Daily Encounter

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Today's Daily Encounter

1. Seek Wise Counsel

King Solomon wrote, "Listen to wise advice; follow it
closely, for it will do you good, and you can pass it
on to others: Trust in the Lord."1

"My wife is leaving me," one man said to me, "what can
I do?" My gut response (which I kept to myself) was,
"Why didn't you come to me five years sooner?"

I tried to assure this man that if he and his wife
both genuinely wanted to save their marriage there
were no guarantees, but with wise counsel, personal
honesty, commitment, hard work and God's help, they
could.

One way to keep a marriage healthy is to see and treat
problem symptoms when they first appear. If these
symptoms are the fruit of a deeper root, which they
often are, they won't go away of themselves. The
longer we leave symptoms untreated the more tenacious
and embedded they become.

If there are things in your marriage or in other areas
of your life that bother you, it is wise to seek
competent guidance from a qualified pastor or
counselor right away. Don't put it off any longer.
Make that appointment you know you need to
make--today.

As today's Scripture says: "Listen to wise counsel"
and "trust in the Lord!"

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me the
courage to admit my problems, the courage to seek wise
counsel, and the faith, help, courage, and
determination I need to overcome them. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus'
name, amen."

NOTE: For some counseling resources go to:
http://www.actsweb.org/counseling_resources.php.

1. Proverbs 22:17-19 (TLB).

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Today's Daily Encounter

1. A Harmless "Dangerous" Dog

"The sluggard says, 'There is a lion in the road, a
fierce lion roaming the streets!' As a door turns on
its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. The
sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy
to bring it back to his mouth."1

Alan Smith in his "Thought for the Day" tells about
the man who, upon entering the little country store,
noticed a sign saying, "Danger! Beware of the Dog!"
posted on the glass door. Inside he noticed a harmless
old hound dog asleep on the floor beside the cash
register.

He asked the store manager, "Is that the dog folks are
supposed to beware of?"

"Yep, that's him," he replied.

The stranger couldn't help but be amused. "That
certainly doesn't look like a dangerous dog to me.
Why in the world would you post that sign?"

"Because," said the owner, "before I posted that sign
people kept tripping over him."2

I'm sure that most people reading this Daily Encounter
aren't lazy in their every day life, but sometimes when
it comes to the church there's almost always a
trouble-maker or two, a control freak, or someone who
is quick to criticize but never does a thing to lift a
helping hand and, like the "dog" in the story above,
just hangs around and gets in the way.

Let's always remember that if we criticize and don't
do anything to help in some way, we don't have a right
to criticize. He who can and does, does well; but he
who can and doesn't do, very often is the one who
criticizes!"

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be a
doer and a good helper in the work you want done in
the world in which I live and also help in some way in
the wider world. Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Proverbs 26:13-15 (NIV).
2. Alan Smith, "Thought for the Day,"
http://www.tftd-online.com.

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Today's Daily Encounter

1. Do It Today

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

"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any
good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness
that I can show to any fellow-creature, let me do it
now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not
pass this way again." This timely advice is attributed
to Stephen Grellet, Franco-American Quaker (1773-1855).

John, one of Jesus' disciples, wrote, "Let us stop
just saying we love people; let us really love them,
and show it by our actions."2

Do you need to make a phone call, send a card, or do
something special for your wife, husband, children,
friend, or neighbor? If so, do it today. Do you need
to resolve an impaired relationship? Do it today. Do
you need to take care of that responsibility you've
been putting off for weeks/months? Do it today. Do you
need to tell someone how much you love them? Do it
today.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please use me to be as
Jesus to the people in my world. Today. Help me to be
a part of what you are doing in the world. Today.
Whatever loving deeds I need to do or responsibility
to fulfill help me to do it today. Thank you for
hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus'
name, amen."

1. Paul the Apostle, (Galatians 6:2, RSV).
2. 1 John 3:18 (TLB).

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Today's Daily Encounter

1. Test the Spirits

John the disciple of Jesus wrote, "Do not believe
every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they
are from God."1

How can we be sure when and if God is speaking to us?

When I was a young Christian I wanted to serve God and
sometimes felt his Spirit was telling me to do
something. However, this "still small voice" within
sometimes had me in bondage. In time I came to see
that this "voice" was not from God at all because
"where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom
[liberty]"2 and I had anything but freedom.

