Turning Point with David Jeremiah

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, July 12

Make Friends and Live Longer

Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man's friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
Proverbs 27:9

Recommended Reading
Proverbs 27:5-10


According to The New York Times, researchers are paying attention to the role of friendship to overall health. A ten-year Australian study found that older people with a large circle of friends were 22 percent less likely to die during the study period than those with fewer friends. A study of middle-aged Swedish men found those with quality friendships were much more likely to survive coronary heart disease. Another study of women battling breast cancer found that friendship circles have a dramatic influence on survival rates.

"Friendship has a bigger impact on our psychological well-being than family relationships," said one sociologist.1

Long ago, the writer of Proverbs said that a good friendship is to the heart what oils and medicines are to the body. Encouraging our friends--and being encouraged by them--is a conduit of blessing to our lives. We should cherish our relationships, pray for our friends, and fellowship warmly with those whom God brings across our paths. It's good for what ails us!

A friend is someone who walks in when others walk out.
Walter Winchell

1Tara Parker-Pope, "What Are Friends For? A Longer Life," The New York Times, April 21, 2009.

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Ecclesiastes 2:1-5:20

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, July 13

If You Don't Write It Down...

I, Paul, am writing with my own hand.
Philemon 1:19

Recommended Reading
Philemon 1:17-25


In a popular Tom Clancy novel, one of the characters continually jotted notes in a small notebook. "You have to get used to me," she said apologetically. "Whenever I have an idea, I write it down right away." It isn't safe, she explained, to entrust important matters to memory alone, adding, "If you don't write it down, then it never happened."1

Perhaps that's not literally true, but the point is valid. The written word is a powerful way of encouraging others. It can be anything from an ordinary note to a friend to an autobiographical account of your life and testimony for your children and descendants. When something is written, it achieves greater permanence in its effect. Some people keep precious messages of encouragement on their refrigerators for years, or inserted in their Bibles, or filed with their keepsakes. Even email and blogs are helpful in this regard, though nothing can quite replace ink on paper when the hand that is writing it is yours.

Who can you encourage with a written word today?

Share your stories with your children over and over. They need to hear them more than once in order to really remember them.
J. Darline Peipman, in her commentary on the Book of Ruth

1Tom Clancy, Debt of Honor (New York: Berkley, 1994), 581.

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Ecclesiastes 6:1-9:18

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, July 14

Mr. Encouragement

And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus...
Acts 4:36

Recommended Reading
Acts 4:32-37


LeRoy Eims, in The Lost Art of Disciple Making, wrote that during his first year of campus ministry at the University of Pittsburgh a number of men came to Christ. Whenever Eims met them in the halls of the dormitories, he would stop and check up on their Bible study, Scripture memory, and Christian growth. He soon became known as "Old Mr. Check-up." Guys began avoiding him if they were lagging.

"I soon learned it was hard to help a person grow in Christ if he was avoiding me," wrote Eims. "So I changed and became known as 'Mr. Encouragement.' The more I encouraged, the more things changed. The new converts grew and we had great fellowship together. They became faithful in their walk with the Lord."1

Barnabas was the original "Mr. Encouragement." He was so generous, friendly, and uplifting, that the apostles changed his name from Joses to Mr. Encouragement.

May God help us all to bear that family name!

Encouragers see potential where others only see problems.
David Jeremiah

1LeRoy Eims, The Lost Art of Disciple Making (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978), 71.

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Ecclesiastes 10:1-Song of Solomon 2:17

[Judy Harder]

Friday, July 15

Think "Encouragement"

...that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God.
Colossians 2:2

Recommended Reading
Colossians 2:1-3


Jonas Salk, the great scientist and discoverer of the vaccine against polio, understood how to think and work with confidence. He was once asked, "How does this outstanding achievement, which has effectively brought an end to the word 'polio' in our vocabulary, cause you to view your 200 previous failures?"

"I have never had 200 failures in my whole life," he replied. "My family didn't think in terms of failure. They taught in terms of experiences and what could be learned. I just made my 201st discovery, and I couldn't have made it without learning from the previous 200 experiences."

Salk's example is illustrative to the Christian life. To support and encourage others we have to stay encouraged ourselves; and we have to learn to think, believe, and live with assurance and conviction. Based on the promises of God, we have every reason to be optimistic. It's the uplifting "can-do" attitude of a biblical encourager that stokes the flames of God's work in the lives of others.

Learn to think "encouragement."

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
Thomas Edison

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Song of Solomon 3:1-8:14

[Judy Harder]

Weekend, July 16 & 17

Joy Busters: Anger (An Insensitive Reaction)

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1

Recommended Reading
Ephesians 4:25-32


If you've driven a car or been a passenger in one recently, you don't have to be told that anger is an issue in our society. Nearly half of car accidents are speculated to be caused by road rage. It seems that conflicts on the road bring deeper issues to the surface. And, unfortunately, tempers are often the vice of the virtuous.  But the Bible clearly tells us that love is not provoked (1 Corinthians 13). Yes, it's possible to be a Christian and struggle with anger. But we should bear in mind the words of theologian Jonathan Edwards, "The grace of God can live with some people with whom no one else could ever live."

So how do we encourage love in a society that tends toward anger? The next time we're faced with an angry person or a situation that would normally warrant an angry response, we can choose to respond in love--allowing that soft answer to turn away anger. But in order to be capable of a gentle, loving response, we need to be constantly connected to the source of love--Jesus Christ!

