Beyond Ourselves Podcast
When Did You Become Christ’s Bride
Where were you married? I was married in an outdoor tabernacle on a wooden pew when I was 12. Oh, I’m not talking about when I married my earthly husband, Keith. I’m talking about when Jesus took me as His bride. I was at a youth camp and the Holy Spirit convicted me during the evening service that I was a sinner in need of a Savior. I acknowledged my sin and confessed Jesus as my Lord and Savior. He drew me close. He took my hand in His nail-scarred hand. My Jesus betrothed me to Him in love and forgiveness before the Heavenly Father and angels. One day, I will see Him face to face. He is coming for me just as Matthew 25:6 says, “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Now, I’d love for you to hit the reply button and tell me where you were married.
Jesus, You are the BRIDEGROOM, the Savior, of all who accept Your proposal to be saved. Thank You for coming to earth to save us. Thank You for loving us in spite of our sin. Thank You for preparing a place in heaven for us to live eternally with You as Your pure spotless bride. We rejoice and love You so much!
Guess Who Wins
Have you ever given your best effort at something, but failed? On the other hand, have you ever won a competition and been named the champion? Even the most humble of people want to win. We want to be on the winning team. Isaiah 19:20 has good 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 a Champion for the Jews, but He is also the Champion for all who call on Him for salvation. If you’re on Christ’s side, you’re on the right side. You may feel like you’re facing a losing battle, but the ultimate win is coming.
LORD, You are the CHAMPION over all creation. We celebrate You!
When You’re Filled with Anxiety
What do you do with worry? How do you respond when you get a bad diagnosis? To whom do you turn in the middle of the night when you’re afraid or sad? It’s normal to feel anxious, despair, and worry when our loved ones are ill or problems arise. But what Jesus wants us to know is that He’s with us and He cares for us. First Peter 5:7 tells us to cast all our anxiety on Jesus because He cares for us. 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 what we’re experiencing. How about casting your anxiety on Him right now in the form of a prayer. Tell Him all your anxious thoughts. Listen for how He prompts you to go forward.
Jesus, thank You for being a CARING LORD on whom we can cast our anxiety!
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.
Take a Look at This Star
THANK YOU for your prayers today as I speak on the topic, “Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion” for the TBC San Antonio Ladies Retreat; that God kindle believers’ passion to live for His glory!
FYI: You can help us get the P.R.A.Y. Conf to the LAST 2 Mainland STATES: Oregon and Maine, Please reply if you have a contact in one of them. The P.R.A.Y. Conf supports churches in the areas of discipleship, prayer, and evangelism. Christians are given equipping, inspiring tools to help them pray more purposefully and live more passionately for Christ.
Many people attempt to rise to “stardom.” Some do. But no one, not even the most famous person comes close to Jesus, who explains in Revelation 22:16, “I am the root and the descendant of David, the BRIGHT MORNING STAR.” Jesus tells us that HE is the STAR to whom we should look. He is the STAR on whom we can set the course of our life and know we will arrive safely on heaven’s shores. To whom might you need to point out this most fantastic of Stars?
Lord, we praise You, the BRIGHT MORNING STAR.
Are We or Aren’t We
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If someone were to ask you what makes your life, marriage, family, career, friendships “work,” what would you say? Are you successful because you’re a hard worker? You’re conscientious? You’re 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 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 they bring Him glory. If that’s not happening, we can begin drawing 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.
Bite, Chew, Graze
Are you hungry? Is there a gnawing in you? Do you feel that something is missing? That no matter what you do, purchase, or where you go, you still want more? Do you fill the emptiness, but it quickly returns? If so, maybe it’s your spirit that is hungry. If so, the solution isn’t more food, clothes, or money. The solution is found by filling our spirit with the Holy Spirit of Jesus who John 6:48 describes as the BREAD of LIFE. Jesus is to the soul, what a whopping delicious meal is to our body. Begin your day with bite-size Bible verses. Chew on them throughout the day. At night, graze on the promises of Christ. Go to sleep with your spirit fully satisfied in Christ.
Lord Jesus, we praise You, BREAD OF LIFE! Thank You for satisfying the yearning of our spirit as we meditate on You.
What’s Flowing Through Us
Have you ever had something grow in your flowerbed and you didn’t know if it was a flower or a weed? That’s happened to me. The same can happen when people read books or listen to people who make flowery claims and promises. Words can sound good, but if the teachings are not based on Truth, the words come up short and mislead people. In Jeremiah 23:5, Jesus is described as a righteous Branch, the real deal rather than flowery show. “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord, when I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.’” Jesus is the wise, just, righteous branch of the Lord. Believers are grafted into Him. Are we daily bowing to His kingship? Are we allowing His life to flow through us as syrup flows through a maple tree? Is His sweet life in us bringing joy to others; wooing them to be grafted into Christ?
Heavenly Father, thank You for grafting us into the righteous branch of Jesus Christ. Stir our hearts to be more intentional about Christ’s Spirit flowing through us so others are blessed and drawn to salvation in Him.
Wilted or Watered?
Have you ever walked through an unwatered garden? The plants are wilted. There’s little fruit, if any. What a difference when you walk through a well-watered garden; one loved by the owner. Flowers and fruit abound. The garden has a beautiful fragrance. The gardener has withheld nothing and has committed everything to care His plants. In Jeremiah 31:12 God is described as bountiful and His people like a well-watered garden. “They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion, and they will be radiant over the bounty of the Lord—and their life will be like a watered garden, and they will never languish again.” If you are languishing today and are physically, emotionally, or spiritually wilted, I understand. Life can at times drain us. Go to the Lord. Open your Bible. Be refreshed and filled by His Spirit. He loves you! Come! Drink.
Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You, BOUNTIFUL Lord, that though life is draining, we don’t have to languish. Rather, in You are the well springs of life. Thank You for Your ever replenishing supply of love, joy, peace, and strength.
Hitch Your Wagon to the Right Star
Are you familiar with the saying, “Hitch your wagon to a star”? It’s an idiom that means “to commit to an aspirational goal or course of action that will lead to fulfillment.”* But many today are hitching to the opposite. Instead of hitching to what Romans 1:25 describes as God who is BLESSED FOREVER, they’re hitching to the world. The Bible warns us that there are serious repercussions when people don’t honor God, give Him thanks, and they exchange the truth of God for a lie. God eventually gives those people over. Over to what? Romans 1:18-25 tells us – over to impurity, over to dishonor, over to degrading passions, and over to depraved minds. What are we hitching our lives to? The ways of the world or to God?
Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus, who are BLESSED FOREVER, help us examine the courses of action to which we are hitched and rightly hitch to You.
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