Happy Independence Day

[Judy Harder]

 

God's Changing Power
God is a changer.
He changes darkness into Light...
Bondage into Liberty...
Ashes into Beauty...
Conflict into Peace...
He has changed death to Life!

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me... to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness... Isaiah 61:1,3 KJV

May you know His changing power and His love this Independence Day.

[Hefe de vaca]

    Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.

[Judy Harder]

Daily New Life
     
The Art of Acceptance
Come to terms with God and be at peace;
in this way good will come to you.
Job 22:21

Sometimes, we must accept life on its terms, not our own. Life has a way of unfolding, not as we will, but as it will. And sometimes, there is precious little we can do to change things.

When events transpire that are beyond our control, we have a choice: we can either learn the art of acceptance, or we can make ourselves miserable as we struggle to change the unchangeable.

We must entrust the things we cannot change to God. Once we have done so, we can prayerfully and faithfully tackle the important work that He has placed before us: doing something about the things we can change . . . and doing it sooner rather than later.

Can you summon the courage and the wisdom to accept life on its own terms? If so, you'll most certainly be rewarded for your good judgment.

Surrender to the Lord is not a tremendous sacrifice, not an agonizing performance. It is the most sensible thing you can do. - Corrie ten Boom

He does not need to transplant us into a different field. He transforms the very things that were before our greatest hindrances, into the chief and most blessed means of our growth. No difficulties in your case can baffle Him. Put yourself absolutely into His hands, and let Him have His own way with you. - Elisabeth Elliot

How changed our lives would be if we could only fly through the days on wings of surrender and trust! - Hannah Whitall Smith

Ultimately things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out. - Barbara Johnson

Today's Prayer
Father, the events of this world unfold according to a plan that I cannot fully understand. But You understand. Help me to trust You, Lord, even when I am grieving. Help me to trust You even when I am confused. Today, in whatever circumstances I find myself, let me trust Your will and accept Your love . . . completely. Amen

[Judy Harder]

 New Life
     
Be Optimistic
My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Psalm 23:5-6 NKJV

Are you an optimistic, hopeful, enthusiastic Christian? You should be. After all, as a believer, you have every reason to be optimistic about life here on earth and life eternal. As C. H. Spurgeon observed, "Our hope in Christ for the future is the mainstream of our joy."  But sometimes, you may find yourself pulled down by the inevitable demands and worries of life here on earth. If you find yourself discouraged, stressed, or both, then it's time to take your concerns to God. When you do, He will lift your spirits and renew your strength.

Today, make this promise to yourself and keep it: vow to be a hope-filled Christian. Think optimistically about your life, your profession, your family, and your future. Trust your hopes, not your fears. Take time to celebrate God's glorious creation. And then, when you've filled your heart with hope and gladness, share your optimism with others. They'll be better for it, and so will you.

Go forward confidently, energetically attacking problems, expecting favorable outcomes. - Norman Vincent Peale

The popular idea of faith is of a certain obstinate optimism: the hope, tenaciously held in the face of trouble, that the universe is fundamentally friendly and things may get better. - J. I. Packer

The people whom I have seen succeed best in life have always been cheerful and hopeful people who went about their business with a smile on their faces. - Charles Kingsley

No Christian can be a pessimist, for Christianity is a system of radical optimism. - William Ralph Inge

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, I will look for the best in other people, I will expect the best from You, and I will try my best to do my best—today and every day. Amen

[Judy Harder]

July 07, 2011     

Daily New Life
     
Look Up and Move On
All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
Ephesians 4:31-32

The world holds few if any rewards for those who remain angrily focused upon the past. Still, the act of forgiveness is difficult for all but the most saintly men and women. Are you mired in the quicksand of bitterness or regret? If so, you are not only disobeying God's Word; you are also wasting your time.

Being frail, fallible, imperfect human beings, most of us are quick to anger, quick to blame, slow to forgive, and even slower to forget. Yet as Christians, we are commanded to forgive others, just as we, too, have been forgiven.

If there exists even one person—alive or dead—against whom you hold bitter feelings, it's time to forgive. Or, if you are embittered against yourself for some past mistake or shortcoming, it's finally time to forgive yourself and move on. Hatred, bitterness, and regret are not part of God's plan for your life. Forgiveness is.

