Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

January 29

Hungering for God

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6

When Jesus said that the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness will be blessed, He was not talking about someone who had a mere appetite, He was talking about a starving man.

God made us in such a way that we couldn't exist long without food. What is a starving man interested in? The latest football scores? The flower arrangement at the pink lemonade society? The number of stars in the universe? No! He's only interested in one thing – food!

In fact, I did some research and discovered that a man can exist about forty days without food, about three days without water, and only eight minutes without air. In the spiritual realm of eternity, man cannot exist one second without Jesus Christ.

May God help us narrow our focus to the glory of God and the saving of souls.

[Judy Harder]

January 30

Shining Brightly in the Twilight Years

"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward manis renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16

So many people think that they cannot do much for the Lord as they enter their twilight years. God doesn't change just because your health may take a turn or you feel weaker. The faith that is inside of you has not weakened, unless you stop feeding it with works of faith. The things that God calls us to do in life do not hinge upon our physical stamina or financial strength.

Do you know where one of the great strengths of a church lies? In its seniors who have walked with God for years. With their reservoir of wisdom and fortress of faith, they get hold of God, and though their bodies are wearing a bit, they are as strong as they ever were—because God is their strength.

Douglas MacArthur once said, "You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubts, as young as your self with confidence, as old as your fears, as young as your hope, as old as your despair." God gives unfading strength for His undiminishing promises.

 

[Judy Harder]

January 31

Him—Just Him

"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." 2 Timothy 1:12

I heard of a lady who memorized so many verses of Scripture, that she quoted them back to the Lord in praise to His name. When she grew old and began to lose her memory, she could only remember one verse, "For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." She would quote it over and over.

Soon her memory deteriorated more, and all she could remember was just the phrase "committed unto Him." It brought her much comfort. Finally she came to a place where all she could say was "Him."

You can distill the Bible down to that one word, "Him." Can you tune all of your life to that one note of praise? Him.

[Judy Harder]

February 1

God's Grace Takes the Initiative

"We love Him, because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:19

When I was in the sixth grade, I wrote a love note to Joyce Louise Gentry. Then she became my bride and my beloved. Do you know, she still has that note? From that time on she began to take an interest in me. Do you know why? Because I first loved her.

Do you know what the Bible is? It is God's love letter to you. It is God saying to you, "I have set my eye upon you. I love you!"

You're not saved by doing good works. You're not saved by joining a church. You are saved by the grace of God that said, "I love you" first.

When was the last time you wrote a love letter?
When was the last time you received one?
Spend some time today and write a love letter to the Lord.

[Judy Harder]

February 2

Justice, Mercy and Grace

"...the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." - Psalm 84:11

There are three words that came together at Calvary:

justice
mercy
grace
Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we don't deserve.

But wait a minute; grace is more than that! It is grace that gives at great cost to the giver. It is not cheap. Grace cost the life of God's Son. Jesus gave freely of Himself in agony and blood.

Did you know that grace has to chase us down? If God didn't run faster than us, we would never be saved! Grace seeks to give to vile and wicked people that which they don't deserve and can never deserve.

Are you a grace-giver? Find someone today and do a favor for them – something for which they couldn't possibly repay you. Perhaps it will even be for a stranger you will never see again.

[Judy Harder]

February 3

Perfectionism Is a Thief

"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21

Did you know that your performance doesn't make you any more or less acceptable in God's eyes?

If you think that God is going to accept you on the basis of your quiet time, your Bible study, or your service, you will fall into a trap of never knowing if you've done enough. You'll never truly feel accepted.

Perfectionism is a thief. It promises rewards, but it steals both joy and satisfaction. Why? Because perfection is an unattainable goal! If you are a perfectionist, you've set an impossible goal for yourself, and therefore you will constantly be faced with frustration and failure.

Two things about you are true, without your "performance"—

You are forgiven in Christ.
You are righteous in Christ. 
Are you a perfectionist? Ask the Holy Spirit to free you from the fear of failure. Now make a conscious decision that you can be less than perfect and still be loved by God.

[Judy Harder]

February 4

Perfection Found in Jesus Alone

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:39

A perfectionist in the church is a miserable person. And not only that, but he makes everybody else miserable, too. The fellowship is never sweet enough. The teacher is never prepared enough. The music is never spiritual enough, and on and on it goes.

Jesus supplies the only perfection that we will ever attain until we get to heaven.

It is not perfection that God is looking for in His children; it is excellence.

God is working in you to achieve His purpose for His glory.

Memorize this statement, "I am worthy apart from my performance because Christ died for me and gave His life to me. My life is hidden in Him. Jesus loves me."

[Judy Harder]

February 5

Defining Your Personal Value

"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." - Romans 12:3

Do you try to be the best or do you simply try to do your best? The perfectionist has to be the best. He has to be #1. He can't accept himself.

The grace of God exalts a man without inflating him, and it humbles a man without debasing him. The person who strives for excellence says, "I am what I am by the grace of God."

Do you value yourself by what you do or by what you are? You have a choice. You can either choose to see yourself as God sees you, or you can choose to see yourself as the world sees you. Whose opinion will you listen to today?

Is there someone in your life whose opinion matters deeply to you? Instead of defining who you are by their opinions, measure yourself by God's standard in His Word.

[Judy Harder]

February 6

Seeing the Unseen—Moving Beyond Your Five Senses

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

Many Christians are so materialistic that they never look past the physical world to the transcendent Christ above. They only experience what their five senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing) bring to them.

When a problem arises, it blows out every candle in their souls, knocks the sun out of their sky, and they can't enjoy the daily bread of life that Jesus promises.

For some reading this, you have a gigantic problem that to the world has "disaster" written all over it. If you are seeking first His righteousness, God will give you all that you need. You have God on your side—the King of kings, the Lord of lords. And don't you forget it.

[Judy Harder]

February 7

The Misunderstood Principle of Submission

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous." - 1 John 5:3

Submission is a term that has been grievously distorted because there are men who have used the word as a weapon to club their wives rather than as a hammer to build their homes.

When God tells a wife to submit to her husband, He also tells the husband to love his wife "even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it" (Ephesians 5:22-25).

When God tells children to obey their parents, He also instructs the fathers to "provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4).

When God tells you to submit to Him, it is for your good (James 4:7). Jesus is the head of the church, and He leads by love. The same should be true in the home.

Discuss the principle of submission with your family and friends this week. Contrast what the world would say it means to submit with what God desires for us.