Happy Independence Day

[Judy Harder]

Growing in Christ
When I was a child, I spoke as a child,
I understood as a child, I thought as a child;
but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1 Corinthians 13:11 NKJV

Norman Vincent Peale had the following advice for believers of all ages: "Ask the God who made you to keep remaking you." That advice, of course, is perfectly sound, but often ignored.

The journey toward spiritual maturity lasts a lifetime. As Christians, we can and should continue to grow in the love and the knowledge of our Savior as long as we live. When we cease to grow, either emotionally or spiritually, we do ourselves a profound disservice. But, if we study God's Word, if we obey His commandments, and if we live in the center of His will, we will not be "stagnant" believers; we will, instead, be growing Christians . . . and that's exactly what God wants for our lives.

With God, it isn't who you were that matters; it's who you are becoming. - Liz Curtis Higgs, 100 Days of Prayer

Every great company, every great brand, and every great career has been built in exactly the same way: bit by bit, step by step, little by little. - John Maxwell

The instrument of our sanctification is the Word of God. The Spirit of God brings to our minds the precepts and doctrines of truth, and applies them with power. The truth is our sanctifier. If we do not hear or read it, we will not grow in sanctification. - C. H. Spurgeon

The process of growing up is to me valued for what we gain, not for what we lose. - C. S. Lewis

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, I know that I still have so many things to learn. I won't stop learning, I won't give up, and I won't stop growing. Every day, I will do my best to become a little bit more like the person You intend for me to be. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Honoring God
Honor GOD with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over.
Proverbs 3:9-10 MSG

At times, your life is probably hectic, demanding, and complicated. When the demands of life leave you rushing from place to place with scarcely a moment to spare, you may fail to pause and thank your Creator for the blessings He has bestowed upon you. But that's a big mistake. Whom will you choose to honor today? If you honor God and place Him at the center of your life, every day is a cause for celebration. But if you fail to honor your Heavenly Father, you're asking for trouble, and lots of it. So honor God for who He is and for what He has done for you. And don't just honor Him on Sunday morning. Praise Him all day long, every day, for as long as you live . . . and then for all eternity.

God shows unbridled delight when He sees people acting in ways that honor Him. - Bill Hybels, 100 Days of Prayer

We honor God by asking for great things when they are a part of His promise. We dishonor Him and cheat ourselves when we ask for molehills where He has promised mountains. - Vance Havner

What lessons about honor did you learn from your childhood? Are you living what you learned today? - Dennis Swanberg

Happiness is to be found only in the home where God is loved and honored, where each one loves, and helps, and cares for the others. - St. Theophane Venard

Today's Prayer
I praise You, Lord, from the depths of my heart, and I give thanks for Your goodness, for Your mercy, and for Your Son. Let me honor You every day of my life through my words and my deeds. Let me honor You, Father, with all that I am. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Beyond Guilt
There is therefore now no condemnation to those
who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:1 NKJV

All of us have sinned. Sometimes our sins result from our own stubborn rebellion against God's commandments. And sometimes, we are swept up in events that are beyond our abilities to control. Under either set of circumstances, we may experience intense feelings of guilt. But God has an answer for the guilt that we feel. That answer, of course, is His forgiveness. When we confess our wrongdoings and repent from them, we are forgiven by the One who created us.

Are you troubled by feelings of guilt or regret? If so, you must repent from your misdeeds, and you must ask your Heavenly Father for His forgiveness. When you do so, He will forgive you completely and without reservation. Then, you must forgive yourself just as God has forgiven you: thoroughly and unconditionally.

Prayer is essential when a believer is stuck in the pits of unresolved guilt. - Charles Stanley, 100 Days of Prayer

Let's take Jesus at this word. When he says we're forgiven, let's unload the guilt. When he says we're valuable, let's believe him. When he says we're eternal, let's bury our fear. When he says we're provided for, let's stop worrying. - Max Lucado

Spiritual life without guilt would be like physical life without pain. Guilt is a defense mechanism; it's like an alarm that goes off to lead you to confession when you sin. - John MacArthur

Stop blaming yourself and feeling guilty, unworthy, and unloved. Instead begin to say, "If God is for me, who can be against me? God loves me, and I love myself. Praise the Lord, I am free in Jesus' name, amen!" - Joyce Meyer

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for the guilt that I feel when I disobey You. Help me confess my wrongdoings, help me accept Your forgiveness, and help me renew my passion to serve You. Amen

[Judy Harder]

An Examined Life

He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'" - Luke 8:10

One day a nearsighted elderly man who considered himself an art expert visited a museum. He'd forgotten his glasses and couldn't see clearly, but that didn't stop him from airing his opinions.

What he thought was a full-length portrait soon caught his attention. He gazed at it a moment, then began his criticism.  "The frame is altogether out of keeping with the picture," he complained, "The man is too homely and shabbily dressed.  In fact, it was a great mistake for the artist to select such a shoddy subject for his portrait."

He continued until his wife managed to discretely pull him aside. "My dear," she whispered, "you're looking in a mirror."

It's important to examine your life, but be sure you're using the only mirror able to both diagnose and heal–the life and Word of Jesus.

