Happy Independence Day

[Judy Harder]

September 30, 2011  Daily New Life
     
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]

 October 01, 2011    Daily New Life
     
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]

Daily New Life
     
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]

We Belong to Him
Now return to the LORD your God,
For He is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness.
Joel 2:13 NASB

The line from the children's song is reassuring and familiar: "Little ones to Him belong. We are weak but He is strong." That message applies to kids of all ages: we are all indeed weak, but we worship a mighty God who meets our needs and answers our prayers.

Are you in the midst of adversity or in the grips of temptation? If so, turn to God for strength. The Bible promises that you can do all things through the power of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Your challenge, then, is clear: you must place Christ where He belongs: at the very center of your life. When you do, you will discover that, yes, Jesus loves you and that, yes, He will give you direction and strength if you ask it in His name.

Our hearts have been made to cry out for a love that can come only from our Creator. - Angela Thomas, 100 Days of Prayer

As perfectionists we find it difficult, if not impossible, to believe that God could completely accept, love, and long to be with us in this unfinished state. - Susan Lenzkes

God knows all that is true about us and is a friend to the face we show and the face we hide. He does not love us less for our human weaknesses. - Sheila Walsh

God loves me as God loves all people, without qualification. To be in the image of God means that all of us are made for the purpose of knowing and loving God and one another and of being loved in turn, not literally in the same way God knows and loves, but in a way appropriate to human beings. - Roberta Bondi

Today's Prayer
Thank You, Lord, for Your love. Your love is boundless, infinite, and eternal. Today, as I pause and reflect upon Your love for me, and let me share that love with all those who cross my path. And, as an expression of my love for You, Father, let me share the saving message of Your Son with a world in desperate need of His hope, His peace, and His salvation. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Daily New Life
     
He Is Here
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from
your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on
the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalm 139:7-10 NIV

If God is everywhere, why does He sometimes seem so far away? The answer to that question, of course, has nothing to do with God and everything to do with us.

When we begin each day on our knees, in praise and worship to Him, God often seems very near indeed. But, if we ignore God's presence or—worse yet—rebel against it altogether, the world in which we live becomes a spiritual wasteland.

Today, and every day hereafter, thank God and praise Him. He is the Giver of all things good. Wherever you are, whether you are happy or sad, victorious or vanquished, celebrate God's presence. And be comforted. For He is here.

If your heart has grown cold, it is because you have moved away from the fire of His presence. - Beth Moore, 100 Days of Prayer

God walks with us. He scoops us up in His arms or simply sits with us in silent strength until we cannot avoid the awesome recognition that yes, even now, He is here. - Gloria Gaither

Certainly, God is with us in times of distress, and that is a comforting truth. But listen: Jesus wants to be part of every experience and every moment of our lives. - Billy Graham

We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always hard to penetrate. The real labour is to remember, to attend. In fact, to come awake. Still more, to remain awake. - C. S. Lewis

Today's Prayer
Heavenly Father, even when it seems to me that You are far away, You never leave my side. Today and every day, I will strive to feel Your presence, and I will strive to sense Your love for me. Amen

[Judy Harder]

 Daily New Life
     
The Lessons of Tough Times
I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me
and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song
in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God . . . .
Psalm 40:1-3 NIV

Life can be difficult at times. And everybody makes mistakes. Your job is to make them only once.

Have you experienced a recent setback? If so, look for the lesson that God is trying to teach you. Instead of complaining about life's sad state of affairs, learn what needs to be learned, change what needs to be changed, and move on. View failure as an opportunity to reassess God's will for your life. View life's inevitable disappointments as opportunities to learn more about yourself and your world.

No matter what trials we face, Christ never leaves us. - Billy Graham, 100 Days of Prayer

God is able to take mistakes, when they are committed to Him, and make of them something for our good and for His glory. - Ruth Bell Graham

Mature people are not emotionally and spiritually devastated by every mistake they make. They are able to maintain some kind of balance in their lives. - Joyce Meyer

Father, take our mistakes and turn them into opportunities. - Max Lucado

Today's Prayer
Lord, I know that I am imperfect and that I fail You in many ways. Thank You for Your forgiveness and for Your unconditional love. Show me the error of my ways, Lord, that I might confess my wrongdoing and correct my mistakes. And, let me grow each day in wisdom, in faith, and in my love for You. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Daily New Life
     
Give Me Patience, Lord, Right Now!
We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly,
encourage the fainthearted, help the weak,
be patient with everyone.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 NASB

As busy people living in a fast-paced world, many of us find that waiting quietly for God is difficult. Most of us are impatient for God to grant us the desires of our heart. Usually, we know what we want, and we know precisely when we want it: right now, if not sooner. But God may have other plans. And when God's plans differ from our own, we must trust in His infinite wisdom and in His infinite love.

