Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

MARCH 25

Why Don't You Ask Me?

"I am a stranger in the earth: hide not Thy commandments from me." - Psalm 119:18-19

One man loved to study the Bible, but every time he came to something he couldn't understand, he thought of his friend Charlie. Charlie was a great student of the Bible. The man would go to him and say, "Charlie what does this verse mean?" Or, "Charlie, tell me about this." One day in his Bible study, the Holy Spirit said to him, "Why don't you ask Me? I'm the One Who taught Charlie!"

I thank God for Bible students and Bible scholars and people who can teach, but the same God Who teaches them is the God Who wants to teach you. As you study the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in His truth.

The Word of God will be dynamite in your life. But to vitalize it, you need to verbalize it. Start speaking the Word of God. Speak it clearly, speak it courageously. You'll discover as you verbalize God's Word, as you share God's Word, as you quote God's Word, as you sing God's Word, as what is in your heart finds its way to your lips, it will mold your mind in a way you never knew before. It will become vital in your heart and in your life.

[Judy Harder]

MARCH 26

The Victorious Christian

"Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God...and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before Me; I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord." - 2 Chronicles 34:27

How many truly victorious Christians do you know? How many genuinely victorious churches are you aware of? You know the problem with many of us? We are failing, but we don't weep over it. We are not living in victory, but it doesn't seem to bother us. We know very little about victory, and we seem to be quite content to live day after day without it. We seem to think that victory is for others, but not for us.

Today's verse occurs at a time of utter devastation in Israel. Young Josiah—a mere boy—became king. He wanted to get things right with God. He humbled himself. Here is God's answer! "Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before Me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before Me; I have even heard thee also," saith the Lord.

This is a beautiful chapter—one you should read today. Do you think you were behind the door when victory was passed out, and it's not your fault you live in defeat? It is your fault if you're not victorious, and you ought to be weeping over your shame and over your sin. Follow Josiah's example in this chapter and humble yourself before our great God.

[Judy Harder]

MARCH 27

Stretched Out in Prayer

"... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." - James 5:16

These words, effectual and fervent, literally mean "stretched out." The idea is of a horse jumping over a barricade, stretched out as he leaps. Or it's like an athlete who's running for the gold, and he bursts for the tape and stretches himself out for the goal. James says that's the way we are to pray. Our prayers are to be on fire! They're to be stretched out, and I don't mean stretched out on your bed half asleep. We are to be striving for the goal. We're to be eager, earnest, fervent, and impassioned in our prayers. God forgive our cold, lukewarm, milk toast, take-it-or-leave-it type of prayers.

When we give without sacrifice, pray without fasting, witness without tears, is it any wonder we sow without results?

How God has convicted my heart as I've studied the book of James! I've had to bow my head, confess my sin and say, "God, forgive my cold, lukewarm, indifferent prayers. May I learn how to pray effectually, fervently, as James taught us to pray." What does James mean when he talks about the conditions that we should meet? He's talking about the intensity of the asking. That's the kind of prayer that brings results.

[Judy Harder]

MARCH 28

Taken Captive

"And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." - 2 Timothy 2:26

I've heard it told how they catch monkeys in the South Sea Islands: they take a coconut, make a hole in the top, and put a hand full of rice in. A monkey will reach his paw in, take the rice; but then his fist is bigger than the hole, and he can't withdraw it. Now, when the captor comes, that monkey will scream and plead; but he'll never let go of the rice.

You say, "Foolish monkey!" Well, foolish person, who will not relinquish the sin he is clinging to, that he might have the blessings of God. Foolish person, taken captive by Satan, who will not have power with God because of some handful of rice — some sin, some habit, some grudge — that he holds onto.

Let go! Don't be captive

[Judy Harder]

MARCH 29

Passionate Prayer

"Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared." - Hebrews 5:7

I read in the book of Hebrews how my Savior prayed with "strong cryings and tears." How that rebukes me. When is the last time you shed a tear over some soul that was mortgaged to the devil? When is the last time that you, like Jacob, said, "Oh God, I will not let You go, except You bless me" (Genesis 32:26)? When is the last time you labored with God in prayer as the Bible says?

