Daily Living for Seniors

[Judy Harder]

But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. --1 John 2:5-6

Noted Bible scholar, James M. Gray, once told a story of impact in his life to underscore the importance of reading the Scriptures for personal growth. When he was a young Bible teacher, he became deeply impressed by the peace and spiritual maturity of a friend he spoke with often.

Gray wanted the same stability as his friend, so he asked what the secret of his confidence and positive outlook toward Scripture was. The man said, "It all started through reading Ephesians."

Having read through Ephesians many times, Gray was surprised by his response since he had never experienced the same strength he saw in his friend. After noticing Gray's puzzled look, the man said, "On one occasion, when I was on a short vacation, I took a pocket edition of Ephesians with me. One afternoon, I laid down outside and read all six chapters."

Gray's friend continued, "My interest was so aroused that I read the entire epistle again. In fact, I did not finally lay it down until I had gone through it some 15 times. When I arose to go into the house, I was in possession of Ephesians; or better yet, it was in possession of me. I had the feeling that I had been lifted up to sit together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus—a feeling that was new to me."

His friend's testimony encouraged Gray to master the Scripture himself. He began to saturate his mind and heart with the Word of God so he could freely and effectively communicate it to others and stand strong in his own faith. Do you have a hold on the Scriptures like Gray's friend? Or better yet, does it have a hold on you?

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would speak to you clearly as you study His Word—book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse.

[Judy Harder]

October 10, 2011  Daily Living for Seniors
     
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. --1 Corinthians 12:27

At a meeting of the American Psychological Association, Jack Lipton, a psychologist at Union College, and R. Scott Builione, a graduate student at Columbia University, presented their findings on how members of the various sections of 11 major symphony orchestras perceived each other .

The percussionists were viewed as insensitive, unintelligent, and hard-of-hearing, yet fun-loving. String players were seen as arrogant, stiff, and non-athletic. The orchestra members overwhelmingly chose "loud" as the primary adjective to describe the brass players. Woodwind players seemed to be held in the highest esteem, described as quiet and meticulous, though a bit egotistical.

These were interesting findings! How could an orchestra ever come together to make such wonderful music with such widely different personalities and perceptions? The answer is very simple: regardless of how these musicians view each other, they discard their feelings and biases to follow the leadership of the conductor. Under his guidance, they play the most beautiful music.

The Scripture says, "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink" (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).

No matter where you serve—in a soup kitchen, in a Bible study, as a minister, as a prayer warrior, as an usher, or in another area—the body can't function properly without your help! You are an important part of the body of Christ!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for each member of the Body of believers who come together to serve Him and others. Ask the Lord to make you a blessing in the Body and use you significantly as a member for His glory.

[Judy Harder]

 Daily Living for Seniors
     
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. --Psalm 51:17

Will Rogers was most definitely known for his laughter, but he was also known for his character and compassion. One day, he was entertaining at the Milton H. Berry Institute in Los Angeles, a hospital that specialized in rehabilitating polio victims, people with broken backs, and those with other extreme physical handicaps.

As expected, Rogers had everyone laughing, even those patients who were in very bad condition. But he suddenly left the platform and headed straight for the restroom. Milton Berry followed to take him a towel. When he opened the door, he saw Rogers leaning against the wall sobbing. He quietly closed the door and left.

In a few minutes, Rogers was back on the platform, and continued on as happy as before. In The Integrity Crisis, Warren Wiersbe said, "If you want to learn what a person is really like, ask three questions: What makes him laugh? What makes him angry? What makes him weep? These are fairly good tests of character..."

Many times, people preach, teach, and share Jesus in anger. But what we truly need is brokenness for those who are hurting, lost, and without Jesus. It is that kind of anguish that Jesus showed when He removed all those who were selling and trading in the temple, and then went out and wept over the city.

It's easier to get angry over sin than it is to weep over it. While sin is wrong, we should cry out for those sinners who are hurting and hopeless. Choose today to be broken and compassionate toward those who do not know the love of Christ.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to help break you so that you can minister to those who are lost and broken. Pray that He would give you the strength and compassion needed to reach others in their times of need.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. --2 Peter 3:13

A Christian railroad engineer was speaking to a group of his coworkers about heaven. He went into a lengthy description saying:

"I can't begin to tell you what the Lord Jesus Christ means to me. In Him, I have a hope that is precious and life everlasting. Let me explain. Many years ago, as each night I neared the end of my run, I would always let out a long blast with the whistle just as I'd come around the last curve.

