“Three military recruiters accepted an invitation to address the senior class of a local high school…. Graduation was only a few months away, and the principal wanted his two hundred young men to hear the options available in the military. The assembly was to be forty-five minutes in length. It was agreed that each recruiter would have fifteen minutes to make his pitch and then have another twenty minutes in the cafeteria to meet with interested boys. The Army recruiter went first and got so excited about his speech that he went over twenty minutes. The Navy recruiter, not to be outdone, stood up and also spoke for twenty minutes.

“The Marine Corps recruiter, realizing that his fifteen-minute speech had been cut to two, walked up to the podium and spent the first sixty seconds in silence. Wordlessly, he gazed over the group of high school seniors. They knew he was sizing them up. After what seemed to be an eternity, the recruiter said, ‘I doubt whether there are two or three of you in this room who could cut it as marines. I want to see those three men as soon as this assembly is dismissed.’ He was mobbed by a herd of young men when he arrived in the cafeteria.”²

The military needs and is always looking for good men and women. So is God. And he is calling you and me to play a part in what He is doing in the world today. And that is impacting the world for Jesus Christ by living and sharing the gospel and by being “as Jesus” in some way to every life we touch. When we do this, we do make a difference—for both time and eternity.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please make and use me as a ‘soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb, and may I never fear to own your cause nor blush to speak your name.’³ Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Joshua 24:15 (NIV).

2. Steve Farrar. Cited in KneEmail, http://associate.com/groups/kneemail/.

3. Isaac Watts, “Am I a Soldier of the Cross?” hymn (paraphrase).

As I’ve mentioned before, for many years I have ridden a mountain bike, and riding down the steep hill where we live is quite exhilarating—sure is a lot more fun than riding back up again—obviously, though, the benefit is only from the ride up. Unlike a car, however, on a bicycle you don’t steer to turn. You lean to turn in the direction you want to go. If you lean towards the left, you go left. If towards the right, you go right. And if you lean too far either way, you’ll fall. I know because I’ve leaned too far before—not on our steep hill fortunately.

Life’s like that too. If you lean towards the left of liberalism that’s the direction you will go; and if you lean towards the right of conservatism, that too is the direction you will go. And if you are an ultra or extreme-left-winger or a dogmatic extreme-right-winger, chances are—in time—you will ultimately fall too.

Both of these extremes are the opposite side of the same coin. The culprits are not likely to admit it, but both are equally neurotic. For example, a dogmatic-right-winger is theologically rigid because he is emotionally rigid, repressed, and in denial. It has nothing to do with his self-perceived spirituality. He’s this way because he is insecure. His defense against this is his rigidity. He always wants to be in control as this is the only way he feels safe. It’s exactly the same for the extreme-left-winger. He’s no different and is just as rigid in his stance as is the extreme or dogmatic-right-winger in his.

The healthiest and best direction to lean is towards God, trusting in him and in his Word for the direction of your life. It is also essential to face one’s emotional issues so we have our eyes open so we can see clearly the direction in which we are leaning—and heading, for where you look is where you will go.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me be emotionally honest with myself and you so I can see clearly and stay focused on the direction I need to go. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV).

Some time ago when I was badly in need of practical guidance from God, half in jest—half in frustration—I picked up my bedside telephone and dialed 1-800-4-HEAVEN.

And guess what? I received a recorded message. In one of those typical monotone mechanical computer voices it said, “You— are—dialing—the—wrong—number!”

At a later time I tried calling 1-800-4-HEAVEN again. I learned that it had now been registered by a company that sells candies and cookies that they claim are a “taste of heaven.” I am “kicking” myself for not registering this number when it was available so we could give a true word about Heaven from God’s Word—the only reliable source about Heaven.

However, regarding prayer it isn’t the number we call or the words we say when we pray that matters. It’s the attitude of the heart that counts. As Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, we need to seek/worship God “in spirit and in truth.”² That is, when we come to God, we need to be sincere and speak honestly from the heart. Furthermore, as God’s Word also reminds us: “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”³

We also need to pray in faith and in harmony with God’s will. As the Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”⁴ God’s Word also states that “If we ask anything according to God’s will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request which we have asked from him.”⁵

Of this we can be sure, when we come to God with a sincere heart, have faith in him, and pray in harmony with God’s will in Jesus’ name, we have the assurance that God will hear and answer our prayers—according to his will and not necessarily ours.

