Beyond Ourselves Podcast
If You’re Struggling with Darkness
Darkness has a new meaning to me after we were without electricity for 6 days during the Texas winter storm. Thousands continue to struggle without power. They have no light except the flicker of a candle or flashlight. Even with those, you use them sparingly when you don’t know how long they will last. All that I went through in the winter storm took on new spiritual application. The fact that Christ broke through the darkness of sin and not in a small flicker of a way or a temporal moment, but rather in a burst of eternal light into our darkened souls is amazing. Zacharias prophesied in Luke 1:78 that Jesus would bring light to the world. He called Jesus the “dayspring from on high.” Listen to his words, “Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us.” Jesus, the Dayspring of heaven, visited earth and brought heaven’s glorious light to our dark world and souls. What kind of light? The light of His glory. The light of His Holy Spirit shining in and warming our hearts. The light of His teachings showing us the path of truth. The light of His radiance purifying us of our sin. The light of His presence energizing us. If your soul is dark… If your thoughts are dark… If your perspective is dark…there is hope. Jesus can break through your darkness. His presence can eliminate the dark. You don’t have to keep struggling. Invite Him into your life, into your soul, into your mind, into your thoughts, into your heart. Ask Him to disperse the darkness and light you up with heaven’s glory. Ask Him to use His light to purge you of your sins. If anyone can bring light to you, it’s Jesus. I and millions others can testify to Him doing just that. Tag. You’re it. And in a glorious way. Say yes to Jesus, Heaven’s glory.
Glorious Light, Dayspring from on High, we confess that our world is dark and often our soul, mind, and thoughts are dark. They are dark without You. They are dark until You disperse the darkness with the light of Your presence. We ask You to disperse the darkness now. Shine the light of Your presence in us. Show us sin we need to confess. Cleanse us. Forgive us. Fill the hollow of our hearts with You. Teach us to walk by the Light of Your presence and the Light of Your Word.
Since We Know, How Will We Prepare Others
The February 2021 winter freeze took this Texas girl by surprise. Yes, I’d seen the warnings of a winter storm. Okay, that meant cold weather and snow. Ice. I made a mental note of the warning and went on with my life. Then it got cold. And colder. And more cold. I wasn’t prepared and by the time the snow, cold, iced over roads, power outage, no water, and firewood had run out, it was too late to do anything about it. The days for preparing had passed. I was living in the consequences of my lackadaisical unpreparedness. Often I thought of what I would do to be better prepared should we have another winter storm. I also often thought of how ultimately terrifying it is going to be for people who have sort of paid attention to the warning of a judgement after death, to the fire and more fire of hell, to the punishment for sin, and yet are going on with their lives and not doing anything to prepare for the salvation of their soul. It makes me cringe. It fills me with sorrow for them and regret that I have not done more to sound the warning. If I felt stuck in the cold of my house, how will they feel when they are stuck in the fire of their hell? Sweet friends, Jesus tells us with “all authority” in Matthew 28:18-20 that we are to be sounding the warning that a day is coming when all people will meet Jesus and their soul will be sealed in heaven or hell. Jesus commands us with all authority to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” Are we warning others to prepare to meet Jesus? Are we telling them how to prepare while they still have time?
Jesus, Son of God, You have all AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth. Show us how we can warn people of hell so they will hear, believe, and prepare to meet You.
Verses to Share to Help Others Prepare. Learn how to share your faith HERE.
When You’re in Freezing Weather, There’s Nothing Like a Comforter
One blanket. Two blankets. Three blankets. Four. Keith and I sat in front of the fire trying to get warm. The winter storm had brought a temperature of 3 degrees that the weatherman said, “feels like minus 11.” If only we had power and water. We had neither. The winter storm continued and we couldn’t get down our icy driveway to get to our children’s homes. If you’ve lived in an area affected by a winter storm you know how devastating the cold can be. Especially if you run out of wood, which happened to us. We couldn’t complain, though. We had a comforter. A comforter that we may take for granted is more than appreciated during a winter storm. So, too, is a spiritual Comforter when we’re experiencing life’s storms. Second Corinthians 1:3 describes the as Lord as the God of All Comfort. Yes, when a person’s crisp tongue chills us to the core or the howling wind of despair blows through our heart, or we are experiencing a literal storm, the God of all Comfort comforts us like none other. Why? The Greek word for comfort means “to call to one’s side, speak to, in the way of exhortation, console, teach.” How incredible that God gives every believer the gift of His presence through the Holy Spirit. Our Comforter is an abiding presence who will never wear out, never become threadbare, and never leave us. The more we blanket our lives with His teachings, the more we’ll know the warmth of His abiding presence.
Adapted from Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, page 67.
Sweet friends, you are in my prayers as you suffer through life’s storms.
Heavenly Father, You are the God of all COMFORT! Please comfort all who are suffering. Give them Your wisdom. Bring resources to help them. Strengthen them as only You can. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Check Out this Privilege
Isn’t it amazing that it is often human nature to reject what is good and gravitate towards that which is bad? Although it’s sad, it’s true. Peter calls believers to realize that the One people reject when they turn from Christ “is choice and precious in the sight of God.” (1 Peter 2:4) The Greek words “choice and precious” mean that God appointed Jesus to the most exalted office conceivable.* He is held in honor and prized by His Father.** Continue reading in 1 Peter 2:5 and your heart can’t help but be warmed. Jesus is a choice and precious living stone and we are also living stones, being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood. For what purpose? “To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Oh my. So often we sacrifice for things on earth that are temporal. But to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God? That is a privileged calling and it is ours, my friend.
CHOICE AND PRECIOUS Savior, we love You and praise You. Focus our eyes on You and our time and energy on eternal rather than earthly, passing things.
