Beyond Ourselves

Does the word “work” scare you in relation to serving the Lord? For instance, when a minister announces the need more workers for Vacation Bible School or for volunteers to go on a mission trip, do you sink in your pew and hope your eyes don’t meet his? Do you shrink back from the idea of talking about Christ openly with friends and co-workers? If so, perhaps it’s because we haven’t yet gotten our minds around the incredible privilege and invitation Jesus invites us to. In Matthew 9:37-38 when Jesus said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the LORD OF THE HARVEST to send out workers into His harvest,” He wasn’t calling us to busy work. Rather, Jesus looked at the fields of people who were stressed and discouraged, and He had compassion for them. He invited us to share the good news that His Heavenly Father loves them, that sins can be forgiven, and we can live by Christ’s divine nature rather than by our flawed human nature. We have the hope of heaven and eternal life. What greater, more meaningful “work” could we be employed doing than joining Jesus’s team?  If you want to be a part of something bigger than the daily grind of earth; something heavenly and eternal, then do the following.

1. Pray and ask God to use you.
2. Be open and sensitive when the Spirit prompts you to share Christ with others. Here are verses you can use to visit with someone about Jesus.
3. Share this 365 Days of Praise post each day by forwarding it to friends or family. Or, click the Facebook or Twitter symbols below each devotional and share it on your Facebook page with friends. You’ll be sharing the good news with fields of people.
4. Keep your heart open to ways God wants to use you during this time of trial in our country and world.

LORD OF THE HARVEST, thank You for coming to earth and telling us the way to eternal salvation. Use us to share  the good news with others so they can have a relationship with you like we do. 

Could you use a shot of hope that God sees and hears you?  If so, consider James 5:4 where God is referred to as Lord of Sabaoth.  “Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” In this passage “SABAOTH” means host or hosts, especially in relation to warfare or service. It’s a reference to Jehovah SABAOTH’S reign over the host of angels, the air, nations, and demons. To think that the LORD OF SABAOTH heard the cries of workers who were unfairly treated by their bosses is amazing. Are you being unjustly treated? Does it seem like no one notices? Rest assured. The Lord of SABAOTH is noticing. Your hope in Him is well placed.  The One who reigns over the hosts of angels, the air, nations, and demons hear your prayers.

Lord of Sabaoth, we worship You and are humbled that You see us and hear our prayers. We hope in You knowing You will answer in Your perfect timing. 

Who do you call on when you’re anxious and scared and it seems there is no one who can help you? Who do you call out to when you’re powerless to change a situation? Those times have a way of humbling us. Whereas we may have been too busy to pray, we suddenly find we’re continually praying. We’re calling on God, crying out to Him. Such was the case with King Hezekiah when Sennacherib, King of Assyria, threatened to overtake Jerusalem. Hezekiah prayed and prayed hard. Listen to his prayer:

“O LORD OF HOSTS, the God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and listen to all the words of Sennacherib, who sent them to reproach the living God. … Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, LORD, are God.” Isaiah 37:16-17, 20

Needless to say, Hezekiah didn’t want to be defeated. He didn’t want Jerusalem to be taken over by an enemy. But his prayer also points to a noble reason to pray for God’s deliverance – so people will know that the LORD is God of all the kingdoms of the earth. When we pray, do we pray only for ourselves? Or, are we praying so God is glorified in and through our situation?

LORD of Hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim, we worship You and recognize You as God alone over all the kingdoms of the earth. Your will be done in our hearts and lives so You are glorified. 

As we have studied, there are times when God announces, “This is who I am. This is my name.” Such is the case in Isaiah 42:8 when God announced, “I am the LORD, that is My name;”  In the same breath, He continues; explaining what it means that His name is LORD. It means He will not give His glory to another. It means that our praise is to be given to Him alone. His pronouncement should cause us to rethink our lives, “Are we giving our praise to anything or anyone besides Him? Are we making anything besides God the priority of our lives?” If so, we must bow before the LORD in repentance and profess Him as LORD, giving Him praise.

God, You alone are LORD. Forgive us for putting anything or anyone before You. We bow in humble reverence and praise.

