Heartlight/Leaves of Light

[Judy Harder]

November 15

Psalm 119:143
Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight.

Thoughts on today's verse

This verse is hard for me, because I know I am so blessed. Trouble and distress do not seem to be a part of my vocabulary right now. But I know in many places in the world, this statement is true of Christians who are under attack and live under the threat of persecution and death. But their love for God and their commitment to obedience is greater than Satan's threats because God's will is their delight.

Prayer:

Majestic and holy God, I ask you to bless and liberate your church that is under persecution. But Father, I ask that if deliverance is not what is coming, I pray for my brothers and sisters and myself, that we may be found faithful in death before surrendering to compromise. Please strengthen our faith: we believe but help our unbelief. Empower us through your Spirit to be obedient: forgive us when we fall. Most of all, deliver us without fault into your glorious presence. In Jesus we find our salvation and assurance. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

November 16

Psalm 119:18
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

Thoughts on today's verse

From our perspective of grace, having been liberated from law-keeping as a means of justification and righteousness, this is a very fitting prayer. We can look around our world and see the anarchy and brutality when there is no principle of law undergirding the soul of a society. God's law provided so many wonderful blessings, and can still bless us today if we will let it. But the greatest blessing of the O.T. Law is Jesus, in whom all of God's promises find their fulfillment.

Prayer:

Holy Father, thank you for your righteousness. Knowing that you will dispense justice and settle all injustice when you judge the earth gives me comfort because I know that through Jesus, you see me as righteous. My prayer today is that I can live in a way that brings honor to you and reflects the character of your Son when he walked this earth. Through him I pray. Amen.'

[Judy Harder]

November 17

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

Thoughts on today's verse

God's promises, God's Scripture, help us find our way in a pluralistic world of competing voices and lights our path in these times so given to cynicism and despair. What great grace we have to know God's will in our own words!

Prayer:

Loving Father, thank you for giving me your truth in Scripture. To know that you love me enough to communicate in language I can read is truly awe inspiring to me. Make my heart hunger for your truth revealed in your Word. I want to grow to be a righteous and gracious child in your family. With love through my older brother I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

November 18

John 17:17
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Thoughts on today's verse

God's promises, God's Scripture, and God's clearest message of all, his Son, are truth. But only the last of these is truth, grace, deliverer, friend, Lord, Savior, brother, Redeemer...

Prayer:

O God, give me a holy passion to know your truth and live it in both word and deed. Make my life a reflection of your Word, who both proclaimed and lived your truth. In him I pray. Amen.'

[Judy Harder]

November 19

Psalm 1:1-2
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Thoughts on today's verse

I get to choose which sources of information I feed my mind. But this privilege and freedom is also a responsibility. God longs to bless me, but that blessing remains dormant until my heart delights in knowing and doing his will.

Prayer:

Wondrous Creator, just as you fashioned such a beautiful world and put me together in my mother's womb, I also ask that you create in me a desire to know your truth and an insight into how to live that truth. I know your Holy Spirit is in me to help me in this journey, but I want so much to please you and bless you because of all the ways you have blessed me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

November 20

Psalm 95:1-2
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

Thoughts on today's verse

Joy knows no better explanation than laughter and song. We sing to the Lord because we are joyful! Our music is not inhibited or held back, but exuberant and as full of sound as it is of heart. Thanksgiving brings us into the Father's presence and it is our joy at being saved that leads us to sing.

Prayer:

O most wonderful and glorious God, thank you so much for saving me from sin, death, law, and futility. Thank you for saving me and giving me the assurance, through your Holy Spirit, that I can come before you with exuberant and overflowing joy. Your love and grace have not only given me hope but have made me your child. Hear my heart and be blessed by my songs of praise. Through Jesus I pray and because of Jesus I will shout your praise forever and ever. Amen.!

[Judy Harder]

November 21

1 Corinthians 1:4-5
I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way - in all your speaking and in all your knowledge.

Thoughts on today's verse

The apostle Paul was amazing. He is writing one of the most problematic churches and yet finds reasons to give thanks for them. First, he is thankful for them because Jesus died for them. When God extends his grace to others, how can we not do the same? Second, he recognizes the areas of their abuse are also a reason to give thanks - they may have distorted it, but when reined in to honor God, these gifts could bless their church. Even though he has tough words to follow, Paul's example reminds us that a child of God is something to be cherished, even if they have problems.

Prayer:

Gracious Father, give me the heart to see reasons to be thankful for all of your children. I confess that it is often so easy for me to view others based on how they view! me, share my theological opinions, or how much trouble they cause me. Forgive me, for I know if you had done the same with me, I would have never been one of your children. Please help me rejoice in your children. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.'

[Judy Harder]

November 24

Colossians 2:6-7
Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Thoughts on today's verse

Some things you don't change, swap, or update. In an age when computer processors make major leaps every few months and software companies release new upgrades every year, we get programmed into looking for the new and improved version of everything. The simple but profound truth is that Jesus is Lord. No update needed. No rival worthy. No change necessary. In fact, if we stray from this as the basis of our life, we put all we hold dear at risk. But if we continue, if we grow, if we root ourselves in this truth and make it the undergirding reality of our lives, then our future is secure and our victory assured!

Prayer:

Holy God, I thank you for the simple, challenging and enduring truth of Jesus' Lordship. Through you Spirit, I pray that you will conform my life to more closely reflect his lordship in my work, my family, and daily influence. Through the Lord Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

November 25

Colossians 3:17
Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Thoughts on today's verse

Everything! All! No matter what we say, no matter what we do, it is to be offered as a gift of thanks to God with Jesus' name, power, and honor attached! This makes all of life our worship and thanksgiving to God. There's no such thing as going to worship; if we live, if we talk, if we act it's worship. So how has your worship been lately?

Prayer:

Almighty and Most Holy God, I want all of my life to be lived out to your glory, a living testament of thanks to you for the grace you have given me in Jesus. While I do not always do this as well as I would like, I lovingly offer you my words, my actions, my heart and my mind to bring you glory by doing your will. Please, use your Spirit to remove the areas of self-deception from my life so that weakness and hypocrisy will not rob my discipleship of its intended worship of your majesty. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

November 26

Hebrews 12:28
Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

Thoughts on today's verse

We are receiving the triumphant and glorious victory of God in his Kingdom. We will join with the angels and the saints of old and live with the Father forever in victorious and never-ending joy. But this Kingdom doesn't begin just when Jesus returns. This Kingdom has started now in his Church, his people, those in whom God's will is cherished and obeyed. So our worship should be filled with awe that the holy God of Israel is also the lowly God in Jesus who has redeemed us and made us to be a holy people unto himself. What else can we do but worship with heartfelt thanksgiving and wonder-struck awe?

Prayer:

Holy and Righteous Father, all things are yours. Thank you for sharing your blessings, your promises, your hope, and your victory with us in Jesus. Please help me to live a more thankful, victorious life before my unbelieving friends and as an example to my children so they may come to share your glorious Kingdom and ultimate victory. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.