Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

FEBRUARY 17

Governed by His Providence

"...His disciples went down unto the sea,and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew." - John 6:16-18

In my journeys to Israel, one of the most delightful times for me is to sit at twilight on the shores of Galilee. The tranquility is like a dream. You're almost intoxicated by beauty as the sun sets over the Sea of Galilee. The Golan Heights across the sea from Tiberius turn a rosy color. You can hear birds nesting in the trees. I believe the Sea of Galilee is one of the most beautiful bodies of water on earth. The old rabbis used to say that God created all the other seas, then He created Galilee just for Himself.

It had been a wonderful day. Jesus had been with His disciples, feeding the 5,000. The disciples were full of success and self-confidence when they climbed into their boat that evening. Then it happened. The wind begins to rise. Clouds darken the moon. An angry wind beats the sea with its fists, and the water rises up and slaps the disciples in the face. That Sea of Galilee, quiet as a millpond, now has become dangerous. These seasoned sailors are filled with fear. Then they see Jesus, walking on the water, saying, "Don't be afraid." In another gospel He says, "Be of good cheer. It is I."

Are you in a storm? You say, "No, Pastor, I'm not." Well I'm glad for you. Enjoy the trip. We're fools if we don't enjoy the good times of life. But just wait awhile. Sooner or later, you're going to find yourself in a storm. It may be that God has engineered your storm; if not, He has certainly allowed it because our God is over everything. The first thing you can say when difficulty comes is that God's providence is over it all. You can say, "I am governed by His providence."

[Judy Harder]

FEBRUARY 18

Glowing in the Dark

"So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship; and they were afraid. - John 6:19

In the Bible there are correcting storms and there are perfecting storms. Jonah, who spent the night on a foam blubber mattress, was in a correcting storm because he was out of the will of God. He was running from God. And God sent a correcting storm.

But there are also perfecting storms. These disciples were not out of the will of God. Why were they in a storm?  Because—don't miss this—they were in the will of God. It was Jesus, Matthew tells us, who constrained them to get into that boat. They were in this storm because they were obeying Jesus. Why would Jesus want them to be in a storm? Because He wanted them to grow.

I've often shared these words, written by Robert Browning Hamilton:

"I walked a mile with pleasure, she chatted all the way. But left me none the wiser, for all she had to say. I walked a mile with sorrow, not a word said she. But oh, the things I learned from sorrow, when sorrow walked with me." Is that not true? "Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress." Someone said that faith is like film. It's developed in the dark. That's when we learn to trust the Lord.

[Judy Harder]

February 19

Growing by His Plan

"...see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.For He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof...Then they cry unto the Lordin their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still...so He bringeth them unto their desired haven." - Psalm 107:23-30

It is God who is the master of the winds and the waves. He is able to cause storms to come or to calm them.

It is a very shallow theology that says if we're in the will of God, we'll always sail smoothly on the sea of life. We'll have no sickness, no sorrow, no disappointment, know no separation. There'll be no problems in our family. The "joy boys" get on television and say, "You just believe God and send me an offering, and you'll never be sick. Everything'll be fine." This is the gospel of cash and Cadillacs. Friend, there's a Greek word for that—"baloney."

No, we are going to have difficulty. And the first thing you can say when difficulty comes is that God's providence is over it all. "I am governed by His providence."

Not only am I governed by His providence, butI am growing by His plan. Now God's plan is not to indulge you; God's plan is to enlarge you. "Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress." (Psalm 4:1)

Those of you who've been on the trail for awhile, who have walked a long time with the Lord, when did you grow the most? When everything was fine? When there was smooth sailing? Or when the storm came? Did you not grow more in the storm, in distress, when you were crowded to Christ, and when you had to call upon Him? You are growing by His plan

[Judy Harder]

FEBRUARY 20

Be Not Afraid

"But He saith unto them, 'It is I; be not afraid.'" - John 6:20

Did you know, some 365 times in the Bible, one time for every day in the year, God has told us not to be afraid? Three hundred and sixty-five times, in one way or another, He said. "Be not afraid" or "Fear not." The devil is the sinister minister of fear, but our Lord tells us not to be afraid.

In John chapter 6, the disciples, some of whom are seasoned sailors, are filled with fear. They bend their backs to the oars. It's too far from the shore to swim. The waves are too boisterous. They have an idea that they are going down. And on top of all of this, where is Jesus? Why hasn't He come to them? Why has He forsaken them?

Then they see Him. He's walking on the water. That doesn't bring them joy. Now their fear has turned to raw terror. Who? What is that walking on the water? Is it a phantom? Is it a ghost? And then they recognize—it's Jesus, the wave walker, walking on the water.

I've learned as a pastor that there is a heartache on every pew. We all have storms, if not now, later.

How do you find peace in the midst of your storm?  Peace is not the subtraction of problems from life; peace is the addition of power to meet those problems. That's God's peace. This week, commit to memory John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Judy Harder]

FEBRUARY 21

Immediately, We Will Be On Shore!

