Happy Independence Day

[Judy Harder]

True Forgiveness

God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. - Acts 5:31

Without true forgiveness, bitterness will inevitably tear our relationships apart. No relationship or family will hold together for long if the people involved are unable to grant forgiveness. I don't just mean saying the words "I forgive you" but actually relating to your spouse, child, parent, or friend with your actions that display forgiveness. Giving voice to forgiveness might create peace temporarily, but when that forgiveness isn't evidenced by the way you live, true reconciliation will never result. 

Let's learn from a man who went before us. Absalom, the third son of King David, suffered much and also caused much suffering because forgiveness wasn't a part of his life. When Absalom discovered that his sister had been raped by his half brother, anger and hatred built up in him for two years until he finally killed him. Then to avoid the wrath of his father, he was on the run for a period of three years. And even after he returned he and his father, David, didn't speak to one another for two more years. And you thought your family had issues!

Well, Absalom never regained the love he had for his father. In fact, Absalom spent the rest of his life scheming against his father, King David. His life ended while he led a rebellion against his father. Absalom is an example of the wasted years and broken hearts that can result when we harbor bitterness and are unwilling to forgive.

"To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness." - Robert Muller  (1923-    )

[Judy Harder]

Solomon

And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. - 2 Kings 18:7

Americans have traditionally valued a strong work ethic. We believe the harder we work, the greater our chances for success. But if unchecked, you can get carried away and you'll end up devoting all your time to work and lose the balance that allows you to grow spiritually. Are you sacrificing healthy, family relationships, connections, friendships, and your walk with God so you can achieve more and advance in your profession? Perhaps you can relate to Solomon. When he became king of Israel, he asked God to grant him wisdom. Pleased at this request, God gave this young king honor, wealth, and a long life, in addition to wisdom.

Then Solomon started building the Temple. He built his palace and fortified his country against intruders. All of these projects were done on an enormous scale, even by today's standards. In order to accomplish these tasks, Solomon sacrificed important relationships with his people, with his family, and with his God. He taxed his people heavily and required them to work hard on his building projects. He failed to teach his son how to use wisdom to rule the people. He also stopped listening to God and disobeyed him by marrying numerous pagan women and by worshipping their so-called gods.

It's easy to lose yourself in work and achievements and to forget the source of your strength and success. Whenever anything in your priorities of life is placed above God, it's time to stop and rethink just what your priorities need to be.

"The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. "- Donal Kendall

[Judy Harder]

Solitude, Silence, and Fasting

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. - Zephaniah 3:17

At times in our lives we all have wilderness experiences . . . times when we face despair and feel alone in the world. Elijah was a prophet in the Bible who had a literal wilderness experience. His time in the wilderness forced him to practice three spiritual disciplines that freed him from his dependence on the world and encouraged him instead to depend on God. We would do well to follow his example.

The first discipline Elijah practiced was solitude: and it served at least two purposes. One, it protected him from King Ahab who wanted to kill him. And two, it provided an opportunity for him to deepen his faith, to draw closer to God. Next, Elijah's wilderness experience gave him a time to practice silence, which allowed him to listen for God's voice. And finally, Elijah practiced a form of fasting. Strictly speaking he didn't abstain from food, but his food was controlled by God's special provision. Periodically, God would send ravens carrying food for Elijah to eat. In this way, Elijah learned to trust God to provide for his daily needs.

A wilderness experience can play an important role in your spiritual growth. Are you going through one now? Don't miss what it might be offering you. Like Elijah, withdrawing from your normal routine will remove you from distraction and lead to an intimacy with God. Silence allows you to listen to God. And fasting teaches you to depend on God to provide for you.

"I lived in solitude in the country and noticed how the monotony of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind." - Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

[Judy Harder]

Expressing Grief

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27

Grief is the process that helps you release your pain and losses to God. In your grief, you come to terms with your past and you find freedom to live in the reality of the present. On the other side of grief, you'll find hope for the future. So if you harden your heart and refuse to grieve, you're likely to get stuck both emotionally and spiritually. 

The prophet Jeremiah shared his grief and tears with God. Jeremiah lived with God's people and pleaded with them to return to God. But his pleas fell on deaf ears, and his heart was broken. So in his grief, the prophet penned the words of the Old Testament book, Lamentations. When you read it, you'll find that Jeremiah didn't mince his words or hide his pain. He weeps openly and fully, releasing his emotions to God. It's a great example for us when we grieve our own losses.

Lamentations doesn't provide pat answers for the suffering you'll experience. If you'll read it, you'll discover that it's all right to be real, to be angry, to be disappointed with life, and to be concerned about what tomorrow holds for you. God accepted Jeremiah being angry, tired, and discouraged, and he will accept you as well. Just as God honored the tears of Jeremiah, he'll honor yours if you share your pain and sorrow with him. It's likely to be the first step to bring healing for the present and hope for the future. 

"Grief is itself a medicine." - William Cowper (1731-1800)

[Judy Harder]

Honesty and Forgiveness

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. - Romans 8:1

Emotions are a funny thing. We all know what they are, but where do they come from? They seem to flow from the core of your being, from deep down inside. And if you've developed the pattern of denying or hiding your feelings, you'll lose the very sense of who you really are . . . who God created you to be. Don't believe me? Consider the prophet Jeremiah. 

When you read the Old Testament book of Lamentations, written by Jeremiah, you'll see that you have nothing to fear about bringing even your most raw or maybe what you think are embarrassing emotions to God.

