Beyond Ourselves
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
If You’re Wondering What to Do About Something
Are you at your wit’s end? Do you need someone to talk to who can help you sort out your concerns, problems, and worries? God understands. Our Heavenly Father is the original COUNSELOR. Isaiah 9:6 says that not only is He our Counselor, He is a “Wonderful Counselor.” Our Heavenly Father and Jesus are wonderful counselors because they are excellent listeners and know us inside and out. We can talk to them and know that they hear us. When we are quiet in their presence, we position ourselves to receive what they place on our heart. Talk to your Wonderful Counselor, then follow His counsel. I record what God prompts me to do in my journal, Prayers of My Heart. It helps me follow through because I can reread what I’ve recorded that He put on my heart. What do God’s prompts sound like? His prompt might be, “Open your Bible and read a Psalm.” It might be, “Stop procrastinating and tackle the task I’ve placed before you.” His prompt might be, “Instead of wondering how someone is doing, call them.” Or, “Do _____ today.” A wise Christian will talk to their Wonderful Counsel then follow up on how He prompted them. Are we wise?
LORD, You are the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR. Increase our sensitivity to Your Voice. Help us take seriously Your counsel and follow through on what You lead us to do.
If You’re Disappointed
Are you disappointed? If so, in what or whom? A person? Yourself? A job? God understands disappointment. Many things can cause us to feel let down. Sometimes our disappointment is because we have unrealistic expectations of others which I address in The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World. Other times our disappointments are valid. No one is perfect, including us. First Peter 2:6 is encouraging because God wants us to know that there’s something He has provided that will never disappoint us: our faith in Jesus.
Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.
Not be disappointed. Read those words again. There is a person – Jesus Christ – who does not disappoint. He has a place He is preparing for us that will not disappoint us. He has a day He is preparing that will not disappoint us. He has eternity with Him that will not disappoint us. If you are disappointed, do a quick check up. On what are you setting expectations that have never promised to not disappoint you? If your expectations are set on a certain amount of money you make, a house, a spouse, children, friendships, a job, or you being perfect, then get ready for disappointment. If, on the other hand, your expectations are set on Jesus and His Word, you will not be disappointed. It’s our choice. How will we choose?
Lord Jesus, You are the PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE upon whom we can build our lives and not be disappointed. Thank YOU!
What to Do when Life doesn’t go according to plan: GET It HERE.
One More Reason to Praise God If You’re a Believer
Thank you for your prayers for God’s anointing on “The Plan A Woman in A Plan B World” conference today. God answered your prayers and blessed our time!
Would you rather God contend – plead a cause – for you or against you? If the answer is you’d rather God contend “for you,” then you have reason to jump up and down for joy! Isaiah 51:22 states,
Thus says your Lord, the Lord, even your God who contends for His people, ‘Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of reeling, the chalice of My anger; You will never drink it again.’
Yes. A hallelujah with hands raised in praise is more than appropriate for as God has dealt with Israel, He deals with us.
Lord, You CONTEND for us, not against us. We praise You with hands raised high!