Be so preoccupied with good will that you haven't room for ill will. - E. Stanley Jones

Acrid bitterness inevitably seeps into the lives of people who harbor grudges and suppress anger, and bitterness is always a poison. - Lee Strobel

Anger breeds remorse in the heart, discord in the home, bitterness in the community, and confusion in the state. - Billy Graham

Bitterness is the trap that snares the hunter. - Max Lucado

Today's Prayer
Heavenly Father, free me from anger and bitterness. When I am angry, I cannot feel the peace that You intend for my life. When I am bitter, I cannot sense Your presence. Keep me mindful that forgiveness is Your commandment. Let me turn away from bitterness and instead claim the spiritual abundance that You offer through the gift of Your Son. Amen

  :angel:

[Judy Harder]

July 08, 2011     

  Daily New Life
     
Finding Peace
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 NKJV

Oftentimes, our outer struggles are simply manifestations of the inner conflict that we feel when we stray from God's path. Jesus offers us peace, not as the world gives, but as He alone gives. Our challenge is to accept Christ's peace into our hearts and then, as best we can, to share His peace with our neighbors. When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, we are transformed by His grace. We are then free to accept the spiritual abundance and peace that can be ours through the power of the risen Christ.

Have you found the genuine peace that can be yours through Jesus Christ? Or are you still rushing after the illusion of "peace and happiness" that the world promises but cannot deliver? Today, as a gift to yourself, to your family, and to your friends, claim the inner peace that is your spiritual birthright: the peace of Jesus Christ. It is offered freely; it has been paid for in full; it is yours for the asking. So ask. And then share.

Prayer guards hearts and minds and causes God to bring peace out of chaos. - Beth Moore

Before God changes our circumstances, He wants to change our hearts. - Warren Wiersbe

When we do what is right, we have contentment, peace, and happiness. - Beverly LaHaye

Peace with God is where all peace begins. - Jim Gallery

To know God as He really is—in His essential nature and character—is to arrive at a citadel of peace that circumstances may storm, but can never capture. - Catherine Marshall

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, let me accept the peace and abundance that You offer through Your Son Jesus. You are the Giver of all things good, Father, and You give me peace when I draw close to You. Help me to trust Your will, to follow Your commands, and to accept Your peace, today and forever. Amen

 

[Judy Harder]

Daily New Life
     
Learning to Say No
So let us run the race that is before us and never give up.
We should remove from our lives anything that would get in
the way and the sin that so easily holds us back.
Hebrews 12:1 NCV

Face facts: If you haven't yet learned to say "No" —to say it politely, firmly, and often—you're inviting untold stress into your life. Why? Because if you can't say "No" (when appropriate) to family members, friends, or coworkers, you'll find yourself overcommitted and underappreciated.

If you have trouble standing up for yourself, perhaps you're afraid that you'll be rejected. But here's a tip: don't worry too much about rejection, especially when you're rejected for doing the right thing.

Pleasing other people is a good thing . . . up to a point. But you must never allow your "willingness to please" to interfere with your own good judgment or with God's priorities.

God gave you a conscience for a reason: to inform you about the things you need to do as well as the things you don't need to do. It's up to you to follow your conscience wherever it may lead, even if it means making unpopular decisions. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to be popular with God, not people.

Some of us would do more for the Lord if we did less. - Vance Havner

Many people never receive God's best for them because they are addicted to the approval of others. - Joyce Meyer

When we are set free from the bondage of pleasing others, when we are free from currying others' favor and others' approval—then no one will be able to make us miserable or dissatisfied. And then, if we know we have pleased God, contentment will be our consolation. - Kay Arthur

Don't be addicted to approval. Follow your heart. Do what you believe God is telling you to do, and stand firm in Him and Him alone. - Joyce Meyer

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, when I need to say no, give me the courage, the wisdom, and the strength to say it. Today and every day, help me follow my conscience, not the crowd. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Daily New Life
     
Too Busy?
Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run;
hurry and scurry puts you further behind.
Proverbs 21:5 MSG

Has the hectic pace of life robbed you of the peace that might otherwise be yours through Jesus Christ? Are you one of those people who is simply too busy for your own good? If so, you're doing everybody a disservice by heaping needless stresses upon yourself and your loved ones.

God offers you a peace that passes human understanding, but He won't force His peace upon you; in order to experience it, you must slow down long enough to sense His presence and His love.

Today, as a gift to yourself, to your family, and to your world, invite Christ to preside over every aspect of your life. It's the best way to live and the surest path to peace . . . today and forever.