Prayer is hard work! For the energy it takes, I'd rather preach than pray. I'd rather study than pray. It takes work to pray. And here's a man—our Savior— Who was praying passionately. He cast himself upon the ground. We need that kind of passion in our prayers.

The effect of my preaching is not measured by how my sermons are outlined or illustrated, but by the power of Almighty God upon my life because I've been alone with God in prayer.

Jesus knew what it was to get alone with God in prayer. Do you know what it is?

[Judy Harder]

MARCH 31

The Deceitfulness of Riches

"And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the Word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful." - Mark 4:18-19

There are many misconceptions and illusions about money. Money can buy some things but not others. It can buy marriage, but it can't buy love. It can buy four years in college, but it can't buy an education. Money can hire a doctor, but it can't make you well. Money can take you almost anywhere except to heaven. It can buy almost anything except happiness. Some people think money means security. But there's no security in money. It fades away.

The Bible speaks of the deceitfulness of riches because earthly treasures can be wiped away so easily. Are you putting your trust and hope in things of eternal value?

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 1

A Child of the King

"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;" - Ephesians 3:8

Have you been complaining about your poverty? Listen, you may not have much money in the bank, but you are immensely wealthy. You're in the King's family! "For the Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." Romans 8:16-17.

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor that ye through His poverty might be rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9. "In everything ye are enriched by Him." 1 Corinthians 1:5.

I want you to remember that you're a prince, a royal blueblood, if you're born again. No matter how poor you may be in this world's eyes, in Jesus Christ, you are rich. You are a child of the King!

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 2

Literally and Figuratively

"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." - Revelation 12:9

Sometimes people ask, "Is the Bible to be interpreted literally or figuratively?" I answer, "Yes!" It is to be interpreted figuratively and literally all at the same time.

The Bible is full of symbolism. But you must find out what the symbol stands for, and then you literally believe it. For example, in the book of Revelation the devil is symbolized as a huge dragon. Don't say, "Oh, that's just symbolism, there is no devil." The golden arches symbolize McDonald's, right? When you see those golden arches, do you say, "Oh, that's just a symbol. There is no McDonald's restaurant. There's no such thing as a hamburger"? You wouldn't say that! No. It's a symbol, but when you know what the symbol stands for, you can apply it literally.

When you open the Word of God, first pray over it. Then ponder it.  Ask these six questions:

1. Is there a promise to claim?
2. Is there a lesson to learn?
3. Is there a blessing to enjoy?
4. Is there a command to obey?
5. Is there a sin to avoid?
6. Is there a new thought to carry with me?

Pray, "Oh God, open my eyes; move upon my heart; give me understanding," and you ponder it.  You think about it. Then with a pen close by, you write these things down.  Read it through, think it clear, write it down, pray it in, live it out, and pass it on.

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 3

Starving Spiritually

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby." - 1 Peter 2:2

Can you imagine a conversation like this?

"I'm just so weak I can hardly get out of bed. I just don't want to go to work, I'm so weak."

"Well, what's the matter? Have you been to the doctor?"

"No."

"Do you have a disease?"

"I don't think so."

"What are you eating?"

"Well, I have this restaurant I go to on Sundays—sometimes—if it's not raining, and I get a meal there. That's all I eat."

"You mean that's all you eat?"

"Yeah, and I'm just so weak."

Friend, organized worship is just to whet your appetite. If you don't learn how to feed yourself the Word of God during the week, you will never grow. You'll be sick and weak spiritually.

Dig in to the abundant nourishment of God's Word. It will be a source of victory and a source of joy.

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 4

As Bright as the Promises of God

"He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was able also to perform." - Romans 4:20-21

Adoniram Judson was a great missionary. He went to Burma and labored long. He prayed, fasted, and witnessed. But rather than seeing souls come to Jesus, Adoniram Judson was arrested. He was tortured and cast into a vile, filthy, vermin-infested prison.

Later when he was home on furlough, he was asked if the prospects were bright for the conversion of the world. His famous reply was, "As bright, Sirs, as the promises of God!"

Every person in this world can say that. If he knows the Lord Jesus Christ, he is an heir of the kingdom of God; and he can say, "My future is as bright as the promises of God."