Vol. 15 No. 0113

1. Words of Wisdom

"Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting." – Elizabeth Bibesco

"Show me a thoroughly satisfied man, and I will show you a failure." – Thomas A. Edison

"All that is essential for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." – Edmund Burke

"All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action." – James R. Lowell

"We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do." – Oswald Chambers

"God is dead." Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead." – God

Index

2. On the Lighter Side

An elderly man is stopped by the police at 2:00am and asked where he was going at that time of night.

The man replied, "I am on my way to hear a lecture about alcohol abuse and the effects on the human body, as well as smoking and staying out late."

The office then asked, "Really? And who is giving this lecture at this time of night?

"That would be my wife," the man replied.

Index

3. Albert Einstein on the Church

“Being a lover of freedom, when the revolution came in Germany, I looked to the universities to defend it, knowing that they had always boasted of their devotion to the cause of truth; but, no, the universities immediately were silenced. Then I looked to the great editors of the newspapers whose flaming editorials in days gone by had proclaimed their love of freedom; but they, like the universities, were silenced in a few short weeks... Only the Church stood squarely across the path of Hitler's campaign for suppressing truth. I never had any special interest in the Church before, but now I feel a great affection and admiration because the Church alone has had the courage and persistence to stand for intellectual truth and moral freedom. I am forced thus to confess that what I once despised I now praise unreservedly.”¹

May we, the members of Jesus Christ’s Church, have the same moral courage and fortitude today.  

1. Time magazine, 23 December 1940, page 38.

Index

4. They Said It Couldn't Be Done

   Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
      But, he with a chuckle replied
   That "maybe it couldn’t," but he would be one
      Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
   So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
      On his face. If he worried he hid it.
   He started to sing as he tackled the thing
      That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

– Edgar Albert Guest

Index

1. Rise and pray every day: "Again today, dear God, I commit and trust my life and way to you. I'm available. Please use me to be as Jesus to every life I touch."
2. Don't sweat the small stuff.
3. Remember these simple sentences: "I was wrong." "I am sorry." "Please forgive me." "Thank you." Say them whenever needed and say "I love you" often—whether needed or not.
4. Come apart and rest a while before you come apart—stress is a killer.
5. Remember, "Nothing changes if nothing changes."
6. Don't nurse grudges: "Failing to forgive is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die."
7. Carpe diem. Seize the day. "Opportunity comes to pass—not to pause."
8. Quit the blame-game: "It's choice, not chance, that determines destiny."
9. Control your thinking or your thinking will control you. "What the mind dwells on the body acts on."
10. Invest your life in a worthwhile cause by having a noble purpose for which to live—one that is bigger than yourself—one that will help make your world a better place in which to live.
11. Be a positive realist. You will always see what you are looking for: "Two men look out the same prison bars. One sees mud, the other stars."
12. The greatest abilities are availability, depend-ability and responsibility."
13. "There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience."
14. "Smooth seas never make skillful sailors."
15. When God is silent: "I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when he is silent."
16. Cry when needed. "Every unshed tear is a prism through which all of life's hurts are distorted."
17. Laugh a lot. It's still the best medicine.
18. Remember, "The bumps are what we climb on."
19. Fear not. At least 95 percent of the things we fear never happen. Trust God for the other five percent.
20. Have faith and put God first with your time, talents and tithe.

"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun" (Psalm 37:3-6, NIV).

– Compiled by Dick Innes
   © Copyright by ACTS International

A beautifully presented printed copy of "Tips for Better Living" is available and can be purchased on the ACTS online store at: http://tinyurl.com/tips4living

Index

6. Kids Like to Win ... Adults Need to Win

      By Michael Josephson of Character Counts

Not everyone likes sports. Many think it's a waste of time or, at best, the toy department of life. Yet, regardless of your personal views, it's unwise to underestimate the influence sports have on the quality and character of the American culture. The values of millions of participants and spectators, including their views on what is permissible and proper in the competitive pursuit of all sorts of personal goals, are shaped by the values conveyed in sports.

This was part of my message to more than 100 league presidents of the American Softball Association of Southern California, serving tens of thousands of young girls who learn about themselves and life playing softball.

I know volunteer administrators have great responsibility and opportunity but limited authority and meager resources. Yet all youth sports programs can have a greater positive impact if they have the courage and integrity to pursue a child-centered mission: give kids a safe environment in which they have fun, build character, learn to practice sportsmanship and develop skills and traits that help them become responsible citizens and live happy, healthy lives.

