therapy) to overcome
my fear--otherwise I knew I would be running from love
for the rest of my life.

What others do to hurt us is their issue. How we react
is our issue, and our responsibility to overcome it. So
the first step in overcoming our fears is learning to
pray the right prayer; for it is only when we admit and
own our problems that we are in a position and open to
receive help from God or anybody else.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to see any
fear in my life that is blocking out love. Give me the
courage to confront it and lead me to the help I need
to overcome it so I can be made perfect or complete in
love. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

Note: For further help read, “How to Pray Effectively"
at: http://tinyurl.com/kb62w

1 John 4:18 (NKJV).

<:((((><    
  
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  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
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Today's Daily Encounter

Faith Vs. Fear  

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose
word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?"1

Nelson Mandela may have been a controversial figure to
some, but I think you will agree with what he said some
time ago when quoting Marianne Williamson (I believe it
was) in the following: "Playing small doesn't serve the
world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so
that other people won't feel insecure around you. You
were born to make manifest the glory of God that is
within you. It's not just in some of us; it's in
everyone. And as you let your own light shine, you
unconsciously give other people permission to do the
same. As you are liberated from your own fear, your
presence automatically liberates others." 

I don't know whether we are ever totally liberated from
fear in this life; for fear seems to be inherent in all
of us to some degree. And while faith in God doesn't
guarantee freedom from fear, it does empower us to
defuse fear's control over us and free us to achieve
all that God has envisioned for us to be and achieve. 

Think again of the heroes of faith in the Bible--faith
empowered them to do what God had called them to do.
God's Word says about them: "By faith Noah … By faith
Abraham … By faith Isaac … By faith Jacob … By faith
Joseph … By faith Moses … By faith the people passed
through the Red Sea as on dry land … By faith the walls
of Jericho fell … By faith Gideon, Barak, Samson,
Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets … conquered
kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was
promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the
fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword;
whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became
powerful in battle and routed foreign armies."2

True, some unresolved fears from the past can cripple
us but these, too, through faith, doing our part, and
God's help can be overcome. We'll address these in
Tuesday's Daily Encounter.

While only a few may be called to do great things for
God, all of us are called to bring glory to God through
what we do. To achieve this we need faith. And faith is
a choice; a choice to put our trust in God (regardless
of our fears) and to do what David chose to do. He
prayed to God, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You …
in God I trust." 

When our time on earth is done, may it also be said of
you and me, "By faith _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (put your name in
the blank space) walked with God and achieved …."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, today I choose to trust my
life to You. Help me to know what You want me to
achieve with my life and give me the faith, and the
courage, to do it--and the courage to not allow any of
my fears to control me. Thank You for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name,
amen."

1. Psalm 56:3-4, (NIV).
2. See Hebrews 11.

<:((((><    
  
  NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness
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Today's Daily Encounter

The Power of Faith  

"According to your faith be it unto you."1 This is what
Jesus said to the blind men whom He had healed.

I believe it was Napoleon Hill who said, "Whatever the
mind can conceive and believe can be achieved." I
wouldn't necessarily accept this statement in totality,
but there is a lot of truth in it. The idea of course
wasn't original with Hill by any means in that it is
very much akin to what Jesus said, "According to your
faith be it unto you."

Certainly we need to be realistic and not overestimate
what God will do through us, but it's equally important
not to underestimate it either. It all depends on what
God has called us to do. 

Former President John Kennedy and NASA scientists not
only conceived placing a man on the moon but believed
it was possible and were in a position to make it
happen. And they did. According to my interests,
knowledge, and training it would not have been possible
for me to be a part of that team. So, obviously we need
to be realistic about what we conceive. However, it is
amazing what God can and will do through anyone who is
totally committed to Him. He's not going to call most
of us to walk on the moon, but He is calling every one
of us to walk worthy of Him on the earth and to achieve
all that we are meant to be and to do.

