Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

JANUARY 25

The Ultimate Act of Forgiveness

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." 1 Peter 3:18

Suppose someone were to punch you in the nose? And suppose in an act of compassion you were to say to that person who punched you, "I forgive you." And suppose they responded, "There's no need for you to forgive me. I've already forgiven myself." You'd feel a little cheated. Only the one who was punched can forgive the hitter.

Sin is a clenched fist in the face of God, and only God can forgive sin. There's enough Gospel dynamite in 1 Peter 3:18 to blow the sin, the hatred, the sorrow, and the sickness out of anybody's life, but that dynamite must be ignited by the spark of faith.

Is there someone in your life you need to forgive? Maybe someone from whom you need to ask forgiveness? Go do it now. Tomorrow may never come.

[Judy Harder]

JANUARY 26

God's Provision in the Midst of Suffering

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20

Over and over again, people will ask me this question, "If there is a God, why is there so much suffering?" There's never an easy answer to that question when someone is grieving or suffering, but God has taught me that the universe has a disease. And God cannot remove the pain until the last vestige of sin is gone. The worst thing that could happen to human beings would be for us to live in a world cursed by sin, and yet the world seem to be a paradise. We would never come to God.

God has showered this world with immeasurable mercies. Focus today, not on the suffering, but on the provision of God's grace.

[Judy Harder]

JANUARY 28

Being Spirit-Filled

"...Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" Acts 9:6

So many Christians want to be Spirit-filled, but have they ever asked why God should fill them with His Spirit?

I want you to imagine a man pushing a car into a service station. It has no battery in it. The car has four flat tires, a hole in the gas tank, and half the wires are disconnected. The attendant comes out, looks at this rattle trap, and says, "May I help you?"

The man says, "Yeah, fill 'er up."

What do you think that attendant would say? "What for?" would be appropriate.

I think God sometimes says, "What for?" to us. Instead, we need to just sign the contract at the bottom and say, "Lord, You fill it in."

Bow before the Lord, open your hands, and say, "Lord, It's all You. I am nothing but a vessel for You to use. Use me as You will."

[Judy Harder]

Love Worth Finding

Friday, January 29, 2010


Authority in a Generation Gone Astray

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Romans 13:1

Our generation doesn't like the word authority. We don't like to be under anybody. We stick out our chests and talk about being free-born Americans.

If you're a baby boomer, you're of a generation of anti-authority figures. In your lifetime you've gone through the hula hoop, the Barbie doll, pop psychology, Dr. Spock, Donahue, and the Beatles. It was all anti-authority! Fathers were Archie Bunker. Preachers were Flip Wilson. The anthem was, "Do your thing. If it feels good, do it." Many of us dare not realize the vestiges of rebellion that still lurk down in our hearts.

Give some serious thought to the question: Who is on the throne of my life today?

[Judy Harder]

  Love Worth Finding
 
JANUARY 30

One Way to Salvation

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6

Materialism says, "Buy your way out." The politician says, "Legislate." The army says, "Fight." Industry says, "Work." The philosopher says, "Think." But Jesus says, "There's no way out but through Me."

Jesus will save you by His grace, and He'll save you all by Himself or you won't be saved at all.

When you are saved by the grace of God, you are saved instantly, and you are saved eternally. Your goodness is not enough to save you, and your badness is not enough to keep you away. Jesus loves you so much that He died to save you.

Have you taken Jesus at His Word and followed His way of salvation? Maybe you have a friend who needs this truth today. Share it; don't suppress it.

[Judy Harder]

January 31

Light Obeyed Increases Light

"Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart." Psalm 119:34

Is God righteous? Yes! How is the righteousness of God revealed? It is revealed "from faith to faith." Here's how that works:

God gives you truth; you believe that truth; then God gives you more truth. The more you obey the light, the more light you get.

The reason some of us don't understand the Bible any more than we do is because we have not been living up to the light God has already given us. If you want to understand the part of the Bible that you don't understand, then begin to obey the part that you do understand. Then you'll begin to understand what you didn't understand. Understand?

Ask God for faith that will reveal to you the hidden truths of His Word that are hard for you to understand right now.

[Judy Harder]

February 1

How to Know the Will of God

"If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7

Do you want to know the will of God in your life? Here's a test: How much time do you spend reading the Bible?

Do you think God really believes us when we say we want to know His will if we don't take even 15 minutes a day to read the one Book above all books that He has specifically written to show us His will — to reveal His will to us, to unfold His will to us?

Your first step in knowing His will is the surrender principle — surrendering your will to His. Your second step is the scripture principle. Read His word, meditate upon it, share it, and study it. When you bow to His will and read His will, you'll know His will.

Commit to reading God's Word at least 15 minutes a day for 30 days. When the month is over, re­evaluate what you have learned and ask God to help you be obedient to daily Bible reading from that day forward.

[Judy Harder]

February 2

Praying Vain Repetitions

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen d for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Matthew 6:7

It was a very long, tiring day. I had preached three sermons and dictated a stack of letters. And at the close of each letter I ended it, "In Jesus' name, Adrian Rogers."

A man came to me at the end of a service and said, "I must see you. I have a severe problem." I was bone weary but I said, "Very well, come on back and let's talk."

He talked and I listened. My heart was moved with compassion. I said, "Let me pray for you." And when I finished I said, "In Jesus' name, Adrian Rogers." And then I thought, "Oh my! Did I say that? Did he hear me say that?" How easily we slip and rattle off our prayers.

Do you find yourself using repetitive phrases in your prayer life? Today, just talk with God. Don't think too much about your words. Follow your heart.

[Judy Harder]

February 3

Why Doesn't God Obliterate Evil?

"Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine." 1 Chronicles 29:11

Have you ever wondered why God doesn't obliterate the devil and eradicate all sin?

If God destroyed evil, God would destroy every opportunity of choice, for we would no longer have the freedom to choose good over evil. And if God were to destroy every opportunity for choice, then God would destroy every opportunity for us to choose freely to love. Therefore, God would destroy the highest good.

For God to destroy evil would be evil. God doesn't destroy evil; instead God defeats evil. How? Through Calvary and the resurrection, God turns every hurt into a hallelujah. Every defeat into victory!

Spend some time today thinking about heaven and the glorious reunion you're going to have with Him one day

[Judy Harder]

February 4

The Lesson of Prayer

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

Some time ago I was invited to preach in another state, but my schedule was such that I could not go. When they offered to send a private plane, I agreed.

As we flew over Arkansas, the pilot asked me if I wanted to try my hand at flying the plane, and I said, "Yes!"

Of course, he was sitting right next to me. He could fly the plane without me, but I couldn't fly it without him. He had his hands on his controls all the while, and he allowed me to participate with him.

That's the way prayer is.

God can do it without you, but God enables you to have fellowship with Him and teaches you a dependency upon Him through prayer.

Kneel before Him today. Meditate on 1 Chronicles 16:23-36. Glory in His presence.