Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

July 16

The First Step to Setting Things Right

"With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

The Lord Jesus said, "Moreover if thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault" (Matthew 18:15). You say, "He's the one who did wrong. If he wants forgiveness, let him come and ask for it." But Jesus said, "No, you go to him." Whether you are in the right or whether you are in the wrong, as a child of God, you are to go to that individual.

Isn't that what God did in the Garden of Eden? Adam and Eve had sinned against God, and the Bible tells us that God came looking for them. "Adam, where art thou?" That was not the voice of a detective. That was the voice of a God Who pursues us to forgive us.

Stop right now and ask God to show you if you have an unforgiving spirit toward someone. Then, in His power and strength, call that person and ask his or her forgiveness. It's going to be impossible in your strength, but remember, God does the impossible.

[Judy Harder]

July 17

In the Face of Discouragement and Ridicule

"...He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6

One evening I overheard my father and a friend of our family talking. The friend said, "What's Adrian going to do when he gets out of high school?" My dad replied, "Well, he wants to go off to college and study to be a preacher." That man just laughed and said, "He won't make it. He'll never stick it out. He'll quit."

This was a man I admired and respected very much. I almost felt like crying. That's what the world says about Christians: "They won't stick it out. They won't make it." You see, the devil hasn't changed his tactics. He's still mocking and throwing cold water on our walks with the Lord.

Get ready. If you don't feel the flames of ridicule now, just wait.

Have you ever told someone that they wouldn't amount to anything? Has anyone ever told you that? Send those lies back to the pit of hell and rest in the promises of His Word that you are deeply loved and bought with the price of the Savior's own blood.

[Judy Harder]

July 18

The Chief Tool of the Devil

"Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord..." Psalm 25:15

There's a story about the devil auctioning off his tools. He had a high price on pride, laziness, arrogance, hate, envy, and jealousy.

But there was one tool that had a sign under it that read, "Not For Sale." Someone said, "What is that tool? Why isn't it for sale?" "Well," he said, "I can't afford to get rid of that one. It's my chief tool, discouragement. With this tool, I can pry open a heart.  And once I get in, I can do most anything I want."

Do you want me to tell you why you get discouraged? I'll give it to you in a nutshell - you've taken your eyes off God!

Are you discouraged? If not, praise God! Then find someone who is, so that you can give them the encouragement they need in Jesus Christ. Maybe it's your next-door neighbor. Maybe it's a co­-worker. Maybe it's your spouse. 

[Judy Harder]

July 19

Flourishing in Body, Soul and Spirit

"...dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves..." 2 Corinthians 7:1

You were created to know three worlds — the spiritual, psychological, and material worlds. These can be considered as the world above us, the world within us, and the world around us.

These worlds are related to the three parts of our human nature — spirit, soul, and body. When you are rightly related to the material world with your body, you are healthy. When you are rightly related to the psychological world with your soul, you are happy. And when you are rightly related to the spiritual world in your spirit, you are holy. God's aim is that ultimately you are to experience all three realities: health, happiness, and holiness.

Take a snapshot inventory of your life. Where do you need to start making changes to live a healthier lifestyle?

What is your emotional barometer telling you about how you see others and yourself?

Do you know of any area in your life where you are not living in obedience to the call of holy living?

[Judy Harder]

July 20

Truly Living the Christian Life

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." Colossians 3:17

The sign over the church door where I attended as a boy read, "The Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silent." I mistakenly took that to mean that I had just entered the holy temple and had better start acting religious.

The temple of God is not a building made of brick and mortar. We are the temple of God. Wherever we go, whatever we do, we are to be doing all in the name of Jesus. The secular is to be sanctified so that Jesus will be glorified in everything. Because He lives in you, every day is a holy day, not just Sundays. The spiritual life is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all eternity.

Have you ever had a home appraised? Get a trusted friend or loved one to give you an appraisal of the home where the Holy Spirit dwells — you! Are there areas that need repair, restoration, or removal?

[Judy Harder]

July 21

Staying Focused on God's Plan for Your Life

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

The devil would love to get you distracted and get you off the course on which God has placed you. God has something He wants you to do and you had better not substitute the good for the best.

Find out what God wants you to do and refuse to be distracted by the devil. You need to say as the apostle Paul said, "This one thing I do!" Know what it is that God wants you to do and do it with all your strength for His glory!

Take a few minutes to write out a mission statement about your life focusing on "that one thing" (TOT) that you think God has called you to do. Then, post the letters TOT everywhere to remind yourself to stay focused on the calling of God in your life.

[Judy Harder]

July 22

Yielding Yourself to Christ

"...yield yourselves unto God..." Romans 6:13

I heard about a man who entered an interstate from a side road and did not even slow down. A big eighteen-wheeler pulled over, almost wrecking him. The truck driver leaned out of the window and yelled, "Hey, didn't you see that sign?" The man said, "What sign?" The trucker said, "That sign that said, 'YIELD'." "Oh," the man said, "I opened the window and 'yield' as loud as I could."

In the matter of victory, it is not your ability or your responsibility that counts. It is not even your response to His ability. You must choose to yield to Christ. You are to yield with all of your heart to the power, the presence, and the provision of the Lord Jesus Christ. 


·         Look up the definition of "yield." 

·         What does it say about the right of way? 

·         Who has the "right of way" in your life? 

·         Bow before the Lord and surrender all of you to all of Him today. 

[Judy Harder]

July 23

True Hope for a World in Turmoil

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me." John 12:32

For the first time in history, man is afraid of what he knows. His head and his hands have outrun his heart, and we are being faced with things for which we have no answers. There's the plague of AIDS, the tinderbox in the Middle East, the outbreaks of famine, irregular weather disturbances, and much more.

But we don't have to wring our hands and say, "What is the world coming to?" We can look up and say, "Who is the world coming to?" It's coming to Jesus! Praise God!

Call your church today and ask if there is a place where you can volunteer in the area of community outreach. Perhaps there is a soup kitchen, a nursing home, a homeless shelter, or a children's center where you can serve.

[Judy Harder]

July 24

Hunger for the Word of God

"I rejoice at Thy Word." Psalm 119:162

Job said, "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12). When God's Word is as important to you as your physical food, then you're going to start to grow in your Christian life.

I wonder if one day the dust on our Bibles is not going to testify against us. The following poetic lines sober my heart: "These hath God married and no man shall part, dust on the Bible and drought in the heart."

Oh, that we would hunger for the Word of God!

Fast from one meal today. Sense just a touch of the hunger our hearts are to have for the Word of God, and remember to pray for those who need the pure milk of His Word!

[Judy Harder]

July 25

Expressing Our Praise to the Lord

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands." Psalm 100:1

There's nothing wrong with getting excited in church.

I heard about a man who came to a cold church. The preacher said something he agreed with and he said, "Amen." Everybody turned around and looked at him. After a while he said, "Praise the Lord." Then people arched their eyebrows. The next time he said "Amen," an usher tapped him on the shoulder to quiet him down. The usher said, "What is wrong with you?" He said, "Well, nothing. I've just got religion." To which the usher curtly replied, "Well, mister, you didn't get it here."

It's easier to cool down a zealot than it is to warm up a dead man.

·         What does it mean to make a joyful noise unto the Lord? 

·         How do you make a joyful noise to Him, not just on Sundays in church, but all week long? 

·         Why not start by singing one of your favorite hymns throughout the day today?