Anger devours almost all other good emotions. It deadens the soul.
John Piper

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Isaiah 1:1-4:6
Isaiah 5:1-8:22

[Judy Harder]

Monday, July 18

"I Always Say Yes"

...in honor giving preference to one another.
Romans 12:10

Recommended Reading
Romans 12:9-13


Several years ago, journalist Larry King interviewed television personality Art Linkletter, who had just turned ninety. King, who has famously been married several times, asked Linkletter the secret of longevity in marriage. Linkletter and his wife were married seventy-four years.  Linkletter simply replied, "I always say yes to anything she says."

"So how do you stay happy?" asked King in surprise.

"Oh, that's Lois," said Art. "She's happy--when she's happy, I'm happy."1

There's a lot of truth in that little bit of folk wisdom. Of course, the real secret is when both partners begin practicing this habit. The place where encouragement is most needed is the home, where our flaws are exposed and our selfishness is most likely to exert itself. But marriage works best when spouses are less selfish, more selfless, and when they understand that it's not about making themselves happy but about making the other happy--in honor preferring one another. It is God's plan, and it works!

Biblical love is not emotions or feelings, but attitudes and actions that seek the best interests of the other person.
Jerry Bridges in The Practice of Godliness

1Larry King interview with Art Linkletter on July 26, 2002, taken from a CNN transcript at cgi.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0207/26/lkl.00.html, accessed March 7, 2011.

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Isaiah 9:1-13:22

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, July 19

Jesus in Your Home

...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28

Recommended Reading
Matthew 20:24-28


In his book, The Ministry of Marriage, Christian counselor Jim Binney suggests that many marriages are missing the key concept of ministry. We often get married in order to be happy, when we should get married to make someone else happy. A person is not supposed to get married in order to be ministered to, but to minister. "If your marriage is to be 'Christian,' writes Binney, "it must be Christlike. If it is to be Christlike, it must be permeated with Christ's sacrificial spirit of ministering."1

It's easy to unwittingly discourage a family member or spouse, for we're likely to be critical, cutting, dismissive, or selfish without even realizing it. To change that, start asking yourself, "How can I serve my loved one today? In what way can I minister to my husband or to my wife?"

Be Jesus in your home; and your home will be a little more like heaven.

Your mate can always measure your love by your actions. She may not see your feelings, understand your words, or even believe them; but there is no disputing the love behind actions.
Jim Binney

1Jim Binney, The Ministry of Marriage (Greenville, SC: BJU Press, 2003), 42, 176.

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Isaiah 14:1-18:7

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, July 20

Some Party!

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient.
2 Timothy 2:24

Recommended Reading
2 Timothy 2:20-26


Earlier this year an Australian schoolgirl, wanting her classmates to attend her birthday party, invited them all via Facebook. She told them to get the word out and to bring friends. She even posted her address in the invitation. Her post went viral, and within 24 hours more than 20,000 people said they were coming. Then the number surged to 200,000. The party was quickly cancelled, police were stationed in the neighborhood on the day of the supposed party, and the girl's father cancelled her Facebook account.

Sooner or later, every youngster does something foolish. If you'll think back a little, you probably gave your folks a few gray hairs. We need to ask God for wisdom as we counsel, teach, correct, and advise our children. If you've ever been in a store and heard a child being scolded in a harsh way, you know that such words can wound. Children in a harsh and critical home may feel the sting all their lives. A wise parent must not quarrel but be gentle, able to teach, and patient.

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing is so gentle as real strength.
Ralph W. Sockman, twentieth-century Methodist pastor

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Isaiah 19:1-23:18

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, July 21

To Make Firm--Affirm

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
Colossians 3:21

Recommended Reading
Ephesians 6:1-4


The word "affirmation" is related to the word "firm." In affirming others, we firm up their morale and confidence, and we encourage them in their decisions and direction.

Our children need that, for their self-esteem depends on the feedback they receive from us. Thankfully, there are lots of ways to do that. We can strengthen our children by using phrases like: Good job! or Way to go!

We can affirm by appropriate touch--a  pat on the back or, tussle of the hair can convey lots of love.

We can affirm with eye contact too. Try smiling at your child with your eyes. We often convey discipline through our eyes; but we can also communicate warmth and affirmation with our eyes.

We also affirm children by spending time with them and praying for them. Children who are praised are like young plants lifting their leaves to the sun. They are drawn to its warmth. We are all a bit like children--we need to feel accepted and loved--even as Christ Himself unconditionally loved and received us by His grace. Affirm someone today.

Praise your children. Do not forever find fault with them. .... Whenever you can, praise them.1
Anonymous, from a nineteenth-century magazine

1Frank Leslie's Sunday Magazine, Number 18, July to December, 1885, 530.

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Isaiah 24:1-28:29

[Judy Harder]

Friday, July 22

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

Paul...to all who are in Rome, beloved of God and called to be saints.
Romans 1:1, 7

Recommended Reading
Romans 1:1-8


It's no accident that God chose the written form of epistles or letters to convey the teachings of the Christian life to the earliest believers. Paul, Peter, John, Jude and the others wrote personal letters to churches and individuals, and this body of correspondence makes up the richest source of our understanding of the Christian way and walk. Paul could have compiled volumes of sermons or books of systematic teachings. But instead the Lord led him to use the medium of letter writing to leave a lasting legacy for all of Christian history. Letters are personal, readable, informal, enduring, and quotable.

Though our correspondence isn't inspired in the scriptural sense, don't underestimate the power of the written note. It's easy to pat someone on the back and say, "Good job." We need to frequently do that. But there is great value in taking time to write encouraging words. They are durable and distance-proof.

Rediscover the lost art of letter-writing.

Letter writing, in its ideal form, is really nothing else but indirect conversation.
C. H. Charles

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Isaiah 29:1-32:20