Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

July 18

Specks, Beams, and Judges

"Judge not, that ye be not judged." -  Matthew 7:1

What do you think "the beam" means in the question Jesus asked, "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (Matthew 7:3). Do you think Jesus is referring to something as heinous as adultery or murder?

If you knew the crowd to whom Jesus was talking, you would know that wasn't the problem. You see, He was talking to the Pharisees. The beam in their eyes was their attitude toward the speck in their brother's eye.

They were arrogant, prideful, and hypocritical.

God forbid that you and I become like those religious zealots who knew nothing of the loving humility of our Savior. God help us remove the sawdust from our own eyes before we ever think to judge another!

[Judy Harder]

July 19

Are You Beginning Your Day in His Presence?

"My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up." - Psalm 5:3

Most Christians fail in their Christian life for one simple reason: They fail to have a quiet time. They fail to start the day with Jesus.

It is so simple. They say, "Why am I failing? Why don't I have the victory? Why don't I understand?" And I want to respond, "Why don't you get quiet before God at the beginning of your day and saturate your soul with His presence and bathe your heart with His Word?"

Someone once wrote, "Every morning lean thine arms a while upon the windowsill of heaven and gaze upon thy Lord. And then with the vision in thy heart, turn strong to meet the day."

[Judy Harder]

July 20

Jesus—the One and Only

"For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him." - Colossians 1:16

Jesus Christ is the power of creation. The little baby who was born in a manger was the great Creator talked about in Genesis chapter one. In fact, that little baby created His mother Mary in the first place. When He was born, He was as old as His Father, and older than His mother.

If you look at the little word "for" in our passage today, you will discover that it means "motion toward an object." The reason for everything was Jesus. Not only was everything made by Him, but it was made for Him. And everything is coming back to Him.

All of life will climax in Jesus Christ. He is the power of creation, the preserver of creation, and the purpose of creation.

Stop right now and ponder this: Everything was made by Him, Through Him all things hold together, and before Him one day every knee shall bow—every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

[Judy Harder]

July 21

See Him Walking on the Water

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." - Psalm 55:22

Have you ever wondered why Jesus "constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side" (Matthew 14:22), knowing that a storm was going to brew shortly after they set sail? Why would He send them right into the teeth of a stormy gale?

Because He wanted them to know that He was sufficient for them. He wanted them to worship Him. Your storm is nothing but a superhighway to bring Jesus to you. It is the vehicle that moves you from a head knowledge to an experiential understanding that God is Who He says He is.

It was Andre Crouch who said, "For if I never had a problem, I would never know that God could solve them. And I would never know what faith in His Word could do."

When the storm comes your way—and it will—look up, and through the surrounding fog, see Jesus...walking toward you on the water.

[Judy Harder]

July 22

You Are His Masterpiece

"According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue." - 2 Peter 1:3

A violinist stepped out onto a stage one evening and drew the bow across his violin. The room fell silent as out came the most glorious music the audience had ever heard. When he finished, the crowd leaped to their feet and gave ovation after ovation.

What happened next shocked everyone speechless. The violinist broke the violin into a thousand pieces on the podium. He looked at the audience and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, don't be dismayed. This was only a three and a half dollar violin. It is not so much the violin that makes the music as it is the man who draws the bow."

Little is so much when God is in it. God can take a life that may be comparable to a $3.50 violin and turn it into a masterpiece.

You may feel today that your life is as insignificant as a $3.50 violin. But consider what can happen when the Master holds you close to His face and draws His bow across the strings of your life! Yield yourself totally to Him.

[Judy Harder]

July 23

Living in the Shadow of His Storehouse

"For though He was crucified through weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you." - 2 Corinthians 13:4

Are you facing a problem you need to solve? We can learn a lot about problem-solving by reading the miracle Jesus performed in the feeding of the 5,000.

When Jesus and the disciples discovered thousands of hungry people, He asked Philip, "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" (John 6:5). Now, Jesus wasn't asking for information. He already knew what He was going to do. Instead, He was trying to give Philip a revelation:  we should never assess our problems in the light of our own resources or strength.

We have no right to ask the world to believe our message unless there is something about us that is unexplainable and supernatural. There must be a divine dimension to our lives. He is your sustainer and provider.

[Judy Harder]

July 24

Staying On Course

"O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day." - Psalm 119:97

Do you know the first words Paul uttered when he met the Lord Jesus on the Damascus Road? He said, "What will Thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6).

He didn't say, "Lord, what will others have me to do?" Or, "What will Thou have others to do?" God had a personal plan for his life. He stayed on the course and didn't shirk his passion when the going got tough. Nothing could stop Paul.

Will you be able to say that? The hounds of hell are mocking you even now. Are you firmly focused on Jesus so that nothing can deter you from accomplishing His will, from loving Him with all your heart, from devoting every ounce of who you are to Him?

[Judy Harder]

July 25

In Training for Reigning

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." - Romans 5:17

Why did God come down through the dark Judean night through the portals of a virgin's womb to be born a man? Why did He exchange His glory for flesh and blood? One reason was to restore to us the dominion we had lost as the people of God.

You may not realize that God made you to rule, but He did. God created us to be kings and queens (see Genesis 1:26). But how many people realize their God-given dominion today?

Jesus righteously regained our dominion and spoiled the principalities and powers of this world when He bowed His head and said, "It is finished" (John 19:30).

You were created for His glory, and one day, the Bible tells us, we will reign with him. You, saints, are in training for reigning.  When you look in the mirror, see a child of the King.
 

[Judy Harder]

July 26

Jesus Gives You Authority

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." - Luke 10:19

The word "power" is repeated in this passage in Luke, but it has two different meanings. The first "power" is from the Greek word "exousia" and it has the meaning of authority. The second "power" is from the Greek word "dunamis." We get the English word for "dynamite" from this word.

Jesus gives us authority over the force of the enemy. We do not defeat the devil with strength; we defeat him with authority. Is Satan wiser than you? Yes, with a perverted wisdom. Is he stronger than you? Yes, with a malevolent strength. Is Satan more powerful than you? Yes, but you stop him when you stand against him with the authority God has given you. And he knows that.

When you begin to fight your battles, not in your strength, but in God's strength, then you are going to see Satan begin to cower before you.

[Judy Harder]

July 27

Worship Must Precede Everything Else

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him." - John 4:23

The Father seeks to commune with you in worship. He is not looking for your money, your glory, or your strength. He is looking for your heart. C. S. Lewis said, "It is in the process of being worshiped that God communicates His presence to men."

If you are not worshiping God, but you are serving Him (or so you think), you are making a big mistake. To pray without worship is mockery. To sing without worship is sounding brass. To work without worship is an insult to God. To teach without worship is ignorance. To serve without worship is hypocrisy. To witness without worship is perjury. God wants your worship.