Daily Living for Seniors

[Judy Harder]

Putting knowledge into action

"Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." - 1 Samuel 15:22

Imagine that you are the president of a company and find it necessary to travel out of the country and spend extended time abroad. So you tell your employees, "Manage things while I'm away, and I'll write you regularly. When I do, I'll instruct you in what you should do from now until I return from my trip."

So you leave and stay away for a couple of years. During that time, you write often, communicating your desires and concerns. One day you return. Walking up to the front door of the company, you quickly notice that everything is a mess—weeds are growing in the flower beds, windows are broken across the front of the building, and the secretary at the front desk is asleep!

Without hesitation, you call everyone together and ask, "What happened? Didn't you get my letters?" Your employees answer and say, "Yes! We got all your letters. Some of us have memorized them. In fact, we even get together each week and talk about them!"

It doesn't matter how much they would've read your letters. What really matters is whether or not they would've followed what you told them. In the same way, there are so many people who read the Word of God, yet they never truly do what it says.

So when it comes to the Bible, don't just read—do! Follow God's precepts for living and experience the full joy that comes with surrender and obedience.

Prayer Challenge

Ask God to help you not just read His Word, but live it out each day!

[Judy Harder]

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. --Proverbs 4:23-27

A former police officer once told of the tactics of roving bands of thieves. The group of thieves would enter a store in a unit. One or two of them would separate themselves from the group, and the others would start a loud commotion in another section of the store.

This grabbed the attention of the clerks and customers. And as all eyes were upon the disturbance, the accomplices would fill their pockets with merchandise and cash, and leave before anyone suspected anything.

Hours—sometimes even days—later the victimized merchant would realize things were missing from the store and call the police. Too late—they'd already been deceived and robbed.

This effective strategy is often used by Satan as well. Believers are seduced into paying attention to the distractions, while evil agents ransack our lives and ultimately leave us confused, lost, and devastated. So what does the Bible say about this? Always be on guard!

Paul warned believers several times about this scenario:

·         "...I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3).

·         "...Be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil" (Romans 16:19).

·         "So be on your guard!" (Acts 20:31).

·         "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Don't be distracted by Satan and his roving band of demons. Instead, "be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to guard your heart and mind, so that you won't be seduced and deceived by Satan.

[Judy Harder]

How to persevere in obedience

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:19-20

The great poet and educator, Archibald Rutledge, wrote about how he once met a man whose dog had just been killed in a forest fire. Heartbroken, the man explained to Rutledge how it happened. Because he worked outdoors, he often took his dog with him. That morning, he left the animal in a clearing and gave him a command to stay and watch his lunch bucket while he went into the forest.

His faithful friend understood, and that's exactly what he did. So when a fire started in the woods and soon spread to the spot where the dog had been left, the faithful companion didn't move. He stayed right where he was, in perfect obedience to his master's word.

When it comes to obedience to God, do you cower down when things heat up? Or do you, like that dog, endure faithfully, even if it means suffering, or even death?

In this life, the Bible never gives us the promise of an easy path. There are times when staying true to your Master will even cause you to encounter hard times. Yet through them all, we're given the simple promise that no matter what happens, God is with us.

Maybe today, you know God is asking you to follow Him in a certain way that will lead to hardship. If so, show obedience to God by following Him even if it means tough times. When you do, you can be sure that the reward you'll receive will far outweigh any inconvenience you face!

Prayer Challenge

Pray and tell God that you'll follow Him no matter where He calls you. Respond in faith by giving Him your life and surrendering to His will.

[Judy Harder]

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. --Colossians 3:17

In Loving God, Charles Colson tells the story of Telemachus, a fourth-century Christian and monk. Telemachus lived in a remote village and spent most of his time tending his garden and praying.

One day, God told him to go to Rome. The monk responded obediently and set out on foot. Weeks later, he arrived at the city's gates to witness a great festival taking place. He followed the crowd through the streets toward the Colosseum.

Inside, he saw the gladiators stand before the emperor and say, "We who are about to die salute you."

Telemachus realized they were going to fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowd, so he cried out, "In the name of Christ, stop!"

As the games began, Telemachus pushed through the crowds, climbed over the wall, and dropped to the arena floor screaming over and over, "In the name of Christ, stop!" The crowd thought this was part of the show, so they began laughing. When they realized it wasn't, their laughter turned to angry shouts.

