Beyond Ourselves Podcast
Ho Hum or DIVINE
DIVINE. We often use the word casually. “This cake is divine!” Or, “It was a divine vacation.” However, 2 Peter 1:3-4 uses the word “divine” in relation to God’s power and nature. “His DIVINE power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the DIVINE nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” These are incredible truths for us to grasp! Christ’s DIVINE power has granted to us EVERYTHING pertaining to life and godliness! Christ has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises so that by them we may become partakers of the DIVINE NATURE. It isn’t God intention that we live a ho-hum or defeated life. Far from it. He’s GIVEN US His DIVINE NATURE, POWER, and PROMISES. Are we living by His Divine power?
Lord Jesus, You are DIVINE power and life. Thank You for Your precious and magnificent promises by which we become partakers of Your divine nature. We worship and adore You!
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; in other words, the place you hang out, the place where you find comfort, love, and security? If it’s not God, you’re missing out on the ultimate DWELLING PLACE: God Himself! Deuteronomy 33:27 says, “The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are 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; a place where we can hang out; the best place of all.
Eternal God, You are our DWELLING PLACE. Please help us mindfully “hang out” with You as we would our closest family member or friend.
Knock Knock
How would you describe yourself? Would you use “DOOR” to communicate to 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 the forgiveness of your sins Jesus paid on the cross. No knocking required. Just a prayer. Acknowledge your sins to God. Ask Him to forgive you. Receive the gift of His forgiveness and 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.
Could God Love Me
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 delight Him.
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.
Feast Your Eyes On This Crown
Throughout time, people have sat on thrones and worn diadems (crowns). Some leaders have worn their crowns well and brought honor to their people. Others have brought shame to their people. The later 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 the CROWN 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, DIADEM OF BEAUTY, glorious One, we honor and praise You, our Lord!
A Resort to Go To
Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Nice verse, right? No. Not “nice verse.” It’s an incredible verse. Fear is coursing through the veins of people. “What will happen to our nation? What will happen to my children and grandchildren? What will happen to me?” This is not God’s intention for us. Let’s go to the meaning behind some of these words and rethink why the words the psalmist said should be our testimony among our peers. SOUGHT: resort to. Think vacation. You yearn to leave the daily grind. You want to go to another place that is peaceful, not draining. Then resort to the LORD. Take your spirit there. Trip off to heaven. “I resorted to the LORD and He answered me.” I went to the front desk of heaven and Jesus was there. “And He answered and delivered me from all my fears.” DELIVER: snatch. Jesus snatched me away from my fears. Friends, when we resort to the Lord, He snatches us from our fears and shows us His heavenly perspective from heaven’s eternal heights. That’s the best vacation we could ever take. Isn’t it time we go there?
Heavenly Father, help us not read Bible verses and think, “that’s nice.” Help us live the words of the Bible.
Who is Your Huckleberry
Are you familiar with the saying, “I’m your huckleberry”? Last summer, my husband and I visited Glacier National Park. Right outside the park, we stopped at a restaurant that had everything huckleberry. Huckleberry pie, huckleberry pancakes. Huckleberry coffee. And, for those of you who know Keith, you won’t be surprised that he couldn’t keep from buying me a purple huckleberry teeshirt that says, “I’m your huckleberry.” I wasn’t sure what I was wearing so I did a little research. To be one’s huckleberry is “to be just the right person for a given job, or a willing executor of some commission.” What does any of this have to do with Jesus? Colossians 2:9 says about Christ, “…in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.” Many today are struggling. People are overwhelmed. Some who have gone to church their whole lives are striving to do and be what they think God wants. But, friends, we can never live the Christian life in our strength. In Christ all the fullness of God lives. HE is “just the right person for the job,” for fulfilling all righteousness in us. To the degree that we understand this, we’ll live a life surrendered to Christ.
Lord Jesus, You and You alone are the One in whom ALL the fullness of DEITY dwells. May we be continually more mindful of living surrendered to You.
If You’re Struggling with the Darkness
As the sun rises in the east and brings light to the world, so, in Luke 1:78, Zacharias, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied this about Jesus, “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. What light? The light of salvation. The light of His glory. The light of the Holy Spirit shining in our hearts. The light of His Words showing us the path of right living. The light of His radiance purifying us of our sin. The light of His presence energizing our souls. If you’re struggling with the darkness, ask the Dayspring from on high to rise and shine in your heart.
DAYSPRING from ON HIGH, we confess that in our world, the darkness can feel heavy. We confess we need Your light to purify us of sin and shine on the path we’re to go. Thank You.
When You’re Teetering
Sometimes I feel super weak; like if Satan huffs and puffs, I’ll fall. I’ll take the bait. I’ve done it before so what’s to keep me from doing it again? Then, God reminds me of His heart to defend those who call on Him. 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 other words, He’s “got us.” 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 falling for the enemies’ schemes, we can praise our DEFENDER.
Heavenly Father, thank You that we can look to You knowing that You are our defense and strength. *http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H1598&t=NASB