Daily Living for Seniors

[Judy Harder]

I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. --Psalm 40:10

Peter Cartwright was a nineteenth-century, circuit-riding Methodist preacher. But more importantly, he was known for being uncompromising in his faith.

One Sunday morning, as he was preparing to preach, he was told that President Andrew Jackson was in the congregation. Some of the elders warned him not to say anything out of line or there would be trouble.

So when Cartwright stood to preach, he said, "I understand that Andrew Jackson is here today. I have been requested to be guarded in my remarks. Andrew Jackson will go to hell if he doesn't repent."

The congregation was shocked by Cartwright's bold sermon and wondered how the President would respond. However, after the service, President Jackson walked by to shake hands with Cartwright and said, "Sir, if I had a regiment of men like you, I could whip the world."

As Christians, we are not called to be "guarded" when it comes to sharing the Gospel message with the world. Instead, we are to be bold and outspoken in proclaiming the truth.

In Psalm, King David wrote, "I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD" (Psalm 40:9).

Scripture says that we are a "chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that [we] may declare the praises of Him who called [we] out of darkness into His wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).

The world needs more Christians who will be uncompromising in their faith. Will you be that kind of Christian--just as Peter Cartwright was? Won't you be bold enough to declare the faithfulness and salvation of God today (Psalm 40:10)?

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would give you the opportunities to boldly share your faith. Ask Him to give you the right words at that time that will bring others to Christ.

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, July 8, 2010   

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. --1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Winston Churchill, the great preacher of yesteryear, planned his own funeral that took place at Saint Paul's Cathedral. Included in the service were many great hymns of the church and the eloquent Anglican liturgy.

At his direction, a bugler, stationed high in the dome of the cathedral, was to play "Taps" after the benediction signaling that the day is over. Then immediately afterward, Churchill instructed another bugler, positioned at the other end, to play the tune "Reveille"--"It's time to get up. It's time to get up. It's time to get up in the morning!"

This was Churchill's testimony to all--though it was the end of his time on earth, it was a time of joy for he was getting up to go home to be with the Lord. At the end of history, the last note for all believers will not be "Taps," but instead "Reveille."

Believers can have hope for the day when death comes. When you take your last breath, know that your soul will go to be with Jesus in heaven and will one day be reunited with a new body when He returns. Death is not the end for the believer, it is just the beginning.

"We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ... For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 3:14, 16-17).

Praise God! The worst things are never the last things.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the future you have with Him in heaven.

[Judy Harder]

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ... Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. --2 Timothy 2:1, 3

A Soviet cosmonaut returned to Earth from outer space on December 29, 1987 after 326 days in orbit. He was surprisingly in good health which isn't always the case in these types of record-breaking expeditions.

Just five years earlier, two cosmonauts touched down after 211 days in space. Thereafter, they suffered from dizziness, high pulse rates, and heart palpitations. For over a week, they couldn't walk. And after 30 days, they will still undergoing physical therapy for atrophied muscles and weakened hearts.

At zero gravity in space, the body's muscles begin to deteriorate because there is no resistance as there is when gravity is present on Earth. To counteract this problem, the Soviets developed and prescribed a rigorous exercise program for the cosmonauts.

They invented "penguin suits"--running suits laced with elastic bands--that resist every move the cosmonauts make so that they have to exert more strength when exercising. This regimen, used today, helps those traveling in space to avoid the difficulties earlier cosmonauts faced.

As believers, we so often long for days without difficulty and hardships. But God knows better. The easier our life is, the weaker our spiritual fiber becomes. It is by exerting our strength through difficult times that we can grow and withstand whatever life throws our way.

So let us "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the rigorous life exercises you face. Pray that He will use them to strengthen you for what's ahead.

[Judy Harder]

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.  --Ephesians 1:7-8

Senator Mark Hatfield once recounted the following historical story:

"James Garfield was a lay preacher and principal of his denominational college. They say he was ambidextrous and could simultaneously write Greek with one hand and Latin with the other.

"In 1880, he was elected president of the United States, but after only six months in office, he was shot in the back with a revolver. He never lost consciousness. At the hospital, the doctor probed the wound with his little finger to seek the bullet. He couldn't find it, so he tried a silver-tipped probe. Still he couldn't locate the bullet.

