Heartlight/Leaves of Light

[Judy Harder]

October 20

Psalms 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Thoughts on today's verse

In the face of sin and separation from God, grace is a refreshing stream that restores salvation. But the joy of salvation is found only when we realize and accept the forgiveness, grace, and restoration God has given us -- when we drink from the stream of grace. The joy of salvation is sustained in a changed lifestyle and an ongoing recognition that we walk with God.

Prayer:

Holy and Righteous Father, I long for the outbreak of the joy of salvation like I see in the Book of Acts. I pray for your Spirit to lead us into another era of outreach, conversion, and celebration. I pray for wisdom to know and eyes to see those around me who are most open to the Gospel. I want to be a partner with you in your ongoing work of salvation. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 21

Psalms 40:8
I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

Thoughts on today's verse

Too many of us are paranoid about the word law and find it hard to hear a scripture like this. But we must recognize that the goal of the New Covenant of grace and Spirit is that God's law is written on our hearts, not on tablets of stone. Jeremiah prophesied of such a day. The focus, desiring to do God's will -- a passion to love the things our Father loves and despise the things he despises.

Prayer:

Abba Father, I do want to do your will. I want to please you, glorify you, and lead others to you. Give me spiritual discernment to know your will and spiritual courage to do it today. I want your character and righteousness to inform my heart when I am tempted not to live for you. Gently humble me when I am wrong or have lost my way. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.'

[Judy Harder]

October 22

Galatians 6:2
Carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Thoughts on today's verse

I feel so burdened myself, that sometimes I can't even see others' burdens. But Jesus reminds me that if I am to be like him, I will be a burden carrier. This is why he came, why he died, and why his resurrection is so important -- to lift from us the burdens of sin, death, and depravity.

Prayer:

Compassionate Father, help me to see and respond to the burdens in other lives around me. I want to be a blessing to the broken and discouraged, so please help me find my place and my way of serving to your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 23

Proverbs 15:23
A man finds joy in giving an apt reply -- and how good is a timely word!

Thoughts on today's verse

Knowing the right word at the right time is a great gift. But even the best of speakers has to admit that the best of his or her words are not nearly as good as those the Spirit gives. Nevertheless, we must not excuse ourselves of insensitive speech, unkindness, or even missed opportunities because we were not paying attention to what was said, were not spiritually in tune with the needs of our companions, or simply did not know Scripture well enough to bless others with gracious speech at the appropriate time.

Prayer:

Loving Shepherd, I will spend much of my time today with people. Some of them know you, but most do not. Please give me wisdom to say things that lead people closer to you. Give me words of help and hope for the broken. Give me words of tenderness for the fainting. Give me words of direction for the confused. Father, I pray that whatever words I say today may reflect your will and be led by your purposes. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 28

1 Peter 1:24-25
All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.

Thoughts on today's verse

As the seasons change, the leaves fall, and the grass dies, we are reminded once again of how short our lives are. Despite the rapid advancements of technology, our deepest needs are addressed only by the eternal and proven will of God in Scripture. Whether you get your Scripture off the Bible on disk or from an old family Bible, access it today. Don't you need a dose of the eternal today?

Prayer:

As I age, I am constantly reminded, O God, of my transitory stay on earth and your eternal reign in heaven. Give me a sense of my place before you as I seek your will in your Word. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.'

[Judy Harder]

October 29

Romans 12:1
I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship.

Thoughts on today's verse

Because God went first and sacrificed what is most precious to him to save us, he can ask us to surrender ourselves to him. Only one problem: The cotton-picking sacrifice wants to keep crawling off the altar.

Prayer:

Holy and Righteous Savior, I want to surrender my life, my body, and will to you. But I confess, there are little things (and maybe some big things), that I keep from ever placing on that altar. Things I don't want to give up. To the best of my ability, I pledge today to live for you in a way that leaves nothing outside your Lordship and control. I offer you me -- all that I have and am -- to be yours today. Through Jesus. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 30

Ephesians 2:8-9

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.

Thoughts on today's verse

Don't you love gifts! When they're truly given, with no strings attached, all we have to do is receive them. The greatest gift we've ever received has nothing to do with our efforts. It is a gift from God. We didn't earn it, deserve it, or purchase it. God gave it through his sacrificial gift so our salvation would not be our boast, but his kindness.

Prayer:

Holy God, I can never thank you enough for sending Jesus and paying the debt for my sin. May I never presume on your grace or take the cost of your gift lightly. At the same time, Father, I want to live confidently, knowing that my salvation is not dependent on my mistakes but upon your grace. Because of such a lavish gift, I pledge to live for you today in a way that reflects the joy I have at receiving such an awesome ! gift. Through Jesus, my Grace, I pray. Amen.'

[Judy Harder]

October 31

1 Peter 5:8-9
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Thoughts on today's verse

Satan is real. He and his power are intended to harm. But rather than spending our time worrying about him, let's resist him when we are tempted and focus on Jesus. He's the one who won the big showdown at Calvary, triumphing over Satan. He took Satan's greatest tool and disarmed it. Now we can resist and Satan will flee.

Prayer:

Thank you, Almighty God, for sending Jesus to break Satan's stranglehold over us. Through the Savior's death you have assured me that mine won't be the end of our relationship, but the beginning of life with you. Today, however, I ask that you help me especially resist Satan's power over my life in the following ways... Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

November 1

Ephesians 1:18
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.

Thoughts on today's verse

Heaven is something we see with our heart. When we are discouraged, doubtful, and depressed, we need to have the eyes of our hearts "enlightened." The dawn needs to rise in our darkness, and then we will see the dawn of hope and the riches of our inheritance. But when things look bad, the only way to remember these things is to sing them, pray them, and read God's promises of them.

Prayer:

O God, you are my Hope. I trust in you and your promises. But I admit that at times, like even right now, I struggle with the confidence that you will act in response to my prayers and do what I've trusted you with my life to do. Please fill me with your Spirit, comfort my doubts, and kindle my passion so that I may serve you with boldness and share your grace with others. Through my Lord Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

November 2

1 Peter 2:9
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Thoughts on today's verse

We've been picked to be on God's team, and we were picked first! We have an important role to play in the unfolding of the world's history. We're here to declare God's praises to those who don't know him so they can find his marvelous light and leave their world of darkness.

Prayer:

O Great Light of Eternal Hope, I praise you and thank you for including me in your people. Now move me and empower me to share your Gospel with others so the world might truly know that Jesus is Lord. Through him I pray. Amen.