Daily Encounter with: ACTS International

Today's Daily Encounter

does God Care?

"Not one sparrow … can fall to the ground without your
Father knowing it. And the very hairs of your head are
all numbered. So don't worry! You are more valuable to
him than many sparrows."1

You may have read about some city workers in Hamilton,
Canada, who were trimming trees along a certain street.
In one tree they found a nest with several baby robins
in it. They decided not to trim this tree until the
nest was empty.

When it was abandoned, the workers returned. In the
nest they found a piece of paper, along with dried
twigs, the robins had used to build the nest for their
babies. On the paper were printed the words, "We trust
in the Lord our God!"

In life when things get rough as they sometimes do, it
pays to remember how Jesus said that God was aware of
every sparrow that fell to the ground and that we were
of much more value than many sparrows. This was to let
us know that God cares when we are hurting. As the
hymn writer expressed it:

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth and song;
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?
O Yes, He cares; I know he cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.2

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in my times of sadness
and distress help me not only to know that you care,
but also to feel your loving care in the very depths
of my being. And please give me loving friends who
will support me through these times--not to preach at
me or give me advice, but just to be there--and be as
Jesus to me. And help me to do the same for others who
are going through tough times. Thank you for hearing
and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name,
amen."

1. Jesus in Matthew 10:29-31 (TLB)(NLT).
2. Frank E. Graeff

<:((((><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

All I Need to Know

"Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of
Christ."1

You are probably familiar with the article by Robert
Fulghum titled, "All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned
in Kindergarten." It's a classic and contains
priceless advice.

"Most of what I really need to know about life, I
learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of
the graduate school mountain, but here in the sandbox
at nursery school.

"These are the things I learned: Share everything.
Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you
found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things
that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt
somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush! Live
a balanced life. Learn and think, draw and paint, sing
and dance, play and work a little every day.

"When you get out into the world, watch for traffic,
hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder.

"Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. The
roots go down and the plant goes up, and nobody really
knows why, but we are all like that.

"Goldfish, hamsters, white mice, and even the little
seed in the plastic cup--they all die. So do we.

"And then remember the book about Dick and Jane, and
the first word you learned, the biggest word of all:
LOOK. Everything you need to know is in there
somewhere. The Golden Rule, love and basic sanitation,
ecology, politics and sane living.

"Think of what a better world it would be if all of
us--the whole world--had cookies and milk about three
o'clock every afternoon, and then lay down with our
blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our
nation, and other nations, always to put things back
where we found them, and cleaned up our own messes.

"And it's still true, no matter how old you are, when
you go out into the world, it's best to hold hands and
stick together."

Personally speaking, I had a dear friend whom I met
very early in life. We went through grade school and
technical college together. We'd been through national
service together, too, and even though we'd lived
thousands of miles apart, we never lost contact with
each other. Not so long ago my friend fell on hard
times, became discouraged, withdrew into himself and
took his life. A tragic waste. I wish he had reached
out to me in his hour of despair. How sad it is when,
in our hour of need, as adults, we forget to hold
hands and reach out for the help and support we
need--so we can, as Jesus taught, "bear one another's
burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be a
loving and kind burden-bearer, and above all to be
Christ-like in all that I say and do for others. And
when I need help, give me the courage to reach out and
admit that I have a problem and need help. Thank you
for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in
Jesus' name, amen."

1. Galatians 6:2.

<:((((><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Going Around in Circles

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on
your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge
him, and he will make your paths straight."1

I remember reading the following story in Reader's
Digest about an independent trucker who was having
difficulty finding his delivery location. "Take exit
20, turn right, and then take the second left," were
the instructions he was given.

He took the correct exit, turned right, then took the
second left and ended up back on the highway.

He tried again. The same thing happened.

He called the company, who gave him some adjusted
directions. His next two attempts put him back on the
highway going the opposite direction.

However, he recalled having seen a police car parked
not far from the exit. So on his fifth attempt, he
parked his rig, walked over to the police car and
asked the officer for help.

"Don't worry," said the officer, "just wait a while.
Your trucks have been coming by all morning. All you
need to do is follow the next one that gets off the
highway."

Do you ever feel like you are also going around in
circles getting nowhere fast? I've certainly been
there. I often kid that I wish God would have an
e-mail address so when I'm confused or have difficulty
"finding my way," I could get God's leading and
direction a whole lot easier and faster.

Being a little more realistic, however, we know that
God doesn't make our decisions for us. If he did, he
would be acting as a codependent. In so doing he would
stop us from becoming responsible and growing up.
However, when we trust our life and ways to God and
seek his guidance, he has promised to give us wisdom
and direction to help us make the right choices and
find the right way.

Sometimes it takes a while to get God's
directions--but while we're waiting there's always
something for us to learn.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, sometimes I'm confused
and feel like I am going around in circles getting
nowhere. Please help me to always seek your guidance
and direction. In so doing I choose to trust you to
lead me in the way I need to go. Thank you for hearing
and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name,
amen."

1. Proverbs 3:5-6 (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

Copyright (c) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
"Your Time Is Limited. . ."

In October of last year the passing of Steve Jobs,
founder of Apple Computers, was a shocker even though
it was well known that he had battled cancer for some
time. The shocker was that he was only 56.

Steve, a genius with computer technology--from the
personal computer to the iPod and iPhone--had a
profound impact pretty much on the entire world with
his incredible computer-related inventions. He will be
known among the greatest of inventors. Interesting that
in 1993 he said, "Being the richest man in the cemetery
doesn't matter to me.… Going to bed at night saying
we've done something wonderful--that's what matters to
me."1

That's certainly a worthwhile goal, but what if Steve
died without knowing Christ as his Savior? All his
remarkable achievements in this life would amount to
nothing--even though his inventions have helped spread
the Christian gospel around the world. As Jesus warned
us all when he said, "What will it profit a man if he
gains the whole world and loses his soul?"2

I heard Steve say in a TV interview that sometimes he
believed in God and sometimes he didn't, but only he
and God know where he is now. I surely hope he is in
heaven. One word of wisdom Jobs shared when he made it
known that he had cancer was this: "Your time is
limited, so don't waste it living someone else's
life."

How true this is. Time is limited. Life is short--and
we only have one shot at it. If, per chance, your time
was up today, would you be prepared for life beyond the
grave--to meet God?3 If not, I urge you to make that
preparation right now. For help, read the article,
"How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian" at:
http://tinyurl.com/real-christian.

Same principle applies to Christians: "For we must all
appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each
one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body,
according to what he has done, whether good or bad."4
As Christians we won't be judged for our sins because
God has forgiven us for all of these because Jesus
Christ, God's Son, paid the penalty for us by dying in
our place on the cross. What it does mean is that we
will have to give an account of our life to Jesus
Christ regarding how we lived for and served God since
we became a Christian.

