Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

September 4

The Secret of Life

"And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on Me." John 16:8-9

What would you think of someone who gave you the secret of life? Do you think you might instantly call him your best friend? You bet! That's what the Holy Spirit did for you.

The Holy Spirit gave you the secret to, not only life, but eternal life! He convicted you of your sin. He drew you to Christ (John 6:44).

Don't get the idea that anybody can simply come of his own will and his own volition to Jesus Christ. No one could come; no one would come except by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit has given you the secret of life. And He has drawn you there Himself! That's some best friend, wouldn't you say?

Don't keep quiet about your Best Friend today. He wants to be known and He's given you the privilege to be His messenger. Share Him with those you care about today.

[Judy Harder]

September 4

The Secret of Life

"And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on Me." John 16:8-9

What would you think of someone who gave you the secret of life? Do you think you might instantly call him your best friend? You bet! That's what the Holy Spirit did for you.

The Holy Spirit gave you the secret to, not only life, but eternal life! He convicted you of your sin. He drew you to Christ (John 6:44).

Don't get the idea that anybody can simply come of his own will and his own volition to Jesus Christ. No one could come; no one would come except by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit has given you the secret of life. And He has drawn you there Himself! That's some best friend, wouldn't you say?

Don't keep quiet about your Best Friend today. He wants to be known and He's given you the privilege to be His messenger. Share Him with those you care about today.

[Judy Harder]

September 8

Sealed with the Holy Spirit

"...ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." Ephesians 1:13

The moment you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit of God seals you into Himself.

What does it mean to be sealed? It means to put the King's seal on you. The King's seal can be broken by no man. That means you are His for all time and eternity.

Second Timothy 2:19 says, "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His." You are sealed into a relationship with God by the Holy Spirit.

Read Daniel 6 and Matthew 27. Note the similarities in the accounts of Daniel and Jesus being sealed away for death and how the Almighty God delivered them unto life!

[Judy Harder]

September 9

The Power of the Word of God

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" Romans 11:33

We must guard ourselves against lowering the standard of God's Word to our level of understanding or political correctness. And we must guard ourselves against raising our standard of tradition above the standard of His Word.

The Bible is not meant to be paraded past the judgment bar of your mind.

You can argue with it, but why?

You can pick up and read any other book, but this is the book that reads you. It pulsates with life and power. It cuts, burns, crushes, and wields mountain-moving power. His Word has a life of its own. It is the voice of God to you.

You cannot refuse it, deny it, distort it, or dilute it. You can only bow before it.

When was the last time you studied the history behind the Word of God? Search the Internet or go to a bookstore or your church's library and study how the translations were discovered and passed on.

[Judy Harder]

September 10

Heirs Together of the Grace of Life

"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." Ephesians 5:21

First Corinthians 11:3 says that "the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God."

Sometimes we get confused about what it means to be the "head" of the family. Anything with no head is dead and anything with two heads is abnormal.

Just because the man is the head doesn't mean that the wife is inferior. Both men and women bear the image of God. Both are heirs of the grace of life. Both are equal before God.

But while male and female are equal, God has given them different roles. In the family, men have been given the role of leader. How would our world function if no one was in charge? How would your body function without your head?

Pray for leaders in your home, community, church, state, and nation.

[Judy Harder]

September 11

Two Funerals and One Wedding

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it." Ephesians 5:25

Do you know what most marriages need? Two funerals and one wedding where both the husband and the wife die to themselves and come alive to Jesus Christ.

You see, when a man loves his wife passionately, there's nothing too precious for that man to give up for his wife, except his relationship to Almighty God. When there's that kind of love shown to a woman, I dare say the topic of submission wouldn't be an issue.

Most women don't mind submitting to the leadership of a man who loves her enough to die for her and shows it by the way he lives for her.

Are you married? Then go on a date this week with your spouse. 

Are you single? Pray that God would prepare you to be the spouse your mate will need.

[Judy Harder]

September 12

86,000 Gifts from God

"My times are in Thy hand." Psalm 31:15

God's great gift to you is Jesus. His second greatest gift is time.

Every second we have life is a gift from God. Has it ever occurred to you that for you to cease living, God would not have to take your life? All God would have to do is stop giving you life!

Your time is in His hands.

You are a steward of the time He has given you.

We have 86,000 seconds in the day no more, no less. The difference is stewardship.

Today is check-up day.  How are you redeeming your 86,000 seconds each day to the glory of God? Are you lagging behind God or running ahead of Him?

[Judy Harder]

September 13

Share a Smile Today

"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance." Proverbs 15:13

What is a smile?

Here is something from an anonymous source:

A smile costs nothing, but creates much good.
It enriches those who receive it without impoverishing those who give it away.
It happens in a flash, but the memory of it can last forever.
No one is so rich that he can get along without it.
No one is too poor to feel rich when receiving it.
It is rest to the weary, daylight to the discouraged,
     sunshine to the sad and nature's best antidote for trouble.
Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen.

When you get dressed this morning, don't forget to put on a smile. Wear a smile all day from the inner joy that only Jesus can bring to your heart. Don't feel an inner joy? Then, ask for one!

[Judy Harder]

September 14

Your Sense of Humor - a Gift from God

"Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." Psalm 32:11 

A merry heart has the ability to capture and enjoy those wonderful times of life and let them turn to laughter.

Your sense of humor is a gift from God.

Research studies have shown that laughter, along with a well-rounded sense of humor, is one of the sure signs of intelligence. It is also known to produce endorphins in your body that generate feelings of well-being.

Good, wholesome laughter is a gift from God. Abraham Lincoln said, "God must have meant for us to laugh, or else he would not have made so many mules, parrots, monkeys and human beings. God wants us to laugh."

Pass along the gift of laughter today to someone. Tell a good, wholesome joke. Send an email of a funny story to a friend that you haven't talked to in a while.

[Judy Harder]

September 15

Forgetting What's Behind, Reaching for What's Ahead

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12

There are two days that can steal the joy from today. One is yesterday. The other is tomorrow.

Paul exhorts in Philippians 3:13-14, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

We are to forget the past — the guilt, the glory, the grief, and the grudges.

Paul was one who was guilty, along with others, for the stoning of Stephen. He said he was the chiefest of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). But, Paul buried that guilt in the grave of God's forgetfulness.

Maybe you've done something so horrible, that you're gripped with fear to think someone would find out what you've done. Have you repented? Then, don't be haunted by the ghost of guilt.