Heartlight/Leaves of Light

[Judy Harder]

August 13


Ephesians 2:10
We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Thoughts on today's verse

The Psalmist reminded us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and God has something definite planned for us to do while we are here. We display his craftsmanship and skill when we intentionally live for him and not like the rest of the world.
Prayer:

Master, teach me to recognize your opportunities and will when they come into my life. I want to live for you without reservation. I pray for boldness to not be shy in sharing my faith. I pray for patience as I wait for folks to respond. I pray for protection on those close to coming to Christ. I pray not for me but for your Kingdom to be displayed in my life. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.'

[Judy Harder]

August 14

Revelation 3:14-22
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Thoughts on today's verse

It has always fascinated me that this verse has often been cited by those calling others to conversion when clearly in its context it's written to lukewarm Christians needing to rekindle their love relationship to the Lord. As believers, we need to ask the Lord Jesus into our hearts, our home, and lives. It's not that he's not there, it's just that he awaits our invitation -- he will not barge in. He only inhabits hearts into which he has been invited!

Prayer:

Holy Lord and Savior, I know you long to share your presence and fellowship with me. I know you are nearby as I draw each breath. But I confess that I am often unaware, and even sometimes unappreciative of your presence. I ask you this day to come into my heart and fill my life with your presence and comfort and power. I want my life to be lived for you and with you. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

August 15

Romans 14:8
If we live, we live to the Lord: and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Thoughts on today's verse

One of the incredible realizations we can have as Christians is that our relationship with the Lord can be eternal. As long as we seek after him, he is always there and no one can separate us from his love. Even when we die, we go to be with the Lord. When we sleep in death, we are still "in the Lord." Everything we have on earth is temporary except our love for the Lord Jesus and those with whom we share that love!

Prayer:

Almighty God, thank you so much for binding yourself to our world in Jesus and binding me close to you through his Lordship in my life. I look forward to the day when the Lord who I kneel to worship today will be recognized by all the living and the dead as the One True Lord. I pledge to you Father, that I will live this day to honor him and by honoring him, honor you. In his name I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

August 16

2 Corinthians 7:1
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out reverence for God.

Thoughts on today's verse

In a world so full of distractions and temptations, purity is difficult. Even more than difficult, the call to purity often goes forgotten and ignored. Cheap grace is substituted for a call to passionate living. While we never want to give in to a "works righteousness," we also must remember that impurity through laziness, lack of commitment, or simple rebellion are contaminating to those claiming to be Christians and ruin our influence before the watching world.

Prayer:

Purify my heart, my life, my body, my influence, O God. May my words and my thoughts be blameless in your sight. I want to be holy as you are holy and honor you as only you are worthy of honor. You alone are God! Through Jesus I ask it. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

August 18

Philippians 1:21
To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Thoughts on today's verse

The truth is often as simple as it is sweet -- if Jesus is our life, then our life has no end.

Prayer:

Eternal God, thank you for sending Jesus to show me your love and thank you for sending him again soon to take me home. He is my anchor in the storms of life and my light in the darkest nights, reminding me that you love me with an undying love. Through him I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

August 19

1 John 5:12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Thoughts on today's verse

This statement is both a reminder of God's glorious grace and also of our need to share that grace with others.

Prayer:

Father of all nations, resurrect in your people a desire to spread your grace to every language, tribe, nation, and people. Empower us with your Spirit so we will speak the Gospel of Jesus with boldness and respect to a world that does not know him. Use us to help others come to life in the Son! Through whom we pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

August 20

Psalms 16:8
I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Thoughts on today's verse

There are many things that can trouble our lives, but none that can shake us loose from the grip of God's grace if our hearts remain close to Jesus as our Lord, and our hope remains focused on the Lord's return. If Jesus is our Lord, then all of life's greatest blessings lie ahead of us and we will let nothing rob us of this coming glory!

Prayer:

Holy Lord, you are worthy of majesty, honor, and praise. I lift up your name, O God, and place it above every name. As I look to the future, I want to honor you and find you there. Since I believe you will never leave or forsake me, I will always look ahead to find you leading the way. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

August 21

Psalms 42:8
By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me -- a prayer to the God of my life.

Thoughts on today's verse

I have always loved music. To this day, songs help unlock the part of me that is most yielded to God. It helps me declare my love for him and my praise to him. But as the psalmist says, at night, especially on those nights when sleep is hard to come by, his song is with me.

Prayer:

O God of my life, thank you for music and song. Thank you for giving me so many good things to sing joyfully about. Thank you for hearing my heart when I sing, not just my words or just the song's melody. I long, dear Father, for the day I get to hear you sing. Until then, fill my life with your song. Through Jesus I ask it. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

August 28
John 6:29
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: To believe in the one he has sent."

Thoughts on today's verse

Do you believe in Jesus? Do you really believe? Shortly after Max Lucado came back from his mission work in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he shared with a group of his closest friends that his theology was pretty simple. He didn't have a handle on a lot of the big difficult theological problems that divide folks. But Max said he came to the firm and deep conviction that God loves us and he showed that love by sending Jesus to live among us, to die for us, and to be raised from the dead so we could, too. This is the work of God -- amazingly simple and awesomely powerful.

Prayer:

Holy God, I do believe that Jesus came to earth, died, and was raised from the dead. Please help me show and share that message with those around me looking to find hope and help. Holy Spirit, open my eyes to those around me who are searching,. Father, I want so much to share in your work, please help me as I rededicate myself to it today. Through Jesus my Savior I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

August 29

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Thoughts on today's verse

Wouldn't it be great if we could tear down all the walls that divide us -- racial, social, and gender. The apostle Paul spent his entire life trying to do just that, to tear down the walls that divided people by bringing them to Jesus and the cross. There are no positions of superiority or inferiority at the foot of the cross, only those who discover God's might displayed in sacrifice and God's love displayed in the face of human cruelty. While the forces of culture and human selfishness are always finding ways to divide us, we must remember that in Jesus, and only in Jesus, we can be one.

Prayer:

Forgive me, O God, when I have let prejudice and suspicion keep me from fully loving those whom you have claimed as your children. I pray that my life will be an example of redemption and unity as I seek to love your children as you do. Through him whose dying prayer was for unity, I pray. Amen.