Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

June 17

Our Abba Father

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Galatians 4:6

Do you know what "Abba" means?  It means "Daddy Father." Have you ever thought about God as your Daddy? When Jesus taught us to pray "Our Father" in Matthew 6:9, the same word in Greek is the word "Pater" – "Abba Father."

American children say, "Da-da."  But in the Middle East they say, "Abba - Abba." Jesus says that we can call the great God of the universe "Daddy."

I'm so glad that our Heavenly Father never gets too busy running this universe and commanding the angels that He forgets us. He wants to be with you like there is no one else on earth and nothing else for Him to do.

Do you wish you had a hug right now? You can crawl up into the lap of your Daddy Father and He has nothing better to do than to give you a hug.

[Judy Harder]

June 18

Without Even Saying A Word

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go." Psalm 32:8

I was talking to my son one day, and he reminded me of something that happened when he was a little boy. He said, "Dad, I was sitting in church, and you looked at me, and I knew I was going to get a whipping when I got home."

If you're married, you know how your spouse can give you that look that says, "Whatever you're talking about — stop!" That's the intimate relationship that people who know one another well establish. You're to have such an intimate relationship with God that He can just look at you and your heart is touched.

Throughout the day today, think of the eye of the Lord upon you...allow this to direct your steps and give you courage.

[Judy Harder]

June 19

A Challenge for Fathers

"Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders." Proverbs 31:23

Once a year we celebrate fathers. Maybe you are one. Let me give you a challenge. One father said,

"If I had it to do all over again, I'd love my wife more in front of my children. I'd laugh with my children more. I'd listen more, even to the youngest child. I'd be more honest about my own weaknesses and stop pretending perfection. I would pray differently for my children. I would be more encouraging and bestow more praise. And finally, if I had it to do all over again, I would use every ordinary thing that happened in every ordinary day to point them to God."

Praise God for the impact of godly fathers in our lives!

If there's going to be music in marriage, the dad has to be the leader of the band. Celebrate the dad in your life today!

[Judy Harder]

June 20

Never Another Like the Lord Jesus Christ

"And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands." Hebrews 1:10

Nobody knows the exact date of Jesus' birth, and yet His birth has divided all of history to A.D. and B.C.  He never, so far as we know, wrote a book, and yet more books have been written about Him than any other person. He never painted a picture or composed any poetry or music that we know of, and yet He has been the inspiration of the greatest music, art, and poetry that the world has ever known. He never had any formal education, yet more schools, colleges, universities, and seminaries have been founded in His name than any other person who ever lived.

That's who the Lord Jesus is, and never has there been another like the Lord Jesus Christ!

Read Hebrews 1:1-14. Marvel at His majesty! Praise His omnipotence!

[Judy Harder]

June 21

God's Holiness, Love and Mercy

"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21

God will never overlook sin. He cannot. God is holy, and by His holiness He has sworn that sin will be punished. If God were to let one half of one sin go unpunished, God would no longer be holy.

The chief attribute of God is not love — it is holiness.

The cross is God's way to punish sin and forgive the sinner at the same time. "He who knew no sin," God has made to be sin for us. The price that Jesus paid,  only the damned in hell can begin to know, but even they'll never know because they're only paying their sin debt. Jesus paid for all the sin of all of the people for all time.

Read Revelation 4:8. Let your anthem throughout the day be, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."

[Judy Harder]

JUNE 22

Nothing Less Than God's Optimum for Your Life

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

Do you love Christ? Do you long to please Him with all your heart? Then remember this: God's delays are not God's denials.

Many a Christian feels he is out in the wilderness — that all he is doing is being led about in circles. Maybe God is grooming you. He is not ready to thrust you into heavy responsibilities as yet. He has you in a holding pattern for His holy purpose. Life is a journey that does not end. God is preparing something wonderful for you. He doesn't want you to settle for less than His optimum for your life and your work.

Commit Jeremiah 29:11-13 to memory this week, then share this truth with a friend!

[Judy Harder]

JUNE 23

Where Is Your Treasure?

". . . for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:21

There are many people who think  they are wealthy who are not. We've seen the television series "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," and many times it should be called "Lifestyles of the Rich and Foolish."

When is a rich man poor? When he tries to find satisfaction in his money. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, said, "He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver" (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

A man of modest income said to a man who was very rich, "I have more than you have."  The rich man said, "How is that so?"  He anwered, "Because I have all I want, and you don't."

When you set your goal to be wealthy, then money becomes your master rather than your servant. What is your goal with your finances?

[Judy Harder]

JUNE 24

Complete Confidence in the Lord

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

There must be complete confidence in the Lord to take care of us because this complete confidence will lead to constant compliance. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us we are to trust with all our heart (not just part of it), and we're to acknowledge Him in all our ways (not just some of our ways).

God won't take part of it. You can't say, "Lord, I want Your will in my social life, but I don't want Your will in my business life."  Or, "I want Your will in my church life, but I don't want Your will in my relationships." You just can't do that. If He's worth part of it He's worth all of it.

What are you holding onto today? Give it all to Jesus. Instant obedience will bring incredible blessing.

[Judy Harder]

JUNE 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]

JUNE 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.