That's the challenge we all need to face and accept,
then add a good dose of faith in God and you and I can
also be among the heroes of faith as listed in the
Bible.2 These heroes were ordinary men and women who
knew what they were meant to do--and by faith in and
help from God they did it.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please show me how I can
best serve You and exactly what You want me to do with
my life--be it large or small. And give me the faith to
do it. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Matthew 9:29 (KJV).
2. See Hebrews 11.

<:((((><    
  
  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
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  please click on http://www.actsweb.org/decision.php to note this.
  
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  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
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Today's Daily Encounter

Wants Vs. Wishes  

"Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity
thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and
knew that he already had been in that condition a long
time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"1

A Daily Encounter reader writes, "After many years of
counseling and prayer for help, my brother who has been
a Christian for many years can't seem to let go of his
emotional problems and failures. Is there anything I
can say to help him forgive himself? What might be
holding him back from finding healing and freedom?"

There may be any of a number of reasons why this man
seems to be "stuck" in his situation. One may be that
deep down he doesn't want to get well.

According to reports I have read from both a Christian
and a secular source, of all the people who go to a
counselor or physician saying they want help
approximately 25 percent actually don't want to get
well. Some of these people like to feel sorry for
themselves and get some kind of satisfaction from
seeking sympathy. A further 50 percent expect the
counselor or physician to heal them. Only 25 percent
actually take responsibility for doing what they need
to do in order to get well. One physician said that
some patients would rather he operate on their body
than they operate on or change their lifestyle!

Many of us say that we want to lose weight, too, but do
little or nothing about it. What we do is confuse a
wish for a want. It's one thing to wish for something,
it's another thing to want it.

As Jesus said to the sick person, "Do you want to be
made well/whole?" 

To be made well/whole, I need to be committed to being
made well/whole and accept responsibility for doing
whatever I need to do in order to get well. I can pray
forever about losing weight, but if I don't watch my
diet and get sufficient exercise, it's not going to
happen. And if I cling to my grudges and refuse to
forgive all who have hurt me, I won't get well either.

True, some ills and miserable circumstances are beyond
our control but there are many that we can do something
about ourselves. Yes, pray for wisdom to know what to
do, for truth to see what we need to do, for courage to
do it, and for God to lead us to the help we need to
overcome. When we do our part, we can be certain that
God will do His.

The bottom line is do we truly want to be made
well/whole--or do we just wish for it?

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to accept
responsibility in every adverse situation that comes my
way. Besides trusting in You, help me to see what I can
and need to do to make healing and wholeness possible.
Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. John 5:5-6 (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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  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
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Today's Daily Encounter

IDD  

"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and
doesn't do it, sins."1

Ours is a day filled with numerous abbreviations: In
computer talk we have: RAM, KB, MB, GB, ISP, HTML, PHP,
IE, Etc. In the recovery world: AA, CODA, SAA, etc. And
in psychological circles: OCD, ADD, DID, etc. 

I heard about a new one (at least it's new to me) in an
article by Otis Young. It's IDD, and stands for
Integrity Deficit Disorder (not to be confused with the
medical term, IDD, which stands for Iodine Deficiency
Disorder).

As Young put it, "A person who is afflicted with this
disorder knows what's right but doesn't follow through
and do what's right. He or she makes a promise or
commitment, and then fails to keep it. Thus when you
meet a person with Integrity Deficit Disorder, you're
never quite sure if you can trust that person or not."2

IDD people make excuses for why they didn't do what
they said they were going to do. They fail to accept
personal responsibility and blame the weather,
circumstances and especially others for their failures
and the problems they have. They are defensive and hide
behind a mask of superficiality, saccharine sweetness,
religiosity, negativism, and/or phoniness. They refuse
to take a good hard look at themselves and are masters
of self-deception. Many IDDs believe the lies they tell
themselves. 

IDD is not a mental illness. It is a choice--a sinful
choice. As God's word says, "Anyone, then, who knows
the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins" 

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please deliver me from the
sin of IDD and help me to be a man/woman of integrity.
Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. James 4:17 (NIV).
2. Rev. Otis Young, "Integrity Deficit Disorder." 

