Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

JULY 27

Failure Is Not Final

"O love the Lord, all ye His saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful." Psalm 31:23

Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth were two of the greatest baseball players of all time. Ty Cobb was known for his record number of stolen bases, and Babe Ruth was known for his record number of home runs. What you may not know is that Ty Cobb was also thrown out more than any other man in baseball trying to steal bases. And Babe Ruth struck out more than any other man in baseball! These fellows didn't let their failures stop them, and neither should you!

Fix your goal.
Face your faults.
Forget your failures.
Failure in the Christian life is not final.

Maybe you or someone you know is feeling discouraged today. Remind them or yourself of the promise in Philippians 4:13.

For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.

[Judy Harder]

JULY 28

One Burning Focus

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

Do you know what the problem with many of us is? Our faith is something tacked onto our lives. Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters..." (Matthew 6:24). Do you believe that? You are to have but one goal in your life, and that is to know Jesus Christ personally, powerfully, passionately, and preeminently. Everything else will flow out of that.

You say, "But wait a minute. I've got other things to do! I've got a job. I've got to rest. I've got to have recreation. I've got to have friends. I can't just narrow my interests to one." When you bring your life into a burning focus, all of these other things will contribute to the main thing.

What is the burning focus of your life? Make it Jesus, and you've made it!

[Judy Harder]

July 29

You Are Not a Speck—You Are Cherished!

". . . the very hairs of your head are all numbered." Matthew 10:30

The Lord sees you. He knows all about you. And I guarantee you on the authority of the Word of God, that He loves you.

This is amazing when you realize that we are just specks on a globe that's about the size of a grain of sand or less compared to the size of the universe.

There's no more reason that the Lord of Glory should be interested in us then we should be interested in an ant floating on a piece of cheesecake in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. And yet our Lord looks down and He sees us as cherished individuals that He loves one by one.

The great God that runs the universe is concerned about you as though that were His only goal.

When was the last time you counted the hairs on your head? Can you trust a God who has them numbered?

[Judy Harder]

July 30

Your Virtual Reality—Newness of Life!

"We are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4

I was in an airport one day looking for something to pass the time. I saw a virtual reality motorcycle ride. I sat down and buckled my seat belt as instructed. The screen came on and I couldn't believe it. I felt like I was riding a motorcycle, but I was just sitting in a room!

Sometimes our mind tells us something is true when it's not true. Other times when something is true, we fail to believe that it is true!

How critical it is for us to focus on the truth! Jesus died for you. He lives for you. You died with Him. You live for Him. Day by day, you need to take those facts and turn them into faith.

Tell yourself this truth today. Write it down. Post it all around you! You are buried with Him. You rose with Him. You can walk in newness of life!

[Judy Harder]

How Do I Get More Light?

July 31

"Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart." Psalm 119:34

Is God righteous? Yes! How is the righteousness of God revealed? "From faith to faith." How does that work? God gives you truth...you believe that truth...God gives you more truth.

The more you obey the light, the more light you get.

The reason some of us don't understand the Bible any more than we do is because we have not been living up to the light God has already given us! If you want to understand the part of the Bible you don't understand, begin to obey the part you do understand and you'll understand what you didn't understand. Do you understand?

Ask God for faith that will reveal to you the hidden truths of His Word that are hard for you to understand right now.

[Judy Harder]

One Body in Christ

August 1

"So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." Romans 12:5

My left hand is a member of my body. So is my right hand. The right hand cannot direct the left hand and vice versa. But both hands can receive instruction from the head. If one hand is connected to the head and the other hand is connected to the head, then it simply follows that our hands are going to submit one to another. They're not going to fight one another.

It's the same way in the Body of Christ—the church. Who is the head of the body? The Lord Jesus Christ. Who are the members of the body? You and I. God put us in the church together that we might have a spirit of submission in the fear of the Lord.

Is there someone in the church with whom you're having difficulties? Submit yourself to the Lord and allow Him to give you grace to submit one to another.

[Judy Harder]

August 2

Carrying Our Own Burdens

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee." Psalm 55:22

A man was carrying a heavy load of grain down a country road. Another man in a wagon being pulled by a horse saw the man walking and said to him, "Mister, you need a ride?" And so the man got in the wagon. But he kept the load of grain on his shoulder. The wagon driver said, "Man, put that down and relax!" The rider said, "Oh no. It's enough for you to carry me without having you carry this too."

Have you ever done that to the Lord? You say, "Lord, I'll let You save me, but I'll carry my own burdens." How foolish we are to do this with the God who hung the stars and planets.

If you can trust God to save you from hell, don't you think you can cast your burden upon the Lord right now?

[Judy Harder]

August 3

When It Comes to the Devil...How to Think

"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

There are two mistakes people make about the devil. One, they get into demonology—always studying, wondering, and talking about demons. Their focus rests on Satan rather than on the Lord Jesus. The Bible says we're to resist the devil; it doesn't say we're to chase him.

On the other hand, there are those who are flippant about the devil. They have nicknames for him and think he's a cartoon or fantasy.

The truth is, we have a powerful adversary, the devil. Peter likens him to a roaring lion! A mature Christian recognizes that he has an enemy. He respects the power of the enemy. Then he clings to the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to overcome this great adversary.

Is the lion prowling around your life? Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and break free from his jaws of destruction.

[Judy Harder]

August 4

Happiness vs. Joy

"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." Philippians 4:4

Happiness comes from outside circumstances. Joy comes from within. So it's cruel to say to people who are in sorrow, "Smile and be happy." Better to come alongside and mourn with them than to try to force the square peg of happiness into a round hole of sorrow.

The human life is a life of tragedy, sorrow, heartache, and pain. Yet in every difficulty, you can find joy. Happiness is an outside job. Joy is an inside job.

There is someone in a nursing home that longs for that joy. Find some time this week to bring the joy of the Lord to them

[Judy Harder]

Love Worth Finding
     

August 5

Peace in the Midst of the Storm

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." Colossians 3:15

In Florida where I was raised, we had a lot of hurricanes. Even as a child I learned that in the center of the worst hurricane, there's a calm called the "eye" of the storm. When the storm passes over, there is a calm like a mill pond on a summer evening.

Friend, in your storm today there is a center that is calm. It's the heart of God. He is there. He is the "I AM" in the midst of your storm.

As someone has well said, "God gives peace that the world can't take away." It is supernatural peace.

Do you have the peace of God in your heart? Claim the promise of Psalm 29:11, Isaiah 26:3, and Romans 5:1 today.