Happy Independence Day

[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]

Fulfilling Your Mission

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. - Isaiah 61:1

A life that's been set free from sin is a beautiful thing. When you turn from your sin and live a life more in tune with God, you testify to the glory of God and give others hope that he can change their lives. You know that the suffering, affliction, and brokenness come from going and doing things your own way. You know what its like to be enslaved to your passions. Yet you should also know there is more to life than bondage . . . more to life than alcohol or pornography . . . more to life than envy and jealousy . . . more to life than work or football. There is healing and freedom. There is beauty and joy. There is love, forgiveness, and mercy. 

And you have the wonderful privilege of proclaiming this Good News to those around you, both in your vocal testimony and in the testimony of your life. I love the saying: Go out and preach Jesus to all you meet, and when necessary, use words.

When you surrender your life to Jesus, he'll put you on a path of new life. Your salvation is assured, and now you will live a life of gratitude. You'll change from the inside out because God got a hold of you. Others will notice, and God will be given the honor and glory.

"We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on all our picnics." - Bill Vaughn (1915-1977)

[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]

Finding Strength in Turbulent Times

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13 NKJV

God's love and support never changes. From the cradle to the grave, God has promised to give you the strength to meet any challenge. God has promised to lift you up and guide your steps if you let Him. God has promised that when you entrust your life to Him completely and without reservation, He will give you the courage to face any trial and the wisdom to live in His righteousness.

God's hand uplifts those who turn their hearts and prayers to Him. Will you count yourself among that number? Will you accept God's peace and wear God's armor against the temptations and distractions of our dangerous world? If you do, you can live courageously and optimistically, knowing that you have been forever touched by the loving, unfailing, uplifting hand of God.

One with God is a majority. - Billy Graham

When trials come your way—as inevitably they will—do not run away. Run to your God and Father. - Kay Arthur

The same God who empowered Samson, Gideon, and Paul seeks to empower my life and your life, because God hasn't changed. - Bill Hybels

A divine strength is given to those who yield themselves to the Father and obey what He tells them to do. - Warren Wiersbe

Today's Prayer
Lord, sometimes life is difficult. Sometimes, I am worried, weary, or heartbroken. But, when I lift my eyes to You, Father, You strengthen me. When I am weak, You lift me up. Today, I turn to You, Lord, for my strength, for my hope, and for my salvation. Amen

[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]

In Turbulent Times, Consider the Possibilities

For nothing will be impossible with God.
Luke 1:37

re you afraid to ask God to do big things—or to make big changes—in your life? Is your faith threadbare and worn? If so, it's time to abandon your doubts and reclaim your faith in God's promises.

Ours is a God of infinite possibilities. But sometimes, because of limited faith and limited understanding, we wrongly assume that God cannot or will not intervene in the affairs of mankind. Such assumptions are simply wrong.

God's Holy Word makes it clear: absolutely nothing is impossible for the Lord. And since the Bible means what it says, you can be comforted in the knowledge that the Creator of the universe can do miraculous things in your own life and in the lives of your loved ones. Your challenge, as a believer, is to take God at His word, and to expect the miraculous.

Man's adversity is God's opportunity. - Matthew Henry

God specializes in things thought impossible. - Catherine Marshall

If all things are possible with God, then all things are possible to him who believes in Him. - Corrie ten Boom

Do we not continually pass by blessings innumerable without notice, and instead fix our eyes on what we feel to be our trials and our losses? And, do we not think and talk about our trials until our whole horizon is filled with them, and we almost begin to think we have no blessings at all? - Hannah Whitall Smith

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, give me the courage to dream and the faithfulness to trust in Your perfect plan for my life. When I am worried, give me strength for today and hope for tomorrow. Today, Father, I will trust You and honor You with my thoughts, with my prayers, with my actions, and with my dreams. Amen