Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

MAY 7

The Commandment That Comes with a Promise

"...in the last days, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection...having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."  2 Timothy 3:1-5

"Without natural affection" literally means "without family love." If you claim to be a Christian but dishonor your parents, all you've got is a form of godliness.  You don't have the real thing. Faith begins at home. If you can live for Jesus at home, you can live for Jesus anywhere.  If you can't live for Jesus at home, it doesn't really matter where you try to live for Jesus.

God gave Ten Commandments, but the fifth, "Honor your father and mother," is the one with a promise: "that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest live long on the earth."   Before God tells us don't steal, don't kill, don't commit adultery, He tells us to honor father and mother. In my estimation, the respect and obedience a child shows his parents is a strong indication of how the child will turn out. Dwight Moody said, "I've lived 60 years, and I've learned one thing if I've learned nothing else.  No man or woman who dishonors father or mother ever prospers."

[Judy Harder]

MAY 8

What Are Your Plans for Mother's Day?

"Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Exodus 20:12

The Bible says to "honor your father and your mother," so when we observe Mother's Day or Father's Day, we are obeying the Scripture. You can honor your father and mother three ways: Obey them when you're young, care for them when they are old, and honor them at all times. How do you give them honor?   

¨            Show them respect.   

¨            Express gratefulness. Give them thanks. Learn to develop the attitude of gratitude. Have you thanked your parents for all that they've done? 

¨            Listen to their counsel. 

¨            Show your parents love. Think of what you owe your parents.  They gave you life. I'm convinced that the closest thing to God's love is the love of a mother. 

Why don't you sit down and write a letter to your mother or father and tell them how grateful you are for them?  I'll tell you one thing, they will read it over and over again.  And when they die and you're going through their things, you'll find that letter tucked away in their most treasured possessions.  Do it, rather than saying I wish that I had.  And if your parents are not living, give them honor and thank God for their memory.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 9

Give Your Mother the Best Gift

"The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.  Thy father and thy mother shall be glad that she bear thee and she that bear thee shall rejoice." Proverbs 23:24-25. 

Children are an extension of their parents.  When I see my children do something good and godly and worthy, that gives me such great joy. Third John 1:4 says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." 

Before my parents went to heaven, one of the greatest joys of my life was to do something that would cause them to rejoice and say, "Adrian, we're proud of you."  I'm so grateful for that. 

Reflect upon how you are living today.  Does your life honor God and give your parents joy? Does it gladden the heart of God? Live in such a way as to cause your parents to stick out their chest a little bit—not in a prideful way, but in saying, "Thank God for my children."  Your mother will have no greater joy than to know that you are walking in the truth.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 10

Happiness, the By-Product of Righteousness

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

Happiness is something you stumble over on your way to serving Jesus. When you are serving the Lord Jesus Christ, happiness is the by-product of righteousness. People who are trying to be happy are focusing their energy at the wrong target. If you will seek after righteousness, then you will be happy.

What you need is to drink of the Spirit.

It is to feed on the Word of God.

The deepest need of your heart will be met only in Jesus.

Ask the Lord to fill you with His presence, to fulfill the deepest need of your heart in Him and Him alone. Now trust Him to do it.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 11

Blessed Is the Man That Trusts in the Lord

"O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him." Psalm 34:8

The Lord Jesus Christ gives us beatitudes - attitudes that ought to be. They are not platitudes. They are attitudes that deal with Christian character.

Your reputation is what others think about you, but character is what God knows about you.

The Beatitudes do not say, "Blessed are what you have," or "Blessed are what you do," but "Blessed are what you are." Most of the people in the world are doing what? They are seeking happiness. If you seek happiness you'll never find it. But if you get right with God, blessedness will find you.

Have you been finding your self-worth in what you have or what you do? Confess it before the Lord and meditate on the attitudes you ought to have in Matthew 5:3-11.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 12

Poor in Spirit - What Does It Mean?

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

What does it mean to be "poor in spirit"? Jesus is talking about being a beggar. He is saying, "Blessed are the beggars." He's not talking about finances here. He's talking about a person being poor spiritually.

Before a person can enter into the kingdom of heaven, he must first admit that no matter how much he may have in the material realm or psychological realm, he is absolutely and totally bankrupt spiritually and a beggar before God.  If he doesn't see that, he will never, ever get into the kingdom of heaven.

I've often said that I am just one beggar showing another beggar where to find food. Do you see yourself as a beggar in need of the Bread of Heaven?

[Judy Harder]

MAY 13

What Is Meekness?

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth Matthew 5:5."

What does it mean to be meek? First, let me tell you what it is not before I tell you what it is.

Meekness is not weakness. The word "meek" means yielded. It literally has the idea of strength under control. When an animal, especially a horse, is domesticated, it is trained so that a rider can sit on its back or so it can pull a plow. The proper term for this process is that the animal has been "meeked." It has been broken. Now it yields to the rider or to the yoke. Now the animal exhibits strength under control. That's what meekness is.

Read Matthew 11:29 and 21:5. What does Jesus say about Himself, and how can you emulate Him?

[Judy Harder]

MAY 14

Mourning with Purpose

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4

We've done all we can do to keep ourselves from feeling any pain. We have psychologists who numb our neurosis, counselors who absolve us of guilt, doctors to sedate our pain, insurance agents to take away our worries, and even at death we have the mortuary to try to beautify death for us. But Jesus was a man of sorrows. He saw the sin around Him, and it broke His heart. In Matthew 23:34-39 we read how Jesus' heart ached for Jerusalem and the destruction sin had wrought in the hearts of men.

Do the things that break the heart of Jesus, break yours?

Do you have a dry eye in a hell-bent world?

It's time to be like Jesus.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 15

Surprising Qualities of a Peacemaker

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Matthew 5:9

I remember reading about a preacher boy who was in a class in a liberal college and the professor said, "Christians ought never to have any enemies. We ought never to be controversial." And then he said, "What we need to do is to follow the example of Jesus."

The boy lifted his hand and said, "If Jesus Christ was so beautifully tactful and diplomatic, how did He manage to get Himself crucified?"

Peace is not appeasement. It is a right relationship with God that leads to a right relationship with self and guides us into right relationships with others. Literally, peace is a fruit of righteousness. It is the righteousness of God ruling and reigning in your heart.

Read Hebrews 12:14. Are there conflicts which you can resolve by becoming a peacemaker? If so, confidently place your hand in His and bring peace.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 16

Holy Spirit Conviction vs. Satanic Accusation

"Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Revelation 12:10

You will be a miserable Christian if you don't learn the difference between Holy Spirit conviction and Satanic accusation.

When the Holy Spirit convicts you of a sin, He will not make you just feel bad all over. He will put His finger right on the sore spot and push. He will convict you specifically and He will convict you legitimately.

Now if the devil doesn't convict you of all your sins in general, he will try to accuse you of a specific sin for which you have already been forgiven. And he will fight a losing battle, because if you put your sin under the blood of Jesus Christ and it comes up again, it's not God bringing it up.

Are you under conviction or accusation today about an unconfessed sin? Read Revelation 12:9-11. Claim the powerful blood of Jesus to cover your sin. Repent and believe!