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Today's Daily Encounter

Moral Relativism?  

"Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave
you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,
that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let
this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate
on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do
everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous
and successful."1

Brett Blair wrote, "A few years ago … [Mr. X, a
well-known media personality] made headlines when he
said the Ten Commandments were obsolete. He went on to
say, ‘We're living with outmoded rules. The rules we're
living under are the Ten Commandments, and I bet nobody
here even pays much attention to 'em, because they are
too old. When Moses went up on the mountain, there were
no nuclear weapons, there was no poverty. Today, the
Ten Commandments wouldn't go over. Nobody around likes
to be commanded. Commandments are out.’ 

“Mr. X then modestly offered his own version which he
called the ‘Ten Voluntary Initiatives.’ … Listen to his
first two: #1, ‘I promise to love and respect planet
Earth and all living things on the earth, especially my
fellow species.’ Not bad. #2, ‘I promise to treat all
persons everywhere with dignity, respect and
friendliness.’ What was intriguing about this second
Initiative was that he violated it a few minutes later
by bashing Christians. He called us losers and bozos.
He later apologized."2 

Could you imagine the State calling the laws of the
road: "Voluntary Initiatives"? Half of us would be dead
or maimed for life already. 

Some time ago someone said the following about
Nietzsche who declared that God was dead:

Nietzsche: "God is dead."
God: "Nietzsche is dead." 

Mr. X will also go the way of all such “prophets" as
will all who discard the Ten Commandments and God's
universal moral laws. 

In America today (as in many other parts of the world)
many "believe that there are no 'moral absolutes.' Many
hold to a philosophy of 'moral relativism.' One poll
found that 67% of Americans do not believe in moral
absolutes. Among 'Baby Busters', those born between
1965 and 1983, the percentage was even higher at 78%.
Even 62% of professing Christians said that there was
no absolute standard of right and wrong.3

We have taken God's Word and prayer out of our schools.
Many are trying to do away with and prohibit any public
display of the Ten Commandments. Others are determined
to take the words "under God" out of the Pledge of
Allegiance. These same people sarcastically ask
Christians when we see senseless violence, random
shootings, vicious killings, and acts of terrorism,
"Where is your God now?" 

God is where He always was and is. It is we who have
left God and discarded His commandments, and we are
reaping what we have sown. 

"James Madison, the 4th President of the United States
said this, 'We stake the future of this country on our
ability to govern ourselves under the principles of the
Ten Commandments.'"4

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You for all your
commandments and Your universal moral laws which are
for our safety, protection, and survival. Help us as a
nation to see that we have sown the wind and are
reaping a whirlwind. Please have mercy on us and send
us a great awakening and a revival of the Spirit that
we so desperately need. And start Your work in me.
Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Joshua 1:7-8 (NIV).
2. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com, Oct. 2002. Adapted
from a sermon by Dr. David E. Leininger.
3. Alan Carr, Sermon: "Ten Commandments." From
www.eSermons.com.
4. Ibid. 

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Today's Daily Encounter

On Loneliness  

"God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I
forsake you.'"1

Some readers will be old enough to recall the once
popular song sung by Burt Bacharach and the Posies: 

     What the world needs now is love, sweet love
    It's the only thing that there's just too little of
     What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
     No not just for some but for everyone.

Hal David (the writer of these lyrics) was right in
many ways. But as wonderful and as necessary as human
love is, it isn't enough to satisfy all the cravings of
the human heart. 