"Then I'd look up at the familiar little cottage on top of the hill. My mother and father would be standing in the doorway waving to me. After I had passed, they'd go back inside and say, 'Thank God, Benny is home safe again tonight.'

"They are gone now, and no one is there to welcome me anymore. But someday when I have finished my 'earthly run' and I draw near to heaven's gate, I believe I'll see my precious mother and dad waiting there for me. And the one will turn to the other and say, 'Thank God, Benny is home safe at last.'"

We will see those loved ones, those believers who went home ahead of us, at the gates to welcome us home when we draw near. It will be a joyous time of celebration with our Lord and the ones we love! Today there are those in your life who have not yet experienced salvation through Jesus.

Have you exhausted all efforts to bring them to Jesus? Share with them what heaven means to you and tell them of your desire to welcome them home one day to eternity.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that others will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as you seek to show them the promise, hope, and joy of spending eternity with Jesus.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. --Psalm 27:14

In the 17th century during the Thirty Years' War, German pastor Paul Gerhardt and his family were forced to flee from their home. As they stayed in a small village inn one night, afraid and homeless, his wife broke down and sobbed openly in despair.

To comfort her, Gerhardt reminded her of Scripture promises about God's provision. Then, going out to the garden to be alone, he too broke down and openly wept. He felt he had come to the darkest hour in his life. But soon afterward, Gerhardt felt his burden lift and a refreshing sense of the Lord's presence.

Taking a pen, he wrote a hymn that has brought comfort to many in despair:   

"Give to the winds thy fears; hope, and be undismayed;

          God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears; God shall lift up thy head.

          Through waves and clouds and storms He gently clears the way.

          Wait thou His time, so shall the night soon end in joyous day."

Oftentimes, our darkest hours are the times when God makes His presence known most clearly. He brings us to what feels like the lowest points in our lives and uses our sufferings, so that we will finally see that He is our only source of strength. When we see this displayed, as in the life of Pastor Gerhardt, we experience a refreshed hope in Jesus.

Are you going through a time of despair right now? "Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Give yourself completely over to Him, wait for His perfect timing, and you'll once again know the breath of fresh air you've been waiting for—His presence.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: During times of tribulation, pray that God would move in your soul, and show you His glory when it feels like darkness has filled your days.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. --1 Timothy 1:12

In the early 1900s, a policeman walking his beat in Chicago observed a man standing before a mission. His hat was in his hand, and the officer thought he was acting strange. Thinking the man might be drunk or ill, the policeman approached him to find out what was going on. He noticed that his eyes were closed, so he nudged him and said, "What's the matter? Are you sick?"

The man looked up, smiled, and said, "No, sir. My name is Billy Sunday. I was converted right here in this mission. I never pass this way without taking the opportunity, if possible, to stand quietly for a moment and whisper a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord."

The officer understood and smiled back at Billy Sunday. Giving the evangelist a hearty handshake, the policeman warmly said, "Put 'er there, Bill! I've heard a lot about you! Keep right on with your prayer, and I'll see that no one bothers you."

In his letter to Timothy, Paul reflected on the sinner he once was by saying, "Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 1:13-14).

Jesus came into the world to save sinners like you and me. It is important that we stop often to remember the sacrifice He made on the cross and thank Him for appointing us as ministers of His Gospel.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for the salvation you have through Jesus Christ and for calling you to share the truth of His Word. Pray that He would empower and strengthen you daily to be a faithful follower.

[Judy Harder]

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. --Ephesians 5:19-20

Walking through an open market one day, a mother and her five-year-old daughter browsed through the items available on each table. As the little girl stopped to stare at a large pile of oranges on one table, the generous vendor selling the oranges took one from the stack and gave it to her.

The mother asked her daughter, "What do you say to the nice man for giving you a gift?"

The little girl stared at the orange again, then tossed it toward the vendor and said, "Peel it!"

Thankfulness is something we learn over time and grow into regardless our age. What might be considered innocent and harmless coming from a five-year-old child would certainly be considered rude and ungrateful coming from an older child or adult. However, it's easy to fall into the trap of responding as that little girl did to God's blessings by thinking, "This is nice and all, but I'd like a little more."

