Happy Independence Day

[Judy Harder]

No Excuses

Praise be to the name of God . . . wisdom and power are His. - Daniel 2:20

Innocent bystanders often get hurt by the mistakes and poor decisions of others. Disasters happen that haunt us for life even though we have no direct responsibility. Often the best way to handle these things is to accept them and to make the best of the situation. 

Daniel and his friends were innocent bystanders who suffered a lifelong exile to Babylon because of their country's prolonged disobedience to God. But they didn't let their misfortune destroy their relationship with God. With courage and faith, they faced the realities of exile and lived successful lives. Their lives gives us insight into how to deal with tragedy. 

After being taken from Jerusalem to Babylon, Daniel and his three friends were trained for service in the Babylonian government. Their captors often demanded that they do things that stood in opposition to God. To protect their relationship with God, Daniel and his friends set clear boundaries for their behavior. They followed God's plan for their lives, despite its conflict with the command of their captors. And God protected these faithful men from the foreign laws and unstable tyrants they lived under.

Although Daniel and his friends were exiled to Babylon for the sins of their ancestors, they didn't use that as an excuse for continued failure. Instead, they trusted God to redeem their lives, and they were determined to live according to God's precepts and teachings.  You can do the same.

"We get so focused on micromanaging God and His Kingdom that we forget to realize that He is more than capable of handling things on His own." - Bridget Willard (1973-    )

[Judy Harder]

Learning from Amos

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. - Amos 5:14-15

When life is going smoothly, you need to be careful. You're ripe for complacency and a downfall. In the day of the prophet Amos, the people of Israel were prosperous and began to think they could make it without God. We all slip into that dangerous place without really thinking at times. This led them down a steep path toward destruction. 

Another problem with the people during Amos' time is that they acted as if they didn't need other people. They exploited the weak and poor. They were indifferent to the pain of those around them. They enslaved the helpless through extortion and heavy taxation. God created us to live in relationships, not in isolation. Are you recognizing your need for others and doing what you can to make restitution to those you hurt?

A final similarity between the Israelites and our culture is that many of them kept up outward appearances of religion even though they had abandoned their faith in God. I think we can agree that you and I are in danger of falling into the same trap. Are you performing to get the approval of your boss or friends? Are you hiding your failures from your wife, pretending you're faithfully following God's way when you're not? God is not so concerned with how you appear on the surface; he sees through your false appearances even if others don't. God cares about the attitude of your heart.

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." - Winston Churchhill (1874-1965)

[Judy Harder]

Today Is a New Beginning

You are being renewed in the spirit of your minds;
you put on the new man, the one created according to
God's likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
Ephesians 4:23-24

Each new day offers countless opportunities to serve God, to seek His will, and to obey His teachings. But each day also offers countless opportunities to stray from God's commandments and to wander far from His path.

Sometimes, we wander aimlessly in a wilderness of our own making, but God has better plans of us. And, whenever we ask Him to renew our strength and guide our steps, He does so.

Consider this day a new beginning. Consider it a fresh start, a renewed opportunity to serve your Creator with willing hands and a loving heart. Ask God to renew your sense of purpose as He guides your steps. Today is a glorious opportunity to serve God. Seize that opportunity while you can; tomorrow may indeed be too late.

When you're through changing, you're through! - John Maxwell

No matter how badly we have failed, we can always get up and begin again. Our God is the God of new beginnings. - Warren Wiersbe

No man need stay the way he is. - Harry Emerson Fosdick

More often than not, when something looks like it's the absolute end, it is really the beginning. - Charles Swindoll

When we focus on God, the scene changes. He's in control of our lives; nothing lies outside the realm of His redemptive grace. Even when we make mistakes, fail in relationships, or deliberately make bad choices, God can redeem us. - Penelope J. Stokes

Today's Prayer
O Lord, my Creator, conform me to Your image. Create in me a clean heart, a new heart that reflects Your love for me. When I need to change, change me, Lord, and make me new. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Defeating Procrastination

When you make a vow to God, don't delay fulfilling it,
because He does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow.
Ecclesiastes 5:4

When turbulent times arrive, it's easy (and tempting) to avoid those hard-to-do tasks that you would prefer to avoid altogether. But the habit of procrastination takes a double toll: First, important work goes unfinished, and second, valuable energy is wasted in the process of putting off the things that remain undone.