When I stand before the judgment seat of Christ, I
trust and pray that I will hear his welcoming words
say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. … Enter
into the joy of your lord."5 I encourage you, too, to
make sure that you are living in harmony with God's
will and faithfully serving him so you won't be
embarrassed and disappointed when you stand before the
judgment seat of Christ.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for your
assurance of life after death, and that you are
preparing a home in Heaven for all who trust you as
their Lord and Savior. Thank you, too, for your
promise of a rich reward to all who believe in you and
have served you faithfully. Please help me to be
certain that my name is written in your book of life
so I will not be left behind when Jesus returns. And
please help me to serve you faithfully in the
here-and-now so that I will not be embarrassed when I
stand before Jesus to give an account of my life and
service to you. So help me God. Thank you for hearing
and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name,
amen."

Special NOTE: Should you die today and are not
absolutely sure that you would go to Heaven, but would
like to be sure, you can be by accepting Jesus as your
Savior and in so doing receive God's forgiveness. You
can make and record that decision today by going
online to http://tinyurl.com/gods-invitation. Or,
again, for further help read the article, "How to Be
Sure You're a Real Christian," at
http://tinyurl.com/real-christian.

Also, if you have already accepted Jesus as your
Savior and would like to re-commit and re-dedicate
your life to God and promise with His help to serve
him more faithfully, and thereby not be embarrassed
when you stand before Jesus at the judgment seat of
Christ, I encourage you to make that commitment today.
You can do this by going online to the same link at:
http://tinyurl.com/gods-invitation

1. CNNMoney/Fortune, May 25, 1993.
2. Mark 8:36 (NKJV).
3. Amos 4:12 (NIV). God's message to ancient Israel
also applies to you and me.
4. 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NASB).
5. 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

Today's Daily Encounter

The Thief Who Was Robbed

"Be sure your sin will find you out."1

Zig Zigler, well-known motivational speaker, tells the
story about a thief who was robbed. The incident took
place back in 1887 in a small neighborhood grocery
store when a middle-aged gentleman, Emanuel Nenger,
gave the assistant a $20 note to pay for the turnip
greens he was purchasing. When the assistant placed
the note in the cash drawer she noticed that some of
the ink from the $20 came off on her hands, which were
wet from wrapping the turnip greens.

She'd known Mr. Nenger for years and was shocked. She
pondered, "Is this man giving me a counterfeit $20
note?" She dismissed the thought immediately and gave
him his change. But $20 was a lot of money in those
days so she notified the police who, after procuring a
search warrant, went to Emanuel Nenger's home where
they found in his attic the tools he was using to
reproduce the counterfeit $20 notes. They found an
artist's easel, paint brushes, and paints which Nenger
was using to meticulously paint the counterfeit money.
He was a master artist.

The police also found three portraits that Nenger had
painted--paintings that sold at public auction for a
little over $16,000! The irony was that it took him
almost as much time to paint a $20 note as it did to
paint those portraits that sold for more than $5,000
each.

The man who robbed Emanuel Nenger was Emmanuel Nenger.
We do the same whenever we cheat or break the
law--including God's laws--for illegitimate gain. And
while most of us wouldn't rob another person of his or
her material possessions, it is very easy to rob a
person's reputation through idle gossip.

We also rob and cheat ourselves when we don't give our
tithes2 to God for his work, and to others in
need--whether it is of our time, talents, money, other
resources, or love.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me never to rob
myself, or steal from any person in any way. And
especially help me never to rob from you. Help me,
too, to be a giver and not a taker. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."

1. Numbers 32:23.
2. See Malachi 3:8-10.


Copyright (c) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Is Psychology of the Devil?
"Behold, You [God] desire truth in the inward parts,
and in the hidden part You will make me to know
wisdom."1

In a seminar I was leading on relationships a young
man was sharing the problems he was having with
interpersonal relationships. After listening to all he
had to say, I simply asked, "Please tell me about your
father."

His reaction was rather dramatic. He stood directly to
his feet and in no uncertain terms angrily replied,
"That question is psychology and psychology is of the
devil. I refuse to answer you." As he picked up his
belongings and stormed out of the room, I said "You
just did" (meaning that he just answered me via his
actions.)

My question regarding his father obviously triggered a
deep issue that he was either afraid to face or refused
to deal with. This was obvious by his strong
overreaction.

No matter what anyone does or says to me--that may or
may not be a problem--to the degree that I overreact,
that is always my problem. Always!

Part of what this young man said is true in that that
some psychology is bad, but there is good psychology
too. This also relates to theology--some is bad and
some is good. This could apply to every field. Simply
put, while theology is the study and understanding of
God, psychology is the study and understanding of
people. And if we, as Christians, don't understand
people, we can do more harm than good when it comes to
trying to help them resolve personal issues. The fact
is that Jesus, being the Master Psychologist par
Excellence, always understood people2 and
understanding them, always knew what was needed to
meet their need. Furthermore, only to the degree that
you and I understand ourselves are we able of know and
understand anyone else.

Remember, God desires truth in our innermost being.
This means being honest with ourselves, with at least
one other trusted friend or counselor, and honest with
God. This includes being honest with our innermost
feelings, our motives, and bringing all of our
supercharged repressed negative emotions into the
light so that they can be confronted, dealt with, and
resolved (it's the latter of these that cause us to
overreact). Whether we call this personal psychology
or simply self-understanding doesn't matter--neither
is ever of the devil. If anything is of the devil, it
would be living in denial and self-deception, as the
devil is the father of lies.3

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please deliver me from
the sin of denial and projecting onto others the
outcome of my unresolved personal issues by
overreacting to what others do or say to me. Please
confront me with the truth about myself, help me to
see and resolve any unresolved issues, and help me
always to walk on the path of truth. So help me God.
Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Psalm 51:6 (NKJV).
2. See John 2:24-25.
3. See John 8:44.

<:((((><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.
When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
I Think God Hates Me

A Daily Encounter reader writes: "I believe in God but
I have to tell you at times I think God hates me. I
feel like I must have done something bad. It seems in
my life, when it rains it pours. I take two steps
forward I go two steps back. Can you please help me to
understand?"

Dear Jane (name changed), as I often tell people when
it comes to trying to understand and resolve personal
problems: "The problem is never the problem." By this
I mean that, more often than not, the problem we see
isn't the problem that is. What we usually see is the
symptom of the problem, but not the root cause. To
resolve the problem it is imperative that we face and
resolve the root cause/s.

Because, at times, you feel that God hates you sounds
as if, in your past, you may have felt that a
significant male hated you. I wonder if you may have
had a confusing relationship with your father when you
were growing up and never felt certain whether or not
he loved you. I say this because we tend to project
onto God, our Heavenly Father, exactly how we feel or
felt towards our earthly father.

If a person had a close, loving and warm relationship
with his or her father and felt loved and affirmed by
him, it is very easy to feel close to and loved and
affirmed by God. But if she had a distant relationship
with her father, or never felt truly loved or affirmed
by him, chances are that she won't feel close to God
either--and at times feel that he doesn't love her--or
even hates her. I know because I had to resolve this
issue in my own life having come from a very
dysfunctional family background and can't ever
remember feeling close to my father.

