Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

November 7

No More Running from Bugaboos!

"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

God has endowed us with His power and enriched us with His love. Not only that, He has enlightened us with a sound mind. Now, this phrase "sound mind" does not mean the opposite of insanity. It actually means discipline and self-control. Along with that, it is the ability to discern between truth and falsehood.

So often, the devil gets us running from bugaboos. Proverbs 28:1 says, "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion." Have you ever heard of phobias? This is what this verse is talking about.

We must pull back the mask of darkness from the devil's ploys and expose them for what they are and see the things that count in eternity. God has given you a sound mind by trusting in His Word, not in the devil's schemes.

[Judy Harder]

November 8

Shake Off Fear—Embrace Blessing!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." - Ephesians 1:3

Did you know that fear can cause you to forget things? Now, I'm not talking about forgetting a phone number or someone's name, though it may cause you to forget things like that. Instead, I'm referring to fear that causes you to forget the blessings, the anointing, the power of God—all these possessions you have because you are saved!

It happened to Timothy, who was mightily gifted and graced by God for the ministry that God had given him.  Yet he forgot this in the midst of fear, and Paul had to remind him (see 2 Timothy 1:6). He had taken his eyes off of God and focused on fear so much that he couldn't see anything else.

Let me tell you something, friend: You are tremendously blessed! If you get your mind distracted by fear, then you will fail to see your blessings in Christ. Fear will blow out every light in your soul, take the blue out of your sky, and the joy out of your life.

Friend, wake up and count your blessings. Rejoice, for you are in Christ!

[Judy Harder]

November 9

Accusation vs. Conviction: Learn to Tell the Difference!

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." - John 16:7-8

The devil accuses you of sin. The Holy Spirit convicts you of sin. Do you know the difference? The devil accuses you to drive you from Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts to draw you to Christ.

The devil wants you to get under a load of guilt so you'll say, "I'm no good. I can't live the Christian life. There's something wrong with me. God doesn't hear my prayers. It doesn't do me any good to go to church."

When you believe those lies, you let the devil drive you away from God! He accuses you to destroy you.

The Holy Spirit convicts you to reclaim you. He is trying to correct you and bring you back, that you may know the fullness of joy. The Holy Spirit draws you to Christ that you may confess your sins and be cleansed!

Confess, be cleansed, and go your way rejoicing!

[Judy Harder]

November 10

Showing Genuine Love for Others

"Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation: and Thy right hand hath holden me up, and Thy gentleness hath made me great." - Psalm 18:35

Can a person donate to the poor and not have love? Can a person work in a soup kitchen for the homeless and not have love? Yes.

You say, "A person wouldn't do that!" Oh yes, they would...if they had a guilty conscience. Sometimes it is neater to write a check or donate some used things than to give of our time.

Do you know what the world needs? Not more money, though I'm sure they'd be glad to take it. First Corinthians 13:3 says, "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving of yourself to others.

Ask God to show you the ways you can show His genuine love to others.

[Judy Harder]

November 11

When Your Feet Are Slipping...

"Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." - Psalm 73:1

Asaph, the author of Psalm 73, started his psalm by talking about the purity of a person's heart and the goodness of God. Then he says, "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped" (Psalm 73:2).

He had the idea that when he got right with God, that he wouldn't have any more troubles. Are you sure about that? Yes! Psalm 73:13-14 says, "Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning."

He said, "I got right with God and I still have problems!" He had a false expectation that the Bible doesn't necessarily give. Christians are not due preferential treatment.

Seek the Lord through His Word and in prayer. You will find the presence of God is enough, even in the midst of our trials.

[Judy Harder]

November 12

Hungry for God

"With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation." - Psalm 91:16

One day I was eating in a cafeteria in New York when the door of the restaurant opened and a man ran in. He rushed to a table that had been abandoned by patrons just shortly before. He began to stuff his mouth with the leftovers when the management discovered him. He rushed out like a squirrel scurrying to safety. No pride. He didn't care what people thought.

A man who is starving is dead serious about the matter of getting food. He's focused. He's only got one thing on his mind—where is his next meal? He's not concerned about popularity, position, or possessions.

What are you hungry for today? Is Jesus enough to satisfy your appetite?

When a person is thirsty or hungry enough, he will pay any price.

[Judy Harder]

November 13

Ask for Help from the Teacher

"Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law." - Psalm 119:18

Have you ever thought you could just go to the Bible and pull some truth out of it for your life? Let me tell you friend: you cannot do that. Your mind will never comprehend the things of God apart from the Holy Spirit illuminating you.

First, we must lay our intellectual pride in the dust, and with open arms and a heart of faith, approach God's Word for wisdom, discernment, and knowledge. Then He will teach us.

It took a supernatural miracle to write the Word of God. It takes a supernatural miracle for you to understand it. When God begins to write His Word upon your heart, you are going to lead a supernatural life! Ask Him for that!

[Judy Harder]

November 14

Whose Clothes Are You Wearing?

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." - Isaiah 61:10

There are some who may be reading this who are going to be absolutely speechless when they stand before the King of Heaven. They are church members, but they're not saved. Instead, they're dressed in the rags of self-righteousness rather than the wedding garment of His righteousness.

In 1834 hymn writer Edward Mote wrote this timeless pledge, "When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne."

It would be tragic indeed for those who acted in every conceivable religious way to think they can come to the wedding without Christ's righteousness. I'm not trying to get you to doubt your salvation, but I want to ask you, are you saved? How do you know?

[Judy Harder]

November 15

Is There Enough "Goodness" in Your Cup?

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." - Isaiah 64:6

There is none good, no not one. If you asked every single human being on planet earth to deposit in a cup all of his or her goodness, there would not be enough goodness in that cup to save even one person!

Isaiah 64:6 says our righteousness is as "filthy rags" in the sight of God. The cross of Jesus Christ is our only hope. Jesus took our sin upon the cross. Jesus took our shame upon the cross. Jesus took our suffering upon the cross. And by His death, He paid the sin debt and now we have His righteousness.

In 1906, Jessie Brown Pounds wrote these words: "I must needs go home by the way of the cross, there's no other way but this; I shall ne'er get sight of the gates of light, if the way of the cross I miss."

Get this clear with yourself: Whose righteousness are you depending on? Your own? Your accumulated lifetime of "good works"? Or the righteousness of the sinless Lamb of God, Who became your substitute on the Cross and paid your sin debt in full?

[Judy Harder]

November 16

Who Is Keeping You In God's Hand?

"Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations." - Deuteronomy 7:9

When I talk about eternal security, inevitably I will hear, "Well, maybe your sins can't take you out of the hand of God, but Satan can."

In all due respect, I respond, "Pardon me. But that is foolishness. If Satan could take you out of the hand of God, why hasn't he done it yet? Hasn't he been nice to you? That would be a strange doctrine. You're going to heaven by the grace of the devil!"

God saves us. God keeps us. What has been settled in eternity can never be undone by the ways of men or the schemes of the devil.

Read Romans 8:38-39 today. These would be important verses for you to memorize.