Happy Independence Day

[Judy Harder]

Defective Mind

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. - (1 Timothy 6: 20 – 21)                                         

The other day I spoke with a very bright thirty-five-year-old man. . . a microbiologist, nuclear physicist. . . well, he has the degree to be a microbiologist, nuclear physicist. Instead, he's a postal worker who comes home to an empty house everyday.  This man suffers from social anxiety. He's uncomfortable every moment he's around others. And he's miserable. 

Now, I'm all for us feeling good about ourselves and being grateful for the gifts that God's given us. But in the midst of our happy talk, we need to accept that to some degree or another, we each have a sick mind. So sick that microbiologists end up delivering mail. Wealthy people shoplift. Healthy people gain 180 pounds. And counselors end up in inappropriate relationships with those they wanted to help.

Our sick minds won't lead us to a place of health and wholeness. You have to reach beyond what's in your head and reach out for the help you need. Reach out to God. Reach out to others. Be attentive to what the Holy Spirit is saying—in your thought life and in the circumstances of your life. Be responsible and do something!

"Of all the needs (there are none imaginary) a lonely child has, the one that must be satisfied, if there is going to be a hope of wholeness, is the unshaken need for an unshakable God." - Maya Angelou (1928-   )

[Judy Harder]

His Hands

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. - Matthew 14:19b-21

Have you ever noticed how ordinary items become extraordinary in the right hands?

• A basketball in my hands is worth about $19. In Kobe Bryant's hands its worth over $136 million. 
• A paintbrush in my hands is useless. In Monet's hands, a paintbrush produces masterpieces. 
• Two fish and five loaves in my hands make a couple of fish sandwiches. In Jesus' hands, they feed thousands.
• A nail stuck in my hand would produce needless pain and a resolve never to get in over my head with home maintenance again. But the nails piercing Christ's hands are an expression of the wisdom of God and His infinite ability to use suffering to redeem the world's pain. 

As with everything else, whose hand the object is in makes all the difference.

What are you holding on to and afraid to give up?  Give what you're holding onto to the One who transforms the ordinary—there's no telling what He'll do with it.

"A miracle is an event which creates faith. That is the purpose and nature of miracles. Frauds deceive. An event which creates faith does not deceive; therefore it is not a fraud, but a miracle." - George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

[Judy Harder]

Pursuing Your Dreams

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. - Hebrews 10:36

Have you ever seen Michelangelo's David or experienced a live stage performance of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet? These are amazing works of art and literature. They will most certainly be admired through all time.

But what if either of these men had allowed life's difficulties to get in the way of their passion – their life's work? We all face difficulties and we all have dreams. What's the difference between average men and those who rise to greatness? Perseverance.

If a project is worth pursuing, it will require initiative, energy, and endurance. One stroke of the hammer didn't chisel Michelangelo's David. And Shakespeare didn't pen Romeo and Juliet over a spot of afternoon tea. Any accomplishment worth attaining requires sustained effort. You must persevere to see your dream through.

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison (1847-1931)

[Judy Harder]

Truth and Sincerity

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. - John 8:32

In the classroom setting of one Peanuts comic strip, on the first day of the new school year, the students were told to write an essay about returning to class. In her essay, Lucy wrote, "Vacations are nice, but it's good to get back to school. There is nothing more satisfying or challenging than education, and I look forward to a year of expanding my knowledge."

Of course, Lucy's teacher complimented her fine essay.  In the final frame, Lucy leans over to Charlie Brown and says, "After a while, you learn what sells." 

Sincerity and truth should always be vitally connected. Yet the history of humankind is littered with messages designed not to be truthful but to sound good. Everyday we encounter individuals who observe our lives to see if we live what we believe, so we must commit ourselves to follow after Christ with truth and sincerity. 

"Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth." - Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

[Judy Harder]

Balanced View of Jesus

Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." - Revelation 5:5

The following observation by author Philip Yancey is well-worth meditating upon.  "As I studied the life of Christ," he said, "one impression about Jesus struck me more forcefully than any other. We have tamed him. The Jesus I learned about as a child was sweet and inoffensive, the kind of person whose lap you'd want to climb on.  Mister Rogers with a beard.  Indeed, Jesus did have qualities of gentleness and compassion that attracted little children. Mister Rogers, however, he assuredly was not.  Not even the Romans would have crucified Mister Rogers."

How balanced is your view of Jesus?  Have you come to the crucial conclusion that His grace is bigger than anything we can possibly comprehend?  And, I hope that conclusion doesn't come at the expense of His strength. The biblical picture of Jesus is that of a tenderhearted Lion.  And conceptions that fall on either side of this picture are caricatures and incomplete.

"Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair." - Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

[Judy Harder]

Giving the Best Answer

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.- 1 John 5:20

A college philosophy professor asked just one question on his final exam. He picked up a chair, put it on his desk, and wrote on the blackboard, "Using everything we have learned this semester, prove that this chair does not exist."

Most students wrote feverishly for the entire hour, some of them churning out twenty pages of heady philosophical logic. But one student turned in her paper after less than a minute—and she was the only one to get an A. What did she write? Two simple words: "What chair?"

Engaging people in a gentle, respectful, yet influential manner is an art. There are numerous ideological and emotional pitfalls to avoid with balanced decision-making skills and alert reasoning. But this young philosophy student has learned something that we too must learn: sometimes the wisest argument is no argument at all.

"Faith is not being sure where you're going but going anyway." - Frederick Buechner (1926-    )

[Judy Harder]

Gloom

But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. - Psalm 68:3

A recent edition of the New York Times featured news of a new toy—a plush "Ask Me More Eeyore," modeled after the gloomy donkey from Winnie the Pooh.  The toy is designed for children aged three to seven.  The paper remarked that these are just the right ages, apparently, to learn about undaunted pessimism.

Eeyore responds to children's questions with comments like, "Don't' count on it," "Doesn't look good," "Outcome looks sort of gloomy," "You can't win them all," and "Looks good for you, must be nice."

Sometimes Eeyore will even ask the child, "You wouldn't want me for a friend, would you?"

As if life isn't tough enough for some kids.

Do you have a gloomy Eeyore in your life?  Perhaps you've taken on that role for yourself!

If you're busy looking for all the things that can go wrong, you're sure to miss the blessings God has prepared for you.

"It is not fitting when one is in God's service, to have a gloomy face or a chilling look." - St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)

[Judy Harder]

Persevering Amidst Hardship

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. - Romans 5:3-5

In 1741 George Frideric Handel wrote Messiah, one of the finest and most inspiring musical scores ever composed. In the time leading up to his greatest accomplishment, Handel's health and fortunes had reached a low ebb. A stroke had left the right side of his body paralyzed; and he worked under the threat of imprisonment on account of crushing financial debt.

I can't help but wonder whether Handel would've chosen the tenuous life of a composer had he known ahead of time the suffering he'd endure. If not, the world would've missed the blessing of this timeless and beautiful composition of praise.

Like Handel, we don't know what our future holds. But we can be confident that God does, and that He uses every hardship to mold our character and accomplish a plan that remains perfect despite our inability to comprehend it. I pray that today you persevere in that certain hope.   

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." - John Quincy Adams (1767-1848)

[Judy Harder]

Folly of Bitterness

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger ,brawling, and slander, along with every form of malice. - Ephesians 4:31

Two shopkeepers owned stores directly across the street from each other. Each spent his days tracking the other's business, and gloating triumphantly each time a customer chose his own store. Over time, they became bitter rivals.

One night an angel appeared to one of the shopkeepers and said, "I'll give you anything you request, but whatever you receive, your competitor will receive double. Would you be rich? You can be very rich indeed, but he'll be twice as wealthy. Do you desire a long and healthy life? Request it, but his life will be longer and healthier. What's your desire?"

The man thought for a moment, and with a sly grin, stated, "Strike me blind in one eye!"

Bitterness is relentless and dangerous when allowed to take root in our hearts. It destroys decision-making abilities and compromises otherwise focused and productive lives. Its only remedy is forgiveness—given freely by Jesus Christ. And if you believe the Bible, we are to dispense it generously to others. 

Take a step out of bitterness into forgiveness today. Forgive the unforgivable. You can do it! 

"We forgive to the extent that we love." - La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680)

[Judy Harder]

Importance of Promises

For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless. - Romans 4:14

I've worked extensively with married couples, and that's allowed me to hear the best and the worst of what goes on in relationships. I've seen couples overcome affairs, financial catastrophes, and debilitating diseases. At the same time, I've watched people walk away from their spouses and families for some pretty lame reasons like:

- "I am no longer happy."
- "He works too hard and is never home."
- "She's too busy in the neighborhood to care about my needs" ...and
- "There's not much of an attraction"

These are yellow flags that you need help. . . not reasons for calling it quits. The commitment to keep promises creates a safe environment where families and friendships flourish. Taking promises too casually creates disillusionment and fear. The people in your life want to know and need to know that you'll keep your promises. More than money, more than advice, more than gifts, they simply want you to be faithful.

"Promises are like crying babies in a theater; they should be carried out at once." - Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)