Happy Independence Day

[Judy Harder]

Encouragement

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. - Hebrews 3:13

Discouragement will drain your energy, especially when you face trials. That's why, it's very helpful to spend time with people who know how to encourage. Some people know just what to do or say to remind you that life is worthwhile, even in the midst of pain and failure. They know how to inspire when there seems to be nothing to hope for. Barnabas, whose name means "son of encouragement," was just that kind of guy.

Barnabas' gift of encouragement was demonstrated through his financial generosity, leadership, and teaching of new believers. He accepted the apostle Paul when others were afraid of him and doubted his conversion. It's probably accurate to say that Barnabas changed the course of church history and the shape of the New Testament by persevering in his encouragement to John Mark.

On his first missionary journey John Mark abandoned his friends. Barnabas was willing to give him a second chance. Paul wouldn't hear of it. But with Barnabas' encouragement, Mark became faith¬ful in his missionary ministry and Paul's respect and friendship was restored. Later he would write the Gospel of Mark.

Are you feeling discouraged? Just as was true for John Mark, fail¬ure need not be the end for you. The forgiveness offered by Jesus Christ gives you the chance for a new start. Persevere. God is a God of second chances. And in time you, like Barnabas, will have the privilege of encouraging others along the way. 

"Remember, man does not live on bread alone: Sometimes he needs a little buttering up."
-John Maxwell (1947-    )

[Judy Harder]

Joy in God's Presence

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows. - Matthew 10:29-31

Do you spend time in God's presence praying, singing praises to him, and bowing before him? These are things that each of us benefit from. 

Do you feel too macho or too proud to bow or sing to God? If that's the case then look with me at a real man in the Old Testament. The psalms of King David are songs that still give us direction and hope. David was a man who knew his own sinfulness yet was able to sing, "What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What joys await us inside your holy Tem¬ple." (Psalm 65:4)

God wants you to know you are welcome and valued before him. The joy you find in his presence each day will help you stay tuned in to his desire for you. Worship and prayer will remind you of how great and holy God is. You'll gain a new appreciation for how gracious God is to forgive you and allow you into his presence. 

When was the last time you prayed and sang to Jesus? If it's been a while, try it. You'll experience something very special. You'll continue the process of being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

"Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow." - Helen Keller (1880-1968)

[Judy Harder]

Relinquishing Prejudice

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. - 1 Peter 3:8

Have you allowed your upbringing or experiences to prejudice you against a particular group of people? Women? Men? The poor? The rich? Asians? Jews? Black or White?

Prejudice leads to hatred and a lack of compassion toward others.  To the contrary, God's people are to be known for their love and compassion. Surrendering your life to God means recognizing and relinquishing your prejudices.

Take a look at the Old Testament figure, Jonah. He hated the peo¬ple of Nineveh for their cruelty toward his people, the Israelites. He would've loved to have gone to Nineveh and declare God's judg¬ment against them. But God told Jonah to go and warn them of de¬struction so they might avert God's wrath. Jonah wanted no part in this mission of mercy. He tried to run away, but God placed him in difficult circumstances. When he reluctantly obeyed and preached to the Ninevites, they changed their ways. And not surprisingly, Jonah was upset at God's mercy on the Ninevites.

God practically had to force Jonah to let go of his prejudice and hatred. This was necessary so he could share God's mercy with the people he hated. Your spiritual transformation will be stunted until you let go of your prejudices toward any people group. Seeing your own prejudices doesn't come easy. You need to ask God and those close to you to help you see areas of prejudice in your life. Once you see them, confess them and ask God to change your heart.

"I'm free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally." - W. C. Fields (1880-1946)

[Judy Harder]

Freedom Through Confession

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" and you forgave the guilt of my sin. - Psalm 32:5

Most of us have the bad habit of rationalizing our sin and our er¬rors. We all struggle with our consciences, with our goal to make peace within our own hearts.  In order to gain peace, you may deny what you've done, find excuses, or try to squirm out from under the responsibility and consequences of your wrongdoing. You may work hard to be "good" in order to compensate for your mistakes. Are you doing everything you can to even the score? Until you confess your faults, you'll get nowhere.

God holds everyone accountable. We're like people who've com¬mitted crimes but who refuse to accept the charges brought against them. You may have spent years constructing alibis, coming up with excuses, and trying to plea-bargain. But if you're sincerely seeking spiritual renewal, now is the time to come clean. It's time to admit what you know deep down inside to be true: "I'm guilty as charged."

By speaking this truth, you stop fighting and admit that you're wrong. Without confession, there's no real freedom. And what a  relief it is to finally release the burden of your lies and excuses by admitting them to God. This is the very reason Jesus came. Remem¬ber he died not because we were good people, but because we'd gone our own way. Come back to him. When you do confess, you'll regain internal peace, and your broken spirit will be renewed.

"Hearing nun's confessions is like being stoned to death with popcorn." - Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979)

[Judy Harder]

Forgiving Ourselves

The Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste . . . - Nahum 2:2

For most of the wrongs you've done, you're probably grateful and eager to accept God's forgiveness. But sometimes we're so shocked or ashamed or heartbroken over our sin that we find it hard to believe that God could really forgive us. Yet God does forgive and  he desires to restore you. He wants to redirect your course, and to redeem your life for his service. But this restoration can't begin until you receive God's forgiveness and forgive yourself.