So how do you overcome and resolve these disturbing
feelings?

First, I suggest that you earnestly pray that God will
reveal to you the truth of your feelings; that is, the
root cause of your feeling that sometimes God hates
you. Keep in mind that once you clearly see the root
cause, you can then see what you need to do to resolve
your problem. As the greatest teacher of all times once
said, "You will know the truth and the truth will set
you free."1 Without access to the truth, there is no
healing or recovery, and we stay "stuck" in our
situation.

Second, if these feelings run deep, chances are you
may need to see a capable Christian counselor to help
you resolve the root cause of your problem. For
counseling resources visit the
http://www.actsweb.org/counseling_resources.php
website.

Third, every day remind yourself of this
truth--regardless of how you feel--a truth for which
you can be 100 percent certain: No matter what you
have ever done or have failed to do God loves you (and
always will) totally, fully and unconditionally. And
daily thank God for his unfailing love.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that when 'I
have unresolved personal issues, you give me
symptoms.' In all of my struggles please give me the
courage and help I need to see and confront the root
cause or causes of my problem, and to find the help I
need to overcome. Thank you for hearing and answering
my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

NOTE: The issue we have addressed in this Daily
Encounter points out the critical need and importance
for a father's love and affirmation of every child
during their formative years. We ignore this divine
principle to the peril of our children and their
generation.

1. Jesus Christ in John 8:32.

<:((((><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.
When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Making Families Strong Part III

"Children, obey your parents in everything, for this
pleases the Lord."1

Yesterday, according to Dr. Stinnett's research, we
shared the first three characteristics that make a
family successful and strong. They were as follows:
commitment, spending time together, and effective
communications. Today we discuss the other three
characteristics.

FOURTH, strong families express appreciation to one
another. Another common complaint I hear from husbands
and wives is this: "I feel taken for granted and don't
feel appreciated." I am sure, too, that many children
feel the same.

It is so easy to say, "Thank you. I really appreciate
your washing and ironing my shirts, cooking my meals,
mowing the yard, cleaning up your room, leaving the
bathroom tidy, taking out the garbage, bringing home
the paycheck--but most of all I appreciate you just
because you're you."

FIFTH, happy families are able to solve problems in a
crisis. Mature people know that crises come to every
family simply because we live in an imperfect world.
And while crises often drive weaker families apart,
they draw stronger families together and help make
them stronger. The strong may bend under a crisis but
not break, and they always bounce back.

SIXTH, successful families have a strong spiritual
commitment. Stinnett's research "found that strong
families have a high degree of religious orientation
and commitment. Not all belong to organized churches,
but most do. They all consider themselves to be highly
committed to their spiritual lives."2

A study conducted by sociologist Steven Nock of the
University of Virginia supports this conclusion. His
study showed that couples who attend church regularly
are 42 percent more likely to be married for the first
time, and those in the church who were strongly
committed to its beliefs had a 23 percent better
chance of having a "very happy" marriage than those
who don't go to church.

People then who have happy marriages and strong
families are those who are committed to making their
families strong. They work hard at communicating
effectively. They spend time together. They express
love and appreciation. They accept crises as normal
and know how to work through them, and above all they
trust in God and apply their faith to everyday living.


Would you like to have a happier and stronger family?
You can. A good place to start is by taking your
family and/or yourself to a church or chapel this week
where family living is honored and held in very high
respect.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you again for the
family which you have given for the benefit of all
mankind. Help me to live in harmony with your will and
make healthy family living one of my top priorities.
Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Colossians 3:20 (NIV).
2. Rekers, George, Ed., Family Building: Six Qualities
of a Strong Family (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1985), p.
43. Logos Research Institute, Inc.

<)))><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.
When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Making Families Strong Part II

"As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."1

Being concerned with what makes families healthy, Dr.
Stinnett led a major international research project to
learn the secrets of strong families. His studies
included strong black, white, ethnic, and
single-parent families in North America, South
America, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and South
Africa.

Dr. Stinnett's findings were discussed at a national
forum held in Washington, D.C., where family
specialists and leaders from various sectors of
society gathered specifically to determine exactly
what it was that made families strong. The content of
these discussions is presented in the excellent book
edited by Dr. George Rekers and titled, Family
Building: Six Qualities of a Strong Family.

In the study led by Dr. Stinnett, 3,000 families were
interviewed. Each one, regardless of its background,
rated very high on marriage happiness and in their
satisfaction with parent-child relationships. A
considerable amount of information was collected, but,
according to Dr. Stinnett, when thoroughly analyzed it
boiled down to six major qualities.2

The research also showed that these qualities just
didn't happen. People made them happen. They are the
result of "deliberate intention and practice."

What then are these SIX CHARACTERISTICS that make a
family successful and strong?

FIRST, strong families are committed to making the
family work. Family members don't expect perfection
from one another. They accept one another as they are,
and accept responsibilities and work together as a
team.

Their commitment goes far beyond feelings. Feelings
are important and are integrated, but they come and
go. They are variable. Commitment is constant. It is
an act of the will. In other words, if we want a
strong, happy family, we need to be committed to
making it happen.

SECOND, happy families spend time together, not only
quality time but quantity time. They work, they plan,
they struggle, and they play together. This is much
easier said than done, but done it must be if we want
strong families.

THIRD, successful families have effective
communications. The major complaint I hear, especially
from wives on both sides of the Pacific, is a variation
on the theme, "My husband doesn't understand my
feelings nor does he share his."

To communicate effectively, each family member needs
to be encouraged to express not only his or her
thoughts, ideas, and opinions, but also his or her
feelings in constructive ways and have them accepted.
Without this there can be no intimacy and families end
up as strangers living together alone.

To be concluded …

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that the family
is a vital part of your design for all mankind so that
people can live healthier and happier lives. May all
who would seek to destroy the family as you designed
it fail miserably in their attempts. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."

1. Joshua 24:15 (NIV).
2. Rekers, George, Ed., Family Building: Six Qualities
of a Strong Family (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1985),
pp. 38. Logos Research Institute, Inc.

<)))><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Making Families Strong Part I

"Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with
them."1

Former President Ronald Reagan, in an interview with
Dr. James Dobson, reported in Focus on the Family
magazine, said, "I don't believe you can have a
strong, healthy nation without the family unit as its
very base. As the family goes, so goes the nation."2

Dr. Nick Stinnett, chairman of the Department of Human
Development and the Family at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln, agrees. He believes that history
clearly illustrates the relationship between the
strength of families and the strength of nations.

"As we study some of the ancient cultures such as that
of Egypt, Rome and Greece," says Stinnett, "we see a
common pattern: When these cultures were coming into
the peak of their power and glory as nations, the
family was strong. It was important and was valued
very highly. Family members cooperated with one
another. They depended on each other.

"Then, as these nations progressed along their paths
of destiny, the family came to be not so highly
valued, the culture became extremely individualistic.
It was a 'do your own thing' philosophy to an
excessive degree. The families deteriorated. When that
happened, the societies themselves fell."3

The family shapes the nation because it shapes the
lives of those who make up the nation. It is within
the family that we either gain or fail to gain our
sense of belonging, our s-e-xual identity, and our
sense of self-worth. The family also teaches us values
and how to relate to other people.