God instructs us to be patient in all things. We must be patient with our families, our friends, and our associates. We must also be patient with our Creator as He unfolds His plan for our lives. And that's as it should be. After all, think how patient God has been with us.

Our challenge is to wait in faith for the day of God's favor and salvation. - Jim Cymbala, 100 Days of Prayer

How do you wait upon the Lord? First you must learn to sit at His feet and take time to listen to His words. - Kay Arthur

As we wait on God, He helps us use the winds of adversity to soar above our problems. As the Bible says, "Those who wait on the LORD . . . shall mount up with wings like eagles." - Billy Graham

Two signposts of faith: "Slow Down" and "Wait Here." - Charles Stanley

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, let me live according to Your plan and according to Your timetable. When I am hurried, Lord, slow me down. When I become impatient with others, give me empathy. Today, Lord, let me be a patient Christian, and let me trust in You and in Your master plan. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Daily New Life
     
The World's Best Friend
Greater love has no one than this,
that he lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13 NIV

Who's the best friend this world has ever had? Jesus, of course! When you invite Him into your heart, Jesus will be your friend, too . . . your friend forever.

Jesus has offered to share the gifts of everlasting life and everlasting love with the world . . . and with you. If you make mistakes, He'll still be your friend. If you behave badly, He'll still love you. If you feel sorry or sad, He can help you feel better. Jesus wants you to have a happy, healthy life. He wants you to be generous and kind. He wants you to follow His example. And the rest is up to you. You can do it! And with a friend like Jesus, you will.

The dearest friend on earth is but a mere shadow compared with Jesus Christ. - Oswald Chambers, 100 Days of Prayer

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. / Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer. / Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he'll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there. - Joseph M. Scriven

When we are in a situation where Jesus is all we have, we soon discover he is all we really need. - Gigi Graham Tchividjian

Today's Prayer
Dear Jesus, You are my Savior and my Protector. Give me the courage to trust You completely. Today, I will praise You, I will honor You, and I will live according to Your commandments. Amen

[Judy Harder]

Daily New Life
     
A Godly Leader
But a good leader plans to do good,
and those good things make him a good leader.
Isaiah 32:8 NCV

Our world needs Christian leaders who willingly honor God with their words and their deeds, but not necessarily in that order.

If you seek to be a godly leader, then you must begin by being a worthy example to your family, to your friends, to your church, and to your community. After all, your words of instruction will never ring true unless you yourself are willing to follow them. Are you the kind of leader whom you would want to follow? If so, congratulations. But if the answer to that question is no, then it's time to improve your leadership skills, beginning with the words that you speak and the example that you set, but not necessarily in that order.

The goal of leadership is to empower the whole people of God to discern and to discharge the Lord's will. - Stanley Grenz, 100 Days of Prayer

A true and safe leader is likely to be one who has no desire to lead, but is forced into a position of leadership by inward pressure of the Holy Spirit and the press of external situation. - A. W. Tozer

A good leader is not the person who does things right, but the one who finds the right things to do. - Anthony T. Padovano

The man who kneels before God will stand before men. - Leonard Ravenhill

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, when I find myself in a position of leadership, let me seek Your will and obey Your commandments. Let me be a Christ-centered leader, and let me turn to You, Father, for guidance, for courage, for wisdom, and for love. Amen

 

[Judy Harder]

Daily New Life
     
The Wisdom of Moderation
Moderation is better than muscle,
self-control better than political power.
Proverbs 16:32 MSG

Moderation and wisdom are traveling companions. If we are wise, we must learn to temper our appetites, our desires, and our impulses. When we do, we are blessed, in part, because God has created a world in which temperance is rewarded and intemperance is inevitably punished.

Would you like to improve your life? Then harness your appetites and restrain your impulses. Moderation is difficult, of course; it is especially difficult in a prosperous society such as ours. But the rewards of moderation are numerous and longlasting. Claim those rewards today. No one can force you to moderate your appetites. The decision to live temperately (and wisely) is yours and yours alone. And so are the consequences.

Every moment of resistance to temptation is a victory. - Frederick William Faber, 100 Days of Prayer

We are all created differently. We share a common need to balance the different parts of our lives. - Dr. Walt Larimore

Virtue—even attempted virtue—brings light; indulgence brings fog. - C. S. Lewis

The key to healthy eating is moderation and managing what you eat every day. - John Maxwell

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, give me the wisdom to be moderate and self-disciplined. Let me strive to do Your will here on earth, and as I do, let me find contentment and balance. Let me be a disciplined believer, Father, today and every day. Amen