Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

August 11

Making Sense of What We Don't Understand

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts." - Psalm 139:23

A little boy had a jigsaw puzzle that on one side had a map of the world and on the other side had a picture of a man. His mother asked him to try and work it and before long the little fellow had put the puzzle together. The mother was surprised to find that the little fellow knew so much about geography. She asked him, "How on earth did you do that?"

"Oh," he said, "I worked the other side first. When I got the man right, the world was right."

How true that is! We will never fix this world until we get the man right – the man Jesus Christ, that is.

Are things in your world confusing you these days? Turn to Jesus and trust Him to make sense of what you don't understand.

[Judy Harder]

August 12

Jesus as Lord and Savior

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." - Romans 10:9

Have you ever thought that salvation was like a cafeteria where you can pick and choose the aspects of Jesus you want? "I'll have a little Saviorhood, but please, no Lordship today." If Jesus is not your Lord, Jesus is not your Savior. What's the difference?

Well, suppose I perform a wedding ceremony and say to the young man, "Would you take Susan to be your lawfully wedded wife?" And he responds, "Well, I'll take Susan as housekeeper." And then I say to her, "Would you take John to be your lawfully wedded husband?" And she says, "Well, I'll take him as provider." We can't pick and choose what we want from Jesus. We take Jesus as Lord over all!

Is Jesus Christ Lord of every area of your life? Take time to today to examine your life – your finances, your relationships, your hopes and dreams.

[Judy Harder]

August 13

Knowing Jesus

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." - 2 Corinthians 8:9

Years ago my wife gave me a little card to carry in my billfold. On it she had written her dress size, shoe size, glove size and more. That was nice to have so I could know all about her when I went to do some shopping. But it didn't provide much companionship or encouragement when I was away from her.

It's one thing to have the facts about Jesus, it's another thing to have a relationship with Jesus.

Do you know Jesus...really know Him? Or are you just gathering facts about Him?

[Judy Harder]

August 14

The Law of Life in Christ

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." - Romans 8:2

I've always found airplane flight amazing. They are so heavy, yet they fly! The pilot gets behind the controls, moves the throttle, and those great engines begin to roar. And the first thing you know, you're flying.

Has the law of gravity been canceled? No, but there's another law that comes into effect called the law of aerodynamics, which is a greater law than the law of gravity. When you get right with God, the law of sin and death is still there. But there's a new law. It's the law of life in Christ Jesus that sets you free from the law of sin and death. As long as you abide in Jesus Christ, then you are free from the law of sin and death.

Have you been set free? Then, it's your turn to set another captive free with the Good News. Go out and share this free gift with someone today.

[Judy Harder]

August 15

Faithful in Little and Much

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much." - Luke 16:10

What would you do if you had a million dollars? Well, let me tell you a good test of what you would do—it's what you're doing with that hundred dollars you have right now. Are you saving it? Spending it? Sharing it?

The test of what you would do in the spiritual realm is seen by what you do in the physical realm. Many of us do not have spiritual blessings because we simply haven't been faithful with the small things in our lives.

Are you hoping for something in your life? How could you be faithful in something little so that you'll be faithful when the other comes along?

[Judy Harder]

August 16

Be Merciful to Me, A Sinner

"Show us Thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us Thy salvation." - Psalm 85:7

There's a story about a lady who went to a photographer to have her picture made. When she saw it, she didn't like it. She took it back and told the photographer, "You'll have to take this over." He asked, "What's wrong with it?" She said, "It doesn't do me justice." He looked at it and looked at her and said, "Lady, you don't need justice, what you need is mercy."

God is just, but we need mercy. If you have never come to place where you have seen yourself as a sinner lost before Almighty God and cried out to Him for mercy, you've never been saved.

You may have joined a church, but have you thrown yourself on the mercy of the court? Have you said, "Lord God be merciful to me, a sinner?"

[Judy Harder]

August 17

Casting Our Burdens at His Feet

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

I read about a man who had a very fine dog who loved the water. One day the dog was playing in the lake and the man decided to leave. He called the dog, but the dog wouldn't come. He called him several times; he wouldn't come. It was a well-trained dog, but he just would not come. The man finally threw a stick out in the water. When the dog saw it, he swam over, got the stick, and came back and laid it at his master's feet.

It just may be that God has given you a burden because He can't get your attention. He wants you to come and lay it at your Master's feet.

Is your heart aching today? Cast your burden at His feet and allow His peace to fill your heart.

[Judy Harder]

August 18

Exercise Discernment with Entertainment

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

The most dangerous thing on television in my estimation today is the sitcom. Do you know what they're doing? They're getting you to laugh at sin. In fact, a Christian television and film writer attended a producers' workshop one day. One of the keynote speakers was one of TV's most successful producers of sitcoms. In his address, he stated that in order to have a commercially successful production, the characters in a sitcom must violate at least three of the Ten Commandments. How tragic. But what an opportunity for people like you and me to take a stand for the truth and for the glory of God in the film and television industry.

Pray Joshua 1:7 for those who are in the television and movie industries—that they will be strong and courageous.

[Judy Harder]

August 19

True Freedom in Christ

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." - Romans 6:22

When Jesus Christ comes into your life, He changes you. Maybe you have a problem with drugs or alcohol. Maybe you struggle with lust, fear, doubt, or self- pity. Maybe you're a slave to public opinion or perfectionism. But I want to tell you that the Jesus Christ who set Adrian Rogers free is the Jesus Christ who will set you free.

Our freedom in Jesus Christ isn't the privilege to do what we want. Instead it is the glorious, abundant, supernatural power to do what we ought.

It is saving grace that sets us free. It is sustaining grace that keeps us free.

Bow before the Lord and thank Him for the freedom you've been given through the great price of Calvary.

[Judy Harder]

August 20

The Sacrificial Quotient of Giving

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it." - Ephesians 5:25

A little boy was looking through the family picture album, and he came to a picture of his mother when she was a very young girl. It was taken just after they'd gotten married. The boy asked his father, "Is that when Mother came to work for us?"

Does this ring true in your home? Let me set the record straight. The husband, if he loves his wife as Christ loves the church, is going to love his wife sacrificially. He is going to love her in such a way that he would be willing to lay down his life for her. He's going to protect her. He's going to provide for her. He's going to do what he can to present his wife and family as holy vessels for the Lord's use.

Are you married? Then how are you doing on the sacrificial quotient of giving to your spouse? If you had to, would you be willing to lay down your life for your spouse?