Beyond Ourselves

Would you agree that trust is at an all-time low? Why do you think that is? Perhaps because people don’t always speak truthfully. Lying appears to have become socially acceptable. But it’s not acceptable to God. He is the truth and speaks the truth.  Revelation 21:5 NIV records the following:

He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are TRUSTWORTHY and true.’

Jesus wants us to know that if He says something we can count on it. He and His words are trustworthy and true, and the good news is He is making everything new. His words give us hope and encouragement we need to hear. If there were ever a time that we should listen to Jesus and take hold of the hope of a new day, it’s now. If you’ve been hurt by an untrustworthy person, don’t let that keep you from trusting God. He has an eternal track record of being trustworthy.

Listen UP! Here.

Some time ago I noticed a vine growing in my flower bed and didn’t know if it was a weed I should discard or if it was a vine I should keep. I had to make a decision. Uproot it or let it grow?  Many today hear spiritual teachings and find themselves like me yet in relation to a matter of much more significance – wondering if they’re hearing a good teaching to which they should hold or a false teaching they should discard. Jesus doesn’t want us to make the wrong decision. He tells us in John 15:1, “I am the true vine.”  Do you know someone who is allowing vines of secular humanism to grow in their heart rather than growing Jesus’s words and teachings in their heart? If so, what can you do? Bear Christ, the TRUE VINE, and His fruit in your life so they can taste and recognize the real thing.

Lord Jesus, we praise You, the TRUE VINE. Uproot anything in our lives that choke out the fruit of Your presence.

As we celebrate Veteran’s Day and remember and honor people who have served in the United States Armed Forces, our hearts also turn to honor Christ who was born with a kingdom to defend.  That babe was born with an angelic army at His beacon call. That babe was born a “Warrior” King as Isaiah 42:13 foretold,

The Lord will go forth like a WARRIOR, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies.

The babe who grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52) defeated the devil and death.  Christ will one day return to earth as Warrior King that He is. With whom will we share this important news this week?

Lord, we praise You, WARRIOR King from on high.

Are you excited about all the ways Jesus is described? Every day when I select a description of our Lord to share with you, I have a renewed sense of awe. Often the way our Lord is described is in contrast to that which is in the world. Such is the case today. Many in our world are living in spiritual darkness. They are seeking to be enlightened by powers apart from Jesus Christ. But in John 1:9 we find the word “true” in reference to Jesus. Although there are many sources of “enlightenment,” there is only one TRUE LIGHT:  JESUS CHRIST. He enlightens our soul, mind, and heart when we turn to Him.  The world apart from Christ is dark. Take seriously His charge to let His light shine through you. His Light in you is a beacon to those living in darkness.

John 2:19-21  records a question the Jews asked Jesus as well as Christ’s response. Their question? “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” The “things” Jesus had done included driving sheep and oxen out of the temple, pouring out the money changers’ coins, overturning their tables, ordering them, “Stop making My Father’s house a place of business,” and then as recorded in Matthew 21:13 chiding them, “My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”  In other words, Jesus acted like He owned “the house – the temple.” He called for others to account for their behavior regarding His temple, His house.

Jesus’s comment in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” was not understood. The people thought Jesus was talking about the stone temple. Instead, He was talking about His body, the temple of God living among men. As Jesus foretold, He did raise His body three days after they destroyed it. Miraculous!

There are two points God is driving home to me in regard to Jesus’s actions and words regarding His temple.

First, the stone temple from which Jesus drove out the money changers was not divine because of the rocks but because of the presence of God – it being a place of prayer.  The stone temple no longer exists nor is Jesus tabernacling among us. Rather, since Christ’s resurrection,  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 explains that God tabernacles among us through His indwelling Holy Spirit in each believer. Every Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit. A temple of prayer. A temple housing the glory of God. It is beyond our comprehension and amazing. Say it out loud, “The glory of God is in me.”

What does that mean for us? First, it makes me incredibly mindful that Jesus drove from the temple the things that were not supposed to be there. For me, that means Jesus wants to purify me of anything that hinders God’s glory shining forth in me. Second, since I am a temple of the Holy Spirit and God’s temple is a place of prayer, then I am to be not only in a constant state of being purified but I am also to be mindfully praying, seeking the will and heart of Christ, interceding for others, listening for and obeying God’s voice. What a blessing! What glory for us to be partakers of the divine nature and to be God’s temples! Are you mindful of the blessing? Are you sensitive to what Christ is driving out of you? Are you becoming increasingly prayerful? That is your blessing.

