Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

February 8

Ministers of Deception

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." - 2 Timothy 4:3

Did you know Satan has put his ministers all across America? On Sunday, people will come down and sit in a service, and the man in the pulpit will look like a minister, but he will be a minister of Satan. Isn't that frightening? You need to understand that Satan is not against religion. He's always wanted to be like God. His temptation to you is not to be ungodly, but to try to be like God, but in Satan's way. Satan is the master of deception.

Matthew 24:24 says, if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect. That's the reason we have to be discerners of truth.

This Sunday, don't just sit and soak in the service. Test the message against the Word of God and apply it to your life.

[Judy Harder]

February 9

Who You Are in Christ

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." - Romans 8:1

The key to living a victorious Christian life is to discover who you are in Christ. Many Christians have never discovered this. They remind me of the man who had an identity problem and an energy crisis at the same time. He didn't know who he was and he was too tired to find out.

God doesn't work from the outside in. He works from the inside out. God doesn't modify our behavior in order to change us. He changes us in order to modify our behavior.

You're never going to purify the water by painting the pump. That's legalism, and that's a dead end to discovering who you are in Christ.

As you study God's Word, start a list: begin to write down those phrases that apply to you, like the phrase "in Christ." Now that you are "in Christ," the phrase "no condemnation" is one you should write down!

[Judy Harder]

February 10

A Legacy of Love

"His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed." - Psalm 112:2

A woman came to her pastor and said, "When should I start the religious training of my child? When will he be old enough? Is it too early to start at six years of age?" The pastor said, "No, that's too late." She said, "Well how about six months?" He said, "That's too late." She said, "Then when should I start?" He said, "With his grandparents."

We can live for our grandchildren; we can live for our great-grandchildren. The greatest gift you can give your children is to teach them to worship the Lord, to love the Lord, and to serve the Lord at any age.

If you are a grandparent, share what God has taught you about His grace and faithfulness in your life. And share what God has taught you about worshipping Him and serving others.

[Judy Harder]

February 11

What Is Your Top Priority?

"And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation." - Psalm 35:9

Do your children believe that the most important thing to you is God? We must celebrate God in front of our children.

Let me tell you what my children think and what they know.

They know that their Daddy's imperfect. They know that I love God. I wouldn't be ashamed for you to ask them that. You can ask any one of them, "What's the most important thing to your Dad and Mom?" They would say, "The most important thing to our parents is their relationship with God."

Are you a parent? Then ask your children what they think the most important thing is to you. If they say anything other than your relationship with the Lord, make some changes in your life to reflect your top priority.

[Judy Harder]

February 12

To Tell the Truth

"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another." - Ephesians 4:25

When I was in college, I pastored a little church 130 miles away. One night as I was driving back home, I realized one of my headlights was out. I was hoping I wouldn't get stopped when a highway patrolman pulled me over.

He said, "Son, did you know one of your headlights is out?" I replied, "One of my headlights is out?" He said, "Son, you'd better get that fixed." I said, "Yes, sir."

When I got back in the car, the Holy Spirit said, "Adrian, you lied." I said, "No, I didn't lie. I told the truth." He said, "You lied."

If there is any area in your heart that is not based on truth, you've made the devil a home.

I want you to play a game of catch today, but this will only involve one person – you! When temptation urges you to lie, catch yourself and tell the truth.

[Judy Harder]

February 13

Be Angry and Sin Not

"Be angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." - Ephesians 4:26

God's Word tells us to be "slow to wrath" (Proverbs 14:29, James 1:19). There's nothing that will do more damage to your relationships than unwanted, unwarranted anger. If you are given to anger, let me tell you a couple of things the Bible says, and it won't be flattering.

First, the Bible says you are foolish. Ecclesiastes 7:9 says, "For anger resteth in the bosom of fools."

Second, you have a weak character. Proverbs 16:32 says, "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." Uncontrolled anger is like throwing a rock into a wasp nest.

Do you have a short fuse? If so, confess it to the Lord. Don't let Satan get a stronghold in your life. If you get angry today, ask yourself, "What need is not being met?" Give that need to the Lord.

[Judy Harder]

February 14

You Are Loved!

"The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love." - Jeremiah 31:3

Valentine's Day is a day for lovers. Did you know that Jesus is the lover of your soul? He is. You, as part of the church, are His bride...His chosen one.

Our Lord loves us with an infinite love, an everlasting love, and an indescribable love.

Are you without a valentine today? Take heart...His heart. He has set His affection on you. Jesus has purchased you, not with silver or gold as a bridegroom would have in Jesus' day, but our Lord has purchased you with the silver of His tears and with the gold of His blood.

You are loved!

Every time you get a Valentine or see an advertisement for Valentine's Day or hear someone say, "Happy Valentine's Day," remember that Jesus is the Lover of your Soul.

[Judy Harder]

February 15

The Truth Shall Make You Free

"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32

Have you ever been to a circus and seen an elephant chained to a stake in the ground? Why doesn't he break free? Because as a young elephant he was tied to a tree. And try as he might, he couldn't break free. Now the thought that he cannot break free is ingrained.

How true that is of you and me who have ingrained thought patterns in our lives. We say, "I am chained to this habit and I can't break free." Or we say, "I'm not good enough." All kinds of lies keep us in bondage, but real truth is what God says, not what we think.

Are there any strongholds in your life that keep you chained to the past? Write down these verses and memorize them.

2 Corinthians 10:4 - "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;"

Galatians 5:1 - "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Now break free from the lies of the past as you tell yourself the truth!

[Judy Harder]

February 16

Saints in God's Sight through Christ

"You are no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." - Galatians 4:7

Are you saved? If you are, then you are a saint.

Now you're probably saying, "But I can't say that. Christ wants me to be humble."

But let me tell you what real humility is. It is accepting what God says about you, and God says you're a saint. Now, that doesn't make you sinless; it makes you blameless. In God's sight (and that's the only sight that counts) you are a saint. God sees you as perfect because He sees you draped in the righteousness of His Son. Glory to God for His indescribable love to us!

Stand in front of the mirror and say out loud, "I am a saint." Spread the Good News to your family and friends who are saved—that they are saints, too!

[Judy Harder]

February 17

When in Doubt, Let Jesus Be Your Peace

"O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased." -  Matthew 14:31-32

A man was in the back bedroom of his home getting dressed while his wife was in the living room talking to a friend. He called out to his wife, "Darling, is this shirt clean enough for me to wear?"

Without hesitation she said, "No."

He said, "How did you know it wasn't clean enough to wear? You didn't even come back to look at it."

She answered, "If you had to ask, it wasn't clean enough!"

When it comes to the question of whether you should do something or not, if it's doubtful, it's dirty. Don't. Unfortunately, most of us don't give God the benefit of the doubt. We just go ahead and do it.

Are you in doubt about something today? If you have even the smallest doubt in your heart that it might be sin or lead to sin, be strong and choose to say "No." He will be your peace.