When these basic needs for belonging, acceptance,
self-worth, and training in wholesome values and
relationships are not adequately met, the seeds of
juvenile delinquency, alcoholism, drug abuse, impaired
relationships, marriage breakdown, divorce,
homosexuality, depression and mental illness are sown.
And the more of these problems we have, the weaker our
nation becomes.

Because as a nation we are so dependent on the
strength of our families, we need to do all in our
power to develop stronger, healthier homes.

Being concerned with what makes families healthy, Dr.
Stinnett led a major international research project to
learn the secrets of strong families. His studies
included strong black, white, ethnic, and
single-parent families in North America, South
America, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and South
Africa.

To be continued …

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me in my
family life to live in harmony with the principles as
found in your word and thereby set an example for my
family members. Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Colossians 3:19-20 (NIV).
2. Focus on the Family, November 1985, p.3.
3. Rekers, George, Ed., Family Building: Six Qualities
of a Strong Family (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1985),
pp. 36. Logos Research Institute, Inc.

<)))><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Challenging Fear

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out
fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The man
who fears is not made perfect in love."1

Most of us struggle with fear of one sort or another
at one time or another--some mild, some serious, some
healthy, some unhealthy and self-defeating.

Healthy fear is a self-protective mechanism. We
rightly fear (or should) driving through a red light,
or doing anything that could hurt us or others.
Unhealthy fear is that which is caused by someone who
hurt us deeply, and especially when we bury and deny
it. This fear can become a floating anxiety and cause
us to be fearful of everyday living, separate us from
close relationships and cause loneliness, give us
ulcers or other physical ills, or cause us to hide it
and "protect" ourselves with anger.

Fears that are relatively harmless can often be
overcome by doing the thing we fear and thereby
reconditioning our response to the particular thing we
fear.

Unhealthy or self-defeating fears need to be dealt
with at their root cause. For example, a person who
was abused or abandoned as a child may be fearful of
being treated the same way as an adult. And, for some
strange reason, unless he faces and resolves this
fear, he will tend to either withdraw from close
relationships or be attracted to people who will
repeat the abuse or abandonment he experienced in the
past. Sadly, the things we fail to resolve we are
destined to repeat.

As today's Scripture points out, "The man [person] who
fears is not made perfect in love." Thus, to be made
perfect in love means we need to resolve any unhealthy
fears. To do this these fears need to be recognized and
if repressed, they need to be brought into the
conscious mind so they can be confronted and resolved.


Look at the symptoms in your life. Do you avoid close
relationships? Is your life filled with anxiety? Are
you an angry person? Do you have any impaired close
relationships? Is your marriage a wreck? If any of
these apply to you, chances are you may have
unresolved fear. So when you pray, admit these and any
other symptoms to God and ask him to give you the
courage to see the root cause of these--and to lead
you to the help you need to overcome these. If the
fears are buried, you may need qualified professional
counseling help to overcome these. Speaking
personally, buried fear was a major problem in my life
until I realized that unless I got into therapy to
resolve my fear, I would be running from love for the
rest of my life.

As we resolve unhealthy fears, we open ourselves to
love, and the more we are filled with God's love, the
less fearful we will be because perfect love drives
out fear.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to face
the root cause of any or all fear/s I may have and
lead me to the help I need to overcome them so I can
be freed to know and experience your love, which is
the ultimate protection against fear. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus'
name, amen."

1. 1 John 4:18 (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) 2012 by ACTS International.
When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Cognitive Dissonance

"And Pharaoh hardened his heart … and Pharaoh hardened
his heart … and Pharaoh hardened his heart … and the
Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart."1

Most readers will be familiar with Moses confronting
Pharaoh when he was attempting to lead the ancient
Israeli slaves out of bondage in Egypt. Pharaoh kept
opposing, opposing, and opposing the will of God. In
the process he kept hardening his heart until after
repeated opportunities he still refused to do what was
right, God gave up on him.

So who really hardened Pharaoh's heart, God or Pharaoh
himself?

And what's this got to do with cognitive dissonance?
Everything. Cognitive dissonance is a fancy term for
mental disharmony or a lack of peace of mind. For
example, if we consistently fail to do what we know is
right, and/or keep doing what we know is wrong, we will
lose peace of mind and experience cognitive dissonance.
Because we can't stand living this way, instead of
correcting our behavior, we repress and deny our
feelings, rationalize our behavior, justify our
actions, start believing our own lies--and end up with
a hardened heart and dead conscience--a dangerous
course to follow. Ultimately we self-destruct.

All of God's laws are universal. Take his moral law
for example. We can no more break it than we can break
the law of gravity. Try to break either one of these
and we end up breaking ourselves against them. How
foolish to think we can break God's laws and not
suffer the natural consequences. All we do is harden
our heart and deaden our conscience. And unless we
repent of our sinful ways and turn back to God, we end
up in a lost eternity forever. God's ways are for our
protection and eternal salvation. We neglect them at
our own peril.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me always to listen
to and heed the warnings you have built into my mind
when I am tempted to stray from the truth and what is
right … so that I will never deaden my conscience and
end up with a hardened heart. Thank you for hearing
and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name,
amen."

1. See Exodus 8:15; 8:32; 9:34; and 10:20.

<)))><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Don't Waste Your Pain--Invest It

See special note of remembrance below re Anzac Day for
all Australian and New Zealand subscribers.

"Dear Brothers [and sisters], is your life full of
difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when
the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow.
So let it grow, and don't try to squirm out of your
problems. For when your patience is finally in full
bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in
character, full and complete."1

In almost every trial we face God is seeking to "tell"
us something. Sometimes the only time he can get our
attention is when we're hurting sufficiently to slow
us down so we will stop and listen.

That has certainly been true in my life. On one
occasion, God used an accident and a time in the
hospital to get my attention and to speak to me. The
decision I made as a result ended up radically
changing the total course of my life. Another time God
used a major crisis and loss to expand my work. He used
another setback to get me started in writing. That was
more than four decades ago and I'm still writing!

When you are hurting, you can be sure that God has
something to say to you too--something for your good.
Ask him to help you hear what it is and to give you
the courage to do what he is telling/leading you to
do. Whatever it is, you can be certain it will enrich
your life in one way or another.

Furthermore, whatever you do, don't waste your pain.
Invest it in your own growth and then in helping
another fellow struggler along the way.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to see how
you want to use all the trials that come my way to help
me grow and change my life for the better. And please
help me never to waste my pain but to invest it wisely
in my own growth and in making me a more effective
helper to other fellow strugglers. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus'
name, amen."

1. James 1:2-4 (TLB)(NLT).

SPECIAL NOTE for all Australian and New Zealand
subscribers as we join with you in memory of April 25
being Anzac Day. This was originally a day to honor
all members of the Australian and New Zealand Army
Corps (ANZAC), who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey
during World War I. It has now broadened to
commemorate all Aussies and New Zealanders who died in
military service in all wars.

