Day 4/ Week 2 - Stepping Up

I am trying to "catch up" to where our Bible study group is at this point in Stepping Up. So, please bear with me and just keep doing one day at a time. It is just easier for me if I can stay caught up. If you continue to do one day at a time, it will keep you for a little while during our Summer/Fall Bible study break!!!

If the Lord Had Not

Psalm 124: 1 - 8
If the Lord had not been on our side- let Israel say -
If the Lord had not been on our side when men attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger against us.
Then the waters would have engulfed us; the torrent would have swept over us;
the raging waters would have swept over us.
Praise the Lord, who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird from the hunters net;
the net is torn, and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Pay attention to the first verse. Can you sense the psalmist encouraging his people to sing with all of their hearts. Why is it that we have to be coaxed by our worship leaders to sing louder? Beth points out that we should praise with all of our hearts every opportunity we have. We should consider all of the times that God has been good to us and how often He has rescued us!
Psalm 124 has a two-fold meaning. It is a song of hazard and of help. Beth found this perspective for our study from Eugene Peterson. She wants to focus on the hazards today, and then we will focus on the help tomorrow!
Compare the metaphors in the following Scripture:
Psalm 124: 4 to Psalm 18: 16 - 17
Psalm 124: 6 to Psalm 57: 4
Psalm 124: 7 to Psalm 55: 6 - 8

The Psalmist describes the attacks of men to be like jaws that seek to swallow us, raging waters that seek to drown us and teeth that try to rip us to shreds.
When was the last time you felt like someone or something was going to eat you alive? Describe the situation without naming any names.
When was the last time you felt like a situation was honestly going to drown you?
Remember, we are not in battle with flesh and blood. We are in battle with the powers of darkness. Very often people can be our toughest challenges because it is more difficult to get over personal situations. Satan absolutely hates us, and he looks for any way he can tear us apart. He uses the people in our lives to hurt us and make us feel desperate.
Have you ever felt like another person despised you?
If so, describe some of your feelings when you realized it.
I am a person that loves people!!! I love being around people, and I take comfort in company. When I was little, we use to go to the beach a lot. We would stay in this home that was right on the beach that was somewhat of a boarding house. The owner had thirteen rooms, one central living room and one large dining room. Most of the rooms had their own bathroom, but some had to share a large bathroom in the center of the upstairs. The owners, my precious Willie and Margie Everhart, cooked homemade breakfast and dinner every single day and you came to meals by the sound of a dinner bell. Then, on Sundays, we had an amazing lunch that I could never describe to you in words. At any one time, there could be as many as seven or eight different families staying together. We all ate together, played games together and spent our time on the beach together. Over time, we all became a large family. If she didn't have room for us one week, we knew someone would be there that would let us bunk up with them. The owners charged 20.00 per night per person, including meals. Can you believe that? It is truly where I learned to experience life with people and learned to cherish relationships. I also started to expect everyone to be my friend. So, I didn't do very well in the "real world" when I came up against harsh people. If someone was not open to my friendship, it devastated me. At first I would allow it to just tear me apart, but then I learned to try to please the person to make them like me. I soon found out that you can be taken advantage of when you long for everyone to like you.
Now that I am older (and I feel a little wiser), I have learned that not all relationships in your life are healthy. Sometimes you become friends with people that just expect too much of you, and you can never meet their expectations. These relationships are dangerous to your self esteem when you begin to question what is "wrong" with you. Now, if you do not get along with someone, I definitely feel like you should question yourself and examine your attitude in the situation. If you are not behaving in a godly manner, it is your responsibility to "buck up" and try to make the relationship right. However, if you are constantly questioning yourself and feeling as though you just cannot make a friendship work no matter how hard you try, then you may need to reexamine the health of having that relationship in your life. If it causes you to spend more time doubting yourself than enjoying the friendship, then you need to consider how much time you spend with that person. I am not telling you to disrespect the person in any way. It is okay to agree that you make better friends from a distance than on a close, personal basis. You can honor one another and remain respectful!!!
Wow! I just chased a rabbit for about a mile!!! We need to get back on track!!!

When you feel attacked, how convinced are you that God is taking it personally and that you can trust Him to handle it as you seek and submit to Him?
Take a moment to think about this question. Consider all of the things that you may not realize God is saving you from and you don't even know could have happened. Satan is on a mission to destroy us at all times, and yet, we are sitting here doing a Bible study together. Do you think God is fighting him for you? Don't you think He is protecting you from way more than you could ever imagine?
Describe one time you were most aware of satan's harmful intent. As much as he may have stolen from you, think of something you believe in retrospect he wanted that he didn't get. This Psalm challenges you to consider some what if scenarios.
What might have been in your life if God had not rescued you and saved you? What would your life be like if Jesus Christ had not allowed Himself to be tortured and humiliated for your sin? Do you ever think about that?
What might have happened with your life "if the Lord had not been on your side"?
If you have chosen for God to be a part of your life, then you have given Him permission and invited Him into your life to intercede on your behalf. Isn't that reason to praise like the psalmist wants us to praise in the beginning of this Psalm? When you go to worship this weekend, consider all of these things and praise with all of your heart!!!
Love you all
Tiffany