Stepping Up homework week four

Wow! Amazing! I almost can't believe it!

I know that the Lord is really trying to teach me something when it comes at me from all sides! This is a precious time in my life with the Lord. Even though my outside circumstances don't seem like anything special, I will always fondly remember the Summer of 2009 as a special time in my walk with God because He is teaching me some awesome things!

A few years ago, when I was just getting to know the man who would become my husband, I was given the opportunity to edit the Spanish version of a marriage ministry book called "Fortified Marriages". The authors knew I was single and the wife at one time said to me, "Maybe reading through all of this is preparation for you." That made me nervous :) but she was right. The Lord gave me that material at that moment to prepare me for the next huge step in my life.

A few months ago I had a patient in my hospital who knew Jesus. He had been frustrated and depressed by his circumstances, but then the Lord showed him what a great opportunity this was to rest and study the Word (what else are you going to do in a hospital bed for a month?). This man's sorrow was turned to gladness and he chose to make the best of every moment he had to be prepared for whatever the next step might be.

This is how I feel now. I don't know what the next step is for me, but I can tell this is a time of teaching, renewal and preparation from the Lord. He is really drilling into me topics like freedom in Christ, obedience, submission, joy, forgiveness, prayer and being satisfied in Him. These are all topics I've touched on before in my walk, but God is really emphasizing them now. I'm excited! What will He do next? If nothing else He is freeing me from gluttony, self-centeredness and unforgiveness. Hallelujah!

Last night I was finishing up my homework for Bible study tonight. I am so enjoying the "Stepping Up" series by Beth Moore. I know the Lord is taking me on an awesome journey this summer! Even though she doesn't write specifically about "forgiveness" her lesson on Week 4, Day 4 goes right along with Thin Within's Day 20. I wanted to quote some of what she says:

"Freedom never comes through disobedience." p. 106
I can be free from gluttony and unforgiveness/bitterness only as I submit to the Lord.

"Anything we've continued to battle from our youth is habitual enough to require Christ's healing work. Only He can clarify our clouded belief systems. Otherwise the cycle will never break." p. 108

Only by soaking in Christ's presence will I be able to be freed-up from everything I've carried since childhood/adolescence.

On page 109 Beth shares Isaiah 51:22, that the Sovereign Lord defends His people. She indicates that He defends us even when our oppression is self-inflicted by our own acts of idolatry, unbelief and rebellion.

Beth says on p. 110:
"Comprehending God's loyalty to us and consciously leaving all vindication to Him is crucial if you and I don't want to inadvertently go from being oppressed to being an oppressor. 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 be come people who walk all over them."

I found, from doing the TW Day 20 forgiveness exercises, that most of my anger and bitterness was self-inflicted and that my hurt turned to hate, making me the oppressor. How sad! But praise God for showing me that so I'll choose not to do it anymore!

I have got to turn to the Lord and let Him deal with all of this so that I can be a more effective tool for His kingdom. I am so thankful for these messages and for the fact that God has softened my heart to them. I know this is not the first time I've heard all of this, but it's like a breath of fresh air!