<)))><

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


Phone: 949-940-9050
http://www.actsweb.org

Copyright (c) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Fickle or Faithful Friends

"A friend loves at all times."1

Babe Ruth was one of the all-time greats of American
baseball. For years he had been the idol of sports
fans. Time, however, took its toll. I read how, in one
of his last games, he began to falter. He struck out
and made several misplays that allowed the opposing
team to score five runs in one inning. As he walked
from the field, he was greeted with an enormous storm
of boos and catcalls from the stands. Fans shook their
fists.

Then a little boy jumped over the railing and, with
tears running down his cheeks ran out to the great
athlete. Unashamedly, he flung his arms around his
hero's legs and held on tightly. Babe Ruth picked him
up, hugged him, set him down, and together the two of
them walked off the field hand in hand.

An unknown poet wrote:

I went out to find a friend,
But could not find one there.
I went out to be a friend,
And friends were everywhere!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be a
faithful friend at all times. And thank you that your
friendship for me is never based on my
performance--good or bad--and that you love me at all
times no matter what. 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.

* * * * * * *

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) 2012 by ACTS International.
When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.
Today's Daily Encounter

Life's Detours

"And we know that in all things God works for the good
of those who love him, who have been called according
to his purpose."1

"The year was 1920. The scene was the examining board
for selecting missionaries. Standing before the board
was a young man named Oswald J. Smith. One dream
dominated his heart. He wanted to be a missionary.
Over and over again, he prayed, 'Lord, I want to go as
a missionary for you. Open a door of service for me.'
Now, at last, his prayer would be answered.

"When the examination was over, the board turned
Oswald Smith down. He did not meet their
qualifications. He failed the test. Oswald Smith had
set his direction, but now life gave him a detour.
What would he do? As Oswald Smith prayed, God planted
another idea in his heart. If he could not go as a
missionary, he would build a church which could send
out missionaries. And that is what he did. Oswald
Smith was pastor of The People's Church in Toronto,
Canada, which sent out more missionaries than any
other church at that time. Oswald Smith brought God
into the situation, and God transformed his detour
into a main thoroughfare of service."2

Years later Oswald J. Smith had a dynamic impact on my
own life that changed the course of my life and
ministry. Forty years ago when I was the South
Australian director of Youth for Christ, I helped
organize a week of meetings with Oswald Smith in the
city of Adelaide. In one service Smith preached on the
power of the printed page. Now I've never heard God
speak to me audibly, but that night I felt like I was
hit with a big "wham" from God. I felt tremendously
challenged about getting into literature (even though
I never wanted to be a writer) and walked out of that
meeting telling God that "some day I would do
something about literature but right then I was too
busy with my high school ministry!"

What a dumb thing to tell God! Two weeks later my
high-school ministry collapsed. For something to do I
wrote the gospel message I had been teaching in the
classrooms, printed it, and mailed it to several
hundred high school student leaders from some 50 high
schools in the greater Adelaide area. Nobody was more
amazed than I when I received numerous responses. I've
been writing and publishing gospel literature ever
since--for the first three decades in printed form and
for the last decade via email and the web.

And what was that first message I wrote, printed, and
mailed to those high-school students? It was, "How to
Be Sure You're a Real Christian … without having to be
religious." More than three million copies of this
message have been printed and distributed. Multiplied
thousands more have read it on the web and responded
to it. It has also been translated into several
languages. You can see a copy at:
http://www.actsweb.org/christian.

So, when God puts a detour in your path, you will
never know what results it may produce. And I am only
one person among thousands that were impacted by the
ministry of Oswald J. Smith--and multiplied thousands
more have been impacted by ACTS literature and our
writing ministry.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that when I
daily commit and trust my life to you, you do direct
my paths and lead me in the way you want me to go.
Please continue to do this for all the days of my
life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Romans 8:28 (NIV).
2. Brian L. Harbour, Rising Above the Crowd. Cited on
http://www.bible.org/

<)))><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.
When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

The Impact of the Spoken Word

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word
stirs up anger."1

"Researchers at Kenyon College conducted a test in
cooperation with the US Navy. The purpose was to
discover how the tone of the voice affected sailors
when they were given orders. The experiments revealed
that the way a person was addressed determined to a
large extent the kind of response he would make. For
example, when an individual was spoken to in a soft
voice, he would answer in a similar manner. But when
he was shouted at, his reply came back in the same
sharp tone. This was true whether the communication
was given face-to-face, over the intercom, or by
telephone."2

With yellers there is a tendency to yell back at him
or her. However, other research has shown that if we
answer a yeller softly in a soft tone of voice, he
will have to lean forward to hear what we are saying
and tend to lower his own volume--proving the truth of
what the Bible taught so long ago: "A gentle answer
turns away wrath."

Richard De Haan wisely said, "What we say and how we
say it not only makes a difference in the reaction
we'll receive, but it also determines whether conflict
or peace will result. Many arguments could be avoided
and tense situations relaxed if we understood [and
practiced] this truth."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me in all
situations to remain calm and peaceful and learn
always when I speak, to speak the truth in love. Thank
you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in
Jesus' name, amen."

1. Proverbs 15:1 (NIV).
2. KneEmail Mike Benson, Editor. 4bens@sigecom.net

<)))><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

How to Honor Parents When You Feel You Can't?

"Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your
God has commanded you, so that you may live long and
that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your
God is giving you."1

One person asks, "I know that one of the Ten
Commandments is to honor one's father and mother, but
how can I do this when they fought like crazy and
brought me up in the midst of never-ending conflict
where I felt neglected, rejected and trapped?"

In his book, Home Is a Four-Letter Word, R.E. Lybrand
talks about several prisoners who were flipping
through a merchandise catalog and discussing what they
would like to give their mothers as a gift. As they
looked at beautiful homes, one wanted to be able to
provide such a home for his mother. When looking at a
car parked outside one of these homes, another
prisoner wished he could purchase a nice car for his
mother so she could come and visit him in jail.

Another prisoner just stared blankly at the catalog
not saying a word. Upon being asked what he would like
to give to his mother, he said in a sorrowful tone, "I
wish I could give my mother a more honorable son,"
grieving the fact that his dishonorable life had
dishonored his mother.2

I think this prisoner got it right. I agree in that
one of the best ways we can honor even bad parents is
by being grateful for whatever good we received from
them (the gift of life for example), by not allowing
our past and what they did or failed to do to or for
us to control our future, and by living such a life
that it will both honor them and God. With God's help
this we can do.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I thank you for the gift
of life that came through my parents and for all the
good qualities I inherited from them. Help me to see
all these qualities, resolve all past hurts caused by
them, and forgive them as you have forgiven me for my
sins and failures. And help me to so live that my life
will honor both them and you. Thank you for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Deuteronomy 5:16 (NIV).
2. R.E. Lybrand, Home is a Four-Letter Word: Preaching
Resources to Strengthen Christian Marriages and
Families, Inc., CSS Publishing, Lima, Ohio.