If you find yourself bound by the chains of procrastination, ask yourself what you're waiting for—or more accurately what you're afraid of—and why. As you examine the emotional roadblocks that have, heretofore, blocked your path, you may discover that you're waiting for the "perfect" moment, that instant in time when you feel neither afraid nor anxious. But in truth, perfect moments like these are few and far between.

So stop waiting for the perfect moment and focus, instead, on finding the right moment to do what needs to be done. Then, trust God and get busy. When you do, you'll discover that you and the Father, working together, can accomplish great things      . . . and that you can accomplish them sooner rather than later.

Once you acquire the habit of doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done, you will avoid untold trouble, worry, and stress. So learn to defeat procrastination by paying less attention to your fears and more attention to your responsibilities. God has created a world that punishes procrastinators and rewards men and women who "do it now." In other words, life doesn't procrastinate. Neither should you.

Not now becomes never. - Martin Luther

Do noble things, do not dream them all day long. - Charles Kingsley

Do the unpleasant work first and enjoy the rest of the day. - Marie T. Freeman

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, when I am confronted with things that need to be done, give me the courage and the wisdom to do them now, not later. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Beating Stress One Day at a Time

This is the day the LORD has made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 NKJV

Face facts: just getting by in these turbulent times can be stressful . . . very stressful. You live in a world that is brimming with demands, distractions, and deadlines (not to mention temptations, timetables, requirements, and responsibilities). Whew! No wonder you may be stressed.

What can you do in response to the stressors of everyday life? A wonderful place to start is by turning things over to God.

Psalm 118:24 reminds us that this day, like every other, is a glorious gift from the Father. How will you use that gift? Will you celebrate it and use it for His purposes? If so, you'll discover that when you turn things over to Him—when you allow God to rule over every corner of your life—He will calm your fears and guide your steps.

So today, make sure that you focus on God and upon His will for your life. Then, ask for His help. And remember: No challenge is too great for Him. Not even yours.   

Life is strenuous. See that your clock does not run down. - Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

There are very few certainties that touch us all in this mortal experience, but one of the absolutes is that we will experience hardship and stress at some point. - James Dobson

If you're willing to repair your life, God is willing to help. If you're not willing to repair your life, God is willing to wait. - Marie T. Freeman

Prescription for a happier and healthier life: resolve to slow down your pace; learn to say no gracefully; resist the temptation to chase after more pleasure, more hobbies, and more social entanglements. - James Dobson

Today's Prayer
Heavenly Father, You never leave or forsake me. Even when I am troubled by the demands of the day, You are always with me, protecting me and encouraging me. Whatever today may bring, I thank You for Your love and Your strength. Let me lean upon You, Father, this day and forever. Amen

[Judy Harder]

The Morning Watch

Every morning he wakes me. He teaches me to listen
like a student. The Lord God helps me learn . . . .
Isaiah 50:4-5 NCV

Each new day is a gift from God, and if you are wise, you will spend a few quiet moments each morning thanking the Giver. When you do, you'll discover that time spent with God can lift your spirits and relieve your stress.

Warren Wiersbe writes, "Surrender your mind to the Lord at the beginning of each day." And that's sound advice. When you begin each day with your head bowed and your heart lifted, you are reminded of God's love, His protection, and His commandments. Then, you can align your priorities for the coming day with the teachings and commandments that God has placed upon your heart.

So, if you've acquired the unfortunate habit of trying to "squeeze" God into the corners of your life, it's time to reshuffle the items on your to-do list by placing God first. And if you haven't already done so, form the habit of spending quality time with your Father in heaven. He deserves it . . . and so do you.