Ravi Zacharias quoted D.H. Lawrence who, writing of his
own pursuit of happiness, stated, "We want to delude
ourselves that love is at the root of the problem of
our emptiness. I want to say to you, it isn't. Love is
only the branches. The root goes beyond love. A naked
kind of isolation. An isolated me that does not meet
and mingle and never can. It is true what I say. There
is a beyond in me which goes further than love, beyond
the scope of stars. Just as some stars are beyond the
scope of our vision, so our own search goes beyond the
scope of love. At least, I think that it is at the
root, going beyond love itself."2 

Lawrence is also right about the "naked kind of
isolation" we all experience in the depths of our
being, which is a spiritual loneliness. The reality is
that we were created to have relationships not only
with one another, but also with God. However, because
our sin has separated and isolated us from God, we have
been left with a God-shaped vacuum, or spiritual
emptiness, within. As Augustine put it, "You have made
us for yourself, O God, and our hearts are restless
until they find their rest in you." The world's many
religions are all evidence of man's endless search to
find God and fill this vacuum. 

But religion cannot fill this vacuum. Only God can meet
this need. And because He loved us and wants to be
connected to each of us, He sent His own sinless Son,
Jesus Christ, to die for our sins to save us from our
predicament. Thus Jesus is the only way to God.3 When
we confess our sinfulness and accept Jesus as our
Savior, we are reconnected to God and our inner
spiritual vacuum is filled and our spiritual loneliness
cured. For more help be sure to read, “How to Be Sure
You're a Real Christian--to find God without having to
be religious" at: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9. 

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to see and
understand my spiritual need and my need to be and stay
connected to You. If I have never accepted You as my
Savior, please help me to do that today. Thank You for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's
name, amen."

1. Hebrews 13:5 (NIV).
2. Ravi Zacharias on D.H. Lawrence. Source Unknown.
http://www.sliceofinfinity.org. 
3. See John 14:6.

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Today's Daily Encounter

Criticize by Creating  

When God called Moses to deliver the ancient Israelites
out of slavery in Egypt, "Moses answered, 'What if they
[the Israelites] do not believe me or listen to me and
say, "The LORD did not appear to you"?' Then the LORD
said to him, 'What is that in your hand?' 'A staff,' he
replied. The LORD said, 'Throw it on the ground.' Moses
threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he
ran from it.'"1 This was to confirm to Moses that God
was the miracle worker and Moses only God’s agent. 

On one occasion, I believe it was to the evangelist
Dwight Moody, a woman said, "Mr. Moody, I don't like
the way you do your evangelism."

To which Moody replied, "I don't particularly like the
way I do it either. How do you do it?" 

The lady replied, "I don't do it." 

"Well I like the way I’m doing it better than the way
you’re not doing it," Moody answered. 

Moody's answer may have been somewhat blunt but he made
a good point. In more youthful days I was invited to a
planning session for the college-age youth group in the
church I was attending at the time. They asked for my
opinion about what I felt was not working and how their
program could be improved. I said, "I don't feel I have
a right to criticize if I am not willing to do
something about it." So guess what? I was made the new
program director! 

It's very easy for all of us (including myself) to sit
back and criticize our group, church, politicians,
leaders, etc., etc., and not do anything about it. 

Michelangelo had a great answer. He said, "Criticize by
Creating." True, most of us will never be a
Michelangelo and none of us can do everything--but
every one of us can do something no matter how small to
help the world we live in become a better place in
which to live. 

And none of us will ever be called to do what God
called Moses to do. But in essence God says to every
one of us: "What is that in your hand?" That is, "What
ability do you have?" Whatever it is, God wants and
expects us to use it to serve Him--and we serve Him by
serving others. 

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You for the gifts
and abilities You have given to me. Help me to know
what they are and find a place to use them in loving
service to You and others--always for Your glory and
not mine. Thank You for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Exodus 4:1-2 (NIV).

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Today's Daily Encounter

Something Beautiful  

"'I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these
things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring
of David, the Bright and Morning Star.' And the Spirit
and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say,
'Come!' And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires,
let him take the water of life freely."1

In the country of Thailand is a statue of the Buddha
that is ten feet tall and made of solid gold. Estimates
of its worth range around $200 million. But for many
centuries, no one knew this statue's worth. When the
Burmese invaded Thailand many centuries ago, it is
believed that the Thai villagers covered the Buddha
statue with layers of mud so that the Burmese wouldn't
steal it. It wasn't until 1957, when workers tried to
move the statue to a new location that the mud began to
fall away and reveal the true nature of the statue. For
centuries, no one had known its true value.2

True, this statue of Buddha, while of great monitory
value, in and of itself is worse than worthless in
spiritual value; for the ONLY ONE who can ever forgive
sins and grant eternal life and a home in heaven is
Jesus Christ.