<)))><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Should Christians Have a Living Will?

"If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and
especially for his immediate family, he has denied the
faith and is worse than an unbeliever."1

"Dear sir," an ACTS website reader asks, "with so much
talk nowadays about advance directives and living wills
what does the Bible say? If you have any information on
this from God's point of view, please share it with
me."

First, let me say that I am not replying with legal
advice, and if you are interested in having a living
will, it is imperative that you contact a lawyer
regarding the legal requirements pertaining to your
state or country.

Second, as a reminder a living will is: "A legal
document directing the extent to which an individual
desires to receive artificial life support in the
event of a terminal illness or injury. A living will
may also name a third party to make medical decisions
on one's behalf."2

Third, I don't know of any passage in God's Word
directly relating to living wills. However, today's
Scripture reminds us that if we don't provide for our
loved ones we are worse than non-Christians. While
this applies to an active living person, I'm sure the
same principle applies should we be in a situation
that would require artificial life-support to keep us
alive.

Fourth, for those who are aware of the Terri Schiavo
case, "the 41-year-old brain-damaged woman who became
the centerpiece of a national right-to-die [or
right-to-live] battle, died … nearly two weeks after
doctors removed the feeding tube that had sustained
her for more than a decade"3 one realizes that had
Terri written a living will when she was in good
health, this debacle would never have happened--plus
she would have saved her loved ones from this painful
dilemma of having to decide what she wanted.

Whether we have a living will or not is really up to
each individual. The important thing to remember is
that if we choose to have one, we need to have it
legally ratified while we are in a healthy state of
mind. It is also important to make sure our regular
will is up to date to make sure we protect and take
care of loved ones.

However, of far, far greater importance is that we
have willed, while living, to settle matters with God,
to make our peace with him, to receive his forgiveness
for all our sins, and know that we know that our names
are written in God's book of life with the assurance of
his gift of eternal life in heaven forever. For help,
see "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian" at:
http://www.actsweb.org/christian.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, regarding matters of life
and death please give me the wisdom to know whether or
not I should have a living will that will protect both
myself and my loved ones should I ever be in a
situation that would require the same. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus'
name, amen."

1. 1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV).
2. "Glossary of Terms," Claremont Graduate
University. http://www.cgu.edu/pages/1779.asp
3. CNN.com http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/31/schiavo/

<)))><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Where Is God When Life Hurts?

"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.'"1

A Daily Encounter reader asks, "How do I know when God
is talking to me? I am so confused and I need so much
help. My life is so hard and bad each day. I pray for
guidance and wisdom and I don't know if God hears me,
or if he still loves me. I don't feel that anyone
loves me anymore."

Dear Jane (name changed), actually, God is continually
broadcasting his love, power and blessings to all of
us. The problem lies with our reception. It's the
cloud layers of our unresolved personal issues that
block our feeling God's love and being aware of his
presence. These same issues stop us from feeling loved
by others. In other words, it's negative feelings that
get in the way--any one or more of a number of
feelings of super-charged, repressed negative emotions
such as unresolved hurt, grief, anger, resentment,
jealousy, and/or a lack of forgiveness, plus fear of
what God might want us to do or not do, or even guilt
if we are living a life that we know is out of harmony
with God's will.

First, to overcome, we can know what God is saying by
reading and studying his Word, the Bible. All the
directions we need for wholesome living are there, we
just need to read and study the Bible so we know what
God's Word says, accept it by faith regardless of our
feelings, and live in harmony with his directives.
Furthermore, as long as our life is committed to God
and we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we have
Christ's promise that he will never--not ever--leave
us or forsake us.2 Again, we need to believe this in
spite of what we may or may not feel.

Second, God's Word also says, "The Lord is near to all
who call on him; to all who call on him in truth."3 So
if we are going to feel/know/experience God's presence
and "hear" what he is saying to us, it is essential
when praying that we are totally honest with ourselves
and with God and confess to him exactly what is going
on in our life and how we feel. We also need to ask
God to keep guiding us on the path to truth so we will
see any barrier in our life that may be blocking our
experiencing his presence and love.

Keep in mind, too, that Jesus also said, "You will
know the truth, and the truth will set you free."4 So,
as long as there is any area in our life where we don't
feel free, we can be certain that there is some truth
(or truths) we are not seeing and confronting. Once
you see this truth, you will know what you need to do
to put matters right.

Finally, you also said that you don't feel that anyone
loves you anymore. More often than not, it's the
negative feelings mentioned above, most of which are
caused by impaired significant relationships (anywhere
from yesteryear to early childhood), that stop our
feeling loved by both God and people. When we resolve
these negative emotions, confess our sins to God and
to at least one safe friend or counselor,5 forgive any
and all who have ever hurt us, and resolve any and all
significant impaired relationships, we not only feel
loved by people again but also by God. When we have
unresolved impaired relationships and negative
emotions (which may be repressed from conscious
memory), most of us need a well-trained and capable
counselor to help guide us through this healing
process.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for the
instructions for creative living you have given in
your Word, the Bible. Please give me a love for
studying your Word, the help I need to understand it,
and the courage to live by the directives as found
therein. And lead me to the help I need to resolve all
of my negative emotions and impaired relationships so I
will know and experience your presence and love as well
as feeling love for and from others. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus'
name, amen."

1. Acts 17:27-28 (NIV).
2. See Hebrews 13:5.
3. Psalm 145:18 (NIV).
4. John 8:32 (NIV).
5. To find a counselor see "Suggested Resources for
Counseling" at: http://tinyurl.com/85cel. Note, these
resources are U.S. based, but some online services can
be reached from Australia, New Zealand and from around
the world. ACTS in no way receives any remuneration
from any of these services. We list them as a service
only.

<)))><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.
When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

True Beauty

"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his
appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The
Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man
looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at
the heart.'"1

On a lighter note, I believe it was Charles Colson who
expressed a simple but profound tongue-in-cheek truth
when he shared, "Nobody will ever win the battle of
the sexes. There's too much fraternizing with the
enemy."

In Western culture (at least) tremendous emphasis is
placed on physical beauty. There's nothing wrong with
being beautiful and keeping ourselves attractive, but
if that's what controls our life and is a cover-up for
insecurity, we will be left very empty inside--and even
more so as the years take their toll on our body.

Sophia Loren says that "beauty is how you feel inside,
and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something
physical." Sure that was easy for Sophia to say with
her incredible physical beauty, but what she said was
true. Better said, it would be, "True beauty is what
you are inside." If we are only loved for our physical
beauty, we will never feel truly loved because that is
not the real person.

As Saint Exupery said, "It is only with the heart that
one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to
the eye."

Ralph Waldo Emerson put it this way, "Though we search
the world over for the beautiful, we find it within or
we find it not."

Furthermore we can only ever be loved to the degree
that we are known--and that has nothing to do with our
external appearance, but all to do with our inner
being.

