Beth Moore, Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
"Because God is gracious, His place is spacious" (107). When rebellion is "the great escape," the inevitable result is "another form of oppression wearing a different outfit" (108).
People oppressed from youth grow up to let strong personalities walk all over them"; or they resent them/have difficulty with them (109).
"If we don't allow God to heal our hearts, minds, and habits, we will either continue to allow people to walk all over us or we'll become people who walk all over them....When we begin to see our value in Christ and go to our faces, giving our backs to Him rather than to others, if we'll take Him at His Word, He'll sow His seed into those furrows. In time an oak of righteousness will grow, ' a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor (Isaiah 61:3). Its branches... give hope to the hurting, shade to the children, and aggravation to the devil" (110).
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
779
Beth Moore, Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
"Sometimes the blessing resides in what we avoided, not just in what we gain" (100).
When faced with a relational or social decision, ask "... what respects God most and reflects His ways?"
"God's ways are always right and His commands always have positive effects. They protect not only His supremacy but our humanity" (102).
"Blessing has inherent in it the power to increase" (103).
"Matthew 28:19 is not called The Great Permission" (104).
My Psalm 128
How blessed I am! How happily I can walk on Your smooth, straight road! I can enjoy the blessing and revel in Your goodness. I stand in awe of You. You bless the one who fears You. I can enjoy the good life in Your Jerusalem every day of my life. I pray peace to Israel.
"Sometimes the blessing resides in what we avoided, not just in what we gain" (100).
When faced with a relational or social decision, ask "... what respects God most and reflects His ways?"
"God's ways are always right and His commands always have positive effects. They protect not only His supremacy but our humanity" (102).
"Blessing has inherent in it the power to increase" (103).
"Matthew 28:19 is not called The Great Permission" (104).
My Psalm 128
How blessed I am! How happily I can walk on Your smooth, straight road! I can enjoy the blessing and revel in Your goodness. I stand in awe of You. You bless the one who fears You. I can enjoy the good life in Your Jerusalem every day of my life. I pray peace to Israel.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
778
Beth Moore, Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
I have been pursued. Help me to slow down and let Christ Jesus apprehend me with His love (84).
"Daniel is a perfect example of a man whose work was blessed even when his workplace is not.... 'The curse of some people's lives is not work, as such, but senseless work, vain work, futile work, work that takes place apart from God'" (Peterson. 86)
"Work where God works; then rest..." (87).
"Once we get grace, we give grace": GET as in receive, but also comprehend/understand.
My Psalm 127
God, be the builder of every aspect of my house.
Guard my city.
Teach me how to work hard but rest well.
My children/grands are Your generous legacy.
I am blessed because of them.
My enemies don't stand a chance against me--
You'll sweep them right off my doorstep.
I have been pursued. Help me to slow down and let Christ Jesus apprehend me with His love (84).
"Daniel is a perfect example of a man whose work was blessed even when his workplace is not.... 'The curse of some people's lives is not work, as such, but senseless work, vain work, futile work, work that takes place apart from God'" (Peterson. 86)
"Work where God works; then rest..." (87).
"Once we get grace, we give grace": GET as in receive, but also comprehend/understand.
My Psalm 127
God, be the builder of every aspect of my house.
Guard my city.
Teach me how to work hard but rest well.
My children/grands are Your generous legacy.
I am blessed because of them.
My enemies don't stand a chance against me--
You'll sweep them right off my doorstep.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
777
Beth Moore, Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
"Some... eat the seed and never sow it for a harvest."
"We'll think we accepted the teaching because we were so moved by it. But you see, the seed of God's Word can fill our stomachs and give us immediate satisfaction and still not produce a harvest--that's when we eat it but don't sow it. Many times we apply Biblical truth to our theologies without applying it to the actual practicalities of life (81).... We were meant to eat from the sheaves, not from the seeds" (82).
My Psalm 126
You have done great things for me, Father.
I can be glad no matter what.
Turn to freedom my captivity to food, people-leasing, judgmental/critical spirit, giving up, eating seed rather than sowing it. Teach me to sow and water with tears so that I can reap in joy.
"Some... eat the seed and never sow it for a harvest."
"We'll think we accepted the teaching because we were so moved by it. But you see, the seed of God's Word can fill our stomachs and give us immediate satisfaction and still not produce a harvest--that's when we eat it but don't sow it. Many times we apply Biblical truth to our theologies without applying it to the actual practicalities of life (81).... We were meant to eat from the sheaves, not from the seeds" (82).
My Psalm 126
You have done great things for me, Father.
I can be glad no matter what.
Turn to freedom my captivity to food, people-leasing, judgmental/critical spirit, giving up, eating seed rather than sowing it. Teach me to sow and water with tears so that I can reap in joy.
Monday, May 16, 2011
776
Beth Moore, Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
"... difficulties and sorrows... were not meant to stop us but to form the character required for our great harvest in the coming season."
