Beyond Ourselves

Are you alone?  Are you emotionally scattered?  Are you broken or sick? Ezekiel 34:16 tells us that God is in the business of tending to the lost, the scattered, the broken, and the sick. Listen to his words, “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick.” Yes, there are times in our lives when distance, disease, and death leave us feeling like we can’t take one more step, that we can’t get through the day or night. But our Father wants us to know that He sees us, He cares, and He is with us. Turn to Him. Rest in His arms. Put your head on His chest. Listen to the heartbeat of His love for you.  He didn’t create the world scattered, lost, and sick, but rather as beautiful, peaceful, and perfect. All that our heart longs for, we will one day experience in His presence.

(Keep a gratitude journal of the ways God is working in your life and helping you and others. It will please Him to see that You recognize His presence. It will encourage your heart.)

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for being with us and BINDING UP the many ways we are BROKEN. Thank You for helping us emotionally, physically, and spiritually. 

January 2021 is past. We had looked forward to a new year, to 2020 ending. In 2020 we set our eyes on 2021 and the promise of a vaccine to end the spread of Covid.  “2021. We can’t wait,” we said. Surely, a new year would usher in new, good things. Certainly, with 2020 behind us we could move forward and get things back to “normal.” Now that we are one month into 2021, however, we realize that we can’t hitch our hope or our joy to a new year or a new administration or a new vaccine. As I write to you, fellow believer, I know that you know that the only One to whom we can hitch our wagon, to whom we can hitch our hope and joy is to the Lord. That’s why it is more important than ever that we dig deeper into the Word, that we maintain our quiet time with the Lord to pray and intercede for others. If you ever wake up and don’t “feel” like opening your Bible and reading it, that’s when to be more resolved than ever to read it. If you started the year journaling your prayers and praises but now would rather pour another cup of coffee and turn on the TV or check your email, stand firm. Only the devil or the lazy part of our nature would pull us away from the most important spiritual disciplines. Stand firm. Be mindful of your choices. These days are important and it is important that you be Christ’s light in your home, community, and with everyone whose life you touch. Last year and last month are gone. Today is the day God has given us to live our best life for Christ!

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness,” Psalm 33:18.

Prayers of My Heart gratitude journal will help you focus on the positive ways God is working in your life and in the lives of others. It’s where you can record Scriptures to help you live joyfully.  Tips on how to use it can be found here.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for keeping Your eye on us, for being the One to whom we look and cling and find hope. We love you.

Have you been thinking lately that there are few people you can trust? When we’re told one thing and then find out the person never intended to follow through on their promises, it’s disheartening.  That’s why we appreciate words like we find in Psalm 18:30 that says, “As for God, His way is BLAMELESS;…” Once again the Bible reiterates what we need and long to hear – that we can look to and fully trust our Lord. He is BLAMELESS which in the Hebrew means “whole, entire, sound, complete, wholesome, unimpaired, having integrity, entirely in accord with truth and fact.” Wow! Reread the Hebrew definition of the word blameless. Then, celebrate in praise.  Our Lord and His Word are true, not the changing culture.  Proudly, voice your faith in Jesus Christ. Let the light of the Blameless Lord shine through you.

Lord, we celebrate YOU, the BLAMELESS One!

Have you noticed that hate between people seems to be in the news more than love? That’s what makes God the Father and Jesus’s love for us so jaw dropping. Think about it with me for a minuted.  Jesus, at age 12, described the temple as the house of His Heavenly Father and in doing so claimed familial intimacy with God. At Jesus’s baptism, His Heavenly Father claimed intimacy with Him, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” Matthew 3:17.   “Beloved Son” is a term that means esteemed, dear, favorite Son. Yes, we are sons and daughters of God. Yet, when we ponder the magnitude of our Heavenly Father’s sacrifice when He sent His favorite Son to die for our sins (John 3:16) and when we think of the magnitude of Jesus’s sacrifice when He left His Heavenly Father to come to earth to die for our sins, we can’t help but have profound gratitude and wonder at their love for us.

Heavenly Father and Beloved Son, we praise You for Your magnanimous love, grace, and sacrifice so we can live with You in eternal glory. Thank You. We love You.

Does sin weigh you down? It often does me. As long as we’re in our earthly bodies, we’re going to sin. But, and this is big – because Jesus took our sins, we’re declared righteous and we’re also called to be righteous.  In other words, sin is to be “dying off” in us as we purposefully draw close to Jesus, learn His ways, practice His teachings, and look at our sins through His eyes. Bottom line, we recognize we have an upward calling and we don’t want sin to be a part of our life. Here’s how  1 Peter 2:24 explains it. “…He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” Jesus bore our sin in His body on the cross “so that…”  Jesus suffered so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

“Hey Buddy.” We’re often quite chummy with people, even if while social distancing or on the phone. Some parents even call their children, “buddy.” We love to quote Matthew 11:19 that Jesus was a “friend of sinners.” But, let’s not forget that the “friend of sinners” is now gloriously exalted and seated at the right hand of God. Prayerfully visualize Daniel 7:9-10.

“I kept looking
Until thrones were set up,
And the Ancient of Days took His seat;
His vesture was like white snow
And the hair of His head like pure wool.
His throne was ablaze with flames,
Its wheels were a burning fire.
A river of fire was flowing
And coming out from before Him;
Thousands upon thousands were attending Him,
And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him;
The court sat,
And the books were opened.
And were presented before Him.”

The Son of Man may be our friend and God our Abba Father, but based on Scripture, “buddy” isn’t how God is portrayed. Do we have enough holy reverence for the Ancient of Days? Are we mindfully sharing the path into His presence with others?  If you would like to learn how to share Jesus with gentle boldness, get a copy of Discovering His Passion. Be more than concerned for other’s salvation. Be ready to lead them to salvation through faith in Christ. Luke 19:10

ANCIENT of DAYS, glorious One, holy Heavenly Father, forgive us when we act like You’re an earthly buddy. Quicken our hearts to tell others about You. 

Have you ever been startled to see someone you didn’t expect? There have been a number of times that my husband has startled me and I assure you, I jumped. Considering how we may have been startled by someone we didn’t expect, can you imagine what it was like for the disciple John to unexpectedly see the ascended Lord Jesus in heaven? John was on the island of Patmos when he was suddenly taken into Christ’s presence. What was his response? He fell at Jesus’s feet like a dead man. Revelation 1:18 records what Jesus said to John, “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore,…” John had seen Jesus whipped, crucified, and buried. You don’t get “deader” than that. But now, John testifies that he saw Jesus “ALIVE!” If your today looks unbearable and you dread tomorrow, don’t. A glorious day of eternal LIFE awaits you in the presence of Jesus, who is alive forever. In the meantime and while we are still on earth, Jesus is alive and His eye is on you. He knows your name and where you are just like He did with John. He also has purpose for your life, just like He did with John. Believe. 

LORD JESUS CHRIST, we praise You, who died for us, are alive forevermore, and are mindful of where we are.