According to God's Word, "Charm can be deceptive and
beauty doesn't last, but a woman [or man] who fears
and reverences God shall be greatly praised."2

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be a
beautiful person on the inside and so live that the
beauty and love of Jesus will show and shine through
me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV).
2. Proverbs 31:30 (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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

The Why of Materialism

"Then he [Jesus] said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your
guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does
not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'"1

Here in the West, at least, we have the greatest
wealth, comforts, conveniences, and material
possessions of any people anywhere in the world … and
at the same time we are plagued by stress, anxiety,
depression, impaired relationships, and the breakdown
of the family. You'd think we'd get it that material
possessions, while they may bring fun for a while,
don't bring any kind of lasting happiness or
fulfillment. For many of us the more we get the more
we want.

So why are we so materialistic? One major reason is
because we are so repressed; that is, emotionally
repressed.

"And what do you mean by that?" I can hear some
readers saying.

It's because when we don't have that which is real, we
exchange it for the false; that is, we settle for a
poor substitute. For example, when fear is repressed
it can express itself as anger or in phobias. Instead
of feeling my fear, I lash out in anger. Or instead of
facing my fear within, I project it onto the spider on
the wall or some other irrational object or
circumstance. By blaming my fear on an external object
I avoid having to face it within.

Also when the emotion of love is repressed, it may
express itself in an insatiable thirst for approval or
as lust. Both of these may feel like love but they
aren't love. And while at first they may bring some
"pleasure" for the moment, they leave the person empty
and unsatisfied, and hungering for more approval or
more sexual exploits. This in turn increases their
feeling of emptiness, and their "searching for love in
all the wrong ways and places" becomes a never-ending
vicious cycle. Wanting more and more … and being
satisfied less and less.

What about the emotion of wonder? Wonder is the
emotion that when we see a beautiful sunset, walk
along a sandy beach, stand on top of a high mountain
and view the splendor below, feel the grasp of a
baby's tiny hand, etc., etc., we experience an
overwhelming sense of awe and hopefully marvel at
God's creation. When wonder is repressed, not only do
we not feel this great sense of awe, but are
characteristically bored with life, and end up
unhappily loving things and using people instead of
loving people and using things. That's materialism.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't have nice
possessions. Not at all. But when our life is driven
and controlled by a never-ending desire for more money
to buy more things to get more possessions, that's
materialism at its core, and is a sure-fire symptom of
an empty, repressed life and an equally empty society.

If we are going to overcome the problem of
materialism, it is imperative that we get in touch
with all of our God-given emotions and use them as God
intended. This, by the way, is a vital part of being
made whole and being in touch with one's "whole" or
entire self. Keep in mind, too, that when we repress
our emotions our stomach keeps score and can, and
often does, lead to stress, sickness, depression,
impaired relationships and spiritual dryness.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, knowing that you desire
'truth in the innermost being' please help me to get
in touch with all of my God-given emotions, and never
bury, deny or repress them, but use them as you
designed. Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Luke 12:15 (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) 2012 by ACTS International.
When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Bear One Another's Burdens

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are
spiritual should restore him gently. But watch
yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each
other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the
law of Christ."1

It was a very hot summer day when Herman Trueblood was
walking home from a cool dip in the ocean when he
noticed a man perspiring profusely as he was trying
with the help of his two young sons to push his
broken-down car up an incline.

Trueblood looked at the struggling trio and said to
himself, "Here is an opportunity for service. You
ought to give them a hand." An opposing voice within
chimed in, "No, It's none of your business. You'll get
yourself all hot and dirty. Let them take care of their
own responsibility."

Eventually he yielded to the better impulse, put his
shoulder to the task and all working together pushed
the car over the incline and on its way.

Before they took off, the father, putting his hand out
to Trueblood, said, "I'm very glad that you came along.
You had just enough strength, added to ours, to make
the thing go."

Trueblood noted, "Years have passed since that hot
day, but I can still hear that man saying, 'You had
just enough strength, added to ours, to make the thing
go.'"

There are numerous people around us who are barely
making it over their private hill of despair when,
with a helping hand, they could make it.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please use me to be a
helping hand to a friend in need who just can't make
it alone. Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Galatians 6:2 (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.

* * * * * * *


Copyright (c) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
Approval Versus Affirmation

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have
drawn you with loving-kindness."1

I recall exactly where I was standing some years ago
when an extremely simple, yet profound truth suddenly
dawned on me as I said to myself, "The reason I felt
empty inside is because I am."

Like thousands of other kids I grew up suffering from
love-deprivation and for a big part of my life worked
tirelessly to gain approval, not realizing that I was
substituting this for the love I yearned for deep
inside.

Approval can look very much like love. It can be given
in love but it isn't love, and when substituted for
love it never satisfies.

Approval is based on what we do, but we need to feel
loved and affirmed for who we are. Approval is a good
thing when given and received for the right reasons,
but when substituted for love it can become another
addiction to anesthetize the pain of not feeling
loved. It can be like a drug. The more we get, the
less it satisfies, so the more we seek after it.

Affirmation is based on who we are apart from what we
do. And only when we feel affirmed, can we get off the
merry-go-round of doing all sorts of things to get
approval.

More than anything else we need to know God the
Heavenly Father's love and affirmation at the very
core of our being. This, I believe, is one of the
greatest needs of every human heart, without which we
may believe in God with our head but still feel
disconnected from him in our heart.

And how can I know God the Father's love and
affirmation at the core of my being? First, by
believing that God loves me because his Word says so
and taking this by faith. Second, by sharing my total
self over time (especially my dark side) with one or
two safe, trusted friends who--knowing the real
me--will love and accept me just as I am--warts and
all. As they do this for me, little by little I come
to love and accept myself in a healthy way and, in so
doing, I feel affirmed and am able to open myself to
accepting God the Father's love, acceptance and
affirmation through them.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me a friend
or two with whom I can be totally open and honest,
friends who know me and will love me still, and
through whom I can feel and know your love and
affirmation at the very core of my being. Thank you
for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in
Jesus' name, amen."

1. Jeremiah 31:3 (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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Lessons From Geese: A Reminder

"There are different kinds of service in the church,
but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are
different ways God works in our lives, but it is the
same God who does the work through all of us. A
spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of
helping the entire church."1

Fascinated by the conduct of flying geese, Dr. Robert
McNeish, wrote "Lessons From Geese" for a sermon in
his church in 1972. Demonstrating the power of a good
idea, his essay spread and has become a classic
statement of the importance of teamwork.

Fact: As each goose flaps its wings, it creates
"uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V"
formation, the whole flock adds 71 percent greater
flying range than if each bird flew alone.

Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense
of community can get where they are going more quickly
and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of
one another.

Fact: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into
formation and another goose flies to the point
position.

Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and
sharing leadership. As with geese, people are
interdependent on one another's skills, capabilities
and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or
resources.

Fact: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage
those up front to keep up their speed.

Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is
encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement,
the production is much greater. The power of
encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values
and encourage the heart and core of others) is the
quality of honking we seek.