Striving to win is an important aspect of competition but youth sports is not primarily about winning; it's about learning through effort and improvement. You see, kids like to win; but it's the adults who distort the experience because of their need to win. The fact is, with positive coaching, all the values of sport, including enjoyment and a sense of accomplishment, can be derived from the passionate pursuit of victory, regardless of the outcome.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

© 2013 Josephson Institute of Ethics; reprinted with permission. Michael Josephson, one of the nation's leading ethicists, is the founder of the Josephson Institute of Ethics and the premier youth character education program, CHARACTER COUNTS! For further information visit www.charactercounts.org

Index

7. Never Missing a Wrong Note

Sample of Daily Encounter by Dick Innes

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin."¹

Before Ansel Adams became famous as a landscape photographer, he studied piano and showed some talent. At one of his first recitals he played Chopin's "Nocturne in F Major." "In some strange way," he said, "my right hand started off in F-sharp major while my left hand behaved well in F major. I could not bring them together. I went through the entire nocturne with the hands separated by a half-step. The next day, someone walked up to him and jokingly commented, "You never missed a wrong note."²

I can identify with Adams in that in much younger days I used to play trumpet on a gospel team and one of the first times I played a solo, I was so nervous I was thinking one song and playing another! You can imagine the effect. It was very embarrassing to say the least.

Such mistakes are easily overcome. But some mistakes we make in life can have long-lasting serious consequences. With these mistakes, however, the good news is that God's mercy is always available to all who confess their sins and failures and ask for his forgiveness.

Have you experienced God's forgiveness? If not, why not do that today. For further help be sure to read the article: "How to Know God and Be Sure You're a Real Christian." It's in the "Know God" link in No.10 below.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that 'You are a God of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness,'³ and that you forgive all my sins and trespasses when I genuinely confess them to you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Psalm 51:1-2 (NIV).
2. David Roper. Cited in KneEmail. To subscribe send a blank message to: kneemail-subscribe@welovegod.org
3. Nehemiah 9:17, (NIV).

To Subscribe Click HERE.

Index

8. Receive Daily Encounter E-mail ... Without Charge

Daily Encounter, a without charge weekday e-mail inspirational from ACTS International is now going to well over a third-of-a-million subscribers. Scores of letters from around the world have come from readers saying how much they are being helped by this brief, practical devotional.

Over 100 million e-mail Daily, Weekend and Prayer Encounters are delivered to subscribers every year!

	Click HERE for more samples of Daily Encounter
	Click HERE to subscribe

NOTE: Some ISPs (especially AOL) now use e-mail filtering software that allows you to add e-mail addresses to your 'buddy', 'safe', or 'approved' list. Please be sure to add acts@actsweb.org to yours so you won't miss any issue of Daily Encounter.

Index

9. Receive E-mail Edition of Weekend Encounter ... Without Charge

Click HERE to subscribe

Index

10. Know God ... Without Having to Be Religious

Click HERE to Know God and Be Sure You're a Real Christian

Index

11. Prayer Partners Needed

One of ACTS greatest needs is Prayer Partners to stand with us as we seek to share the gospel with millions of people around the world through E-mail and the Internet and to win the lost to Jesus. If you would like to be an ACTS Prayer Partner, please subscribe to the Prayer Encounter list. Approximately one prayer report is e-mailed monthly. Thank you.

Click HERE to subscribe

Index

12. Help Support Weekend Encounter

    "Changing the World . . . One Person at a Time" 

Weekend Encounter and Daily Encounter are just two of the ways the nonprofit organization, ACTS International, is working to improve the spiritual and emotional life of many thousands of people around the world.

Every weekday Daily Encounter is going to well over a third-of a million subscribers, and every week Weekend Encounter is going to almost 8,000 subscribers worldwide—many of whom are in places where it is forbidden to spread the Christian gospel and message. Plus, we reach several hundred thousand more every week through our advertising. As a result, every day we are seeing an average of 5-6 salvation responses from around the world—almost 3,000 in the past 12 months!

If you find value in the Weekend Encounter and/or Daily Encounter, we hope you will be comfortable donating at least $26. That's only 50 cents a week for an entire year (tax-deductible in the U.S.). You can donate in one of the following ways:

Donate Online: You can donate online at ACTS secure web site. Click HERE on ACTS support donations.

Donate Through PayPal:You can donate securely through PAYPAL. Click HERE on PayPal. Where it says Payment For: type in Donation.

Donate by Telephone: ACTS accepts credit card donations by phone by calling 1-949-940-9050.

Donate Through Postal Mail: If you prefer to write a check or money order, please send it and make it payable to:

     ACTS International
     P.O. Box 73545
     San Clemente, California 92673-0119
     U.S.A.

Index

13. Helpful Books, CDs and Cassettes

Index

14. Services Without Charge

 1. Bible concordance and Bible helps
 2. New Hope Crisis Counseling with trained
     lay/volunteer counselors. www.newhopenow.org
 3. E-Word Today for a daily Bible reading
 4. To find your ZIP+4 Area Code in the U.S.A.
 5. How to find and write to your U.S. Representative
 6. ASK ... Smart answers fast
 7. Send a greeting card without charge for all occasions
 8. To check the weather in your area
 9. Hoax Web Sites
10. Plus many more sources of helpful information

GO TO: http://www.actsweb.org/links.php

Index

15. ACTS in Action Report and Encounter Archives

	ACTS in Action ... Monthly Report Letter
	ARCHIVES: Daily and Weekend Encounters