Changes of seasons in my life can be like living under constant tornado watch. I must be willing to fight. The more the enemy sees something crucial on my next step, the more He will fight. "If yesterday's wimp is going to become tomorrow's warrior, something has to happen today" (79).
"... I'll never endure a season of tears that can't turn into a harvest of joy" (80).
In the poor African villages who are given see, "... they often eat the seed rather than planting it and bringing forth the harvest." We do that with God's Word (81).
"... difficulties and sorrows... were not meant to stop us but to form the character required for our great harvest in the coming season."
Changes of seasons in my life can be like living under constant tornado watch. I must be willing to fight. The more the enemy sees something crucial on my next step, the more He will fight. "If yesterday's wimp is going to become tomorrow's warrior, something has to happen today" (79).
"... I'll never endure a season of tears that can't turn into a harvest of joy" (80).
In the poor African villages who are given see, "... they often eat the seed rather than planting it and bringing forth the harvest." We do that with God's Word (81).
Saturday, May 14, 2011
775
Father, grant me, my children and their children and theirs throughout the generations a psalmists' heart to worship Jesus.
Acts 14:22
"It is necessary to pass through many troubles on our way into the kingdom of God.... God's delivering [me] from every ounce of trial will never develop the relationship that occurs when God shows Himself faithful right in the midst of difficulty, delivering [me] through it."
"God keeps His people safe from the prowling lion by encircling us with a crown of thorns" (73).
"... a stronghold was something I looked for in my hair spray" (75).
"We have not seen the last great work of God in our lives.... We haven't used up our quota of God's mercies for the year" (78).
Acts 14:22
"It is necessary to pass through many troubles on our way into the kingdom of God.... God's delivering [me] from every ounce of trial will never develop the relationship that occurs when God shows Himself faithful right in the midst of difficulty, delivering [me] through it."
"God keeps His people safe from the prowling lion by encircling us with a crown of thorns" (73).
"... a stronghold was something I looked for in my hair spray" (75).
"We have not seen the last great work of God in our lives.... We haven't used up our quota of God's mercies for the year" (78).
774
Beth Moore, Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
(1) Passover pictures the death of the Messiah.
(2) The Feast of Unleavened Bread pictures the burial of Messiah.
(3) Firstfruits pictures the resurrection.
"When key people in your formative years were supposed to bring you security but brought insecurity instead, you inherit a tremor in your soul that is impossible to still naturally" (68).
--the mistake of placing security in the blessing of God rather than in God Himself
My security cannot be even in passion for His Word.... God's favor and His person are not synonymous. If my trust is in manifestations of His favor rather than in God Himself, I will crumble like dry clay when He calls me to walk a distance of my journey entirely by faith and not by sight (69).
(1) Passover pictures the death of the Messiah.
(2) The Feast of Unleavened Bread pictures the burial of Messiah.
(3) Firstfruits pictures the resurrection.
"When key people in your formative years were supposed to bring you security but brought insecurity instead, you inherit a tremor in your soul that is impossible to still naturally" (68).
--the mistake of placing security in the blessing of God rather than in God Himself
My security cannot be even in passion for His Word.... God's favor and His person are not synonymous. If my trust is in manifestations of His favor rather than in God Himself, I will crumble like dry clay when He calls me to walk a distance of my journey entirely by faith and not by sight (69).
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
772
Zecharaiah 2:8 says "whoever touches one of God's children touches the apple of His eye. God will overlook an attack against you about as readily as He would overlook someone repeatedly poking Him in the eye" (54).
Christ will never take me into a battle I cannot win.
Regardless of how long we've been Christians and how deeply we've studied God, Word, most of us don't really believe down in the marrow of our bones that God is entirely, wholeheartedly, and unwaveringly on our side. We live most of our lives unconvinced that God is really for us.... we believe down in the hidden places of our hearts and minds that God at best tolerates us.... because He's stuck with us" (58).
God "knows when something glorious in the future necessitates something difficult in the present" (60).
Christ will never take me into a battle I cannot win.
Regardless of how long we've been Christians and how deeply we've studied God, Word, most of us don't really believe down in the marrow of our bones that God is entirely, wholeheartedly, and unwaveringly on our side. We live most of our lives unconvinced that God is really for us.... we believe down in the hidden places of our hearts and minds that God at best tolerates us.... because He's stuck with us" (58).
God "knows when something glorious in the future necessitates something difficult in the present" (60).
771
my Psalm 123
I am daily treated with contempt, but I am also guilty of contempt toward others.
I have been treated arrogantly, but I have also been arrogant.
Give me courage in the face of contempt; Forgive my contemptuous attitude toward others.
Show me Your favor, O LORD; and grant Your favor to those I've ridiculed or disrespected.
My battle is not with flesh and blood but with powers of darkness, but Satan successfully enlists human help in his scheme against me.... Satan hates me because I remind him of the position he lost.... He hatefully attacks me because he can't touch God. The closest he can come to hurting God is to hurt me.
