Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

September 26

Our Giving God

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." - James 1:5

James 1:5 tells us that if we lack wisdom, we are to ask God. Let me tell you what that literally means. If you lack wisdom, ask of the "giving" God. Have you thought of God as the "giving" God?

What does it mean to you that God yearns to pour out His blessing upon you? Do you say to yourself, "Oh goodie, goodie, let me see what I can get from God"?

Or does it humble you that the Almighty God who created the air you breathe, the ground you walk upon, and the body you are draped in...this God loves you and wants to bless you? I pray it is the latter, for that is the heart of a child of God.

[Judy Harder]

September 27

Our Unchanging Father

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." - 1 Corinthians 2:14

God made the mind of man. All true discoveries and all true knowledge in this world come from God. It is God's Truth and we do not have to be afraid of it. But that doesn't mean we are to casually stroll down the devil's lane of godless philosophies.

God's Truth doesn't change like philosophies. Malachi 3:6a says, "For I am the Lord, I change not." I don't know whether that means anything to you, but it means an awful lot to me, dear friend.

The same God who loved us enough to put His Son on the cross two thousand years ago still loves us with that same love today. We don't have to worry when we come to God in prayer that we might catch Him in a bad mood. Now, if that doesn't start your motor, you don't have one.

[Judy Harder]

September 29

Making the First Thing the First Thing

"Who can understand his errors? Cleanse Thou me from secret faults." - Psalm 19:12

I believe in church attendance, but if your relationship with the Lord and with others is suffering, then you need to stay at home and get on your face before God.

Sometimes a businessman will get very prosperous in his business—and at first it seems a good thing. He tells his wife, "Honey, you know how I couldn't give you much when we got married? Well, now I can." But soon the pursuit of a nice home and nice things consume him. A sadness descends upon his wife and children, and they lament, "Oh, Daddy....Oh, Husband...what we would give to just have you spend time with us."

What tragedy it would be if what you do for Jesus keeps you from Jesus. Stop the cycle today. If you know you're a workaholic, stop it. If you know your walk is far from God, get it right.

[Judy Harder]

September 30

Going Through the Valley

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me." - Psalm 23:4

Psalm 23 is perched between Psalm 22, which tells about the crucifixion of Jesus, and Psalm 24, which is a prophecy of the coronation of Jesus. It is beautiful trilogy about the Savior's cross, the Shepherd's crook, and the Sovereign's crown.

Psalm 23 is the valley between the blood-drenched slopes of Mount Calvary and the sunlit peaks of Mount Zion. Thank God for every valley, because there must be a mountain.

If you are in the valley today, remember that you wouldn't be there had there not been mountains to cross. There is vision in the valley and hope in the hills.

[Judy Harder]

October 1

Have to? Need to? Or WANT to?

"For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more." - 1 Corinthians 9:19

There are three reasons for obedience. A slave obeys because he has to.  An employee obeys because he needs to. But a loving son obeys because he wants to.

So many of us live like slaves, when Jesus has said, "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you" (John 15:15).

I don't work for my salvation—that work has been done by my Lord. But I will work like any slave for the love of God. What about you?

[Judy Harder]

October 2

What If It Were Today?

"And every man that hath this hope in Him purifies himself, even as he is pure." - 1 John 3:3

Two little girls were talking in school one day, and one said to the other, "I hear the school board is making an inspection of our school this week."

The other girl's desk was messy, so she said, "I'll clean it up tomorrow."

The first one asked, "But what if they come today?"

Her friend said, "You know, I think I'll clean it up right now—and keep it clean."

If you knew that Jesus was coming to your house this afternoon, would there be any cleaning you would need to do? Any magazines or videos you would need to trash? Any pictures on the walls you would need to take down?

[Judy Harder]

October 3

The Only Thing You Have that God Wants.

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it." - Matthew 10:39

We have nothing that God needs. Think about that. If I were to give God my riches, I couldn't make Him richer. He owns everything. If I were to give God my wisdom, I wouldn't make Him wiser. He is the all-wise God. If I were to give God my power, I couldn't make God more powerful. He is omnipotent.

God wants only one thing from His children—our hearts. If we pray to God without giving Him our heart, we are mocking Him. If we preach without giving God our hearts, we are preaching in ignorance.

God is saying to you today, "Give Me your heart." How will you respond?

[Judy Harder]

October 4

Studying Under the Best

"I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth: for Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name." - Psalm 138:2

There was a man who loved to study the Bible, and every time he came to something he didn't understand, he asked his friend Charlie, "What does this verse mean?" One day in his Bible study, the Holy Spirit said, "Why don't you ask Me? I'm the one who taught Charlie."

Now, I thank God for the Bible scholars who teach God's Word, but the same God that teaches these men and women is the One who wants to teach you.

As you read the Bible, I want you to ask God to help you answer these questions: 1) Is there a lesson to learn? 2) Is there a sin to avoid? 3) Is there a blessing to enjoy? 4) Is there a promise to claim? 5) Is there a new thought to carry with me?

[Judy Harder]

October 6

The Divine Exchange, Part One

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." - Isaiah 53:6

Jesus suffered like you suffer. But He suffered more than that, because He took not only your suffering, but He also took upon Himself the suffering of the world. The sins of the world were compressed and distilled upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrew scholars tell us that there is an intensive plural in Isaiah 53 that speaks of the death of Christ. They say that it literally means that He "died a thousand deaths."

Do you know what that means? It means that Jesus, being infinite, suffered for a finite amount of time what you, being finite, would suffer for an infinite amount of time. A great exchange took place. He suffered upon that cross an eternity of hell for every one of us.

Can you say today with the songwriter...

"What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners' gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 'Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace."

[Judy Harder]

October 7

More About the Divine Exchange

"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." - 1 Corinthians 1:30

The church is not an organization with Jesus Christ as its president. The church is an organism with Jesus Christ as its head. We are in Him and He is in us. The victory He won on the cross was for us.

When Jesus went to the cross, He wasn't fighting the battle for Himself. He didn't need to overcome Satan. He fought it on your behalf. He made the transaction, the divine exchange:

Jesus became the Son of man that you might become a son of God. He took your sins that you might take His innocence. He became guilty that you might become acquitted. He was filled with despair that you might be filled with joy. He took your shame that you might take His glory. He suffered the pains of hell, that you might know the joys of heaven.

"What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest Friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love for Thee."