Suggested prayer: “Thank you God, that when I come to you with a sincere and honest heart, you always hear and answer my prayers. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Note: For further help read, “How to Pray Effectively” online at: https://learning.actsweb.org/articles/article.php?i=26&d=1&c=2&p=1.

1. Hebrews 4:16 (NIV).

2. John 4:24.

3. Psalm 145:18 (NIV).

4. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV).

5. I John 5:14-15 (NIV).

I read about a shepherd from the Scottish highlands who, whenever he went out to take care of his sheep, would take his young daughter with him. The thing she enjoyed most of all was hearing her father call the sheep who always came to him. As the years passed she became a beautiful young woman and went to live in one of Scotland’s great cities—Edinburg or Glasgow—to make a life of her own. At first she wrote home to her parents every week, but in time her letters dropped off and soon she stopped writing.

Rumors filtered back that somehow she became involved with some unsavory characters. On one occasion when one of the boys from her hometown ran into her by accident, she totally ignored him. When her father heard this, he went to the city to look for her.

For days on end he looked for her. He looked in the slums, rows of houses, markets, taverns, and everywhere in between to no avail. After all of this searching he became very discouraged with the thought that he had lost his daughter to the evil city.

When leaving to return home, he remembered how his daughter always loved to hear the voice of the shepherd calling out to the sheep. “So he turned around and on this quest motivated by his sorrow and his love, he began to stalk the streets. His voice rang out the shepherds call. The citizens of the city all looked at him as if he had lost his wits. It wasn’t too long as he walked the streets of one of the degraded neighborhoods that inside one of those houses, his daughter sitting among the vermin who had led her astray heard his voice. With great astonishment on her face, she heard that call of the voice of the shepherd, the voice of her father calling out to her. She leaped up and rushed out to the street and ran into the arms of that old shepherd, her father. It was then that he took her back home to the highlands of Scotland and brought her back to God and to decency and modesty.”²

I wonder if any of our readers today can identify with this farm girl in that you have wandered away from God. If so, I urge you to stand still long enough to examine your life and listen with your heart to the call of Jesus, God’s Shepherd Son, who is lovingly calling you to return home to him and again follow in his way.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to slow down, stop, and listen so that I will hear your shepherd call to me whatever that may be. If I have wandered away from you, I choose to come back to you today. If there is sin in my life, I confess it and ask for your forgiveness and for strength to overcome. No matter what, I choose to always follow you, the Good Shepherd, and rededicate my life afresh to you. I also ask that you will help me always to be ‘as Jesus’ in some way to every life with whom I have contact. So help me God. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

NOTE: If you are renewing your commitment to Jesus Christ today, please let us know by filling in the brief form at: https://learning.actsweb.org/decision.php, and we will send you the web address for additional helpful articles—all without charge. Be assured that we have a strict privacy policy and will never share any of your information with anyone ever.

FURTHERMORE: If you have never received Jesus, the Good Shepherd, as your Lord and Savior and asked God for his forgiveness for all your sins, please read “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. John 10:27 (NKJV).

2. Adapted from a sermon by Philip Harrelson, “The Voice of the Shepherd.” Cited on SermonCentral.

A Daily Encounter subscriber asks a simple but interesting question: “Can you tell me what does the word, ‘amen,’ mean? Nobody has ever explained it meaningfully to me.”

Tony Warren of The Mountain Retreat writes, “Amen is a word used so frequently in the Church that you would think that most Christians would know its meaning. However, many do not. Others tend to use the word frivolously, some even thinking that it simply means, ‘the end.’ But this word is much more than just the standard thing to say, or the appropriate ending of a prayer.

“Amen is one of the few words of scripture which is written in its original Hebrew form. In fact, it is practically a universal word, having been adopted directly from the Hebrew into Greek, Latin, English, Spanish, and many other languages. Found both in the Old and the New Testaments, it is also translated in different ways, depending upon the context of the passage in which it is found. This Hebrew amen is derived from the root [aman], which means to be firm or solid in the sense of permanency or faithfulness. Thus by implication, it means to be sure or true. So whenever we see this word Amen used in scripture, it is affirming what is truth, or illustrating something said that is of absolute certainty.”²

In John 8:51 where Jesus says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death,” “the word translated ‘verily’ is that very same Hebrew word [amen], and it means that what is now being said is most assuredly, truth. Christ is saying, ‘Truly, truthfully, I say unto you.’ He is making a statement of ‘absolute’ certainty. Christ used the word ‘amen’ to introduce statements as being sure on a number of occasions.”³

Speaking personally, if I use the word “amen” when a preacher or a friend makes a statement that I believe is true, I mean “I agree with you … good point … so let it be.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank for your Word, the final word of which says: ‘He [Jesus] who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.’ Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NKJV).