I am daily treated with contempt, but I am also guilty of contempt toward others.
I have been treated arrogantly, but I have also been arrogant.
Give me courage in the face of contempt; Forgive my contemptuous attitude toward others.
Show me Your favor, O LORD; and grant Your favor to those I've ridiculed or disrespected.
My battle is not with flesh and blood but with powers of darkness, but Satan successfully enlists human help in his scheme against me.... Satan hates me because I remind him of the position he lost.... He hatefully attacks me because he can't touch God. The closest he can come to hurting God is to hurt me.
Monday, May 9, 2011
770
"You can be a cretin, but if you have the Queen's accent, next thing you know you are on Johnny Carson and he'll laugh at anything you say" (Verghese, CUTTING FOR STONE).
cretin= stupid, vulgar, or insensitive person; clod; lout
Ephesians 1:18: I can have the eyes of my heart enlightened.
Beth Moore: Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
Picture God standing between me and the person mistreating me. Help me have courage to ask whether I'm unknowingly doing anything to cause it" (50).
Transform me into Your treasure; make me receive this divine quality that incorporates us into thy closest family (51).
My Psalm 123: Help me lift my eyes to You as You are enthroned, high and lifted up. Help me accept the truth that I can look to You for favor.
cretin= stupid, vulgar, or insensitive person; clod; lout
Ephesians 1:18: I can have the eyes of my heart enlightened.
Beth Moore: Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
Picture God standing between me and the person mistreating me. Help me have courage to ask whether I'm unknowingly doing anything to cause it" (50).
Transform me into Your treasure; make me receive this divine quality that incorporates us into thy closest family (51).
My Psalm 123: Help me lift my eyes to You as You are enthroned, high and lifted up. Help me accept the truth that I can look to You for favor.
769
"... no money, no church service, no eulogy, no funeral procession no matter how elaborate, can remove the legacy of a mean spirit" (Verghese, CUTTING FOR STONE).
Beth Moore, Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
"Bringing m complaint before God is much more effective than dumping it on other people" (20).
"I'm weary of living/working continually around people who thrive on drama" (21).
At no time does God abdicate my guardianship to an angel alone, regardless of how mighty" (25).
"We are not presented with a functional god who will help us out of jams or an entertainment god who will lighten our tedious hours. We are presented with the God of exodus and Easter, the God of Sinai and Calvary.... The moment I look up to God, not over or down at Him, I am in the posture of servitude" (45).
Beth Moore, Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
"Bringing m complaint before God is much more effective than dumping it on other people" (20).
"I'm weary of living/working continually around people who thrive on drama" (21).
At no time does God abdicate my guardianship to an angel alone, regardless of how mighty" (25).
"We are not presented with a functional god who will help us out of jams or an entertainment god who will lighten our tedious hours. We are presented with the God of exodus and Easter, the God of Sinai and Calvary.... The moment I look up to God, not over or down at Him, I am in the posture of servitude" (45).
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
768
Psalms divided into five "books" possibly corresponding to 5 books of Moses:
1--1-41
2--42-72
3--73-89
4--90-106
5--107-150
John Calvin has called Psalms "'An anatomy of all the parts of the soul'."
Holy Spirit has in Psalms, drawn to the life all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated.
Honesty is not inconsistent with worship.
Psalm 120, Message, v. 2: Deliver me from lying and from the liars, God.
Sometimes the best motivation we'll ever have for going someplace new is distress over someplace old (15-18).
1--1-41
2--42-72
3--73-89
4--90-106
5--107-150
John Calvin has called Psalms "'An anatomy of all the parts of the soul'."
Holy Spirit has in Psalms, drawn to the life all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated.
Honesty is not inconsistent with worship.
Psalm 120, Message, v. 2: Deliver me from lying and from the liars, God.
Sometimes the best motivation we'll ever have for going someplace new is distress over someplace old (15-18).
Monday, May 2, 2011
767
Beth Moore, Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent
You are still God upon the throne of all creation. You are holy and mighty beyond comprehension, so worthy of my praise and the outpouring of my life's energies. Today I gladly give myself to You. I am convinced that You are always for me. Obedience to You will always mean Your very best for me. I can come WITHOUT SHAME before Your throne because I pray in Jesus' Name.
Forehead to the floor and floor to the forehead.
I want to learn to take the high road when I am so often tempted to take the low road (13).
If God had already taken me everywhere He intended, I'd be at His feet now. God still has appointments for me here.
You are still God upon the throne of all creation. You are holy and mighty beyond comprehension, so worthy of my praise and the outpouring of my life's energies. Today I gladly give myself to You. I am convinced that You are always for me. Obedience to You will always mean Your very best for me. I can come WITHOUT SHAME before Your throne because I pray in Jesus' Name.
Forehead to the floor and floor to the forehead.
I want to learn to take the high road when I am so often tempted to take the low road (13).
If God had already taken me everywhere He intended, I'd be at His feet now. God still has appointments for me here.
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