How paltry must be the devotions of those who are always in a hurry. - William Law

How motivating it has been for me to view my early morning devotions as time of retreat alone with Jesus, who desires that I "come with Him by myself to a quiet place" in order to pray, read His Word, listen for His voice, and be renewed in my spirit. - Anne Graham Lotz

I suggest you discipline yourself to spend time daily in a systematic reading of God's Word. Make this "quiet time" a priority that nobody can change. - Warren Wiersbe

Every day has its own particular brand of holiness to discover and worship appropriately. - Annie Dillard

Today's Prayer
Lord, help me to hear Your direction for my life in the quiet moments when I study Your Holy Word. And as I go about my daily activities, let everything that I say and do be pleasing to You. Amen

[Judy Harder]

The Right Priorities

We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!

Romans 13:13-14 MSG

Have you fervently asked God to help prioritize Your life? Have you asked Him for guidance and for the courage to do the things that you know need to be done? If so, then you're continually inviting your Creator to reveal Himself in a variety of ways. As a follower of Christ, you must do no less.

When you make God's priorities your priorities, you will receive God's abundance and His peace. When you make God a full partner in every aspect of your life, He will lead you along the proper path: His path. When you allow God to reign over your heart, He will honor you with spiritual blessings that are simply too numerous to count. So, as you plan for the day ahead, make God's will your ultimate priority. When you do, every other priority will have a tendency to fall neatly into place.

There were endless demands on Jesus' time. Still He was able to make that amazing claim of "completing the work you gave me to do." (John 17:4 NIV) - Elisabeth Elliot

Getting things accomplished isn't nearly as important as taking time for love. - Janette Oke

Have you prayed about your resources lately? Find out how God wants you to use your time and your money. No matter what it costs, forsake all that is not of God. - Kay Arthur

Forgetting your mission leads, inevitably, to getting tangled up in details—details that can take you completely off your path. - Laurie Beth Jones

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, make me a person of unwavering commitment to You. Guide me away from the temptations and distractions of this world, so that I might honor You with my thoughts, my actions, and my prayers. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Real

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. - Philippians 3: 20-21

What does it mean to be real?

Being "real" is the result of being transformed by the love of God.  It's not about wealth, or beauty, or power.  Heck, most of the time it's suffering, failing, and waiting.  Maybe that's why we sometimes miss it.  I think the wise old horse in the classic children's story The Velveteen Rabbit says it well.  As he explained to the stuffed bunny:

'It doesn't happen all at once...You become.  It takes a long time.  That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.  Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby.  But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.'

Be real. Open yourself up to God and His transforming power.

"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."  -Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

[Judy Harder]

Anger

Better a patient man than a warrior. A man who controls his temper than one who takes a city. - Proverbs 16:32

Let's look at a few popular, but sad, bumper stickers:

My kid beat up your honor student.
Welcome to America, now learn English!
Keep honking, I'm reloading.
All men are idiots, and I married their King.

What do these bumper stickers have in common?  The messages are dressed in humor but they're actually about anger.  While some people struggle with anger, these people are flaunting it, celebrating it, and inviting you to join in. 

This type of anger--aimed at hurting or ridiculing--is obviously wrong.  Yet not all anger is wrong.  Anger can also be an appropriate and good response. 

If You're Not Outraged, You're Not Paying Attention is another bumper sticker I've seen. Injustice, cruelty, and greed should evoke anger because they contradict what the Bible teaches. William Wilberforce, sickened with anger over the slave trade in England, devoted himself to ending slavery there.  If you don't ever feel anger, you need to worry about your heart.

"Anger is never without a Reason, but seldom with a good One." – Ben Franklin (1706-1790)

[Judy Harder]

Embracing Life

So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. - Zechariah 4:6

Embracing life means embracing all of it, including the people who make it difficult. I call these people "character builders." You may hate the fact they're in your life, but without them you'd never come close to what God wants for you. These people that are so tough are actually a gift from God. Like me, you can probably look at the character you've developed and see it didn't get there from people being nice to you.  It's there because of some very tough treatment by people who didn't have your best interest in mind. 

Remember the story of David and Goliath? If David had taken on a third grader I don't think we'd have heard much about it.  Or what about Daniel and the pit of lions?  If it were a pit of hamsters no one would be talking about that today!  The bigger the challenge the more God can do with it.  Its difficult things and people that make up the stories of our lives in a way that brings honor to God.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)