Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

August 15

The Truth Shall Make You Free

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

Have you ever been to a circus and seen an elephant chained to a stake in the ground? Why doesn't he break free? Because as a young elephant he was tied to a tree. And try as he might, he couldn't break free. Now the thought that he cannot break free is ingrained.

How true that is of you and me who have ingrained thought patterns in our lives. We say, "I am chained to this habit and I can't break free." Or we say, "I'm not good enough." All kinds of lies keep us in bondage, but real truth is what God says, not what we think.

Are there any strongholds in your life that keep you chained to the past? Write down these verses and memorize them.

2 Corinthians 10:4

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;"

Galatians 5:1

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Now break free from the lies of the past as you tell yourself the truth!

[Judy Harder]

August 16

Saints in God's Sight through Christ

"Thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." Galatians 4:7

Are you saved? If you are, then you are a saint.

Now you're probably saying, "But I can't say that. Christ wants me to be humble."

Let me tell you what real humility is. It is accepting what God says about you, and God says you're a saint. Now, that doesn't make you sinless; it makes you blameless. In God's sight (and that's the only sight that counts), you are a saint. God sees you as perfect because He sees you draped in the righteousness of His Son. Glory to God for His indescribable love to us!

Stand in front of the mirror and say out loud, "I am a saint." Spread the Good News to your family and friends who are saved—they are saints, too!

[Judy Harder]

August 17

Is It Clean Enough?   


"O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased." Matthew 14:31-32

A man was in the back bedroom of his home getting dressed while his wife was in the living room talking to a friend. He called out to his wife, "Darling, is this shirt clean enough for me to wear?"

Without hesitation she said, "No."

He said, "How did you know it wasn't clean enough to wear? You didn't even come back to look at it."

She answered, "If you had to ask, it wasn't clean enough!"

When it comes to the question of whether you should do something or not, if it's doubtful, it's dirty. Unfortunately, most of us don't give God the benefit of the doubt. We just go ahead and do it.

Are you in doubt about something today? If you have even the smallest doubt in your heart that it might be sin or lead to sin, be strong and choose to say "No." He will be your peace. 

[Judy Harder]

August 18

The Value of a Soul

"Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold...but with the precious blood of Christ." 1 Peter 1:18-19

I was talking to a man who sold real estate and asked him, "What determines the worth of a piece of property?"

He said, "What a person is willing to pay for it."

In other words, it doesn't matter how much you paid for it yourself. It's what another person is willing to pay to have it for himself or herself.

That makes me want to shout! You and I must be worth something if Jesus would pay His life to have us for His own. Jesus is the proof of how much we're worth.

Do you know how much you weigh? Call a jeweler or a bank today and ask how much your weight is worth in gold. Then realize there's no comparison to your worth in blood ... the blood of Jesus Christ. 

[Judy Harder]

AUGUST 19

Be Still and Know that He is God

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

I read in the newspaper about a fighter plane that fired off a weapon and was moving so fast that it overtook the bullet and shot itself down. Literally! There are a lot of folks I know doing the same thing. They are shooting themselves down.

They don't take time to slow down and to be still and know that God is God. They don't take time to experience His serenity and inner quietness. Isaiah 30:15 says, "In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."

How much time do we take to be quiet before the Lord? If you don't have time to do this, you are too busy! You are going to miss life looking for it.

I have a question for you. Are you spending time alone with the Lord every day? If not, let this be your wake-up call.

[Judy Harder]

August 20

Dead to Sin, Alive to Christ

"Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:11

A woman woke up one morning and noticed that she felt like she had just gone to sleep. She said, "It can't be six o'clock in the morning!"

But the radio said it was six. The clock said it was six. The sunrise said it was six. Now, I submit to you: it really didn't matter how she felt, did it?

Sometimes we respond the same way when it comes to our salvation. We need to get our salvation out of the realm of fickle emotions and begin to "reckon" (count on) God's facts.

Each morning when you wake up, begin by saying, "I am dead to sin. I am alive in Christ. I know it's a fact. He died for me. Now I reckon it!"

Look up the word "reckon" in the dictionary. Are you reckoning yourself dead to sin and alive to Christ? If not, begin to do so today.

[Judy Harder]

August 21

Why Is there Suffering in the World?

"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:36

"If there is a God, and that God is a good God, then why is there suffering?"

"What kind of a God is it that has created evil?"

Ever heard those comments before? Ever made them yourself?

You're not alone. Many people have thought the same thing. But that's not straight thinking. Let me tell you the way it truly is.

God did not create evil. God created perfection. God made man perfectly free. The freedom He granted man meant that he had to be free to choose to love.  Then in order to choose to love, we must be able to choose not to love. This freedom of choice gave rise to evil, for man's freedom meant he could make a wrong choice.

Which kind of love do you want from others? A forced love or a free love? Which sounds better, "I love you" or "I have to love you"?

[Judy Harder]

August 22

Pray to Be Heard of God, Not Men

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." Matthew 6:5

One time a young professional was waiting for a meeting when he heard someone walking down the hallway. Thinking that this might be a potential client for him, he picked up his telephone and pretended to be having a high-powered conversation.

Soon the footsteps stopped at his desk. Looking up he asked, "What may I do for you?" The man standing before him replied, "I'm from the telephone company. I've come to hook up your phone."

Prayer is the same way. The prayer that gets our Savior's attention comes from the heart and not from the head, "to be heard by men." Prayers to impress people are one-way conversations. 

Find a quiet place in your home where you can be alone with the Lord every day for a special time of communion with the Him. He is waiting for you there.

[Judy Harder]

August 23

To Be "in Christ Jesus"

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1

What does it mean to be "in Christ Jesus?" First, think about what it was for Noah to be in the ark. The ark was waterproof. How do we know it was? Well, God told Noah, "put pitch on the inside and on the outside" (Genesis 6:14). The word "pitch" in the Hebrew is kapar, and it is exactly the same word translated as "atonement." You see, we are in Jesus as Noah was in that ark. Just as the storms of God's wrath beat upon that ark, the storms of God's wrath beat upon the Lord Jesus. But we are on the inside, and not one drop of judgment can come through.

Read Romans 8:35-39. Reflect on the things that Paul says will never separate you from God's love. Give glory to God that your sins have been atoned for by the righteous blood of the Savior.

[Judy Harder]

August 24

What Is Justification?

"...and whom He justified, them He also glorified. "Romans 8:30

What does it mean to be justified? It means to be declared righteous.

Justification is not being good, though being good gives God glory. When you put your faith where God put your sins - on the Lord Jesus Christ - then God stamps "righteous" over your name in His "Book of Life."

It's not because of what you have done or ever can do, but because of His justification.

No court on earth can justify anybody. But what God does is take a guilty person and not only give that guilty person a pardon, but He makes that guilty person just as if he had never sinned. That's justification.

If you lived every moment believing in the justification that God has given you, how would your faith be strengthened? Would you be more vocal about the gift of God's love?