"They took Garfield back to Washington, D.C. Despite the summer heat, they tried to keep him comfortable. He was growing very weak. Teams of doctors tried to locate the bullet, probing the wound over and over.

"In desperation, they asked Alexander Graham Bell, who was working on a little device called the telephone, to see if he could locate the metal inside the president's body. He came, he sought, and he too failed.

"The president hung on through July, through August, but in September he finally died—not from the wound but from infection. The repeated probing, which the physicians thought would help the man, eventually killed him."

The same is true with people who dwell too long on their sin and refuse to release it to God. Satan creeps into their lives and takes control. Just like an infection, their sin eventually takes over their being.

But Jesus said of his sacrifice on the cross, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28).

Because of His sacrifice, the infection of sin can be stopped. Release your sin to the Savior, and find complete forgiveness in Him.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Recognize and release your sin before the Lord today in prayer.

[Judy Harder]

Jesus said:] "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." --Acts 1:8

In his book, Pastoral Renewal, Charles Simpson wrote:

"I met a young man not long ago who dives for exotic fish for aquariums. He said one of the most popular aquarium fish is the shark.

"He explained that if you catch a small shark and confine it, it will stay a size proportionate to the aquarium. Sharks can be six inches long yet fully matured. But if you turn them loose in the ocean, they grow to their normal length of eight feet.

"That also happens to some Christians. I've seen the cutest little six-inch Christians who swim around in a little puddle. But if you put them into a larger arena--into the whole creation--only then can they become great."

Jesus commanded all believers to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything [he has] commanded" (Matthew 28:19-20).

There is no room to grow inside the walls of a Sunday School classroom, church building, or your own home. We have been called to go outside of those walls and reach out to the lost world that needs to know Jesus.

Get involved in doing missions and evangelism in your neighborhood, city, or state through your church, local seniors group, or Bible study class. If you are physically unable to get involved, become a prayer warrior for the cause of Christ. Your prayers are needed both on and off the mission field.

Get out of the puddle you've been swimming in, and take your faith to a larger arena--the world.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would open the doors for you to reach out to those who are lost in your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.

[Judy Harder]

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. --Philippians 3:8

In a publication put out by Wycliffe Bible Translators called, In Other Words, a story was published about Sadie Sieker, a lady who served for many years as a house-parent for missionaries' children in the Philippines.

Sadie loved books. She would gladly loan out some on occasion, but there were others that she treasured and kept tucked away in a footlocker under her bed.

One night, when all had gone to bed and everything was quiet, Sadie heard a faint gnawing sound. She searched her room for the source of the sound, but then suddenly realized it was come from her footlocker underneath her bed.

When she opened it, she found only a huge pile of dust. All the precious books she had kept hidden away for herself had been lost to a band of termites. Sadie learned a valuable lesson that night--what we give away, we keep. What we hoard, we lose.

Matthew 6:19-21 says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Jesus exhorts us not to value possessions or keep them selfishly locked away. If your heart is focused on possessions, money, security, friendships, or something else, the Lord will take it all away. He wants your full attention, offerings, and all of your possessions.

Jesus' words strike at the very heart of human selfishness. We are all selfish by nature, so we must daily seek to give all that we have and our lives (see Luke 17:33, John 12:25) to Him, so He can fully use us for His glory and receive His blessings.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Through prayer, seek to commit yourself and your things to the Lord for His use.

[Judy Harder]

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. --Philippians 3:14

On July 4, 1952, a young woman named Florence Chadwick waded into the water off Catalina Island. On the fog-covered morning, she intended to swim the channel from the island to the California coast.

Florence wasn't a rookie when it came to long-distance swimming. She had been the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. But the water was numbing cold that morning and the fog was so thick she could hardly see two feet in front of her. Several times, sharks had to be driven away with rifle fire from the boats in her party.

She swam for more than fifteen hours before she asked to be taken out of the water. Her trainer coaxed her to swim on since they were so close to land, but all Florence saw ahead was the thick fog. She quit only half a mile from her goal.

Later she said, "I'm not excusing myself, but if I could have seen the land, I might have made it."

Florence didn't fail because of fear, exhaustion, or the cold water. It was the fog.