Fact: When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down,
two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help
and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is
able to fly again. Then they launch out with another
formation or catch up with the flock.

Lesson: If we have as much sense as geese, we will
stand by one another in difficult times as well as
when we are strong.

Fact: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly
feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It
quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of
the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of
it.

Lesson: If we have as much sense as a goose, we stay
in formation with those headed where we want to go. We
are willing to accept their help and give our help to
others.2

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to know
what my God-given gifts are, develop them, and use
them to work in harmony with others to help do your
work in your church here on earth. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus'
name, amen."

1. 1 Corinthians 12:5-7 (NTL).
2. Cited on Character Counts www.charactercounts.org.
For verification of the author see research by Sue
Widemark at: http://suewidemark.com/lessonsgeese.htm.

<)))><

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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Come Unto Me

"Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and
I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn
from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you
will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and
my burden is light."1

I have read that one of Denmark's leading sculptors
had a consuming ambition to sculpt the greatest
stature of Jesus Christ ever made. He began by
painstakingly shaping a clay model of a triumphant,
majestic figure. "This will be my masterpiece," he
stated on the day the model was completed.

However, during the night, a heavy fog rolled into the
area and sea-spray seeped into the sculptor's studio
through a partially open window. In the morning, he
was shocked to see his model. The droplets of moisture
that had formed on the statue created the illusion of
bleeding. The head had drooped. The facial expression
had melted into compassion. The arms drooped and
expressed welcome. The artist was horrified and was
aghast at having to start all over again.

As he kept looking at his statue of the Savior, his
thoughts began to take a different shape. He realized
that this image of Christ was much closer to reality.
He then wrote his caption and placed it under the
figure: "Come unto me!"

Indeed, that is the call of Jesus to each of us today,
"Come unto me."

Suggested prayer: "Dear Jesus, 'Just as I am without
one plea / And that thy blood was shed for me / And
that you bid me come to thee / O Lamb of God I come, I
come.' Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

NOTE: For further help click on the "Know God" button
link below to read, "How to Be Sure You're a Real
Christian," on http://www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. Matthew 11:28-30 (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) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter
The God Who Hung on the Cross
Jesus said, "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth
[on the cross], will draw all men to myself."1
"In their cruel march through Cambodia to destroy much
of its infrastructure, the Khmer Rouge enslaved,
killed, or otherwise caused the deaths of millions of
Cambodians. When they reached one village, they forced
everyone out of their huts and lined them up to dig a
deep pit. The villagers realized they were digging
their own mass grave. Anyone who tried to run or hide
was shot on sight and dragged to the edge of the pit
that was being dug. When the pit was finally finished,
the soldiers ordered the people to turn and face the
pit. As the people stood, helplessly awaiting their
execution, they began to cry out in some desperate
plea for help. Some screamed to Buddha, some to
ancestors, to demon spirits, and some even for their
mothers.

"Then one woman, drawing on the distant memory of
something her mother told her, began to cry out to one
she called 'the God who hung on the cross.' Surely this
one who had suffered so himself might have compassion
on those about to die. Soon, the screams around her
became just one desperate wail--crying out to the God
who hung on the cross. And then there was silence. As
the people slowly turned, they realized the soldiers
were gone. And ever since that day, they were, as the
book says, 'waiting for someone to come and tell them
more. More about the God who hung on the cross.'"2

It was September of 1999 when a Cambodian pastor came
to tell these people about Jesus and learned this
story from an older woman who grabbed his hands and
said, "We've been waiting for you for twenty years."

It was Jesus Christ's death on the cross that paid the
ransom price for your sins and mine. Only through him
can we ever come to God and be freely forgiven and
given the gift of eternal life. If you have never done
this, be sure to click on the "God's Invitation" button
link below, or on http://tinyurl.com/gods-invitation,
to find out how to do this.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, how can I ever thank you
enough for the cross of Christ, and for Jesus Christ
who gave his life in my place so I could be freely
forgiven and receive your gift of eternal life. Grant
that my life and the way that I live it will be a
thanksgiving offering to you for all that you have
done for me. Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

NOTE: See the article,"Will the Dead Live Again?" at:
http://tinyurl.com/alive007
1. John 12:32 (NIV).
2. From the book, The God Who Hung on the Cross, by
Doris I. Rosser Jr. & Ellen Vaughn as told by Ron
Hutchcraft. http://www.hutchcraft.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) 2012 by ACTS International.
When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.

Today's Daily Encounter

Who Killed Jesus?

"He [Jesus Christ] was despised and rejected by men, a
man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one
from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we
esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and
carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by
God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced
for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was
upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."1

Many readers would have seen the 2004 Mel Gibson
movie, The Passion of the Christ. Many raved about it.
Many sharply criticized it claiming that it blamed the
Jews for crucifying Jesus and, as a result, would stir
up renewed anti-Semitism. Others claimed that it was
far too violent.

Yes, I saw the movie. Yes it is violent. And yes, it
does appear that the Jews were responsible for the
death of Jesus and yet it was the Romans that
violently beat and crucified him.

No matter how violent or how brutal the physical
torture of Christ, as gruesome as that was, no movie,
no painting, no book, no article, or no sermon could
ever depict the far greater suffering of the Christ
when he, the holy and divine Son of God, took upon
himself the sin of all mankind and who, while hanging
on that cross, was forsaken by God the Heavenly
Father. As humans we cannot even begin to imagine the
depth of this pain and suffering that Jesus Christ
endured to pay the penalty of our sins--and to save us
from a lost eternity in hell.

The fact is that Jesus gave his life willingly. No
Jew, Roman, or anyone else could take his life from
him. He was the Son of God. He could have called on
ten thousand angels to save him. But he didn't because
he was giving his life as a ransom for your sins and
mine. The Jews of his day and the Romans were only the
instruments of his torturous death. It was for your
sins and mine that he gave his life and suffered such
intense agony.

As God's Word says, "But he was pierced for our
transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by
his wounds we are healed."

Because of Christ's death for us, God now offers you
and me a total pardon for all our sins and the gift of
eternal life. So the crucial issue is NOT who killed
the Christ, but have you accepted God's full and free
pardon and the gift of eternal life? To help you do
this, be sure to click on the "Know God" button link
below to read the article, "How to Be Sure You're a
Real Christian" or on
http://www.actsweb.org/christian.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, how can I ever thank you
enough for giving your Son, the Christ, to die for my
sins? And Lord Jesus how can I ever thank you enough
for suffering such an agonizing death to pay the
penalty for all my sins? Lord I believe. Have mercy on
me, a sinner, and save me. Thank you for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name,
amen."

NOTE: See the article, "Will the Dead Live Again?" at:
http://tinyurl.com/alive007

Again--be sure to go to
http://www.actsweb.org/christian to read the article,
"How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian."

1. Isaiah 53:3-5 (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.

* * * * * * *

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by
ACTS International, a non-profit organization,
and made possible through the donations of
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Copyright (c) 2012 by ACTS International.

When copying or forwarding include the following:
"Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2012
ACTS International.