Jeremiah was intensely honest in sharing his broken heart with God. But what follows his grief? When Jeremiah finished his grieving, he turned to God to seek forgiveness. The book ends with a question of remorse: "Are you angry with us still?" the prophet asks. Have you ever asked that question? Behind this question is Jeremiah's humility, coupled with his hope that God will start the process toward reconciliation and forgiveness. Jeremiah knew God's heart, so he knew that God would forgive. If you truly repent of your sin, you can be sure that God will forgive you too... no matter how great your sins and failures. You need to come humbly before him and place your life in his strong, gentle hands.

"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future." - Paul Boese (1957-    )

[Judy Harder]

Unfailing Love

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. - Lamentations 3:21-23

No one is exempt from suffering. The people you think deserve it the least are often the ones faced with it. And you may suffer because those you love make some poor choices. Your wife may leave you, your child may struggle with addiction, or your brother may choose a homosexual lifestyle. Whatever the situation or whenever your heart is breaking, God wants you to give your grief and sorrow to Him. He's the one who mends broken hearts.

The prophet Jeremiah is a man who watched, as his nation was taken captive, ravished, and almost completely destroyed because of its refusal to surrender to God. It's no wonder Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. In the book of Lamentations he cried, "My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the Lord. I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me." (Lamentations 3:18-20)

But look at the Scripture that follows his weepy, whiny, poor-little-ol' me tirade. It is printed at the top of this page. What a great example for us.

We all get in to feeling sorry for ourselves. But before you stay there, remember your hope: God's love is unfailing! And it never ends.

"I think I've discovered the secret of life - you just hang around long enough to get used to it." - Charles M. Schultz (1922-2000)

[Judy Harder]

Welcome Back

As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their wicked ways and live. - Ezekiel 33:11

The Bible tells us that all have sinned and gone their own way. No matter how far you've gone in the wrong direction, when you turn around God always welcomes you back. Are you living beyond your means? Have you given in to the world of Internet pornography? Maybe you're failing your spouse and kids, crushing them with your anger or solitude. Is your free time filled with television or email?

God is ready to welcome you back. His arms are open, and his promises are sure. He will transform your worst failures into a blessed future, if you'll ask him to. 

There is hope for you. God is gracious and will forgive you no matter what you've done or failed to do. He will even turn your past around and create a new life . . . a life of hope, peace, and an ongoing relationship with him. But you have to take the first step. It's a paradox of our faith: seek God and He will find you! Whether it's the first time you've sought Him or you have strayed over and over . . . He's there with His arms wide open!

"We can't become what we need to be by remaining what we are.'' - Oprah Winfrey (1954-    )

[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]

Life Isn't Fair

They trusted in Him and defied the King's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. - Daniel 3:28

When you experience unfairness in life, the examples of the prophet Daniel and his three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will give you encouragement and direction. Despite their lives of obedience, Daniel and his friends weren't protected from God's judgment on their nation, Judah.  Innocence doesn't automatically protect you from tragedy. But you do have the assurance that God is concerned about what you're doing, and He will honor your faithfulness and obedience.

Daniel and his friends sought to live according to God's plan, but they found that others opposed their efforts. This led initially to great danger, but ultimately a great victory.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had to walk through a fiery furnace because they obeyed God. Only the ropes that bound them were burned. 

Then when he was 80 years old, Daniel was thrown into a den of lions because he was faithful to God, and he walked out unscathed. God used these trials to bring blessings to his servants and glory to himself. As you seek to be obedient to God, he may lead you into some difficult situations. But more often than not God uses such trials to strengthen your character and bless you. 

If Daniel and his friends hadn't believed that God was sovereign, they might have decided compromise was better than risking their lives. But then they wouldn't have experienced the glorious victories God gave them. What an affirmation of God's faithfulness!

"An act of obedience is better than one hundred sermons." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)

[Judy Harder]

When Times Are Tough, Get Busy

And whatever you do, do it heartily,
as to the Lord and not to men.
Colossians 3:23 NKJV

It isn't easy to overcome tough times—it takes hard work and lots of it. So if you're facing adversity of any kind, you can be sure that God has important work for you to do . . . but He won't make you do it. Since the days of Adam and Eve, God has allowed His children to make choices for themselves, and so it is with you. You can either dig in and work hard, or you can retreat to the couch, click on the TV, and hope things get better on their own.

The Bible instructs us that we can learn an important lesson of a surprising source: ants. Ants are among nature's most industrious creatures. They do their work without supervision, rumination, or hesitation. We should do likewise. When times are tough, we must summon the courage and determination to work ourselves out of trouble.

God has created a world in which diligence is rewarded and sloth is not. So whatever you choose to do, do it with commitment, excitement, and vigor. God didn't create you for a life of mediocrity or pain; He created you for far greater things. Reaching for greater things—and defeating tough times—usually requires work and lots of it, which is perfectly fine with God. After all, He knows that you're up to the task, and He still has big plans for you.

Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen. - Peter Marshall

All work, if offered to Him, is transformed. It is not secular but sacred, sanctified in the glad offering. - Elisabeth Elliot

God has lots of folks who intend to go to work for Him "some day." What He needs is more people who are willing to work for Him this day. - Marie T. Freeman

Today's Prayer
Heavenly Father, when I am fearful, keep me mindful that You are my protector and my salvation. Give me strength, Lord, to face the challenges of this day as I gain my courage from You. Amen