However, what happened to this statue is a vivid
illustration of what God can do for you and me. He sees
beyond our outer covering and can take a sin-scarred
life--no matter what shape or condition it is in--and
make something beautiful out of it if we will come to
Him through Jesus and surrender our life to His will
and control. As Jesus said, "Whoever desires may come
to me."1

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You that You look
beyond my outer appearance and see the value of my soul
and spirit and have a wonderful plan for MY life. I
come to You today and surrender my heart and life to
You. Please make something beautiful out of my life.
Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

NOTE: If you would like to recommit your life to Jesus
Christ, you can do so at: http://tinyurl.com/pgntm. 

Or if you have never made a first time commitment to
Christ, be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure
You’re a Real Christian" at: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9.

1. Revelation 22:16-17 (NKJV).
2. Doug McIntosh, Love Full Circle (Chicago: Moody
Press, 1999), 76-77. 

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Today's Daily Encounter

The Best Policy ... Always  

"You may be sure that your sin will find you out."1

Coming home from work, a woman stopped at the corner
deli to buy a chicken for supper. The butcher reached
into a barrel grabbed the last chicken he had, flung it
on the scales behind the counter, and told the woman
its weight. She thought for a moment. "I really need a
bit more chicken than that," she said. "Do you have any
larger ones?" 

Without a word, the butcher put the chicken back into
the barrel, groped around as though finding another,
pulled the same chicken out, and placed it on the
scales. "This chicken weighs one pound more," he
announced. The woman pondered her options and then
said, "Okay. I'll take them both."2 Don’t you just love
it?

Honesty is still the best policy--and we can be sure of
this, our sins/lies will find us out--even if it is
eventually!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to always
be honest with myself, with You and with others in all
of my dealings. Please forgive me where I have sinned
and, wherever possible, help me to put right any wrongs
that I have done to others. Thank You for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name,
amen."

Note: For further help read the article, “Forgiveness:
The Power That Heals" at: http://tinyurl.com/3bw3q3. 

And, if you have never received God’s forgiveness, be
sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real
Christian (without having to be religious) at:
http://tinyurl.com/8glq9.

1. Numbers 32:23 (NIV).
2. Charles Mims, Sermon: "Morality and Integrity in
Society." 

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Today's Daily Encounter


Beware of Free-Loaders  


"The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."1


In speaking about people who want to freeload on the
government without wanting or trying to find work,
Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Arizona said, "A liberal
paradise would be a place where everybody has
guaranteed employment, free comprehensive healthcare,
free education, free food, free housing, free clothing,
free utilities, and only law enforcement has guns. And
believe it or not, such a place does, indeed, exist....
It's called prison."2


As the old saying goes, "There aren't any free
lunches." The reality is that for every person who gets
a free lunch from the government, someone else had to
work and earn the money to pay for that lunch--and it
wasn't the government; it was we, the working tax
payers."


True, we need to support people who are not able to
work, and those who are genuinely wanting to work but
can’t find any. However, people who are looking for
work to help pay their own way, need to accept any job
they can find, no matter how menial it may be.


When I was a student in college many years ago, even
though I was already a highly and well-trained skillful
tradesman (having graduated from technical college in
Australia), I took any work I could find--including
scrubbing dirty floors and crawling on my stomach
through very large pie-making machines in a pie factory
in Chicago. As I was conscientious in working in these
menial jobs, in time more rewarding opportunities
opened up for me.


When the government keeps giving free handouts to
freeloaders, we are not helping them, but are
reinforcing their irresponsible behavior and helping
them to breed further freeloading, over-dependent
generations. Furthermore, when we as a government do
this primarily to gain votes, we are acting in a
totally irresponsible and despicable manner. We need to
help people to help themselves and, in so doing, help
them to become more reliable and self-respecting
citizens. This is for the health and betterment of the
entire nation.