Do you ever feel “tied up” in spiritual, physical, or emotional bondage? Are you concerned for a loved one who is in bondage?  If so, pray to the Lord on the basis of Psalm 116:16 which says,  “O Lord, surely I am Your servant, …You have LOOSED MY BONDS.”  This verse reminds us that God can do what no one else can do. He has loosed us from the bonds of death and given us eternal freedom. “Unbind him and let him go,” Jesus directed those who watched Him raise Lazarus from the dead. “Unbind her. Unbind him,” Jesus commands when we call to Him in faith to loosen chains that bind us today.

Lord, You are the great and mighty God who LOOSENS BONDS. We praise You for the bonds of death from which You’ve set us free. Please loosen and set free those who are still in bondage. Loosen any emotional, spiritual, or physical bondage that may remain in our lives. Free us to run the race You’ve set before us. We look to You to do what only You can do. 

Heavenly Father, we praise YOU, LORD OF ALL THE EARTH! Your majesty and power are glorious. You reign in perfect righteousness.  Stir our hearts to speak boldly about You to others. 

Do you ever feel like the world, your flesh or the devil are bearing down on you and you need a rallying point where you can find victory over your fallen nature and temptation? Moses discovered that the Lord was his rallying point. When he held high the BANNER OF THE LORD, the Israelites were victorious over their enemies. They fought in God’s name and strength, not their own. The same holds true for us.  The LORD IS OUR BANNER. When we lift His name high in prayer and look to Him for strength, we find victory over our sinful nature and the enemy. The next time temptation or your old nature is getting the best of you, look to the heavens. Lift high the LORD’s name: Victorious Warrior, Prince of Peace. Faithful. Provider. Wisdom.  Build an altar of praise to the Lord as Moses did. “Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner.” (Exodus 17:15)  Return to the altar of praise throughout the day to meet your needs and encourage your heart.

LORD, we praise You and lift high the BANNER of YOUR NAME – victorious over our flesh and the enemy.

So we get that our body needs water. But, what about our spirit? According to Jesus, it needs spiritual water: Living Water, the Holy Spirit. “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the SPIRIT, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the SPIRIT was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”  John 7:38

As water is to our body, so the Holy Spirit is to our spirit.  Our body needs water. Our spirit needs Living Water. Plain. Simple. Truth. Reach for Him. Drink deeply.

Sweet Jesus, thank You for coming from heaven to speak truth into our lives. Thank You for giving us Your Spirit as LIVING WATER to cleanse and fill us so we can live in Your presence forever. 

During our lifetime we’ll lose someone to death. Jesus’s disciple, John, saw Jesus die. The scourging. The nails. The cross.  The blood. The tomb. It seemed final. But then, John saw Him again!  Imagine what it must have been like for him to see Jesus transformed from the cross’s goriness to heaven’s gloriousness. John was overcome. “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the LIVING ONE; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’” (Revelation 1:18) Why did John fall like a dead man when he saw his friend in heaven? Jesus is glowing! His eyes are brilliant. His voice tumultuous. He told John to bring us the message that He has the keys of death and Hades. In other words, after your death, you don’t have to be locked in death. God recreates repentant sinners with a glorified body, soul, and spirit capable of living eternally in His presence. How can we not tell everyone we know that a glorious resurrection awaits them if they call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation?

LIVING ONE, brilliantly glorious One, even though we can’t see You, we believe in You. Help us love You more each day so our lives are displays of Your glory that draw others to You.

Praying for our unsaved friends and neighbors is crucial. I designate a column in the Week at A Glance section of Prayers of My Heart to pray for the United States and Unsaved. What do I pray? Check out this short SLIDE SHOW.

CLICK TO GET STARTED

Do you ever wish that someone would listen to you? You may have even asked someone with whom you are talking, “Are you listening to me?” They may say yes, but you wonder if they really do hear your heart.  We don’t have to wonder if God listens and hears when we call on and pray to Him.  Jeremiah 29:12 clearly states that if we pray, He’ll LISTEN.  “Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will LISTEN to you.”  Imagine that! Ponder that. The God of the universe listens to you. Are you taking advantage of the incredible opportunity to talk to Him? Do you linger in His presence to see how His Spirit prompts you to a verse or course of action? What a great privilege it is to call on God, pray, listen, and follow His counsel.

Heavenly Father, thank You for LISTENING when we come to You and call on You in prayer!