Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 15 ā" No. 1213 March 23, 2013
Thought for the week: "When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two charactersā"one represents danger and the other represents opportunity." ā" John F. Kennedy
āMoney will buy a bed but not sleep; books but not brains; food but not appetite; finery but not beauty; a house but not a home; medicine but not health; luxuries but not culture; amusements but not happiness; religion but not salvation; a passport to everywhere but heaven.ā ā" Author Unknown
āAnd He [Jesus] said to them, āTake heed and beware of covetousness, for oneās life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.āā ā" The Bible, Luke 12:15 (NKJV).
When you hear the sounds in your everyday life you travel,
Like in the harmony of the birds singing,
or in the buzz of a bumblebee.
Just maybe in the pitter-patter of the rain,
The Lord is speaking to you in a way only you can comprehend.
When you open your eyes, the Lord is holding dialog with you;
In the vastness of fields of grass,
the forests and all creatures big and small.
Even when in the fall as the leaves change color to golden
yellow, red and orange,
Then once again in spring when the leaves return to that
lovely shade of green.
Even in the aromas of day-to-day activities,
He is talking to you, too,
In scents from the vast assortments of flowers and plants;
Possibly in the smell of the fresh fallen rain, of the morning dew,
Or on the rare occasion in the foul odor of a defensive skunk.
In the day-to-day touch you get of a loved oneās hand,
Or in the comfort you give to a friend when theyāre happy or sad,
Even when you give compassion to a complete stranger,
Or to a family member in their time of sorrow.
Just be attentive to all your senses especially in your heart,
It just is the Lord Jesus Christ calling on you,
To help HIM in your unique way.
Remember to show others of your faith in HIM and keep
spreading his Word throughout your daily journey.
With this you will be rewarded at our great homecoming in Heaven.
Smooth roads never make good drivers.
Smooth seas never make good sailors.
Clear skies never makes good Pilots.
Problem and hassle free Life never makes a strong person.
Be strong enough to accept the challenges of Life.
Don't ask Life, "Why Me?
Instead say "Try Me!"
The older I get the less I know, but I know some things:
I know that Iām a work in process and that there will always be a gap between who I am and who I want to be.
I know that I donāt have to be sick to get better, and that every day brings opportunities to improve my life and my character.
I know that itās easier to talk about integrity than to live it, and that the true test is my willingness to do the right thing even when it costs more than I want to pay.
I know that character is more important than competence.
I know that it takes years to build up trust and only seconds to destroy it.
I know that I often judge myself by my best intentions and most noble acts, but that Iāll be judged by my last worst act.
I know that I canāt control what will happen to me, but that I have a lot to say about what happens in me.
I know that pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.
I know that attitudes, both good and bad, are contagious.
I know that winning is more than coming in first and that thereās no real victory without honor.
I know that it takes a conscientious effort to be kind, but that kindness changes lives.
I know that neither gratitude nor forgiveness comes naturally; both often require acts of the will.
I know that real success is being significant.
I know that happiness is deeper and more enduring than either pleasure or fun and that Iām generally as happy as Iām willing to be.
I know that the surest road to happiness is good relationships and that the best way to have good relationships is to be a good person.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"From one man he made every nation of men ā¦ 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 writes, "I am feeling lost before God and fear that I will never get to Heaven and am on my way to hell. Please can you help me?"
Dear Janet (name changed), Feeling lost in relationship to God and feeling far from him is something many people experience, so you are not alone in your struggle. This can be caused by various things such as the following:
First, it can be because we are depending on our feelings rather than trusting in what God's Word says. So be sure to read the article, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian at http://tinyurl.com/8glq9. If you prayed the prayer to receive Jesus as your Savior and truly meant it, God has forgiven all your sins, and has guaranteed that you have the gift of eternal life in Heaven with God forever. You need to believe God's Word and what he says regardless of your feelings. We are saved by faith in God and not by our feelings.
Second, feeling lost or far from God can be caused by guilt ā¦ that is, if we are acting in ways that we know are sinful and wrong. This causes a barrier to come between us and God. If this is the case, you need to confess your sins to God, ask for his forgiveness, and change your ways.
Third, another major reason for feeling lost and/or feeling far from God is because of impaired relationships which can go back all the way from yesterday to early childhood. If you have any unresolved issues with any significant person in your life, ask God to help you to resolve this if at all possible. If this isn't possible, you need to resolve any repressed negative feelings in you (such as hurt and/or anger) regarding this relationship so you can freely forgive the person (or persons) whom you feel have hurt you. These supercharged negative feelings not only build a barrier between ourselves and loved ones, but also between ourselves and God. For further help be sure to read the article, "Forgiveness: The Power to Heal" at http://tinyurl.com/dvwh5. You may also need the help of a well trained counselor to help you resolve repressed negative emotions.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you are close to me regardless of how I feel. Please reveal to me the cause (or causes) of my feelings when I am feeling lost or when it seems that you are far away. With your help I choose to trust in you no matter what, and please help my feelings to catch up with my choice. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. Acts 17:26-28 (NIV).
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