Beth Moore in the morning

Pin It I'm doing the Bible study "Stepping Up" by Beth Moore. Oh my, girls, it is fabulous. It's a six week study of the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 121 - 135.) Well, it's SUPPOSED to be a six weeks study. heehee. I think we're the remedial class, I'm sure it will take us closer to three or four months to complete it. The Lord is speaking to me L O U D L Y through this study!

Today I finished up Psalm 124.

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

1 If the LORD had not been on our side—
let Israel say-
2 if the LORD had not been on our side
when men attacked us,

3 when their anger flared against us,
they would have swallowed us alive;

4 the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,

5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.

6 Praise be to the LORD,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.

7 We have escaped like a bird
out of the fowler's snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.

8 Our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

(The following are my interpretations of Beth Moore's words, no credit goes to me for these thoughts!)

If the Lord had not been on our side ... in other words, if the Lord had not been FOR US ...

Give that some thought! What would your life had been like without the Lord being FOR YOU? Those things that happened that were so painful at the time, but now looking back, you can see that the Lord used them for your good.

For me, this brings to mind a couple of failed relationships ... PRAISE GOD that they failed! My oh my, it hurt at the time though! I remember praying, "Lord, please, I'll do anything, just let me have THIS (relationship)." I know the Lord must have been saying "Child, trust me. I have something better for you, and though this is going to hurt right now, I am on your side and I am for you, and I know that THIS is not really what you want, even though you think it is. Trust me."

Wow.

I know I spend a lot of time kind of feeling like the Lord tolerates me rather than is for me. Like He puts up with me because He said He would. This is so not true. He chooses to be for me. He chooses to be on my side. I get so bogged down when my circumstances don't match up to what I think they should and feel like God is mad at me, or God is for someone else when I see their circumstances look better than mine. This isn't to say that God isn't for them, just that no matter the circumstances, GOD IS FOR US. FOR YOU! Grab ahold of that this morning. I did.

One more thing ... Read Romans 8:28-39:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Read all the things God has told you He would do for you in this passage. Today's homework had us make a list as an "I will" statement from God to me. Here's what mine looked like:

My child, Melanie

I will make sure all things work together for your good.

I will conform you to the likeness of my Son.

I will be for you, so who can be against you?

I will graciously give you all things.

I will choose you and justify you.

I will not let you be separated from me.

Love, God

I challenge you to make a list.

What a fabulous way to start the day!

Praise the Lord!!