Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

November 25

Uprooting Toxic Bitterness

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." - Hebrews 12:14

Bitterness is an emotional cancer that consumes many a person who once had the bloom of eternal springtime in his heart. Where does it come from? Usually from being hurt. Perhaps you were abused as a child, rejected by someone, fired from a job, or even bypassed at church. Bitterness sets in when the hurt goes unresolved. There is a solution. If you've been wronged and bitterness has become so strong that you can almost taste its bile within your mouth, then it's time to pursue it with a holy vengeance. With the Spirit's spade, root it out. Draw a circle that takes in those who have wronged you. Forgive them for Christ's sake!

Bow before the Lord this morning and ask for grace and power to uproot the bitterness that has taken hold in your heart and is robbing you of the joy you desire.

[Judy Harder]

November 26

The Cleansing, Healing Work of the Holy Spirit

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for Thou art my praise." - Jeremiah 17:14

There are two kinds of wounds to the human psyche. One is sorrow; the other is guilt. Sorrow is a clean wound. Somehow your heart will heal as the Holy Spirit applies His healing balm. He will pour in "the oil of gladness." Time and the grace of God will heal. But guilt is dirty and will never heal until it is confessed and cleansed by the antiseptic of Calvary. A slave only fears his master's whip, but a son fears his father's displeasure.

Are you suffering under a load of guilt? Allow the Holy Spirit to expose your sin. Then confess it and experience the joy of forgiveness in Christ.

[Judy Harder]

November 27

God's Plan and Purpose for Your Life

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." - 1 John 3:2

If Jesus is Lord of your life, then not only is your entire life ordered, but so is every single step within your life. God has a plan for the plumber as well as the preacher, for the mechanic as well as the missionary. And if, for instance, God calls you to be a mechanic and you become a missionary, you are accepting second best! To find God's will is the highest achievement in your life. Success is not spelled M-O-N-E-Y. Nor is it spelled F-A-M-E. Success is the continuous realization of the will of God—what God desires for your life. God does not make clones; He makes children! There is an ultimate purpose for your life as His child —to be like Jesus.

Do you have children? Share with them these important insights about their future.

[Judy Harder]

November 28

Understanding Kingdom Authority

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." - Luke 10:19

A police officer weighing 160 pounds may effectively stand before a tanker truck and with an uplifted hand say, "Stop, in the name of the law." The police officer certainly couldn't stop the truck with his physical force. He is appealing to an authority greater than himself — the law — to back him up. Your authority over Satan is the same way. Your authority does not rest in your strength. You cannot overcome Satan with your power but rather with Kingdom Authority from God. And you have that as a child of the King. You have His authority to overcome every attack of Satan.

Sing of the power of the Lord. Find a hymnal and sing or meditate on the verses of "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."

[Judy Harder]

November 29

What Would Jesus Do?

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31

Did you know that the best argument for Christianity and the best argument against Christianity is...your life? That's right. Not only are you to be a witness of and for Jesus, you are to be a part of the evidence of His reality. What would happen if every Christian began to walk as Jesus walked, talk as Jesus talked, and love as Jesus loved? The world would take notice.

Before you say or do anything today, ask yourself, "What Would Jesus Do?"

[Judy Harder]

November 30

Being Born Again - No Certificate Required

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." - 1 Peter 1:23

A little girl was supposed to take her birth certificate to school. Her mother had solemnly warned her not to lose it because of its tremendous importance, but lose it she did. Later she was sitting on the steps of the school, crying. The janitor asked her what was wrong. She replied, "I lost my excuse for being born." Now, that's a funny story, but it has a sobering analogy. You don't need an excuse for being born again. You have a Savior, and He's calling your name.

Have you been born again? Have you experienced the cleansing power of Jesus' blood that washes all your sin away? If not, I invite you to come to Him in repentance and faith. Discover Jesus today.

[Judy Harder]

DECEMBER 1

True Satisfaction Is Found in the Lord

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1

The Scottish-born naturalist and founder of the Sierra Club, John Muir, once had a conversation with railroad magnate and industrialist E. H. Harriman.

"I'm richer than you are," declared Muir to the railroad baron.

"And how is that true?" responded Harriman.

"Because you don't have all you want — and I do. Therefore I am richer than you," answered Muir.

Well, perhaps these two men were playing word games with one another. We don't know if either man was truly satisfied with his life, but there's one thing of which I'm certain. Our search for satisfaction will not be found at the end of the rainbow in a pot of gold. It can only be found in Jesus.

What satisfies you today? Is it the things you own? Your relationships? Your job? Ask the Lord to fill you with the source of lasting satisfaction—Himself!

[Judy Harder]

DECEMBER 2

No One Knows Your Needs Better...

". . . for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things." - Matthew 6:32

St. Augustine once said that we were created with a "God-shaped" void.

I agree.

Only God can meet the deepest longings of our hearts. There is nothing that can satisfy apart from your relationship with Him.

But it's not because He is a heavy-handed dictator forcing you to accept life the way He dishes it out!  Who knows what will satisfy your deepest needs better than the One who made you? As your Creator, He can see what your needs are going to be tomorrow and ten years from tomorrow. Don't you think He knows what you need today?

What do you need today? Notice I'm not asking, "What do you want?" but "What do you need?" Does your Father know what that is? Then trust that He will provide.

[Judy Harder]

DECEMBER 3

Working All Things Together and Toward His Return

"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6

God has not promised you smooth sailing, but He has promised you a safe landing. He has a purpose in allowing every circumstance into your life. You can bank on this: He'll see you to the shore in every storm of life.

Andrew Murray said, "God is willing to assume the full responsibility for the life totally yielded to Him." One of these days your destiny will be fulfilled. And soon and very soon, He is going to step down from the mountain of His glory, and the trumpet will sound. Our little ship will leave the sea of time, and immediately we'll be on the shores of eternity.

When He comes, He's coming for you! He's coming for me!

First Thessalonians 4:16-18 tells us to comfort one another with these words of Christ's return:

16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Do you have a Christian friend who is troubled today? Comfort him or her with this hope.

[Judy Harder]

December 4

The True Depth of the Savior's Love

"No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father." - John 10:18

The true depth of the Savior's love becomes apparent when you consider an important truth—Jesus Christ is the only person who ever chose to die.

"But, what about kamikaze pilots in World War II? What about soldiers who, having heard the ominous 'click' of a land mine, stood still until their buddies could scurry to safety?"

They didn't choose to die in the final sense of the word; they only chose when to die. You and I, and everyone yet to be, will die eventually. But there was only One who did not have to die. Nails didn't hold our Savior to the tree. Silver cords of love and golden bonds of redemption held Him there.

Read Psalm 22, 23, and 24 and rejoice in the provision, protection, and providence of the Good Shepherd!