Beyond Ourselves Podcast
Where is God?
Where is God? People often ask that question. Where is He? Psalm 113:5 tells us, “He is enthroned on high.” Yet, He humbled Himself to come to earth. Where is Christ? He’s walking a dusty road and teaching us how to live. Where is God? He’s on the cross dying for our sins. Where is the LORD? He is risen from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God. Looking for God? Look UP.
Lord, You are ENTHRONED ON HIGH! We praise You!
I Did it Again: Failed
I did it again: failed. I failed to pay attention to my thoughts. I failed to check them against God’s Word. I failed to return Jesus’s love by loving Him with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. I failed to honor Him with my lips. Have you ever been there, done that? What happens when a Christian sins? Is God done with us? No. First Chronicles 16:34 and 1 Peter 1:25 tell us, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever” and “His Word endures forever.” Every day God loves us. Every day, we can turn to His Word, the truth, and learn how to walk by it. If you, like me, did it again and failed God in some way recently, look to Him. He loves us and continually gives us the opportunity to repent and receive His grace.
Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for Your enduring love and Word. Help us live it out in a reciprocal way with You and others.
If You’re Looking for Supreme
When we go to the beginning, to Genesis 1:1, the first way the ONE we worship is identified, is as God. “In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and the earth.” GOD: Elohim. Scholar Charles Ryrie explains that Elohim is “a generic term for deity as well as a proper name for the true god. Its basic meaning is ‘strong one, mighty leader, supreme Deity.’ The form of the word is plural, indicating plentitude of power and majesty and allowing for the NT revelation of the triunity of the Godhead.” That is the scholarly definition of the GOD we love and worship. But how would you explain to someone who God is to you?
GOD, ELOHIM, we bow in worship and praise of You, for how You have revealed Your majesty to us, for how You’ve reached down and saved us, for how You will raise us up to be in Your presence one day. It is with unspeakable reverence we praise You!
Where to “Hang Out”
Where is home to you, the place you hang out to find comfort, love, and security? If it’s not God, you’re missing out on the ultimate DWELLING PLACE. Deuteronomy 33:27 says, “The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath is the everlasting arms.” When you’re tired and want to rest, when you’re excited and want to share good news, when you’ve messed up and need someone to confess to, when you’re stumped and need advice, go to God. He is a dwelling place where you can go, be yourself, and know you’re loved.
Heavenly Father, what a gift that You offer Yourself as our DWELLING PLACE. Prompt us to often come and “hang out” with You as we would our dearest friend.
If You’re Down
Are you down or discouraged? Do you feel the heaviness of oppression? Are you down on yourself or disappointed in someone? Do you feel betrayed? The apostle Paul, whom God used mightily, had ample opportunity to be discouraged. Lonely nights. Conflicting opinions among believers. Physical sufferings. Wrongful imprisonments. Yet, in Romans 15:5-6 he writes, “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul got his encouragement from God. He got his encouragement from singing praises to Him. If we’re down, what can we do? Turn off the TV. Go to God in prayer. Open our Bibles. Receive His encouragement.
Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for ENCOURAGING us in our innermost beings. Help us persevere by keeping our minds on You.
Knock Knock
How would you describe yourself? Would you use “DOOR” to communicate with others who you are? I certainly wouldn’t. But Jesus did. In John 10:9 He said, “I am the DOOR; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved,…” Why would Jesus describe Himself as a door? He wants us to know that there is an “outside” of heaven and an “inside” of heaven. Heaven is a place and we are “outside” until we go “into” heaven through Jesus. Make no mistake. Everyone will not live eternally “in” heaven. Only those who enter through Jesus will be in heaven. Our Heavenly Father sends a personal invitation to you to enter eternal life in heaven through Jesus who paid your entrance fee when He hung on the cross for your sins. No knocking required. Just a prayer. Repent of and confess your sins to God. Ask Him to forgive you. Receive forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Learn more at Meet Jesus.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for opening the DOOR to heaven through Your sacrifice on the cross.
“Door” is one of God’s 26 character traits in my book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion. Learn more HERE.
Feast Your Eyes On This Crown
Throughout time, people have sat on thrones and worn diadems. Some leaders have worn their crowns well and brought honor to their people. Others have brought shame. The latter was the case with the chief tribe of the Northern Kingdom of Israel at the time of Isaiah. In contrast to the drunken leaders who wore crowns of shame; Isaiah 28:5 says of the LORD, “In that day the LORD of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people.” The LORD GOD is a CROWN of BEAUTY. He is a DIADEM OF BEAUTY. If we’re looking for someone on whom to rest our eyes, we need look no further than the Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, CROWN of GLORY, DIADEM of BEAUTY, we feast our eyes on You!
Are You A Delight to God?
Have you ever considered that the Heavenly Father delights in Jesus? Yes, Jesus is God’s DELIGHT as Isaiah 42:1 points out. “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul DELIGHTS.” In a world full of evil, what a blessing it must be for the Heavenly Father to look at Jesus and say, “My soul delights in You.” Reading His words stirs in me a longing for our Heavenly Father to delight in me, but I’m so mindful of my sin I can’t imagine that being the case. Then again, could our Heavenly Father delight in us, while not delighting in our sin? Yes. Proverbs 3:12 says, “For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” Our Heavenly Father has set His affection on us. He loved us even before we were saved. (John 3:16) Now that we are saved, He loves and corrects us like we love and correct our children. So while celebrating God’s pure delight in Jesus, we learn what is pleasing to our Heavenly Father and how to walk by His Spirit so we can increasingly give Him reason to delight in us.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus, in whom Your soul finds pure delight. Thank You for delighting in us while we learn to walk in Your ways.
When You’re Teetering
Have you ever been weak and felt like you were teetering when it came to temptation? I have. What’s especially troubling is sometimes I haven’t even recognized I was in the midst of a temptation. It could be more than disheartening if we didn’t have the full assurance that God won’t turn loose of us and not only that, He defends us. In Isaiah 37:35, God says,
I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.
The word “defend” means “cover and surround.”* In Psalm 27:1, David said,
The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?
The word “defense” means a fortified place, rock, strength, a place of safety. These verses assure us that nothing can defeat us when we look to God as our defense and defender. Rather than fear that we’ll fall when tempted, we can fall to our knees and praise our defender.
Heavenly Father, thank You that we can look to You and be fully assured that You are our defense and strength. We love You.
*http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H1598&t=NASB
Here’s a Good Reason to Follow the Owner’s Manual
Have you ever wondered about the “why” behind God’s commands? If so, it helps to realize that since He created us, as Isaiah 40:28 explains, He knows what is beneficial to us and what hurts us. For instance, when the Scriptures were written, they didn’t have the research on the harmful effects of worry and stress. So, Jesus simply stated in Matthew 6:34, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” They didn’t have the research on the destructive nature of bitterness so God simply commanded us in Ephesians 4:31-32 to forgive and put bitterness away from us. In other words, God’s commands are in our best interest. They help us go through life with more peace, contentment, and joy. Just as a car owner is wise to read and follow the manual that came with their car, so we’re wise to read and follow the manual our Lord has given us. How well are we doing that? Where might we need to go back and read the Owner’s Manual so our life runs according to our Maker?
Heavenly Father, Lord and CREATOR, forgive us for too often ignoring the commands in Your Word. Draw us to Your Holy instructions to obey Your teachings.