Beyond Ourselves

Are you concerned with how our world seems to be getting darker? Religious persecution, disease, abuse, lawlessness, moral decline, and political conflicts contribute to anxiety and depression. In the midst of discouraging days, what can believers do? We can keep our eyes on Jesus, who Hebrews 1:3 describes as the radiance of God’s glory.  The word “radiance” is only used 5 times in the Bible and in each of those, refers to God. Commentator Vines defines God’s “radiance” as “shining forth, of a light coming from a luminous body.” Isn’t that exciting? Even when things around us are dark, God isn’t. One sweet, glorious day, we’ll join those who are living in God’s radiance. We’ll fall on our knees overwhelmed by what our eyes see. The day is coming when we go to Jesus or when He returns through the clouds. Keep watching and living for Him!

Lord God, our hearts are overwhelmed when we read the testimonies of those who have glimpsed Your radiance.  We praise You now and forever. 

 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature,…”  Hebrews 1:3

“Lord, are You there? Speak to me.” Have you ever wanted to hear from God? If so, be encouraged. Zephaniah 3:17 tells us that God is in our midst. He’s a victorious warrior but also quiet in His love. What does that mean? I like to think of when I’ve held our little ones. My heart feels like it could jump out of my skin because I’m so full of love for them. However, I’m not loud with them. Instead, I hold them close to my heart. I wonder if they feel my heartbeat as they lie in my embrace. God is magnificent. The Bible is filled with His words to us. If we wish He would speak to us, He has and still is. Open the Bible. Hold it close to your heart. Feel His heartbeat and listen to what He lovingly says to you.

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”  Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, thank You for Your QUIET LOVE and for the Words you speak to us. May we hold You, them, close to our hearts and feel Your heartbeat. 

“I can’t be the Christian I’m supposed to be. I can’t overcome this sin.” Have you ever said those words?  If we sometimes feel incapable of being the Christian we want to be, we’re not alone. The Apostle Paul, who was instrumental in helping spread Christianity, once referred to himself as the chief of sinners. Here’s the good news. God knows that we can’t live the Christian life by self-effort. That’s why He reminds us in Galatians 3:5 that He’s provided us with His Holy Spirit. We don’t please God by trying to improve our old self. We please God by learning to walk by faith in Him. We’re not short on godly provisions. Instead of saying we can’t live the Christian life or we can’t accomplish what God’s called us to do, we can ask Christ to fill us and accomplish His work through us. Then, we can practice walking by the Spirit. Will we walk by the Spirit perfectly 100% of the time? No, because our fleshly nature will oppose the Spirit. (Galatians 5:17) and we’ll struggle against spiritual forces of darkness/wickedness (Ephesians 6:12). But we can practice walking by Christ’s Spirit, confident that God is at work perfecting us. 

Lord, thank You for PROVIDING us with Your Spirit by whom we can walk and fulfill all You’ve entrusted us to do. 

“…does He who PROVIDES you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”  Galatians 3:5

Does the prevalence of evil in our society cause you to be fearful for loved ones or perhaps even yourself? Recently, after speaking at a church, a mom confided in me that she feared for her child. Part of her fear was because she had been molested as a child. Part was due to the moral decline in our nation and the increase in lawlessness.  What hope was I able to give her?

PRAYER:  Jesus teaches us to pray, “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” We can pray that daily for our loved ones and ourselves. We can pray that for our nation, that the unsaved and those who are blinded by evil and who are deceived will open their eyes and hearts and turn to the Truth and Light.

The BIBLE. The Bible is a safeguard that teaches us what to do and not do. We can teach our children to respect and obey God and His Word which will keep them from walking in evil ways.

ETERNAL SALVATION.  We can’t escape all evil influences, but, 2 Thessalonians 3:3 comforts us that the Lord is faithful, and will strengthen and PROTECT us from the evil one. How we need that at this time!

Which of the above three could you strengthen to safeguard you and your family from evil?

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your Word that shows us how to live, for being able to pray to You, and for Christ’s faithfulness to strengthen and protect us. 

TIP: Record prayers for loved ones here as a reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Things aren’t always what they seem.  And, simply because things appear one way in a moment of time, it doesn’t mean they’ll stay that way.  Case in point: Jesus. If we’d been in Jerusalem when Jesus was hanging on the cross, we might have concluded: “Jesus failed.”  However, what appeared to be Jesus’s lowest moment was in fact God’s highest plan being accomplished. Three days after Jesus’s death on the cross, God raised Him. So the moment was really: “God’s plan succeeded. Jesus won.”  Isaiah 52:13 prophesied, “Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be HIGH and LIFTED UP and greatly exalted.” Jesus is seated at the right hand of God – HIGH AND LIFTED UP – greatly exalted. The next time you feel like a failure and that God’s plan isn’t working, remember Christ. A moment doesn’t define you or your destiny. Look up and pray in faith and trust to your Heavenly Father who can move mountains and bring success out of defeat and positive changes in your circumstances.

We praise You, Lord Jesus, HIGH, and LIFTED UP; greatly exalted. 

Can you imagine the conversations that took place after God raised Jesus from the dead? Some didn’t believe it at first. Others couldn’t help but acknowledge His resurrection when they saw Jesus, touched Him, and observed Him eating fish. He wasn’t a ghost. He wasn’t a figment of their imagination. Five hundred people witnessed seeing the resurrected PRINCE OF LIFE. In other words, Jesus IS LIFE and He walked right back into their life. Is the PRINCE OF LIFE walking in our life? Are we aware of His presence? Are we experiencing His peace within ourselves? Are we mindful that just as He is alive and not in the grave our loved ones who have died are not dead, but alive, and that we won’t be dead even after our body is in the grave? The Prince of Life is with us when we walk the corridor of death. We and our loved ones will never be alone. We need not fear.

Lord Jesus, we praise You, the ever present PRINCE of LIFE. 

“…you put to death the PRINCE OF LIFE, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.” Acts 3:15

Are you familiar with the Rolling Stones’ 1965 song “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”?  Keith Richards and Mick Jagger’s lyrics, “can’t get no satisfaction” resonated with people in the 1960’s and also today. But do you know who has found satisfaction? God. First John 2:2 says, “He (Jesus) Himself is the PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”  The word propitiation means satisfaction. This verse tells us that Jesus satisfied God’s righteous requirement that sin be dealt with rather than ignored. How did Jesus do that? He substituted His life for ours. How incredible! If we haven’t thanked Jesus lately for satisfying God’s righteous requirements of the law, now would be a good time to do that. 

Jesus, thank You for sacrificing Your life and being the propitiation for our sins. We love you so! 

Have you ever promised something and then didn’t fulfill your promise? If you have, you know what a horrible feeling it is. Maybe we promised, “I’ll never say that again.” Then we did. Or, maybe we said to God, “I promise if you get me out of this mess, I’ll do better next time.” Then we failed to do as we said. Or, maybe we don’t trust people because they’ve made promises to us they didn’t keep. When it comes to God, however, Romans 4:21 assures us “that what God PROMISED, He was able also to perform.” In other words, other people, or we, may be well-intentioned, but fail. Not God, though. What He promises, He will do. What a blessing to know that God keeps His promises.  In the midst of failed promises and lies, it’s a great time for us to read God’s promises in the Bible.  We can smile as we read them because we know they are true. Which of God’s promises are your favorites? Please let me know in the “Comment” section below. I’d love to hear from you.

Heavenly Father, in a world that is filled with lies, failed promises, we praise You for being a faithful promise keeper.