Beyond Ourselves Podcast
Soul Rest
NEWS! Montana P.R.A.Y. with Passion Conference DAY 2. Thank you for your prayers for an outpouring of God’s Spirit and travel safety as I return home.
“I’m tired! I’m tired of work. I’m tired of the tension in my life. I’m tired of struggling. I’m tired of taking care of….” How would you finish that sentence? God understands. The Bible says God rested on the seventh day after He completed the creation. One of His Ten Commandments is to keep the Sabbath Day as a day of rest; as He rested on the seventh day. Jesus’s work in obtaining our salvation on the cross results in our NOT WORKING for salvation. God has provided a future day of eternal SABBATH REST. Hebrews 4:9-10. Until then, what do we do if our soul is anything but at rest? We respond to Jesus’s invitation in Matthew 11:28-29. We learn how to walk in step with Him. Soul rest. Ahh – it’s nice. And it is ours for the taking.
Lord, thank You for the eternal Sabbath Rest we have in You. Thank You that even though our days may be filled with family, work, and ministry commitments, we can experience SOUL REST by walking in step with You. You are our RESTING PLACE.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find REST for YOUR SOULS.”
Walk Out of the Dark and In the Light
Have you ever been in a “dark place”? Perhaps you are now. Everywhere you look, it’s dark, and what’s worse – you don’t see a way out. If you have been there or you are now, can you imagine what it would be like to be there forever, and to know that you’d never escape? God and Satan are powerful. They each have domains, or kingdoms. God’s domain is heaven and light. Satan’s domain is hell and darkness. First John 1:19 explains “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” But, the good news of Colossians 1:13 is that Christ RESCUED us from the domain of darkness. Rather than walk in the darkness of worldly discouragement, look up to the glorious light of Christ. Ask Him to infuse you with His light; to give you His eyes to see the hope you have in Him. You have the God of eternity on your side. Thank Him. Praise Him. Walk out of the evil one’s lies and in the Light of your hope in Christ.
Lord Jesus, You have RESCUED us from the domain of darkness. Infuse us with Your light so we walk as children of Light. We love You and praise You!
“He RESCUED US from the DOMAIN of DARKNESS, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.”
When Bolts of Regret Strike You to the Core
Are the storms in your life overwhelming you…perhaps literally? Whether the storms are literal or metaphorical, fear can flood our emotions. Lightening bolts of regret can strike us to the core. Worry can flood our mind. But God doesn’t want us to stay overwhelmed, drowning in fear, worry, and regret. That’s why He has given us His Spirit; His very presence to be with us. Just as shelters offer a place for flood victims to go, God calls us to come to Him for REFUGE. The Hebrew word, “REFUGE,” means shelter from danger or falsehood. The more closely we stay under God’s arms of truth, the more protected we are from the enemies’ lies. Psalm 46:1 reminds us that God is our REFUGE, a very present help in trouble. Go to Him. Shelter under the truth of His love for you.
Lord, You provide yourself as a REFUGE to shelter us from Satan’s lies and worldly deceptions. You’re a shelter in the midst of life’s storms. Remind us to not stand in the rain of discouragement, but rather shelter under You.
When You’re Drained
Do you feel drained or spiritually empty? You know you’re saved, but you’re tired and discouraged. What do we do when we want to serve the Lord and energetically live for Him but we’re weary and feel like there’s nothing left in us to give? God answers our question. In Jeremiah 31:25, He says, “I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.” The LORD is our REFRESHER. Jesus echoes this in Matthew 5:3-6. Are we poor in spirit? Are we mourning? Are we hungry and thirsty for righteousness? If so, we can go to the ever flowing river of Life in the LORD. We can drink deeply of His Word and Spirit. We can be refreshed and our energy renewed to do what He entrusts into our hands.
Heavenly Father, our daily lives often leave us feeling drained. Fill us with Your presence. Renew and refresh us so we are energized to serve You and others.
Get on the Right Side of God
Have you noticed that people in our nation are at odds with one another? Maybe it’s the name calling and accusations. Maybe it’s because certain factions look on others as enemies. Did you know that Romans 5:10 says that at one time we were enemies of God? Not a good position to be in! How did we get on the right side of God so we’re not God’s enemy? The verse explains, “we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son.” It took Jesus’s death to reconcile us to God. The verse continues, “we shall be saved by His life.” No one wants to be on the wrong side of an issue. No one wants to be on the wrong side of God. We have Jesus to thank for reconciling us to our Heavenly Father.
Jesus, thank You for giving Your life so that we could be RECONCILED to God! We rejoice in and praise You!
