Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 22

When Delays Are a Blessing

"And therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you." - Isaiah 30:18

Many times the Lord will deliberately delay that He may be gracious to us. When Lazarus fell sick, his family sent for Jesus. Instead of coming immediately, Jesus waited (see John 11:1-46). He held back until Lazarus was dead. And if you read John 11:15, you'll see that He said, "I'm glad," because He had something greater in mind.

God waited four thousand years to send the Lord Jesus Christ after He made that promise. But Galatians 4:4 says He came in the fullness of time. Never late, never ahead of time, never in a hurry.

Are you in a waiting game...praying days, weeks, months, even years, for something...and God hasn't answered? Be still and know that in the fullness of time your request will be answered.

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 23

Playing on the Offense used in 2011

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." - John 10:10

Do you know what's wrong with many of us? We're trying to get out of trouble rather than get into righteousness.

We're so focused on the defensive side of Christianity that we forget about the offensive, positive approach.

Wouldn't you like to get up and stay up? Wouldn't you like to experience the abundant life our Lord talks about? Jesus came to give us the eternal life. He came to give us the abundant life. We need to do like the old song says, "Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative."

Why don't you determine today that you are going to get right with God and stay right with God? That you're going to take steps to lead a life of obedience.

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 24

The Incomparable Word of God used in 2011

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever." - 1 Peter 1:24-25

The Bible is the incontestable, incorruptible, indestructible, and indispensable Word of God. No one can argue with it. Nothing can corrupt it. Nothing can destroy it. Nothing can replace it as the source and wellspring of life.

The late Dr. Robert G. Lee, a great preacher of the last generation, said this about the Bible:

"All of its enemies have not torn one hole in its holy vesture, or stolen one flower from its wonderful garden, nor diluted one drop of honey from its abundant hive, nor broken one string of its thousand-stringed harp, nor drowned one sweet word in infidel ink."

Tell God how much your life has changed because of His Word. Meet together with a group of friends or your family and discuss the ways God has ministered to you through His Word.

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 25

Free from Your Critics!

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." - Galatians 2:20

God loves you so much that Jesus Christ hung in agony and blood for you.

You are precious to God. You are the object of God's love. The blood of Jesus Christ was poured out on Calvary for you. Friend, if you know all that, then you can stand up against any criticism. It won't bother you what others say about you. The cross sets you free. He who died for you now lives in you. He gave Himself for you that He might give Himself to you. When Jesus Christ died for you, He didn't just take away your sins, He took away your self. You are crucified. So who can harm a dead man?

Have you felt the sting of criticism this week? Remove the stinger and bathe the wound with the balm of Jesus' love. Give your critic to the Lord. Then ask God to teach you from what happened.

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 26

Jesus Saves the Best for Last

"But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way." - 1 Corinthians 12:31

Satan always gives the best first and the worst last. For example, Proverbs chapter 20 verse 17 says, "The bread of deceit is sweet, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel."  With Satan, it always starts sweet, but it does not end that way.

Satan is a counterfeiter and a deceiver, and he is guilty of false advertising. He doesn't show the drunkard in the gutter covered with flies. He doesn't show the addict shaking uncontrollably from another night of detox. He doesn't show the ruined lives from sexually transmitted diseases. He always gives the best first and the worst last. Jesus gives the best last.

Do you have a teenager in your home? Then call a homeless shelter or prison to see if you can bring your teen for a tour.

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 27

Heaven Is Not a State of Mind

"I go to prepare a place for you." - John 14:2

Do you believe that there is a home in heaven waiting for you? There is! Because Jesus cannot lie. He is Truth incarnate. He always told the truth. He said, "if it were not so, I would have told you."

Jesus would not let the hope of heaven go on beating in your heart if it were simply a lie, a superstition, or a fond delusion. Heaven is not merely a state of mind. It is not a condition. It is a place so real that Jesus is there in a literal, resurrected body. There is a body in this place called heaven. It is His resurrected body. Heaven is a place on God's map.

Do you have a dream home? If you've never thought about what would be your perfect home, think about your heavenly home. Nothing could be more perfect!

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 28

Safe by Keeping the Law?

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23

Suppose you're driving down the road and a police officer stops you for running a red light. And you say to the officer, "I ran a red light, but you have no right to give me a ticket because I stopped at all the other streets and I have obeyed the speed limit."

He responds, "Don't tell me about all the things that you've done good. You've broken the law."

If you think you're going to be saved by keeping the law, then you must keep allof it, because God demands perfection. No amount of obedience can make up for one act of disobedience. If you keep the whole law and yet offend in one point you are guilty of it all.

Read Romans 7:1 to 8:4. Can you relate to Paul's quandary about keeping the law and the war within his members concerning its requirement of absolute obedience?

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 29

The Gospel, a Truth Worth Dying For

"...we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." - John 6:69

Jesus Christ is a fact of history. All secular historians who have any merit admit that regardless of what they believe about Him, Jesus lived!

There's no way to explain how the Christian Church exists apart from the fact that Jesus Christ was here. What did the early church preach? Not only that Jesus was here, but that He walked out of the grave. How do you explain that?

Somebody said, "Well, they must have made up the story. They said they touched Him, they said they ate with Him." Oh? We're talking about men who died for their faith. Do you think they would willingly, knowingly die for a lie? A man may live for a lie, but few would die for one.

Are you willing to die for the cause of Christ? This man who died for you...are you willing to die for Him?

[Judy Harder]

APRIL 30

When Your World Caves In

"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory." - Mark 13:26

When we come to a place where we don't understand what is happening...when everything seems to be caving in, there is Jesus. We always have the forgiveness of the cross, the victory of the empty tomb, and the hope of Christ's imminent return.

When we go to the doctor and he tells us we have a malignancy. When we hear that we are infertile as a couple and cannot bear a child. When we have to declare bankruptcy. When we are laid off work. When we read a note that our spouse has left. When a loved one dies because of a terrorist act. We have a Savior...and we have a choice to believe or not to believe!

At that time we can begin to murmur, criticize, grumble, or despair. Or we can yield to the Savior and hear Him say, "My child, no matter what is happening, this is how much I love you. Look to the cross. Look to the empty tomb. Look for Me. I'm coming again."

Get in a position of humility. If you can, drop to your knees. If you cannot, bow your head and close your eyes. Imagine the cross of Christ. Meditate upon the shame Christ experienced, the pain He endured, and the victory He secured in His death.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 1

They're Cheering for YOU!

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." -  Hebrews 12:1

A soft-spoken woman went to a high school football game. She'd been quiet the entire game until there was a fumble on the field. The substitute quarterback, a little scrawny kid, picked up the ball and started running past the other players toward the goal.

And this little lady exploded! She jumped up and said, "Run, baby, run! Run, baby, run!" He was her son.

That's what the saints are saying, as they watch us on the playing field of life. They are cheering us on from the heavenly grandstand to "run with patience, the race that is set before us."

Do you need a lift today? Imagine a grandstand the size of heaven cheering you on to victory!