The best mirror is an old friend. -George Herbert (1593-1633)

[Judy Harder]

Consumed by Lust

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. - Titus 3:4-5

Radio personality Paul Harvey once told of how an Eskimo kills a wolf.  The Eskimo coats his knife with animal blood and lets it freeze.  Another layer of blood is added, then another, until the blade is completely concealed.  The hunter then fixes his knife in the ground with the blade up.  A wolf follows the scent, finds the source, and begins licking.  Aroused by the taste, it licks the blood-covered blade progressively faster and harder.

Amidst the wolf's frenzy, it doesn't notice the eventual sting of the exposed blade on its own tongue, nor that it's now consuming its own warm blood.  The wolf simply craves more–until it falls dead in the snow.

It's a grisly story, but a poignant illustration of how we too stand in danger of being consumed by our own lusts.

"My will was perverse and lust had grown from it; and when I gave in to lust, habit was born; and when I did not resist the habit it became a necessity.  These were the links which together formed what I have called my chain, and it held me fast in the duress of servitude." -St. Augustine (354-430)

[Judy Harder]

Finding a Confidant

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - John  1:9

God is always our first and primary audience for confession.  But He isn't our only audience.  Scripture tells us also to confess our sins to fellow believers.  This is an extremely important and beneficial aspect of spiritual growth and health, if conducted wisely.

First, let me say that this type of confession isn't an all-encompassing command.  That is, it isn't "spilling your guts" to anyone and everyone nosey enough to listen.  Never confess to anyone who isn't spiritually mature.

Second, confession to fellow believers is an act of trust, and this makes you highly vulnerable.  The person to whom you confess must be able to keep your confession confidential.  If you can't trust your confidant, he shouldn't be your confidant.  To be of value, confession must be honest and complete – you must feel safe in your selection of confidant.

So, stay true to God's instruction to confess our sins to one another, but be wise and be cautious.

The worst of my actions and feelings do not seem to me so offensive as the cowardice of not daring to admit them. -Montaigne (1533-1592)3

[Judy Harder]

God's Grace

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' - Matthew 15:18

A retired pastor, was returning home around midnight when he came upon a motorist covered in oil and red-faced with anger. Upon stopping his car, the pastor asked how he could help.  The man asked for a ride and immediately let loose with a barrage of profanity.  When he finished he asked the pastor what he was doing out so late.  When he told him he was a pastor returning home from some evangelistic meetings, the embarrassed man asked the pastor why he didn't stop him.  The pastor replied, "Your problem isn't your mouth.  It's your heart." And he proceeded to share with the man who Jesus was and what it means to be one of his followers.

Sometime later, when the pastor told this story, he asked, "How else should we have expected him to speak?" adding, "Would it be better for a man to sing hymns all the way to hell?"

Remember, what comes out of your mouth is a reflection of the condition of your heart.

The heart of a good man is the sanctuary of God in this world. -Madame Necker (1766-1841)

[Judy Harder]

Healthy Grieving

But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. - 2 Timothy 1:10

The flight was headed for Los Angeles, and everything was going smoothly.  Then, all of the sudden, a woman jumped to her feet, let out a pained and terrified shriek, and collapsed to her death in the aisle of the aircraft.

Death is always unsettling.  But even more so when it's unexpected, and happens in a situation where others feel rather vulnerable themselves—like at 30,000 feet!  The emotional intensity in that aircraft was unsettling, to say the least.

Sensing an opportunity to help, a pastor onboard stopped a flight attendant on her way down the aisle.  He offered his services to anyone wanting to talk about the tragedy that just transpired. The attendant replied, "Sir, that won't be necessary. We'll be serving free drinks to all passengers."

Are you settling for a drink when Jesus who offers the only water to quench your thirst is available to you?  In the quiet of where you are right now, you can ask Him to help you, to come into your heart and life as Lord and Savior.  Or he's available to you through your connection with others who are His followers. Don't settle for anything less.

"In the night of death hope sees a star and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing." -Robert Ingersoll (1833-1899)

[Judy Harder]

Living with Limitations

"If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." - Mark 9:23

It is almost as presumptuous to think you can do nothing as to think you can do everything.  In other words, be honest about your limitations, but don't exaggerate them, or use them as an excuse to keep from being a productive person.

Joni Erikson Tada embodies this truth well.  Paralyzed below the neck as a result of a diving accident, she has ministered to millions through her speaking, singing, and painting (she holds a paintbrush in her mouth!)  What an inspiration she is!

Helen Keller who also embodied this truth expressed such an attitude in this beautiful statement: "I am only one; but still I am one.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do."

Be hopeful of a man whose limitations are not yet known; maybe he won't reach them - Unknown

[Judy Harder]

Scary Truth vs. Deadly Denial

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:32

Truth is a scary thing. Sometimes it frightens us into a "see no evil" way of life.  Why?  Well, for some of you life's been incredibly difficult.  You've survived what you hope is the worst and have no interest in further suffering.  Denial may be the only coping mechanism you know, and you'd rather endure miserable circumstances than the painful discomfort of change that acknowledging the truth will require.

Ending denial brings with it the threat of loss. And people sometimes resist seeing the truth and accepting reality because of it. Accepting the consequences of truth may cause the loss of income, possessions, family, friends, or prestige.

What people seldom recognize, however, is that denial has even worse consequences, like the loss of life–emotionally, spiritually, and sometimes, even physically.  Friends, truth is scary.  But its alternative–denial–is worse than scary, it's deadly.

Remember, Christ told us that once we hold to His teaching, the truth will set us free!

Truth–is as old as God–
His Twin identity
And will endure as long as He
A Co-Eternity. -Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)