Suddenly, one of the gladiators plunged his sword into the body of Telemachus. He fell to the sand and his last words were, "In the name of Christ, stop!" Then, a hush fell over the Colosseum and one man in the upper rows stood up and walked out. Soon, others began to follow and in silence everyone left the Colosseum.

On that day in B.C. 391, the last battle to the death between gladiators in the Roman Colosseum was fought. It was all because one tiny voice that could hardly be heard above the uproar spoke the truth in God's name.

Won't you be that small voice in the darkness and commotion of our culture today?

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that others might be sensitive to hear the message of truth spoken by you in God's name.

[Judy Harder]

I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. --Psalm 40:10

Peter Cartwright was a nineteenth-century, circuit-riding Methodist preacher. But more importantly, he was known for being uncompromising in his faith.

One Sunday morning, as he was preparing to preach, he was told that President Andrew Jackson was in the congregation. Some of the elders warned him not to say anything out of line or there would be trouble.

So when Cartwright stood to preach, he said, "I understand that Andrew Jackson is here today. I have been requested to be guarded in my remarks. Andrew Jackson will go to hell if he doesn't repent."

The congregation was shocked by Cartwright's bold sermon and wondered how the President would respond. However, after the service, President Jackson walked by to shake hands with Cartwright and said, "Sir, if I had a regiment of men like you, I could whip the world."

As Christians, we are not called to be "guarded" when it comes to sharing the Gospel message with the world. Instead, we are to be bold and outspoken in proclaiming the truth.

In Psalm, King David wrote, "I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD" (Psalm 40:9).

Scripture says that we are a "chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that [we] may declare the praises of Him who called [us] out of darkness into His wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).

The world needs more Christians who will be uncompromising in their faith. Will you be that kind of Christian—just as Peter Cartwright was? Won't you be bold enough to declare the faithfulness and salvation of God today (Psalm 40:10)?

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would give you the opportunities to boldly share your faith. Ask Him to give you the right words at that time that will bring others to Christ.

[Judy Harder]

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins ... But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. --Ephesians 2:1, 4-5

The Vietnam Veteran's Memorial is astounding for its simplicity and meaning. Etched carefully in the black granite wall are the names of 58,156 Americans who died in that gruesome war. And since its opening in 1982, the striking monument has stirred deep, and sometimes painful, emotions in many people.

Some visitors walk the length of the memorial slowly and reverently, but without a pause. Others stop before certain names to linger where they recognize the name of a son, sweetheart, or fellow soldier. They wipe away their tears and remember the legacy those lost lives left behind.

For Robert Bedker, Willard Craig, and Darrall Lausch—three Vietnam veterans—a trip to visit the memorial must be especially moving because each man can walk up to the long ebony wall and find their own names carved in the stone. Because of data coding errors, each of them was incorrectly listed as killed in action upon the monument.

Dead, but truly and completely alive—this is a perfect description of every believer in Jesus Christ. Just as Christ suffered death of the flesh and was made alive by the Spirit, so are we as Christians made alive in the Holy Spirit (see 1 Peter 3:18). And we are called to die to ourselves every day and walk in the Spirit of Jesus.

Every day we should thank God for raising us up from the mire and muck to live in glory with Him. Because of the death of Jesus on the cross, we can rest peacefully knowing that we will be alive forever with Him in heaven one day. Praise God!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for making you alive in the Spirit as a believer. Pray that He would help you die to yourself and your sins every day, so that you can be more like Him.

[Judy Harder]

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. --1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Winston Churchill, the great preacher of yesteryear, planned his own funeral that took place at Saint Paul's Cathedral. Included in the service were many great hymns of the church and the eloquent Anglican liturgy.

At his direction, a bugler, stationed high in the dome of the cathedral, was to play "Taps" after the benediction signaling that the day is over. Then immediately afterward, Churchill instructed another bugler, positioned at the other end, to play the tune "Reveille"—"It's time to get up. It's time to get up. It's time to get up in the morning!"

This was Churchill's testimony to all—though it was the end of his time on earth, it was a time of joy for he was getting up to go home to be with the Lord. At the end of history, the last note for all believers will not be "Taps," but instead "Reveille."