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Romans 5:10
What’s Coming Up Behind You
Have you ever been driving and keeping your eyes on the road before you when suddenly a car came up too fast behind you? If so, you probably know the startled feeling and hope that the driver slow down rather than rear end you. Often, we speak of the Lord leading us, but Isaiah 52:12 also speaks of Him as watching out for our backs. “… the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your REAR GUARD.” In this verse, God is referred to as a rear guard to the Israelites when they escaped Egyptian bondage. God is also our rear guard. He watches over us, leads us, and not until heaven will we know how many times He’s protected us from encroaching danger and evil. Just as it was important for Moses and the Israelites to pay attention to and follow God’s instructions, it’s important for us to pay attention and follow His instructions. How do His warnings and instructions come to us? In the Bible and the Holy Spirit’s promptings.
Lord, thank You for being our REAR GUARD and for all the ways You watch over us and protect us. How comforting to know You’ve got our back.
It’s easy to forget how God “prompts” us. However, if we record His promptings and verses applicable to our life, we can reread and follow them. Recently, I was able to get a great deal on Prayers of My Heart prayer journal and want to pass HALF OFF savings to you – $7.50 instead of $14.99. It’s a perfect Christmas gift for teachers, friends, family, and your Bible study group so get one for yourself and those on your Christmas list WHILE AVAILABLE at this price.
If You’re Kidnapped, Do This
Did you see the movie, Ransom? Mel Gibson played the father of the son who was kidnapped. There was no way the kidnapped son could free himself. The kidnappers demanded that the father pay a certain price, a ransom, to get his son back. That’s what our Father did for us. We were captives in sin. But our Heavenly Father gave Jesus as the RANSOM to pay for our freedom. Was it only our Father’s idea? No. First Timothy 2:6 says that Jesus was in one accord with the Father. “…Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a RANSOM for all.” Yes, our sweet Lord gave Himself as a ransom so we could be reunited to Him and our Heavenly Father forever. How do we become freed from sin? We say “yes” to the outstretched hand of Jesus who has come to save us.
Lord Jesus, we praise You, our RANSOM, our LORD.
Jesus Will Wake Us Up
TIP: How to Pray for Unbelievers
Death. It seems so final. I’d been prepared for my mother’s death because she’d been ill a long time. But the casket. The cemetery. I broke down weeping. Some family members whispered they were surprised at my grief, but all I could think of was how much I was going to miss her. So what does Jesus want us to know about death and what did He prove when He raised Lazarus and others from the dead? He wants us to know that death isn’t final. Jesus describes death as sleep and that just as a loved one rouses us from sleep by calling our name, Jesus will rouse us from our death sleep. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” (John 5:25) Yes, believers will hear Christ’s voice (imagine that!) and wake in His eternal presence. Better words could never be said. Who do we need to share them with?
Lord, thank You for the eternal promise and evidence that You raise those who are dead in Christ into Your eternal presence. We will see our loved ones again.
Dark World, Radiant God
Are you concerned with how our world seems to be getting darker? Religious persecution, disease, abuse, terrorists at home and abroad, moral decline, and political shenanigans contribute to the anxiety and depression we may feel. In the midst of discouraging days, what can believers do? We can keep our eyes on Jesus, who Hebrews 1:3 describes as the radiance of God’s glory. The word “radiance” is only used 5 times in the Bible and in each of those, refers to God. Commentator Vines defines God’s “radiance” as “shining forth, of a light coming from a luminous body.” Isn’t that exciting? Even when things around us are dark, God isn’t. One sweet, glorious day, we’ll join those who have glimpsed God’s radiance. We’ll fall on our faces as they did; overwhelmed by what our eyes see. The day is coming when we go to Jesus or when He returns through the clouds. Keep watching and living for Him!
Heavenly Father, our hearts are overwhelmed as we read the accounts of those who have had glimpses of You. We can’t imagine what it will be like to see Your glory. We praise You now and forever.
“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature,…” Hebrews 1:3
If You Want to Hear God’s Voice
LISTEN
“Lord, are You there? Speak to me.” Have you ever wanted to hear from God? The fact is, the Bible tells us in Zephaniah 3:17 that God is in our midst and He’s a victorious warrior, but He’s also quiet in His love. What does that mean? I like to think of when I’ve held our little ones. My heart feels like it could jump out of my skin because I’m so full of love for them. However, I’m not going to be loud with them. Instead, I hold them close to my heart. I wonder if they feel my heartbeat as they lie comfortably in my embrace. God is magnificient and the Bible is filled with His words to us. If we wish He would speak to us, He has and is. Open the Bible. Hold it close to your heart. Feel His heartbeat and listen to what He quietly says to you in love.
“The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” Zephaniah 3:17
Lord, thank You for Your QUIET LOVE and for the Words you speak to us. May we hold You, them, close to our hearts and feel Your heartbeat.