An attitude of gratitude toward God's gifts is a mark of spiritual maturity in a believer's life. In Paul's letter to the Christians in Ephesus, he challenged them to follow Christ, which included "giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

This holiday season practice thankfulness to God, instead of complaining about what you don't have, instead of bemoaning the unfairness of life, or instead of expecting and desiring more than what you already have. God has provided all your needs and as His child, it's His desire to bless you with enough to sustain you. Be thankful for what you have!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask God to give you a thankful heart no matter the circumstances. Pray that He would help you see the blessings in all the gifts you receive—both big and small.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.   --1 Thessalonians 5:18

In his autobiography, Clarence Edward Macartney, a noted author, wrote a story about two men who were walking through a field when they noticed an enraged bull. Almost immediately, they began running toward the nearest fence. The angry bull followed in hot pursuit, but it was soon apparent that they couldn't outrun the bull.

Terrified, one of the men shouted to the other, "Put up a prayer, John. We're in for it!"

John answered, "I can't. I've never made a public prayer in my life."

His companion yelled, "But you must! The bull is catching up to us."

"All right," panted John, "I'll say the only prayer I know. My father used to repeat it at the table: 'O Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful.'

This humorous story really suggests a valuable truth: Always give thanks no matter the situation. Paul and Silas faced trouble with the authorities in Macedonia when they drove an evil spirit out of a young slave girl who could no longer make money for her owners through her psychic powers. As they were attacked, stripped, beaten, and thrown in jail, they never faltered in their faith.

Scripture says that at "about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose" (Acts 16:25-26).

No matter how severe the trials and tribulations we go through in life, believers should always give thanks in everything.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would empower you to praise Him, thank Him, and triumph through every life situation—both good and bad—that comes your way.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. --Psalm 28:7

Billy Bray, the great Methodist evangelist, was saved from a terrible life of drunkenness and sin. After his conversion, he experienced one trouble after another, but he never ceased praising and praying to the Lord.

He came to a place in his life where all he had to eat was a dish of very small potatoes, which a friend had given him. Billy bowed his head to offer thanks when he suddenly thought to himself: How can you thank God for such small potatoes? But out loud, Billy replied, "Go away, Satan—when I was serving you, I had no potatoes at all!"

The Bible tells us that Joseph experienced difficulties as well. He was forced into slavery and put in prison for a crime he didn't commit. But in the midst of it all, He honored God, praised Him, and was thankful for the path God had taken him down. Scripture says, "But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor" (Genesis 39:20-21). As a result of his trials, the Lord raised Joseph up to rule over the land of Egypt under Pharaoh.

Life's struggles can be difficult at times. And when it seems that there is no money left for food, no cure for the illness, and no one else who cares, our sovereign God is in control and taking care of you each and every day. Psalm 42:11 says to "put your hope in God" and praise Him because He's "Savior and God." In all things, we are to praise the Lord—even for the small potatoes!

PRAYER CHALLENGE: When facing trials, ask God to show you the blessings in the small things He's given you. Ask Him to increase your hope and trust in Him and thank Him for supplying all your needs.

[Judy Harder]

Daily Living for Seniors
     
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess His name. --Hebrews 13:15

Throughout all of history, many cultures, nations, and people groups have set aside one time or another to express their thankfulness for various things in life. In the United States, Thanksgiving Day originated with the Pilgrims. While facing extreme hardship, the loss of loved ones, meager supplies, life-threatening illnesses, and severe weather conditions, they still believed it was important to acknowledge their blessings in the midst of their circumstances.

The Pilgrims chose to celebrate God's blessings by sharing a meal with the Native Americans who helped them survive the brutal conditions. How much more would it take for us today, considering all the gifts we currently have, for us to truly give thanks to God for what we have—without a hint of complaining?

It seems that many people have lost the spirit of the original celebration that took place between the Pilgrims and Native Americans. How often do we catch ourselves complaining that our Thanksgiving Day has been spoiled by dreary weather, bad food, or an annoying cold? We should make every day of the year one of thanksgiving—whatever our circumstances!

Billy Graham once wrote, "Ingratitude is a sin, just as surely as is lying or stealing or immorality or any other sin condemned by the Bible. Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart. And nothing will do more to restore contentment and the joy of our salvation than a true spirit of thankfulness."

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would give you an attitude of gratitude. Ask Him to fill you with thankfulness year round for the things with which He's blessed you.