Often our lives are strangled by things that don't ultimately matter. - Grady Nutt

This is a day when we are so busy doing everything that we have no time to be anything. Even religiously we are so occupied with activities that we have no time to know God. - Vance Havner

Being busy, in and of itself, is not a sin. But being busy in an endless pursuit of things that leave us empty and hollow and broken inside—that cannot be pleasing to God. - Max Lucado

We often become mentally and spiritually barren because we're so busy. - Franklin Graham

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, when the quickening pace of life leaves me with little time for worship or for praise, help me to reorder my priorities, and let me turn to Jesus for the peace that only He can give.  Amen

 

[Judy Harder]

Daily New Life
     
Seeking God and Finding Happiness
But happy are those . . . whose hope is in the LORD their God.
Psalm 146:5 NLT

Do you sincerely want to be a happy Christian? Then set your mind and your heart upon God's love and His grace.

Happiness depends less upon our circumstances than upon our thoughts. When we turn our thoughts to God, to His gifts, and to His glorious creation, we experience the joy that God intends for His children. But, when we focus on the negative aspects of life, we suffer needlessly.

The fullness of life in Christ is available to all who seek it and claim it. Count yourself among that number. Seek first the salvation that is available through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and then claim the joy, the peace, and the spiritual abundance that the Shepherd offers His sheep.

True happiness consists only in the enjoyment of God. His favor is life, and His loving-kindness is better than life. - Arthur W. Pink

Pleasure-seeking is a barren business; happiness is never found till we have the grace to stop looking for it and to give our attention to persons and matters external to ourselves. - J. I. Packer

No matter how hard he searches, nothing beneath the skies and nothing above the skies can make any man happy apart from God. - C. H. Spurgeon

God has charged Himself with full responsibility for our eternal happiness and stands ready to take over the management of our lives the moment we turn in faith to Him. - A. W. Tozer

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, I am thankful for all the blessings You have given me. Let me be a happy Christian, Father, as I share Your joy with friends, with family, and with the world. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Today's Word for Pastors...

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27

Today's Preaching Insight...

Putting Application in Sermons

In the June 27 edition of his Ministry Toolbox newsletter, Rick Warren suggests six guidelines for putting application into sermons:

1. Always aim for specific action
2. Model it from your own life
3. Ask penetrating questions
4. Give specific action steps
5. Give practical examples
6. Offer people hope



Speaking of that last guideline, Rick writes: People need encouragement to change. If they think something's hopeless, then they won't even try. For example, I once did a two-part series on getting out of debt. We had a woman share about how she'd gotten herself $100,000 into credit card debt. She explained how it took several years to pay off, but by applying biblical principles she and her husband were able to do it!

When she finished speaking - and I usually try to fit the testimony right in the middle of a message - I stood up and said, "You may have been discouraged thinking, 'I'm never getting out of debt.  But you can do this!  Is there anybody here who's got more than $100,000 on their credit card?  No. You just heard a story of a woman who with the power of God's Spirit and discipline, and using the biblical principle of putting God first, she got out of debt. You can do this!"

This builds hope in people. They say, "We can do that. We're not nearly as bad as that."  (Click here to read the full article.)

Today's Extra...

God's Will, Providence

In a recent edition of his Friday Evenings newsletter, Tom Barnard wrote: When Victor Frankl was arrested by the Nazis during World War II, he was stripped of everything of value he owned. His only possession when he arrived at Auschwitz was a manuscript of a book he had been working on for a very long time. To preserve it from confiscation, Frankl had sewn it into the lining of his coat. When he was searched, his manuscript was found and was taken from him. Later he wrote, "I found myself confronted with the question of whether under such circumstances my life was ultimately void of any meaning."

Apparently in an effort to keep prisoners from accumulating anything worthwhile, the Germans routinely forced prisoners to give up their clothing and in return they were issued clothing taken from other prisoners on their way to the gas chambers. In the garment of the old clothing re-issued to Frankl was a torn piece of paper—a portion of a page from a Hebrew prayer book. On it was part of the Jewish prayer—Shema Yisrael—"Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one God."

Later Frankl wrote, "How should I have interpreted such a 'coincidence' other than as a challenge to live my thoughts instead of merely putting them on paper?" From that experience Frankl concluded, "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how."

Why did God allow Frankl to be robbed of his precious manuscript? Why did God send to Frankl a prayer that been concealed by a prisoner on his way to the gas chamber? I believe God knew that what Frankl needed at that moment was prayer—not a manuscript.

Are you frustrated because an opportunity you believe God was opening to you suddenly was jerked out of your hands and replaced by something less significant and meaningful? Maybe God wants you to turn away from your personal goals and let him set the agenda for you.

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