2. Tony Warren, http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/faq/amen.html.

3. Revelation 22:20-21 (NKJV).

Dear Joe (not his real name), it is a very wise action you have decided to take; that is, to turn back to God. Remember that God’s Word says, “If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”¹ Be sure to take God at his Word, believe what he says, and don’t go by your feelings. The promise of God is that if you confess your sins and failures, God WILL FORGIVE YOU. Again, take this by faith and not your feelings.

To help you (and all who would like to turn to, or back to, God) to do this, you could pray the prayer at: https://learning.actsweb.org/invitation.php.

If you need further assurance, be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

At the beginning of every day for the rest of your life I suggest that you also pray this prayer: “Dear God, again today I commit and trust my life and way to you. Please help me to become the person you want me to be. I am available again today, please make me usable and use me to be ‘as Jesus’ in some way to every life I touch. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 John 1:9.

“Suppose you are in a hospital dying of cancer. I come to you and say, ‘Let’s take the cancer cells from your body and put them into my body.’ If that were possible, what would happen to me? And what would happen to you? I would die in your place. I would die instead of you.”²

That’s exactly what Jesus Christ did for you and me when he came to earth at Christmas 2000 years ago. He took our “cancer/disease” of sin upon himself and died in our place.

Admittedly, from a strictly human standpoint, the story of Christmas can be difficult to fully grasp and understand. Why would God in the form of his Son, Jesus, come to earth as a babe to take on himself the disease of mankind’s sin?

What we need to understand is that God is a God of absolute holiness, which means that no sin or sinner could ever survive in his presence anymore than a moth could survive in a flame. Because we are all sinners, God’s holiness would devour us before we could ever stand in his presence.

Furthermore, God is also a God of perfect justice and his judgment against all sin is death; that is, spiritual death which results in eternal separation from God in the place God calls “hell.” Consequently, because we are all sinners, God’s judgment of eternal death is upon the head of every single one of us.

The good news is, however, that God is also a God of infinite love and, because of his infinite love for you and me, he gave his only Son, Jesus, on that first Christmas to come to earth as a babe to take on himself the disease of mankind’s sin and to die in our place on the cruel Roman cross to pay for us the penalty that God’s justice demanded. In other words, he took the penalty of your sins and mine and bore that judgment in his own body on the cross of Calvary so long ago. In other words, he took your sins and mine on himself and died in our place.

That’s what the Christmas story is all about. It is the greatest Christmas gift of all time. It is God’s Christmas gift to you and to me. The important question is: have you accepted God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life? If not, be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, how can I ever thank you enough for your great Christmas gift of love to me in the giving of your Son, Jesus, to take my sin upon himself and die in my place. Because you gave your life and died for me, please help me to give my life to live for you for all time and eternity. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Romans 5:8 (NIV).

2. From a tract published by Evantell.

A Daily Encounter reader writes, “On October 16 our youngest daughter Susan, 25, (name changed) was murdered when she was with her boyfriend. It has been an almost unbearable pain. We want her back, yet we know she is with the Lord and that he is helping us through this awful time. Susan’s sister, Jessica, 27, and Susan were connected at the hip as it were. It’s been a hard time to lose a daughter and then watch the other die inside. Nothing seems to matter at times… How are we ever going to get through this?”

Dear Friend, I can’t even begin to imagine the terrible pain you and your family are experiencing because of this merciless and evil tragedy. My heart is with you, and I know that it can be incredibly difficult to understand why God allows such evil to happen.

As difficult as it is, when tragedy strikes, even when we cannot understand the whys and wherefores, with God’s help and the support of loving friends, it is essential that we mourn our losses so we can, in time, pick up the pieces of our broken hearts and go on—trusting God to turn our tragedy into a blessing that will touch the lives of many others who are also suffering tragedy and loss.