One's inner "voice" can come from God, from our self,
or from the tempter. If the tempter knows he can't
pull us down into acting out in sinful behaviors, he
may try to "push us over the top" where we become (as
the old saying goes) "so heavenly minded we are of
little or no earthly use."

So how can we know where the inner voice is coming
from? Is it a conviction from God's Spirit? Could it
be a neurotic compulsion from within my self? Or is it
from the tempter? With a conviction from God I always
have the freedom to say no because "where the Spirit
of the Lord is, there is freedom."2 With a compulsion
I am driven and feel that I "have to" do what the
"inner voice" is saying no matter what. If from the
tempter, it is also more a compulsion.

Keep in mind that God speaks to us through his Word,
the Bible, and never contrary to it. He also speaks or
leads through various circumstances, as well as through
inner convictions. If it is from God, it will always be
in harmony with his Word and there will be a sense of
freedom. If it is contrary to God's Word or any type
of compulsion, we can know it isn't God speaking to us
and we need to reject it.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me the wisdom
to know when you are 'speaking' to or leading me and
when the 'voice' I hear is from myself or the tempter.
Teach me to not only know your voice but always to obey
it. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. 1 John 4:1 (NIV).
2. 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV).

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Today's Daily Encounter

1. Encouragement

"Let us encourage one another."1

One writer observed a mother walking with a small
handicapped child whose both legs were in braces. He
was having a difficult time but his mother was right
there with him encouraging him at every step.

"That's great! You're doing splendidly," she kept
repeating.

"I want to run," the boy called.

"Very well, try it," his mother encouraged
enthusiastically. As he did, he tripped and almost
fell and would have except his mother was right there
beside him and caught him so he wouldn't hurt himself.
"You did fine," she said again, "and next time you will
do even better."

God, too, knows our limitations. He sees our
brokenness and doesn't expect us to be able to make it
alone. He knows we can't run with a broken leg. He also
knows we can't live the Christian life without help and
encouragement. He wants us to know that he is right
there beside us to encourage us to keep trying and to
keep growing and become stronger.

God also knows that we need supporting friends to
encourage us, to help keep us on track, and to keep us
accountable--as none of us can make it alone.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to be an
encouraging and supporting friend to the people you
bring into my life. And help me not to be too proud or
afraid to ask for help when I need a friend to lean on.
And thank you that I can always ask for and receive
your help as needed. Thank you for hearing and
answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Hebrews 10:25 (NIV).

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Today's Daily Encounter

1. Sidetracked but Not Hindered

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not
on your own understanding; In all your ways
acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."1

Fred Bauer wrote how he once "went backstage at the
Metropolitan Opera to interview Jerome Hines, the
internationally famous singer, who is also an active
Christian layman. While he applied makeup and got
ready for his role in that night's production of Aida,
I asked him questions about his life and faith. One of
the most fascinating things he told me was that he
wasn't a good enough singer to make his high school
glee club. He auditioned for the choir, but failed to
impress the director. Did that detour his career? I
wanted to know.

"'No, I kept on singing,' Hines said, 'because I loved
to sing. I never considered it anything more than an
avocation.' So he went off to college, studied math
and sang as a hobby--which led to some amateur roles,
which led to his discovery by people who had a
different opinion of his talent from his high school
teacher. Later that night, as I stood in the wings and
listened to his rich bass voice sweep over that famous
hall, I wondered how there could have ever been any
question."2

Of one thing I am convinced, and that is that God has
a plan and purpose for every life. We may get
sidetracked, experience setbacks, and get discouraged
from time to time, but if we are genuinely committed
to discovering God's plan and, with his help,
fulfilling it--and never give up--God will surely
direct us so his plan for our life will be fulfilled.
Our own life and the lives of many others will be
greatly enriched as a result.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to discover your
plan and purpose for my life and never give up no
matter how many setbacks that come my way. May I
always learn to trust you no matter what. Thank you
for your help and for hearing and answering my prayer.
Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV).
2. Fred Bauer, Daily Guideposts, 1986, © Guideposts
Associates, Inc., http://tinyurl.com/ydwer9

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Today's Daily Encounter

1. First Things First

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the
church and gave himself up for her."1

In his sermon, "The Turning Point," Richard Fairchild
tells how, at the Olympic Games in Paris in 1924, Bill
Havens, a member of the four-man U.S. canoe rowing
team, made the very difficult decision to withdraw
from the games in order to be with his wife for the
birth of their first child. The U.S. team won the gold
medal and it turned out that the birth of the baby was
so late Bill could have stayed on the team and arrived
home in plenty of time for the baby's birth.