We often fail too--not because we're afraid or tired--but because we lose sight of the goal. This is surely why Paul wanted to remind believers to "press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [you] heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).

Two months after her failed attempt at swimming the length of the channel, Florence waded into the water off the same beach on Catalina Island, swam the full distance, and set a new speed record--all because she could clearly see her goal.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to clearly present you with the goals He wants you to strive toward. Pray that He would make your path clear in fulfilling His call in your life.

[Judy Harder]

Jesus said..."I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. --John 11:25-26

In his book, A Portrait of My Father, Peter Law writes:

"Imagine you are on a holiday, and you have an apartment overlooking the sand and surf. Sitting on the table in your room is a fishbowl, and inside the bowl is a small goldfish.

"Each day you swim and sun-bake and enjoy soaking up the delights of vacationing. Before long, however, you begin to feel sorry for little Goldie who is all alone in his bowl while you go out having fun in the sun.

"To make up for this injustice, you promise Goldie a little of the action. 'Tomorrow,' you tell the goldfish, 'you will begin to enjoy life, too.'

"The next day you take a washcloth, lift the fish from the bowl, place it in the cloth, wrap it up, and put the living bundle into your pocket before leaving for the beach.

"As you reach the spot where you are accustomed to spending your day, you can feel the sun's heat beating down upon your back. Excitedly you take your gilled companion from your pocket, lay out the washcloth on the sand, place the fish on the cloth, stand back, and say, 'Now this is the life, Goldie; live it up!'

"Can anything be more ridiculous or more foolish? Being in the sun on the hot beach is no environment for a goldfish--or any fish! It will die there, not live. It was never intended to be in that environment. For people, a relationship with God as Father is the only correct environment for life."

As a believer in this life, a relationship with Jesus is the air we need to spiritually survive. There is enjoyment and fulfillment in a daily relationship with Him through prayer and Bible study. Without these things, we will spiritually suffocate and die.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the joy He gives through your relationship with Him.

[Judy Harder]

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. --1 Chronicles 16:34

Most people recognize the names of Sherlock Holmes, the fictional detective, and his famous sidekick, Dr. Watson. Holmes, created by author Sir Arthur Conan Coyle, was the most famous literary character of the 19th and 20th centuries and made his first published appearance in 1887.

Holmes was known for his keen prowess and intense observation skills. At one point in The Adventure of the Naval Treaty, Holmes is studying a rose. Watson narrates as follows:

"He walked past the couch to an open window and held up the drooping stalk of a moss rose, looking down at the dainty blend of crimson and green. It was a new phase of his character to me, for I had never before seen him show an interest in natural objects.

"There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as in religion. ...Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are really necessary for our existence in the first instance. 

"But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its color are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers."

What other "extras" should you be observing and thanking God for this year? How has God been good to you in the last few days or weeks? And what have you done to thank Him for His goodness and faithfulness demonstrated in your life?

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Today, take some time to thank Him for the "extra" blessings in your life--whether it be health, family, friendships, or something else.

[Judy Harder]

This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.  --1 John 3:19-20

In their book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey wrote:

"Amputees often experience some sensation of a phantom limb. Somewhere, locked in their brains, a memory lingers of the nonexistent hand or leg. Invisible toes curl, imaginary hands grasp things, a 'leg' feels so sturdy a patient may try to stand on it.

"For a few, the experience includes pain. Doctors watch helplessly, for the part of the body screaming for attention does not exist. 

"Phantom limb pain provides wonderful insight into the phenomenon of false guilt. Christians can be obsessed by the memory of some sin committed years ago. It never leaves them, crippling their ministry, their devotional life, their relationships with others. 

"They live in fear that someone will discover their past. They work overtime trying to prove to God they're truly repentant. They erect barriers against the enveloping, loving grace of God."

Believers must learn to take hold of the truth found in 1 John 3:19-20. The Message puts it this way: "Let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves."

Even as a believer, the phantom pain of past sins, guilt, and self-criticism may still haunt you. And it may cause you to become overly righteous in your attempts to please God. But you are privileged as a child of God to receive unconditional forgiveness and experience His intense love for you.

Don't let guilt cripple your spiritual life. Give it over to God who forgives you.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would remove the phantom guilt from your heart, and accept the reality of His forgiveness and love.