Beyond Ourselves Podcast

Learn how to do that in my daily devotional study, 2 Peter, “How to Live by the Divine Nature.”   For yourself. For your zoom study.

Dreary days. Gray skies. They can make us feel gloomy. The death of loved ones, separation, or estrangement from family or friends weighs heavily on our hearts. On what can we focus in those times? Malachi 4:2 tells us.  “…for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” What does that mean? Theologian Charles Spurgeon explains:  “Jesus, like the sun, is the center and soul of all things, the fullness of all good, the lamp that lights us, the fire that warms us, the magnet that guides and controls us; he is the source and fountain of all life, beauty, fruitfulness, and strength.”  Jesus is called the Sun of Righteousness because on the most dreary of days, when we are gloomy and despairing, we can ask Him to fill us with His Spirit and shine in our hearts and minds. Call on Him now to rise in your heart and mind in the full strength of His glory.

We praise You, SUN of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and look to You to enlighten us.

*http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1020.htm

Lord Jesus, thank You for modeling being submissive to our Heavenly Father and trusting in His ultimate will. 

“He went a little beyond them and fell on His face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:39

The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World: What to Do When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan,   Available on Amazon

Are you dragging through your day singing the blues? If so, that can change. Yes, we have a choice about the music and songs we play in our head and walk through our day singing. In Exodus 15:2, Moses tells us the music that empowered his walk. “The Lord is my strength and SONG, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him…” The word song in this verse can mean music or melody.  In effect, Moses says, “The Lord is my melody. He’s the music to which I walk through my day.” What music or words play in your head as you go about your day? We can make the choice to tune our hearts to God’s voice and walk through our day singing His praises. Will we?

So what do you think of the Speaker of the House? Oh, I’m not talking about the speaker of the US House of Representatives.  I’m referring to the Speaker of God’s House, the Speaker of Righteousness, as Isaiah 45:19 describes the LORD. “‘I have not spoken in secret, in some dark land…I, the Lord, SPEAK RIGHTEOUSNESS, declaring things that are upright.’”  How refreshing that we have a Speaker of the HOUSE who is the Speaker of Righteousness. In reading the Bible, we hear His righteous voice. As citizens of His Kingdom, we are wise to pay attention, ponder, and practice what the SPEAKER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS says above what all other speakers say. Are we listening?  Are we sharing the words of the Speaker of Righteousness with others? One of the ways my ministry shares what God has spoken is through our ministry page on Facebook. It is a “microphone” we use to “go out into the world.” When you “Like” the page, it increases the Speaker’s reach. Even if you don’t often use Facebook, you can still click HERE and check “LIKE” to help the Speaker of Righteousness’s voice reach others.

Thank You, LORD, SPEAKER of the House of RIGHTEOUSNESS. May we listen to and follow Your voice above all others. 

Perspective. It’s everything. We can look around and feel hopeless and vulnerable; wondering why God has abandoned us. Or, we can turn to the Lord, scale the heights of heaven and gaze on who God is, what He’s done, and has promised to do.  Proverbs 18:10  reminds us, “The name of the Lord is a STRONG TOWER; The righteous runs into it and is safe.” God is not uncaring and He is not inactive. He sent Jesus to overcome the eternal consequences of evil for all who call on Him. God has given us His Spirit to comfort and strengthen us. He’s creating a new world where evil doesn’t exist. From the perspective of heaven’s heights, I’d say our God is wonderful, loving, and faithful to we who often are unfaithful.  What say you?

Learn more of God’s character traits in my book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion. Here. Or Amazon.

The TRUTH. When listening to the news, do you ever long for the truth? When questioning a child, have you ever doubted their words and said, “Tell me the truth.” If a person has lied to you once, do you wonder when they tell you something if it’s the truth? How refreshing that in John 16:13 Jesus tells us we can trust God’s Holy Spirit, the SPIRIT OF TRUTH. There’s not a lie in God’s holy body, Word, or Spirit. So when we question or wonder if we should do things our way or God’s way, the world’s ways, or God’s way, we have the answer. Believe the Spirit of Truth. Follow the SPIRIT OF TRUTH.  Obey the SPIRIT OF TRUTH.

Lord God, how refreshing that we can wholeheartedly trust You, the SPIRIT of TRUTH! 

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:13

I’d love your thoughts on Paul’s words in  1 Timothy 6:13-16. He says, “I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, …that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time…” What are your thoughts on his charge to Timothy? The reason I ask is because some people say Christians are free of the Law and commandments because we live in a period of grace. I agree we live by God’s grace. But, what about the charge to “keep the commandment without stain or reproach”? Could it be that although we’re saved by grace, God expects us to act like His children? Paul’s next words reflect His amazement, honor, and worship of the resurrected Jesus Christ.  “He who is the blessed and only SOVEREIGN, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion!” Paul’s words and Paul’s life bring praise to Jesus.  What do you think of his charge to us?

Our nation has become tolerant. We pride ourselves on not judging others. “Live and let live” we say. After all, isn’t that the Biblical thing to do? Judge not so you won’t be judged? Isn’t that a Bible verse somewhere? Yes, it is. But it has nothing to do with us not being Biblically discerning. It has everything to do with Jesus. Revelation 1:16 describes His face as the sun shining in its strength. Who says,  ” I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first, but I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality,” Revelation 2:19-20. Yes, Jesus is our Shepherd and He is slow to anger, but we must never forget that He is the Son of God. He sees our deeds and He sees what we tolerate that He hates.