Thank you, Lord, for being CLOSE TO Us when we’re BROKENHEARTED
Today is Valentine’s Day, a day marked by exchanges of tokens of love. But what if you wake up alone? What if your loved one is deceased? What if your loved one cheated on you? What if you’ve never had someone love you? What if you’re not only alone, but you’re crushed in spirit? I find it amazing that the Bible is the most honest book we”ll ever read. Our Heavenly Father “gets it” that there will be times in our life like that, which is precisely why He wants us to know that even if we’re alone, He’s close. Even if there is no one to save or lift our crushed spirit, HE CAN. Our Heavenly Father is sending a loud and clear Valentine message that He loves us. There is nothing we have done or will do and there is no place we can go that He isn’t present. “I LOVE YOU. I’M HERE,” our Heavenly Father calls to us, with Jesus echoing, “Me, too!”
Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for loving us and being close to us.
“The Lord is CLOSE to the BROKENHEARTED and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18
If We’re Smart…
Sheep. It’s been said they’re not the smartest animal in the world. That’s why they benefit from having a shepherd to watch over them and care for them. In relation to God, we’re not always the smartest. That’s why we benefit from having a Shepherd of our soul to watch over us and care for us. Matthew 9:36 records that our Shepherd, “Seeing the people, felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Mark 6:34 further explains, “…He began to teach them many things.” What is Jesus, the Chief Shepherd’s (1 Peter 5:4 ) response to seeing us be distressed and dispirited? He teaches us what to do and how to live. Of all the voices vying for our attention, Jesus’s voice is the One we’re to follow. The Bible is His voice on paper. If we’re smart, we’ll read and follow His teachings.
Thank You, JESUS, CHIEF SHEPHERD of our souls, for looking at us with eyes of compassion and for teaching and leading us.
Guess Who Wins
Have you ever given your best effort at something, but failed? On the other hand, have you ever experienced great success? It’s normal to want to win. In keeping with that, Isaiah 19:20 has encouraging news for Christians. “It will become a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will deliver them.” Jesus is the proclaimed Champion for the Jews and all who call on Him for salvation. If you’re on Christ’s side, you’re on the winning side. At times it may feel like you’re losing the battle, but the ultimate win is coming.
LORD, You are the CHAMPION over all. We can’t wait to see the witness of the display of Your glory and reign. We love You.
Are We or Aren’t We
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If someone were to ask you what makes your life, marriage, family, career, and friendships work well, what would you say? Are you successful because you’re a hard worker? Are you successful because you’re conscientious? Or, perhaps a good listener? It’s an important question. A more important question, though, is what makes your life, marriage, family, career, friendships work to the glory of God? Why is that an important question? Because if we are a Christian, 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that everything we do is to be to the glory of God. “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Acts 4:11 reinforces this fact by saying Jesus is the stone that was rejected, but who became the CHIEF CORNERSTONE.” In other words, we’re to build our lives on Christ in such a way that our life brings Him glory. If that’s not happening, we can begin today. We can draw closer to Jesus.
JESUS, You are the Chief Cornerstone on whom we’re to build our lives and glorify You. Help us consider if we’re doing that and if not, how we can.
How Not to Go Crazy with Anxiety
It started as a peaceful morning. 5:30 am alone with God has a tendency to do that. After my quiet time and while scanning emails and news stories, however, I almost came to the conclusion that I’d unknowingly had Covid or might have gotten Covid the day before or maybe two days before. Or, maybe I shouldn’t get the vaccine in case I had unknowingly had Covid recently because someone told me you could get really sick if you didn’t wait 3 months to get the vaccine after having it. I have no idea if that’s true. However, after reading the article that listed 98 SYMPTOMS people who have had Covid have had could make anyone wonder. Scanning 98 symptoms can tend to make one pause. My eyes had been a little red one day last week and that was one of the symptoms. I had dismissed the redness as allergies, but you never know. Okay, I think you get my point. Everyone could probably identify as having had one of the 98 symptoms and go into a frenzy if they are the worrying type, which thank goodness I’m not. However, understandably, Covid has caused an increase in anxiety in our nation and world and if not because of Covid, you may have stressed over politics or any number of other issues. It is normal to feel anxious when our loved ones are ill or when family or financial problems arise. What’s important for us to know in stressful times is that Jesus is with us and cares for us. He doesn’t want us to go crazy with worry. He wants us to cast all our anxiety on Him as 1 Peter 5:7 clearly states. Yes, just like a person casts a fishing line into the water, we can cast our anxiety on Jesus knowing that He cares for us and will see us through each moment each day. If you’re feeling anxious, cast your anxiety on Him right now. Tell Him your anxious thoughts. He loves you, is listening, and He is ever present to comfort you, sweet friend.
Jesus, thank You for being a CARING LORD on whom we can cast our anxiety! Comfort with a comfort that only You can give all those who are suffering with Covid right now or who have lost a loved one to Covid. Bring healing to those suffering and strength to all the care givers. We love You and thank You for caring for us.
Whopper of a Problem?
Do you have a whopper of a problem? Perhaps you’re even where the Lord led you, but the situation is more than you can handle. When Joshua found himself in a tough place, the Lord appeared to him as Captain of the Lord’s Host. Listen to what happened. Joshua 5:14-15 states, “Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, ‘What has my lord to say to his servant?’ The Captain of the Lord’s Host said to Joshua, ‘Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” Did we get that? Joshua bowed down and said, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” The Lord told Joshua that the place he was standing was holy ground; then He told him what to do. Isn’t that the position we need to take not only when we’re faced with problems, but every day? Bow before the Lord. Ask, “what do You have to say to me?” Then, listen with the intention of obeying.
CAPTAIN of the HOSTS, we bow before You. Speak to our heart and mind. Tell us what to do.