Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

Single-mindedness

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance." 1 Peter 1:13-14

"Gird up your loins" is a figure of speech mentioned a few times in God's Word. Here's a phrase we use today to say the same thing: roll up your sleeves. It means to get serious about what you're doing.

We need to get serious about being Christians and living for God. One aspect of that is to have "a single mind."

Have you ever heard the expression "Don't put all your eggs in one basket"? I believe Peter would tell us to do just that, then label that basket, "Jesus is coming back!"

We need to be single-minded, living with a passionate, burning focus upon His return.

What are you doing today in anticipation of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? Are you living with the understanding that Christ could return at any moment?

[Judy Harder]

February 24

Is Trusting God a Challenge for You?

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." Psalm 37:3

This word "trust" is an interesting word. Its root is from the word that means "to lie face down on the ground."

The idea is that a person is totally helpless. He has been cast down and has nothing to stand upon. Some would say his pins have gone out from underneath him. He has no visible means of support.

That is the place where God wants to bring us—where we have no physical means of support and all we have is God.

As a matter of fact, did you know that God will sometimes knock your feet out from beneath you so that you might learn to trust Him? At that point, faith is no longer an option or a luxury; it is a necessity. To the world your situation looks hopeless, but that is right where God wants to show Himself powerful in your life.

Is there an area in your life today for which you must trust God completely? Perhaps you need some "face time". . .face down on the ground before the Lord. Bring that issue before Him in total surrender.

[Judy Harder]

February 25

Like Father, Like Son?

"And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory." Isaiah 6:3

Of all the reasons I can think of for living a holy life, one of the most important is for us to identify with God. He is the thrice-holy God of Israel. Holy is the Father, holy is the Son, and holy is the Spirit.

What does it mean to be identified with God's character of holiness? Have you ever heard the expression "like father, like son"? That's what it means to be identified with God.

I am a Rogers. My father's name is Arden Duncan Rogers. I have become a partaker of his nature, and you would expect to find his characteristics in me because in the physical realm, he has fathered me.

Because we are God's children, there ought to be His likeness in our lives and His likeness is holiness.

In prayer today, ask the Lord to point out to you any area in your life that violates His holiness or is holding you back from reflecting His likeness.

[Judy Harder]

February 26

Open the Windows—Let in the Light

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

If you want victory, you must expose the place of your doubts and fears. Many of us are not willing to do that. The devil has intimidated so many of us that we hide our eyes from the sunshine of God's light. There is really nothing to be afraid of when it comes to the devil.

Do you know what fear is? False Evidence Appearing Real. You can be fooled by false evidence. Take a bank robber with his hand in his coat pocket pretending it is a gun. His power comes from the power of deception. His power is the power of fear!

Friend, victory's arrows cannot be shot through closed windows. Is there any area of your life that you have been unwilling to open the window on? Turn your face to the light and give it to God.

[Judy Harder]

February 27

Waiting for Your Sunrise

"For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." - Psalm 30:5

God allows us to have "blue" seasons where there is more weeping than laughing. What we must remember is, it is only for a season. That is crucial. Joy will come in the morning, just as sure as the sunrise.

If you get up tomorrow morning to see the sunrise, let me tell you what not to do. Don't try to make it hurry up. You can't do it. You can get a brass band and some cheerleaders, but that sun is not going to come up one second sooner than God intends.

Waiting on the Lord is like waiting on the sun to come up. You can't hurry it. You also can't stop it. God is going to bring a sunrise to your soul. Just wait for it. And trust Him while you wait.

[Judy Harder]

February 28

Is God Enough?

"We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company." Psalm 55:14

The church has the sweetest fellowship this side of heaven. There are brothers and sisters who are loving, encouraging, and exhorting us as we serve alongside each other to the glory of God.

But suppose God took you out of that precious fellowship. What if you became so ill you had to be hospitalized with no visitors for days on end? What if you were transferred to Siberia and there wasn't a Christian around for 250 miles? Or what if you decide not to smoke pot when all your friends are doing it? Or decide to abstain from premarital sex? Or choose to not go drinking with your college buddies?

Is God enough when your dearest friend on earth forsakes or fails you? Is He enough of a friend that you can stand with Him alone?

God is enough, but you will not realize it until you have begun to cultivate sweet fellowship with Him. How? Someone once said the best way to spell "relationship" is T-I-M-E. Spend time with your Savior in prayer and meditating on His Word.

[Judy Harder]

February 29

Love? Or Knowledge?

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." 1 Corinthians 13:13

A little girl was reading the Bible one day and came across a picture of angels. She asked her daddy, "What is the difference between a cherubim and a seraphim?" Well, this daddy didn't know, but he took her to the encyclopedia and they looked for the answer.

He discovered the cherubim excelled in knowledge, and seraphim excelled in love.

The little girl thought for a minute and said, "When I die, I will be a seraphim. I'd rather love God than know everything." That's pretty good!

First Corinthians 13:2 says, "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." Love excels knowledge.

[Judy Harder]

MARCH 1

What You "Have"—Or What You ARE?

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night." Psalm 1:1-2

The Beatitudes teach us the heart of the way we are to live, just like the Old Testament's Ten Commandments teach us how we are to live. Now, there is a key word in what I just said, and that word is "are." You see, the world is more interested in the word "have."

If you have "things," then you are considered blessed by the world's interpretation of that word. The world thinks happiness comes from your ability, money, cleverness, possessions, good looks, power, or fame. But I think we both know people who have a lot and they are perfectly miserable. Happiness does not come from what a man has, but from what a man is.

[Judy Harder]

MARCH 2

Willing to Admit—We Are Bankrupt!

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:3

What does it mean to be "poor in spirit"? To qualify as the cruise director for the Titanic? No. Jesus is talking about someone who recognizes himself as spiritually bankrupt in the sight of God. It literally means that we come to the end of our self-reliance.

You will never discover the true riches of the Christian life until you first admit your bankrupt condition before heaven. And some of us don't want to admit that. But let me remind you of something: God created the world out of nothing. That is His nature. He will not make anything out of you, until you become nothing.

Have you admitted that you are a lost sinner in the sight of God? That you have nothing to offer Him? Friend, if you think you can get to heaven any other way, you are sorely mistaken. You don't know how holy God is and how sinful you are.
 

[Judy Harder]

MARCH 3

Are You Mourning Your Sin?

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4

Jesus purposefully sequenced the Beatitudes in this order because this is the way we grow in sanctification. First, we see our bankrupt condition (Matthew 5:3) then it breaks our heart (Matthew 5:4).

This word "mourn" speaks of the strongest kind of lamentation, not just a sentimental tear. What we need today are men and women who are broken over their sin.

Proverbs 14:9 says, "Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favor." Jesus speaks of this favor when He says that we will be comforted. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter who will strengthen us when we are broken over our sin.

Do you know where we ought to be? On our face before God in bitter tears over the barrenness of our lives, the coldness of our hearts, and the wickedness of our attitudes. And what will be the outcome? We will be comforted.