Believers can have hope for the day when death comes. When you take your last breath, know that your soul will go to be with Jesus in heaven and will one day be reunited with a new body when He returns. Death is not the end for the believer, it is just the beginning.

"We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ... For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 3:14, 16-17).

Praise God! The worst things are never the last things.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the future you have with Him in heaven.

[Judy Harder]

Keeping the main thing the main thing

You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. - 1 Corinthians 3:3-5

Flight 401 was bound for Miami from New York City with a load of holiday passengers on the night of December 29, 1972. As the huge aircraft approached the Miami Airport for its landing, a light that indicates proper deployment of the landing gear failed to come on. The plane flew in a large, looping circle over the swamps of the Everglades while the cockpit crew checked out the light failure.

The flight engineer fiddled with the bulb. He tried to remove it, but it wouldn't budge. Another member of the crew tried to help out... and then another. By and by, if you can believe it, all eyes were on the little light bulb that refused to be dislodged from its socket. No one noticed that the plane was losing altitude.

Finally, it dropped right into a swamp, killing 101 people. While an experienced crew of high-priced and seasoned pilots messed around with a tiny light bulb, an entire airplane and many of its passengers were lost. The crew momentarily forgot the most basic of all rules of the air—don't forget to fly the airplane!

The same thing can happen to Christians today. In the midst of so much arguing and debating about worship styles, preaching personalities, and minor theological points, they often forget the most basic rule—reach others for Christ. So as you live your life, focus on what really matters and show the world the love of Jesus!

Prayer Challenge

Pray that God would show you where to compromise, where to stay firm, and most of all, how you can advance His Kingdom and make disciples.

[Judy Harder]

How God can use you to do anything

"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the LORD Almighty. - Zechariah 4:6

Here are a few interesting facts you may not have known about some very famous people:

Booker T. Washington was born into slavery.
Thomas Edison was deaf.
Abraham Lincoln was born of illiterate parents.
Lord Byron had a club foot.
Robert Louis Stevenson had tuberculosis.
Alexander Pope was a hunchback.
Admiral Nelson had only one eye.
Julius Caesar was an epileptic.
And yet despite the fact that each of these men encountered severe setbacks in life, each of them made history.

So often today, Christians like to make excuses for why they don't think God can use them. They talk about their bad health, their unfortunate background, or their lack of education and simply accept that they'll never truly make a significant impact.

Yet for every excuse or limitation that's given as a reason for God's inability to use a person, God reminds us that it's not by our might or by our power that He accomplishes His purposes; it's by His Spirit.

Do you have a handicap? Are you limited in some way? Call on the Lord. No problem is too big or too small for Him. He will make everything "work together for good" (Romans 8:28) if you turn to Him and trust in His power!

Prayer Challenge

Thank God for the blessings He's given you. Pray that His Spirit would work perfectly in your imperfections.

[Judy Harder]

Living beyond your circumstances through the resurrection

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." - Matthew 28:5-6

A little boy named Philip with Down Syndrome attended a third-grade Sunday school class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences.

On Easter Sunday, the teacher brought egg-shaped pantyhose containers for the students and told the children to go outside, find some symbol for new life, and put it in the egg-like container. Back in the classroom, they would share their new life symbols, opening the containers one by one. After running about the church property in wild confusion, the students returned to the classroom and placed the containers on the table.

Surrounded by the children, the teacher began to open them one by one. When one was opened, revealing nothing inside, the children exclaimed, "That's not fair! Somebody didn't do their assignment."

Philip spoke up, "That's mine."

"Philip, you don't ever do things right!" a student retorted. "There's nothing there!"

"I did so do it," Philip insisted. "It's empty, just like Jesus' tomb was empty!"

Silence followed. From then on, Philip became an accepted member of the class. He sadly died not long afterward from an infection most normal children would have shrugged off. At the funeral, this class of eight-year-olds marched up to the altar, not with flowers, but with their Sunday school teacher, each to lay on it an empty pantyhose egg.

Whatever challenges you face today, the resurrection of Jesus Christ can give your life hope, meaning, and purpose. So this Easter, rest in the goodness of God and the new life you've been given through Jesus' resurrection!

Prayer Challenge

Ask God to help you live beyond your circumstances and rest in the new life you've been given through the resurrection of Jesus Christ!