However, Bill said he had no regrets because his first
commitment was to his wife.

However, there is a fascinating sequel to this story.
"The child eventually born to Bill and his wife was a
boy whom they named Frank. Twenty-eight years later,
in 1952, Bill received a cablegram from Frank. It was
sent from Helsinki, Finland, where the 1952 Olympics
were being held. The cablegram read: 'Dad, I won. I'm
bringing home the gold medal you lost while waiting
for me to be born.'

"Frank Havens had just won the gold medal for the
United States in the canoe-racing event, a medal his
father had dreamed of winning but never did."2

It is true for all of us in that whenever we honor our
commitments--no matter what the immediate losses may
seem--in the long run it always pays to do the right
thing. Always.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to always
put first things first, honor all my commitments, and
never forget to keep the long-term effects of my
actions in mind. Thank you for hearing and answering
my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Ephesians 5:25 (NIV).
2. Richard Fairchild, "The Turning Point,"
http://tinyurl.com/3735ly

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Today's Daily Encounter

1. Mid-Life Challenge

It began to happen soon after his 50th birthday. Until
then Bill had always been reliable, dependable, a
successful business man, a good husband, father and
provider.

First, he went out and bought a new trendy wardrobe
more suitable for a twenty-something man, changed his
hair style, dyed his graying hair black, and traded in
his late-model family car for a hip sports car. He said
he didn't like his work anymore--work that he had
always enjoyed. He was depressed, started drinking
more with the "boys," came home late from work more
often, and complained to his wife about their growing
apart. He said he needed space to "think" about
things, and hinted at divorce.

Bill is experiencing what many men go through in their
mid years. He's in the throes of a mid-life crisis. As
he looked back over his life and could now see the end
in view, he wondered if he had achieved anything truly
meaningful. His business and financial success, with
all the material possessions he worked so hard for,
left him feeling empty and unfulfilled. He now worries
about the future and has convinced himself that it will
just be more of the same--ad infinitum?

Unless Bill realizes what he is experiencing and gets
some counseling help, rather than further acting out
his unrealistic fantasies, he will cause serious
heartbreak for his family and possible disaster for
himself.

The sooner we men learn that significance is much more
important than what the Western world has defined for
us as success, and that purpose is of far greater
value than possessions, the better off and healthier
we can be for the rest of our lives--physically,
emotionally, relationally and spiritually.

If, when we come to the end of life's journey and want
to have a sense of significance in that we have
contributed to the betterment of mankind in some small
way, it is imperative that we discover our God-given
life-purpose (that will be serving people in one way
or another) and dedicate the rest of our life to
fulfilling that purpose.

And by the way, we are never too old to begin that
journey.

As God's Word reminds us, "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

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to
discover my God-given life purpose and dedicate myself
to the fulfillment of this purpose so that when I stand
before you face to face, I will not feel that I have
lived in vain. Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Luke 12:15 (NIV).

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Today's Daily Encounter

1. The Power of God's Word

King David wrote, "I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you."1

When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he
targeted his appeal to where Jesus was, at that time,
most vulnerable. Jesus had fasted for forty days and
would have been very weak and hungry so Satan tempted
him to turn stones into bread--a seemingly harmless
thing for Jesus to do.

However, Jesus was aware of what Satan was up to so he
rebuffed him by quoting God's Word, "It is written:
'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word
that comes from the mouth of God.'"2

Satan also tempts us in seemingly harmless
ways--especially where we are vulnerable. But once we
take the bait, he will lead us deeper down sin's path.

Because Satan will often tempt us at a point of
legitimate need, we need to make certain we get this
need met in healthy ways so we won't be susceptible to
his tempting us to get them met in sinful,
self-destructive ways!

When Satan does tempt us, an important way to rebuff
him is to know God's Word, memorize and meditate on it
as David did, and quote it to him as Jesus did.

Dwight L. Moody, the renowned evangelist, knew the
power of God's Word too. He had written in the fly
leaf of his Bible, "This book will keep me from sin or
sin will keep me from this book."

It pays to know God's Word and hide it in our heart.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me a greater
love for your Word with the desire to hide it
(memorize) it in my heart--and be quick to quote it
when I am tempted. Thank you for hearing and answering
my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Psalm 119:11 (NIV).
2. Matthew 4:4 (NIV).

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