Lord Jesus, You are the divine temple of the Most High. You have appointed us as temples in whom You dwell through the Holy Spirit, tabernacling among our families, friends, neighbors, and world. Increase our awareness of Your presence and the glorious position You have given us. Drive out anything that keeps Your glory from shining and from prayer flowing between us.

Could you use some encouragement about Christ’s tender mercy and provision for you? If so, you’ll find it in my study, If God is In Control, Why…..

LISTEN

What would you do if a man holding a machete threatened you, “Say Jesus isn’t the Son of God! Denounce him or die.” What would you do if you received an alarming call such as the Voice of the Martyrs reported Amir did? The caller, a member of an Islamic extremist group, warned Amir that they were watching his family and had seen his son attending church. The Islamist told Amir that if his son continued to attend church, Amir would “reap what he sows with his only son.” Do you stop going to church?

Sunday, November 7 is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. It is a day set aside for us to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being persecuted for believing Jesus’s words,

I am the way, and the TRUTH, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me, John 14:6.

I invite you to join me and others throughout the world who are praying for our brothers and sisters who follow Christ in spite of being persecuted for their faith. I invite you to pray and to keep praying. Why? Our prayers make a difference as demonstrated in Acts 12:5-11.

So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me. And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

Yes, our prayers make a difference. They reach heaven. God hears them. Your prayers make a difference in the lives of those who are imprisoned, tortured, and suffering for Christ. Pray and keep on praying. I have the last column in Prayers of My Heart designated for prayers for our nation, world, and persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. I encourage you to sign up to receive Voice of the Martyrs which will keep you up to date with weekly ways you can pray for specific people.

Watch Sabina to better grasp the radical truth to which we hold – that Jesus and He alone is the way, the truth, and the life.

Lord Jesus, we praise You, the TRUTH and way to forgiveness of sins and eternity with You and our Heavenly Father. We pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being persecuted and tortured for You. Thank You for standing by them. Thank You for strengthening them. Thank You for Your angelic messengers who are helping them escape the hand of their torturers. Thank You that in their persecution You are present to usher them into heaven as You did Stephen. Prepare us to stand boldly for You in our society in our generation and to not take lightly the opportunity and privilege to gather with other believers to worship You and study Your word. We love You, Lord Jesus Christ and ask forgiveness for our smallness of faith and littleness of prayer for our brothers and sisters in prison. 

LISTEN

“I don’t know what to do.” How many times have you said or thought that? Perhaps you’re trying to figure out your finances. Maybe you’re at a crossroads in life and trying to figure out God’s will. Or maybe there’s a personal or business relationship that’s troubling you that needs to be handled in the wisest of ways. Whether you’re wondering whether to take your child to the doctor or your question is of another nature, look to Jesus. Why? We’ve seen in other Scriptures how Jesus is a treasure that we have within us. But Colossians 2:2b-3 gives us more insight. It says that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Jesus. Ponder what that means for you. Talk to Jesus. Look to Him. Listen to Jesus. Record what He tells you to do. Follow up on His instructions. Walk in the wisdom and knowledge you have in Jesus. It’s an incredible blessing that would be a shame to miss and can help prevent future heartbreaks.

TIP: Each morning after recording God’s attribute in the first column of Prayers of My Heart  and interceding for others, I record God’s “prayer prompt” of what He wants me to do in the ‘Meditations, Notes, and Prayers’ section. Yes, God has things for us to do. When we pause with pen in hand, we’re positioned to listen to God and do what He places on our heart. Returning to celebrate the wisdom of Christ’s ways increases the joy in our hearts. Walk daily by the Treasury of Wisdom you have in Christ Jesus. 

Prayers of My Heart is a meaningful gift for family, friends, teachers, and Bible study group members.

Have you found yourself to be disturbed by some of the changes and trends in our nation and world?  Does it seem like it’s not even the same place where you grew up? It’s interesting, but it’s almost like our Heavenly Father and Jesus are readying us. Readying us for what? To go home, to where we are citizens above our citizenship on earth. Our nation is beginning to become foreign to us because heaven is our home. It is where truth abounds, love is premiere, and relationships are characterized by kindness. Sound good? If so, keep that in mind as you go through your day. Make building your life and family on Jesus a priority.  Hold tightly to Christ and loosely to the things of the earth. Be assured when things of this earth crumble and fail, Christ will stand the test of eternity as  Isaiah 28:16 states:

Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a TESTED STONE, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.

Rest assured that if you’ve been disturbed by recent trends in our world, it is because your home is heaven and we’re each one step closer to being there. That warrants a hallelujah chorus from me. How about you?

Lord Jesus Christ, once again we’re reminded of the joy and privilege of calling You our God. You are foundational to all we believe, a pure and holy TESTED STONE.  We praise and worship You!