Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

MAY 12

Thanking God for Godly Mothers

"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." - Exodus 20:12

One time I had the privilege of speaking with the 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush, about his salvation and personal relationship with Christ and prayed with him about that. He looked me in the eyes and said, "I want to tell you, my mother was the most godly person I have ever known."  He then went on to tell me about her influence in his life.

Abraham Lincoln said, "All that I am or ever hope to be I owe to my angel mother." This time every year we celebrate our mothers. Oh, the power of a mother's love!

Do you know what children need? A – B – C:

Acceptance
Belonging
Confidence

Thank God for magnificent mothers! Thank God for the impact of godly mothers in the lives of children.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 13

Strengthening Your Wings

"How that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality." - 2 Corinthians 8:2

A man watched a butterfly trying to emerge from a cocoon. Thinking that he would help, the man took his penknife and slit the side of the cocoon, and the butterfly flopped out. It lay there for a while, feebly beating its wings, then collapsed and died.

"How tragic," you say, and you are right, because God had a plan for that butterfly. The struggle to break free built the strength he would need to fly. God doesn't want you to live weakly and die feebly. He wants you to grow and mature.

Find the wings in your trial today.
Strengthen them by the promises in God's Word.
Venture on new heights of freedom in Christ today.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 14

At the End of Your Rope

"Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of His servant... let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." - Isaiah 50:10

I have always been amazed at the advice worldly people give to someone who is hurting. "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!" Can you see someone dangling over a cliff, holding on to a rope, and trying to tie a knot? It takes two hands to do that!

The first thing we need to remember is "don't demand to understand." There are some things in life you and I just will never understand. When God allows darkness to overshadow your life, don't set about lighting your own fire. That's a recipe for heartache.

Trust that His light will come and wait for it. He will come. Believe it.

There's someone out there who is hurting today and needs more than a pat answer of encouragement. Give them the light of Christ.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 15

Loving Chastisement of the Father

"For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives." - Hebrews 12:6

As a child, did you ever get a spanking you didn't deserve? Maybe now and then your dad or mom would just be in a "spanking mood," and they'd spank everyone they could get their hands on?

Talk about being indignant! There is nothing worse to a child than to realize "I got spanked, and I didn't deserve it."

You know what's funny? At that point, we never stop to think about all the times we deserved a spanking and didn't get one. Our Father is mercifully loving and graciously wise to give us what we need at all times in our lives. Sometimes we need His hand of love in comfort, and sometimes we need His hand of love in discipline.

Thank God that His hand of mercy extends to you when you don't deserve it and that His hand of discipline extends to you when you do.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 16

True Peace and Satisfaction

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

I was witnessing to a man one day in front of his house. He said, "I've got a good income. You see that house? It's paid for. You see that car? It's paid for. My wife is in that house. She loves me." He seemed completely satisfied.

I said, "Sir, I want to ask you a question. Will you be absolutely honest with me? Do you have peace in your heart?"

His chin started to quiver. His eyes brimmed with tears. He said, "No, I don't have peace in my heart.  How did you know?"

I said, "Because the Bible says, 'There is no peace, sayeth my God, to the wicked.' These things cannot fill the longing of your heart. You need Jesus."

Pray for an opportunity to share today the peace you have in Jesus with someone who is lost and searching.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 17

God Has Not Forgotten You

"And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday." - Psalm 37:6

A preacher was in a church where he felt God had led him. But nothing seemed to be working out, so he wanted to go to another church.

He told a friend, "I know where God put me, and I know God put me here, but I just wonder if He remembers where He put me."

Yes, God remembers! He has not forgotten. He is never late. Don't rush God. Don't think He has abandoned you because your prayers are not answered. He will turn your midnight into a sunrise and your mourning into dancing.

Read Psalm 37:4-7 and rejoice in the hope of God's providence and provision in your life.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 18

The Mind vs. the Brain

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." - Philippians 4:8

Did you know there is a difference between your mind and your brain? The brain is what the mind thinks with. The relationship of the mind and the brain is very similar to the relationship of a pianist and a piano. The piano is the brain and the pianist is the mind.

The most dangerous thing in the world is a man with a bad mind and a good brain. He is a clever devil.

When you get saved, you don't get a new brain. You get a new mind. And the god of this world will do all he can to distort your mind. Why? Because Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."

Dwell today on the true, the honest, the just, the pure, the lovely—think on virtue and praise.  Pray for missionaries serving the Lord in other countries – that they will dwell on the truths of the Lord and that their walks will be strong and undeterred from the Lord's mission.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 19

Grateful—for We Are Blessed!

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." - Philippians 4:6

Sometimes we complain when we shouldn't.

I remember one time driving across the country with a gentleman. At the time, all of our children were in private schools and Joyce and I were "dying of maltuition." I began complaining a little bit to the man about the great cost of sending a son to college.

He looked at me and said, "I'd give anything in the world if my son would go to college."

I thought, "Oh, what an ungrateful spirit I have!"

Do you ever complain about dirty dishes? There are lots of folks in Third World countries that would like to have some dirty dishes. We are to be thankful in all things.

Rejoice in God's blessings in your life. Nip that temptation in the bud to complain and grumble about your life today.

[Judy Harder]

MAY 20

Letting God Work In and Through You

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." - Philippians 2:13

One of the greatest secrets I have ever learned is this: God doesn't want me to do anything for Him. He wants to do something through me.

People say, "Well, I just serve God in my poor, little, old weak way."  I feel like saying, "Well, quit it.  He doesn't want you to serve Him in your poor, little, old weak way. He wants you out of the way, so He can flow through you!"

We need to make ourselves available to God and say, "God, I'm tired of being inhibited. I want to be inhabited by You. I want You to live Your life through me."

Where have you been standing in the way of God instead of surrendering to God and letting Him live through you?

[Judy Harder]

MAY 21

Calling Good Evil and Evil Good

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" - Isaiah 5:20

People can become so warped in their thinking that they don't know the difference between right and wrong.

I was listening to the radio one morning, and they were talking about what scientists want to do with the tissue of aborted babies. They said that some women are thinking about having babies, aborting them, then selling the tissue for research. The scientific community is promoting this propaganda because of the good they say the research will have on the whole of humanity! But what about the whole of humanity that begins in the womb?

People today will play enough tricks on their minds that they will literally approve evil with a good conscience.

Where do you stand on this issue? What is right and what is wrong?