I will undoubtedly receive some negative criticism and
lose some subscribers as a result of this issue of
Daily Encounter. However, by the grace of God my
purpose is always to be a truth teller and not a
people-pleaser, nor a vote getter.


One very positive action that we the people (the
voters) can and urgently need to do--for the sake of
the entire nation and everyone in it--is to vote out
every vote-getting-irresponsible-politician and vote in
do-what-is-right-moral-and responsible politicians.


Suggested Prayer: "Dear God, please help me always to
act responsibly in every situation in which I find
myself. And when it comes to voting, please remind me
to act responsibly by knowing all that I need to know
about every politician who is running for office and,
in turn, vote only for moral, responsible, and mature
leader politicians. Thank You for hearing and answering
my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."


1. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NIV).
2. Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Arizona
Sheriff's Office.


<)))><    
  
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  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
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Today's Daily Encounter


Between the Trapezes  


"The LORD is my light and my salvation--whom shall I
fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom
shall I be afraid?"1


If you have ever been to a circus and watched the
high-flying trapeze artists perform their seemingly
death-defying acts, you will have undoubtedly thrilled
with the exhilaration of their performance and their
split-second timing. I think I'd be a nervous wreck if
they didn't have a safety net below to catch them
should they fall. 


If I had to do that (especially without a net) I'd be
absolutely terrified. Will I be able to reach my
partner? Will he be able to catch me? Or will I crash
and be hurt or even killed? 


Sometimes life can be somewhat like that. I've been
there on occasion and you probably have too. Life or
work as you knew it suddenly ended. Perhaps you lost a
spouse, or your marriage fell apart, or you lost your
job and income. You feel as if you are out there in
mid-air and have no idea where you are going to land or
if you are going to crash. It can be very scary and
even terrifying. 


I've been involved in Christian ministry for five
decades and have always been responsible for raising my
own support and that of my staff and our entire
ministry's operating expenses. It's quite a challenge.
With recessions and other financial setbacks over the
years we have lost a lot of support. At one time I
really thought we were going to crash. I was scared and
one morning when praying, I fell asleep and had a very
vivid dream. In the dream I heard a voice clearly say,
"Philippians 4:18 makes sense to me." 


I awakened and immediately opened my Bible to
Philippians 4:18. 


It read, "I have received full payment and even more; I
am amply supplied, now that I have received from
Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant
offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God."
And the very next verse read, "And my God will meet all
your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ
Jesus."2


In my heart I knew that somehow God would provide. My
mind was at peace. God did provide. He didn't or
doesn't hand it on a silver platter, but He still does
provide and our ministry continues and has become more
effective than ever.


God is my safety net. Without Him life at times could
be terrifying. 


I'm also reminded of King David who, when the
Philistine enemy seized him in Gath, wrote, "When I am
afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I
praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can
mortal man do to me?"3


Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to learn
how to trust You as David did--not only when all is
going well--but also when my world seems to be falling
apart and I am afraid. Thank You for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name,
amen."


1. Psalm 27:1 (NIV).
2. Philippians 4:18-19 (NIV).
3. Psalm 56:3-4 (NIV).


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Today's Daily Encounter

Nike! Nike! Victory! Victory!  

"Though you have not seen him (Jesus), you love him;
and even though you do not see him now, you believe in
him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious
joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the
salvation of your souls."1

As one author wrote, "Nike" is a name that interests
me. We are told that before the time of Jesus there
were also terrible wars. When an invading army
approached a city, the defenders would go out to face
the army.

If there was defeat, the men would be killed or
enslaved, the women would be abused, families would be
torn apart, and children would be sold as slaves. The
people in the city had no way of knowing the news of
the battle except by a message carried by a runner. If
there was defeat, he tore his clothes, put on ashes and
cried, "Woe, woe, defeat." People would try to get away
but rarely could.

