Love Worth Finding

[Judy Harder]

Learning to Love, Learning to Hate

September 8

"Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked." Psalm 97:10

This may come as a surprise to you, but just because you're a Christian doesn't mean you're supposed to love everything.

Now, we hear that Christians are to be a people of love, and that is true. But did you know that if you're a Christian, not only must you learn to love, but you also must learn to hate?

If you love God, then you are to hate what God hates. It is true in every realm. If you love flowers, you hate weeds. If you love health, you hate germs. If you love God, you hate evil. It is just that plain.

Romans 12:9b tells us in even stronger terms to "abhor that which is evil." A hypocrite, something none of us want to be, is someone who says he loves God, but then he doesn't hate sin.

Don't tell others you love God if you don't hate that which nailed His Son to the cross.

[Judy Harder]

On the Proving Ground

September 9

"Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in Thy truth." Psalm 26:2-3

How do automobile manufacturers make sure their vehicles are safe for people to drive? They put their vehicles onto a proving ground. They're driven hundreds of miles over rough roads and through water and heat—screeching, turning, twisting, hitting the brakes, accelerating to top speeds. They want to see if that automobile will stand the test.

It is the same with our spiritual lives. God gives the test first and the lesson afterwards. Read throughout Scripture and you will find this to be true. Joseph was tested. David was tested. Moses was tested. Peter was tested.

When God gets ready to prove you, He is not going to test you in the good times because that is not a test. Anybody can serve God in the sunshine.

The test is not how you behave when there is victory all around; the test is how you behave when God brings you to the wilderness. He wants to know what is in your heart. Are you fully devoted to God?

[Judy Harder]

Because I Said So"

September 10

"For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy." Leviticus 11:45

Are you a parent? Then, you've probably told your children to do something and they asked why. And what did you say? "Because I told you. Period."

I believe there are times when parents want their children to do things and they need to explain their rationale. It's important to teach principles for living instead of mere commands and rules. But sometimes children are not able to understand, so the answer I just mentioned is one that simply communicates parental authority to a child.

Leviticus is a book full of laws that no one understood logically. And yet did God stop to explain the law? No. He simply said, "I am the Lord your God." He is above our need for explanations and deserving of our full obedience.

[Judy Harder]

September 11

When Your Life Caves In

"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory." - Mark 13:26

When we come to a place where we don't understand what's happening...when everything seems to be caving in, there is Jesus. We always have the forgiveness of the cross, the victory of the empty tomb, and the hope of Christ's imminent return.

When we go to the doctor and he tells us we have a malignancy. When we hear that we as a couple are infertile and cannot bear a child. When we have to declare bankruptcy. When we are laid off work. When we read a note that our spouse has left. When a loved one dies because of a terrorist act.

We have a Savior...and we have a choice to believe or not to believe! At that time we can begin to murmur, criticize, grumble, or despair. Or we can yield to the Savior and hear Him say, "My child, no matter what is happening, this is how much I love you. Look to the cross. Look to the empty tomb. Look for Me. I'm coming again."

[Judy Harder]

September 12

Redeem the Time!

"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." - James 4:17

Procrastination. Just seeing the word makes me want to put off saying anything else. Are you under conviction in that area? One fellow said, "I started to procrastinate, then decided to put it off."

Procrastination is a form of disobedience. When God tells us to do something and we don't do it, we can label our actions with all kinds of fancy words, but the bottom line is, it's sin. The days are passing and time cannot be stopped. You can't call a "time out" in life. And time can't be stored like money in the bank.  Really, the only thing you can do with time is use it or lose it.

Someone has said, "Lost: One golden hour, studded with sixty diamond minutes. No reward offered, for it is lost forever." Redeem the time.

[Judy Harder]

September 13

Wholehearted or Halfhearted?

"The light of the body is the eye: Therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness." - Luke 11:34

Joshua chapter fourteen tells us something very interesting about a man named Caleb. Three times the Holy Spirit says Caleb "wholly followed the Lord God" (vv. 8, 9, 14). Every ounce of Caleb was given to the Lord.

This is the kind of heart you and I should have if we call ourselves Christians. The devil is going to intimidate a fainthearted man. And there's only one way to stand against the devil. That is to give everything to Jesus Christ.  Indeed, God does not accept half-hearted religion.

It would be better for you to say that there is no God than for you to say that He doesn't mean that much to you, He doesn't make a difference in your life, He doesn't stir your heart to love Him.

God is looking for wholeheartedness. "With my whole heart I have sought Thee." (Psalm 119:10) Can you say this to the Lord today?

[Judy Harder]

September 14

Reconciliation Leads to Revival!

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" Psalm 133:1

Do you know what God wants from you today? Reconciliation. That's far more important than singing in the choir, preaching a sermon, serving in the nursery, or giving an offering. When we learn this, God is going to bring great revival to our churches.

Revival always begins when people begin to confess their faults to one another, pray for one another, and forgive one another. Revival isn't raising the roof with a lot of emotion. It is getting the walls down. It is not just saying, "I am going to get right with God." It is saying, "I want to get right with my brothers and sisters."

When we are reconciled, revival will come. And rejoicing will surely follow. And not any kind of rejoicing, there will be Holy Spirit joy when you know there is nothing between your soul and the Savior and nothing between your soul and a brother! Joy unspeakable!

[Judy Harder]

September 15

Why Is a Question We Cannot Answer—Yet

"Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." - Isaiah 50:10

We can endure almost anything if we know why it is happening. Wouldn't you agree? But we don't always get the luxury of knowing why things happen.

You can't be a pastor as long as I have without having heartbroken questions asked of you. "Why did my baby die?" "Why did I lose my business?" "Why am I so sick?"

Job felt this way. He said, "I deserve an answer why this is happening to me! The bottom has fallen out of my life. And I don't know why."

Have you ever been plunged into darkness? Don't get the idea that if you're right with God, you'll have all the answers. Never doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.

[Judy Harder]

September 16

What Do You Make Time For?

"For thou shalt be His witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard." Acts 22:15

What is more important in your life today? Seeing your daytime soap opera or asking an unsaved neighbor over for a chance to love them to Jesus? Joining your buddies for a round of golf, or visiting your unsaved father? Going shopping with your friends, or taking the time to read the Bible to a lost person in a nursing home? Someone wisely observed, "We managed to make time during the day for what's really important to us."

Friend, the time is running out. We will not be witnessing in heaven. This is our earthly duty and privilege now. None of us knows how many hours we have left. We must seize the golden opportunities that God gives us daily to witness.

A line from "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is our challenge: "Oh, be swift, my soul to answer Him! Be jubilant, my feet! Our God is marching on."

[Judy Harder]

September 17

The Battle Between Faith and Worry

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." - Philippians 4:6

Do you ever worry? Don't look around and point your finger at someone else. Do you ever worry—even the least little bit? And yet the Bible so clearly tells us not to worry about anything but to pray about everything.

There are really only two classes of things for which we ought not to worry: those things we cannot do anything about and the things we can do something about. The best thing you can say about worry is that it is useless. The worst thing you can say about it is that it dishonors God.

Worry is the opposite of faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."