Heartlight/Leaves of Light

[Judy Harder]

September 16


James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Thoughts on today's verse

Wisdom is proven right by the character of a loving lifestyle. It is so easy, however, for someone to be arrogantly intelligent and be dumber than a post at spiritual wisdom. Which are you closer to in your walk with Jesus -- wisdom expressed through humble and loving lifestyle or smart with feelings of superiority and arrogance?
Prayer:

Loving Shepherd, I know you have been a wise and loving Father to me. Help me to share that care you have lavished on me on the person who most needs it today. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

September 17


Ephesians 5:8You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

Thoughts on today's verse

Before and after -- that's the story of grace. "I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see." If we could only fully grasp what we so easily sing then life would be filled with more grace and our churches with more confident servants of God.
Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, by your grace I know today that I stand before you welcomed into your presence and received as a beloved child. Thank you for rescuing me from all the traps of the darkness and bringing me into your light. Guide my heart and my feet so they will walk your path and show forth your light. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

September 18


Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others.

Thoughts on today's verse

Do you remember one of the earliest questions in the Bible? "Where is your brother Abel?" To which Cain responded: "Am I my brother's keeper?" Paul's answer is a clear and undeniable yes! We must look to the interest of others and not just our own.
Prayer:

Father, teach me to love your family as you do. I get so caught up and distracted with my own world and my own problems that I forget to notice those who are hurting. Help me to grow more aware and more attune to those needs so you may minister through me. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

September 19


Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Thoughts on today's verse

The goal in Christian communication is not merely clarity, but encouragment based on what the needs of the other person are.
Prayer:

Tender Shepherd, give me a heart that is pure so that my words may be pure. Give me a heart that is kind so that my words may be kind. Give me a heart that is full of joy and encouragement so that I may share these with those you bring to my path and with whom I share conversation. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

September 20


Joel 2:23
Rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains.

Thoughts on today's verse

"The prayers go up and the blessings come down..." The words to this children's song are only half right, because God sends his blessings many times even when we don't pray. But with the special smell that comes with a drought-breaking rain, God loves the aroma of his children's joy, especially when he is the source of its delight!
Prayer:

Holy God and Tender Father, you are my great delight. When all others fail, you are still God. You are a rock and fortress, you are a tender shepherd, and you are a solid mountain that cannot be shaken. Your blessings and grace shower upon me and fill me with joy. I can't wait for the day I get to see you face to face and delight in your presence. Until then, I will see you faith to face and rejoice in anticipation. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

September 21


2 Corinthians 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Thoughts on today's verse

I have a friend in Jesus who has taught me the power of blessings. I can't think of a better one! Grace, love and fellowship rooted in the eternal, sacrificial, and gracious nature of our God, and we share it with God's children all around the world.
Prayer:

Father, I am thinking of several precious friends who need the richness of this blessing to fall upon them. Please bless them. In Jesus name. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

September 22


Romans 15:7
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Thoughts on today's verse

I hate racism and exclusivity. But my loathing does not even approach God's revulsion at these things. On the other hand, we can anticipate the choir of heaven if we will accept one another in Jesus and not let race, language, culture, or suspicion keep us from loving each other as we have already been loved by the Savior.
Prayer:

Holy and Righteous Father, I pray that we will let your Spirit and your grace help us tear down any wall that divides your people based on race, culture, or privilege. Teach us, teach me, to love all people the way you do. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

September 23


Romans 5:3-4
We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Thoughts on today's verse

I remember the old Corrie ten Boom line, "Thank God for the fleas." The fleas kept the German soldiers out of the barracks in the concentration camp where she was imprisoned. This allowed her to minister and visit with those who were being persecuted. There she could show and share Jesus.
Prayer:

Mighty God, I confess that I get impatient and frustrated with difficulty, pain, and suffering. Please give me more compassion and a better listening ear, so that I may bless those who need love and grace. Through Jesus I ask it. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

September 24

Hebrews 10:35-36 Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Thoughts on today's verse

Boy there are some tough times in life! They're inescapable. That's when our confidence in the Lord's salvation and our relationship with him get tested! It is one thing to sing "it is well with my soul" at the end of a peel-the-paint worship service, but it is quite another to be able to sing it when they auction your house off at the courthouse steps or you've lost a child to death. That's when the commitment to be who we want to be overrides the weakness of what we feel. Faith can't take a holiday when we travel through the suburbs of hell or we'll never find our way out. So don't throw it away. Be like Job or Jeremiah who both argued and complained to God. Just don't quit.
Prayer:

Holy and Almighty God, today is a good day. But I am profoundly aware that some of those I love are wrestling with throwing away their confidence in your love, mercy, grace, peace, and deliverance. Please use me, but even more I pray that you use your Holy Spirit to renew their hearts. I pray that you intervene directly to change the course of events and give them relief. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

September 25


1 John 2:1
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense -- Jesus Christ the Righteous One.

Thoughts on today's verse

God hates sin. Don't you? I know I do. But isn't it amazing how we'll fall back into the same old traps again and again. This is where John, the tender Shepherd that he was, hits the nail on the head. The goal is to not commit even one sin. But, knowing our struggle against the flesh, John also gives assurance to those of us trying to live faithful and pure lives that when we do sin, the sacrifice for our sins, God's Son, is also our defense attorney.
Prayer:

God, no one and nothing is like you. I did not have to provide a sacrifice for my sins, which broke your heart. You provided that sacrifice. Please use me today as I try to give myself, my life, and my future back to you as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to you. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.