When there was victory, the runner would be stripped to
the waist. He carried a palm branch in his hand. As he
ran, perspiration would cover his body. He would be
shining in the late afternoon sun. People knew the
message even before he arrived. He would run through
the city gates and cry, "Nike! Nike!" Nike means
victory. The runner was shouting, "Victory! Victory!"

Because of the resurrection of Jesus, this is a time of
putting on our running shoes and shouting, "Victory!
Victory!" In our lesson from Peter today, we read about
"inexpressible joy." That is what Jesus's resurrection
brings us--inexpressible joy. Nike. Victory.

Suggested prayer, "Dear God, if I could count the ways
You have blessed me, perhaps it would take all
eternity. And how can I ever thank You enough for Your
great love in giving Jesus to die for my sins and for
His resurrection assuring me of Your forgiveness of all
my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life and
salvation? Because You died for me, help me to live for
You always in all ways. Please grant that my manner of
life will shout, 'Nike! Victory!' to all who know and
see me. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. 1 Peter 1:8-9 (NIV).

<)))><     
  
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Today's Daily Encounter

Obstacle Illusions  

"He [Jesus] replied, '…I tell you the truth, if you
have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to
this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will
move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'"1

Grant Frazier said, "Life is full of obstacle
illusions." He's right. 

Instead of seeing obstacles as opportunities to grow,
negative people see them as obstacle illusions. They
see them as mountains too high to climb and use them as
excuses to hang on to if they don't want to act
responsibly and grow up and therein become stronger,
healthier persons. 

It's all in their attitude of mind--their negative
thinking--and they allow their problems to have a
crippling effect in their life. They are faith-less! 

On the other hand, positive people are faith-full. They
see every obstacle, not only as a challenging mountain
to climb and conquer, but as an opportunity to grow and
become stronger, better, healthier persons. When faced
with an obstacle (as another has suggested), they don't
tell God how big their problems are. They tell their
problems how big their God is! 

Neither do they allow past failures to defeat or
depress them. And when the devil comes to remind them
of their failures, they remind him of his future! Thus
ends their discussion with the devil! 

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to commit
and trust every obstacle in my life to You and give me
the faith to 'climb every mountain, ford every stream,
follow every rainbow until I reach my dream'2--or
rather, until I reach Your 'dream' (purpose) for me.
Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Matthew 17:20 (NIV).
2. Adapted from the movie, "The Sound of Music." 

<)))><    
  
  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) 2015 by ACTS International. 
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2015
  ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Obstacle Lessons  

"Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your
way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your
faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully
developed, you will be strong in character and ready
for anything."1

Years ago there was a song that said: "Into each life
some rain must fall, But too much is falling in mine." 

The first line certainly is true. Problems,
difficulties, challenges, and obstacles come to us all.
That's life. And without doubt, the more noble our
life's purpose is, the greater the obstacles we will be
confronted with and challenged by. 

However, the important thing to realize is that it's
not what obstacles we are confronted with that count,
but how we respond to and what we do about them. 

Obstacles are meant to be object lessons for us--to
teach us how to grow, become strong in character and
mature--ready for anything. They are meant to challenge
us…to stretch us…to show us what potential and
possibilities we can see and achieve. 

The reality is we can either run from our problems--the
obstacles placed in our path--or we can, with God’s
help, overcome and learn from them and thereby become
more mature persons, and stronger in character. The
choice is ours. Remember, character counts--always in
all ways! 

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You for the
obstacles You allow in my life. Help me to see in every
one a lesson to learn, an opportunity to grow, and a
challenge to become more mature and stronger in
character. Thank You for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. James 1:2-4 (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: 
  
  Copyright (c) 2015 by ACTS International. 
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2015
  ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

More Successful Failures  

"And when He [God] had removed him [King Saul], He
raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave
testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of
Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My
will.'"1

I don't know about you, but I get great encouragement
knowing about other people who have experienced
setbacks, discouragements, criticism, mistakes and
failures, but with faith, hope, persistence and
determination have risen above their circumstances to
become and do all that they were capable of becoming
and doing.