Do not be afraid to weep. That’s why God gave us tears. They help drain the pain of broken hearts. And in your sorrow I pray that God will give you loving friends who will weep with you and support you until your “night of weeping” ends and once again you will find joy “in the morning.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you are touched with the feelings of our infirmities² and that you understand our pain and care deeply. Please help all our hurting friends to grieve their losses and in so doing experience your loving presence and learn afresh what it is to be blessed by you. And please use them to be a support and blessing to others who are also experiencing grievous tragedy and loss. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 5:4 (NIV).

2. Hebrews 4:14-16 (KJV).

When God created man and woman— Adam and Eve—he placed them in the Garden of Eden—which, at the time, was a perfect world—and not wanting mankind to be puppets on a string, God gave them a free will so they could freely choose to follow and obey him and be greatly blessed, or go their own way and pay the natural consequences. Along came Satan who, wanting to take revenge against God because in his attempt to dethrone God when he was one of the most beautiful angels in Heaven, was cast out of Heaven, came to Eve to tempt her to turn from God and, in so doing, destroy the apex of God’s creation.

To tempt Adam and Eve, Satan told Eve a part truth. Adam and Eve both knew that God had told them that if they ate of the forbidden fruit, they would surely die; that is, they would die spiritually and be eternally separated from God. So Satan said to Eve, “You will not die but be like God knowing both good and evil.” This was partly true in that she would know both good and evil, but what Satan didn’t tell Eve was that if she ate of the forbidden fruit, she would not only know good and evil but would be forever confirmed in a fallen state of evil.

Tragically, Adam and Eve bought into Satan’s lie, ate of the forbidden fruit and fell into sin. In so doing, they introduced sin and evil into the entire human race.

Unfortunately, part-truths can be the most deceptive form of lies there are. For instance, every false cult claiming to be a bearer of God’s Truth always has an element of truth in their teaching, as this is what makes them believable to those who are not aware of what God teaches in his Word, the Bible. The tragedy in this life is that if and when we turn from God and his ways to go our own way, we remove ourselves from God’s blessings and bring the natural consequences of our sin and rebellion upon ourselves. This is why it is imperative that each of us reads and studies God’s Word so we know exactly the ways of God and his truth, so that we will not be deceived by Satan and his evil demons, and ultimately be destroyed.

Fortunately, even though we inherited the sin nature when we were born, God loves us and made a way of escape by giving his Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sin by dying in our place on the cross at Calvary 2,000 years ago. All we need to do, is to confess our sins, ask God for his forgiveness, and accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you are not only a God of infinite holiness and justice, but also a God of unconditional love and that you gave your Son, Jesus, to die in my place on the cross of Calvary to pay the penalty for all my sins so that I can be fully forgiven and receive your gift of eternal life. Thank you, too, for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

NOTE: If you haven’t received God’s forgiveness and accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, for help read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at” www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. Genesis 3:1-5 (NKJV).

“There’s a lighthouse on a hillside / that overlooks life’s sea. / When I’m tossed He sends out a light, / light that I might see. / And the light that shines in darkness now / Will safely lead me on / If it wasn’t for the lighthouse / This ship would sail no more.

“Oh I thank God for the lighthouse / I owe my life to Him / King Jesus is the lighthouse / Upon the rocks of sin / He has shone a light around me / That I could clearly see / If it wasn’t for the lighthouse / Then where would this ship be.

“Everybody that lives around us / says tear the lighthouse down / You know the big ships / they don’t sail by this way no more / so what’s the use of it standing ’round? / Ahh, but then my mind goes way on back / to that stormy night, / when just in time, oh thank God I saw the light / ‘Twas the light from that old lighthouse / that still stands up there on a hill.

“Oh I thank God for the lighthouse / I owe my life to Him / King Jesus is the lighthouse / Upon the rocks of sin / He has shone a light around me / That I could clearly see / If it wasn’t for the lighthouse / Then where would this ship be.

“Oh, If it wasn’t for the lighthouse / Then where would this ship be.”¹

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, how can I ever thank you enough for giving your Son, Jesus, to be the saving lighthouse for a sin-sick lost world that includes me. Thank you for saving me from a lost eternity by forgiving me for all my sins and for your gift of eternal life to spend eternity with you in Heaven forever. Please help me to point others to Jesus, the lighthouse. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Ronnie Hinson, “The Lighthouse.” Sung by The Happy Goodmans at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl–4pJ_oeo&feature=related.