"But He saith unto them, 'It is I; be not afraid.' Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went." - John 6:20-21

"They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.... These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:2, 33

Andrew Murray said, "God is willing to assume full responsibility for the life totally yielded to Him." Jesus said, "Be of good cheer. In this world you'll have tribulation. But I've overcome the world." In this world we encounter tribulation, and it's growing more, not less, intense. Where is Jesus? Jesus has overcome the world. That's what He's telling you and me.

The spiritual barometer is falling, and all of us who can read the signs of the times know a storm is gathering. The Bible tells us that. But soon our Lord, who has been on the mountain of His glory praying for us, is going to rise from His throne. And then, walking on the water will be child's play. He'll come stepping on the clouds. He'll come in His glory. And those of us who are here on the sea of time will immediately be on the shores of eternity just like that when He comes. Won't that be a day?

It happened when they received Him into the boat. Have you received Him? Have you trusted Him?

[Judy Harder]

FEBRUARY 22

Dining on a Different Kind of Bread

"Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us." - Numbers 14:9

When the Israelites were headed into the Promised Land, there were some demon-possessed giants called Anakim. And when the twelve spies went to spy out the land, ten came back saying, "The land is full of milk and honey, corn and wine, oil and pomegranates, figs and grapes. But, hey, we can't take this land—there are giants in it!"

But two of the spies said, "Don't fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us." Bread, like your toast this morning. "Their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us; fear them not." They said, "Look, these people are a piece of cake. They're bread for us."

Why do you eat bread? For strength. Bread gives energy. Bread is the staff of life. What was God saying? These things that look like problems? They are your food. "Anakim—the breakfast of champions."

It's when you feed on these problems that you grow. Our Lord isn't looking for softies as disciples. Remember, you're governed by His providence when you're in a storm. He rules over all. And you are growing by His plan. In the storm you're going to grow and become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Judy Harder]

FEBRUARY 23

Cursed

"And unto Adam He said, cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life." - Genesis 3:17

When God created mankind, God put him in a garden. And in the Garden of Eden, there were no thorns. A curse came upon Adam and Eve because they sinned and disobeyed God. What does a crown of thorns speak of? The thorn, the thistle, symbolize the curse upon humanity—on you, on me, on all of us—because of sin.

Jesus wore a crown of thorns because He bore that curse. The thorns on His head speak of the hardship, sorrow, and death that come with sin.

Do you have a heartache? Sorrow? Sickness? Can I tell you the thorny pathway we walk is because of sin? The bed of briars we sleep on is because of sin.

When in sorrow and trials you praise and glorify the Lord, saying with Job"though He slay me, yet will I trust Him," they'll say there's a quality of life about you that is different.

[Judy Harder]

FEBRUARY 24

Abraham Saw My Day

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad." - John 8:56

It is one of the most dramatic scenes in the Old Testament: Isaac, the promised son, was stretched out on an altar. His father Abraham lifted a gleaming knife into the sky, prepared to plunge it into the heart of his son. But then he heard a voice: "Abraham, Abraham, don't harm the lad. I have provided a substitute." Abraham looked—and there was a ram caught in a thicket. The Hebrew word means "a thicket of thorns." His head was caught in the thorns. God said "Abraham, take the ram I have provided and sacrifice him instead." That ram caught in a thicket, crowned with thorns, became the sacrifice that day in the place of the one who would have been sacrificed.

No wonder Jesus said, "Abraham saw My day and was glad." God preached the gospel to Abraham long ago.

Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, has always portrayed for us the Father's willingness to sacrifice His only Son, the Lord Jesus. Thank Him again today for that holy sacrifice. "Jesus paid it all," so we might have it all—eternal life, eternal joy—through Him.

[Judy Harder]

FEBRUARY 25

The Master's Feet

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." - 1 Peter 5:7

I read about a man whose dog was swimming. The man called the dog to go home. The dog was having such a great time, he wouldn't come. So the man picked up a stick and threw it in the water. When the dog saw the stick, he instinctively swam to the stick, put it in his mouth, came back, and laid it at his master's feet.

I wonder if the burden you have has been given to you by God to cause you to come to His feet. Maybe He's called you other ways, but you wouldn't come. Maybe the burden is what God is using to bring you to your Master's feet. But thank God we can cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.

What burden weighs upon your heart today? Did you know that we have a high priest, the Lord Jesus, who, the Bible says, is not high and mighty and aloof, but one who can relate to our sufferings and understand them, for He Himself knew the greatest pain, suffering—and loss. Read Hebrews 4:15, then cast your cares upon Him today.

[Judy Harder]

FEBRUARY 26

Half-hearted Christianity

"But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." - Deuteronomy 4:29

The scourge of the twenty-first century is half‑hearted Christianity. Half-hearted Christianity will not do it. Are you seeking for Christ with all your heart? The Bible says in James 1:8, "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." That word double‑minded literally means "two souls." Here's a man trying to face both ways at the same time. He's trying to live with one foot in the church and one in the world. He's got just enough of the world in him that he can't be happy in church. And he's got just enough Christ in him he can't be happy in the world. He is a spiritual schizophrenic. He is a two-soul man. We are to love the Lord with all our heart.

Is there anything in your life you love more than the Lord Jesus Christ? If so, then my friend, that thing—whatever or whoever it is—has become an idol in your life. Realizing that, what steps can you take today to remove it from the throne and put Christ back in His proper place in your life?