For example, here are some more successful failures: 

Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame had his
chicken recipe rejected 1,009 times before a restaurant
accepted it. 

Zane Grey became a dentist and hated it. He wrote
several novels. They failed. He wrote a western novel,
The Last of the Plainsmen. It too was rejected. He was
told he had no future as a writer and to give it up. He
persisted and was 40 before his first book sold. He had
65 books published while he was alive--24 after he
died. His books sold more than 50 million copies.
Forty-nine of his novels were made into movies. One
million of his books still sell every year.2

Decca Recording Company turned down the Beatles in
1962. They said, "We don't like their sound. Groups of
guitarists are on the way out." (Yeah right!) 

Van Gogh sold only one painting in his entire lifetime
and that one was of his own brother. 

Richard Hooker spent 17 years writing a humorous war
story which was rejected by 21 publishers before
William Morrow bought it. The title of the book? MASH!
(And we all know the rest of that story.)3

Wilbur and Orville Wright's father believed that his
sons' desire to fly was heresy. Walt Disney went broke
seven times and had a nervous breakdown before becoming
successful. And Thomas Edison failed more than 6,000
times before making an electric light bulb that worked.


So ... if you feel like you've ever failed, remember
David who blew it big time with God in his adulterous
affair with Bathsheba and having Bathsheba's husband
killed. So why did God say David was a man after His
own heart? Because David was honest with God, admitted
his failure, confessed his sin and God forgave him.
He'll do the same for you and me too. When we fail
that's the time to give God a chance. Surrender your
heart and life to Him, give Him your failures, and in
time--with growth--He will make something beautiful out
of your life too. 

Remember, "Failure is an event--not a person!" 

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I acknowledge my failures
and surrender my heart and life to You. Please help me
to see every character issue I need to resolve and,
with Your help, overcome. Please make something
beautiful out of my life. Thank You for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name,
amen."

1. Acts 13:21-22 (NKJV).
2. Insight, No. 77, p.9.    
3. Insight, No. 53, p. 23. 
Note: “How to Know God" http://tinyurl.com/8glq9

<)))><    
  
  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) 2015 by ACTS International. 
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2015
  ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

A True Friend  

"A friend loves at all times."1

Years ago a friend was talking to me about some people
being "cursed with the affliction to give advice." At
the time I had no idea what he was talking about. Sure
sounded strange to me. Now I understand.

According to Webster's Dictionary, people "offering ...
unwanted advice" are officious. They can also be
obnoxious. Such advice can be and often is a thinly
veiled criticism.

I'm not talking about going to a lawyer or an
accountant or a car mechanic or whatever where we need
and are asking for 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 be doing, or to
"fix" us. They are in fact putting us down in that they
are assuming that they know our needs better than we
know them ourselves. 

Even when some people want us to tell them what to do,
it is a much greater help not to tell them what we
think they should do, but to help THEM decide what are
their options and solutions. This is what a good
counselor does. He helps clients see what their options
are and decide 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, give me
their presence, and accept me as I am--and let me know
they care--without giving any kind of advice or trying
to fix me.

These friends can be rare. Even rarer is the friend who
knows how to weep with those who weep.

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."

May God help us all to be this kind of a friend.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me an
understanding, caring, and compassionate heart and help
me to learn how to listen to my friends' pain, to
accept them as they are, to communicate to them that I
truly care--without having a compulsion to give
unsolicited advice or try to fix them. To my friends in
need please help me to be a friend indeed. Thank You
for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in
Jesus's 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.
  
  * * * * * * * 
  
  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
  
  ACTS International
  P.O. Box 73545
  San Clemente, California 92673-0119
  U.S.A.
  
  Phone: 949-940-9050  
  http://www.actsweb.org 
  Copyright (c) 2015 by ACTS International. 
  When copying or forwarding include the following: 
  "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2015
  ACTS International.