Beyond Ourselves
Are You Poor or Wealthy
Many times our search for wealth comes up short. Have you found that to be true? The all powerful dollar is held before us as the “end all” we should seek, but Jesus tells us the opposite; that we’re to lay up treasure in heaven. The wealth that should be our goal is best summed up in Isaiah 33:6. Listen to how Isaiah describes the Lord in terms of wealth. “And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is his treasure.” So the question is, are you poor or wealthy? God’s estimation is that if you have Him, you have a wealth of salvation and a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. Wouldn’t it be a shame if we lived like paupers when we have great treasure in the Lord?
Lord, You are a WEALTH of salvation, wisdom and knowledge. Thank You for all we have in You!
FIND MORE encouragement HERE. Record God’s daily descriptions in Prayers of My Heart.
Is There Anyone You Can Trust?
The TRUTH. When listening to the news, do you ever long for the truth? When questioning a child, have you ever doubted their words and said, “Tell me the truth.” If a person has lied to you once, do you wonder when they tell you something if it’s the truth? How refreshing that in John 16:13 Jesus tells us we can trust God’s Holy Spirit, the SPIRIT OF TRUTH. There’s not a lie in God’s holy body, Word, or Spirit. So when we question or wonder if we should do things our way or God’s way, the world’s ways or God’s way, we have the answer. Believe the Spirit of Truth. Follow the SPIRIT OF TRUTH. Obey the SPIRIT OF TRUTH.
Lord God, how refreshing that we can wholeheartedly trust You, the SPIRIT of TRUTH!
“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:13
What Song Are You Singing
Are you dragging through your day singing the blues? If so, that can change. Yes, we have a choice what music or songs we play in our head and to what songs we walk through our day. In Exodus 15:2 , Moses tells us the music he walked to. Listen to his words, “The Lord is my strength and SONG, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him…” The word “song” in this verse can mean “music” or “melody.” In effect, Moses says, “The Lord is my melody. He’s the music to which I walk through my day.” What music or words play in your head throughout the day? Make the choice to tune your heart to the God channel in the morning and walk through your day singing His praises. Can’t think of a song? How about “Jesus Loves Me”? What better song to walk to through our day?
Heavenly Father, Thank You for being the SONG to which we can walk through our day. We love You!
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We’d Better Get this Right
Are you reading each Beyond Ourselves – 365 DAY of PRAISE? Are you as amazed as I am at not only the ways the Father, Son, and Spirit are revealed; but also through whom the revelation is made? The high priest asked Jesus if He was the Son of the Blessed One. But the one who acknowledged Jesus as SON of the MOST HIGH GOD was a demon. Luke 8:28 records this about the demon’s encounter with Jesus. “Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, ‘What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.’” A demon recognized Jesus as the Son of the Most High God. His statement is clear. There are numerous gods in the world; which is why GOD commands us, “You shall have no other gods before ME.” But there is one ultimate MOST HIGH GOD and Jesus is His Son. It’s important we get this right. The demons do.
Lord Jesus Christ, You are the all powerful, holy SON of the MOST HIGH GOD. Forgive us when we treat You casually and don’t honor You as we should. Quicken our hearts and minds to give You honor over and above all else.
Lost and Found
Have you ever been lost? Perhaps you took a wrong turn in the road and didn’t know how to get to your desired destination. As bad as that is, what’s worse is to be spiritually lost, which is how Jesus describes us prior to our salvation. We were so lost that there was no one who could help us except Jesus. In Luke 19:10, Jesus describes Himself as the Son of Man who came to seek and to save the lost – us. In other words, Jesus left heaven’s glory to come for us. Jesus did what no one else could do. Through the virgin birth of Mary by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was born, the Son of Man, to seek and to save our lost souls so we could be reunited to our Heavenly Father. What good news. Is there someone we need to go looking for, someone with whom we could share the good news and invite them to church with us?
All praise to You, Lord Jesus, Son of God, SON of MAN, for seeking and saving us when we were lost. We love and adore You.
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10
Are We Tolerating What Jesus is Against
Jesus is the Son of Man who knows what it is to live in human skin. But, what is inside of Him is different from us. His innermost being is holy glowing purity. Revelation 2:18-20a describes the ascended Christ like this: eyes like a flame of fire, and feet like burnished bronze. Revelation 1:16 describes His face as the sun shining in its strength. Following these magnificent other worldly, heavenly descriptions of Jesus, we’re told that Jesus, the Son of God, says this, ” I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first, but I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.” Yes, Jesus is our Shepherd and He is slow to anger, but we must never forget that He is the Son of God reigning in glory. He sees our deeds and what we are tolerating.
Lord Jesus, SON of GOD, forgive us for tolerating what You hate.
Just You Wait and See
Things aren’t always as they appear. Just you wait and see. For instance, Jesus had no earthly possessions, wasn’t married, and when arrested, His friends abandoned Him. He was lied about, mocked, and beaten almost to death. Mark 14:61 records the high priest questioning Him prior to crucifying Him, “‘Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’” How incongruous. Blessed? Yet, Jesus was and is the Son of the Blessed One. So, when we think about our lives or circumstances, they may not seem to add up to our being the “blessed child of God.” But that is who we are. Things aren’t always as they seem. Just you wait and see.
Heavenly Father, we praise You for Christ, SON of the BLESSED ONE, and for the blessings You’ve promised us.
Are Things Heating Up in Your Life
Our Heavenly Father has a goal: to cleanse us of sin. Malachi 3:3 explains that He sits as a SMELTER, or a refiner, watching over us as the heat of daily life, trials, and sufferings causes our impurities to rise. What happens when our sin glaringly rises in our lives? We have the opportunity to confess them. God’s goal is for us to be increasingly purified so we better reflect Him. Are things heating up in your life? If so, rest assured that your Heavenly Father is closely watching over you. He hears your prayers and confessions. And, has anyone told you? You are reflecting Him more every day.
Lord, thank You, SMELTER of our mind, spirit, and soul. Purify us so we reflect Your image.
“He will sit as a SMELTER and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.” Malachi 3:3
The Difference in Slow and Fast
Lord, thank You for being SLOW to ANGER. You are a gracious and merciful God. We love You and thank You!
When Your Head is Hangin’ Low, Try This
Have you ever had your head “hangin” low? Perhaps you were depressed. It seemed everybody or everything was against you. Or, maybe your head was “hangin” low in shame. Or maybe you’re at a crossroad and don’t know what to do. The acclaimed King David knew what it was like to have his head hanging low. He penned these words, “You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who LIFTS MY HEAD.” (Psalm 3:3) His head had been down, but he knew on whom to focus – the Lord. If your head is hanging low today, remember this comforting truth – God sees you and cares about you. Whatever you’re facing, He can LIFT YOUR HEAD, just like He did David’s. How? As an example, do the following. 1) Turn to Psalm 3 and read it. It’s only 8 verses. Read Psalm 1, only 6 verses. 2) Write a verse from one the passages that is meaningful and one that is instructive. Personalize them. For instance, I wrote in Prayers of My Heart, “Psalm 1:1a, 2-3b. How blessed is the woman whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law she meditates day and night.” What happens when we follow our Father’s instruction and lift our head and eyes to His glorious Word? We find hope, peace, grace, glory. If your head is “hangin” low, lift it to God’s Word.
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for giving us the Bible that lifts our head and heart to You.