Peter had once sworn his love for Jesus. He pledged even to die with Jesus if necessary. Yet that same night after Jesus was arrested, Peter sheepishly denied that he even knew Jesus. Jesus wasn't sur¬prised; he had already told Peter that Peter would deny knowing him three times. Jesus was ready to forgive Peter before he even betrayed Jesus. But Peter had a hard time forgiving himself. 

After Jesus rose from the dead he asked Peter three times if Peter loved him. Peter had denied him three times, and so Jesus gave him the chance to reaffirm his love three times. Jesus reached out to Peter. 

When you're disheartened by the things you've done, it can be difficult to receive God's forgiveness. But God reaches out to us through his Son. Once you confess your sins, you need to let go of them. Find encouragement through your brother Peter. Once he accepted forgiveness, God was able to build him up and use him for His great purposes.

"People can be more forgiving than you can imagine. But you have to forgive yourself. Let go of what's bitter and move on." - Bill Cosby (1937-    )

[Judy Harder]

A Disconnected Life

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. - Hebrews 13:16

I don't have any problems relating to people. Really. It's true. I don't ever get irritated or upset with anyone: as long as I'm alone. It's amazing just how easy life is when I'm alone and isolated. The worst in me can lie dormant for years as long as there's no one around to awaken the sleeping giants inside of me. 

It may be true that a life of isolation is easier, but it's also emptier.  When you don't have to face who you really are, you grow comfort¬able and stop developing into what God wants for you. 

Are you going to take your place alongside the millions of others who've decided to abandon life by disconnecting? You may think this is the way life's meant to be. But it's not. Life is about relation¬ship, relationship with God and with one another.

"Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing." - Ben Franklin (1706-1790)

[Judy Harder]

Aging and Living

Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? - Job 12:12

I have some friends who are adrenaline junkies. It's a drug they need to survive. They mountain bike, bunji jump, heli-ski, hang glide, surf giant waves, and parachute out of airplanes. I often won¬der why they feel the need to risk their lives in the ways they do. Maybe they do these things as medication against depression and anxiety or maybe it's a way of proving that the inevitable isn't going to over take them.

We can jump out of airplanes to prove that we're not dead yet, but there's no avoiding the fact that you are getting older and with that comes limitations. Aging does that to everyone. You can see that as a death sentence, but a better way to look at it is as the beginning of a new phase or season of life.

Every end is a new beginning, and that's true for the seasons of our life. Just as Fall gives way to Winter, and Winter to Spring, there's something to look forward to with each season of your life.

"Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen." - Mark Twain (1835-1910)

[Judy Harder]

Child Readiness

The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him. - Proverbs 23:24

Do you think you're ready to have kids? Or maybe you wonder if your kids are ready for kids. Here are a few tests to see just how ready you are:

The first one is The Grocery Store Test:

Borrow two small animals (goats are probably the best) and take them with you to the store.  Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.

The next is The Dressing Test: 

Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff it into a small bag making sure that all the arms stay inside.

Then there's The Toy Test:

Obtain a 55-gallon box of LEGOs. Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom at night without stepping on any. And don't scream because this would wake the children.

Not only is parenting challenging, but with the right attitude it's also fun, funny, and exciting.  And, with the right attitude, it will keep a youthful spirit about you.

"No matter how calmly you try to referee, parenting will eventu¬ally produce bizarre beharior, and I'm not talking about the kids." -Bill Cosby (1937-    )

[Judy Harder]

Responsible Brad

This is my command: Love each other. - John 15:17

Brad, a policeman and a terrific guy, is honest, full of integrity, and everything you'd want in a cop. He's a loving husband and a father who's made great decisions for his family. If you knew him, you'd respect him as much as I do. And you'd be happy that he was pro¬tecting your neighborhood.

But what if my friend was irresponsible and just wanted to have an easy shift or a desk job? All he'd have to do is drink coffee, stay in one place, and not police the neighborhood. Then he wouldn't get involved with conflict or have to go to the trouble of filling out a lot of paperwork because he gave a ticket or arrested someone. 

Many of us go through our lives just like that. We look the other way. We don't get involved. We don't trouble ourselves to do the difficult things we maybe ought to be doing. 

Don't isolate. Connect. Get involved. Don't think of yourself. In¬stead, live your life and make your priorities thinking of others first. Jesus commanded us to love one another, and one of the bet¬ter definitions of love I heard is: Love is making your problem my problem.

Make someone else's problem your problem.

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." -Bernard Melzer

[Judy Harder]

Stubborn Resistance

Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. - Proverbs 19:20

Some of my best childhood memories were generated in the lake house built by my grandfather and his five sons. When we outgrew the cabin, a new addition was built. It, however, had one major flaw. My grandfather hadn't calculated into the ceiling height the fact that the new addition had a foundation that was about twelve inches higher than the original cabin. So the ceiling in the new area was a foot shorter than it was supposed to be.

You felt like you needed to hunch over. And if you weren't looking, you'd walk right into the ceiling fan and injure yourself for life. All this because my stubborn grandfather wouldn't listen to his boys who told him from the beginning that something was very wrong with the plans.

Is stubbornness affecting your relationships? Do you get angry when someone challenges you, shares a thought contrary to your belief, or when you're required to do something you weren't plan¬ning to do? If so, stubborn resistance might be the diagnosis.

The prescription? Surrender. Surrender your will and your ways to God, and often that means to that of others.

"If you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments."  -Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906-2001)