Beth Moore - Looking Up: Trusting God With Your Every Need

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Looking Up Devotional

2014 by Beth Moore

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Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

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ISBN-13: 978-0-7180-2165-8

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Contents

Every person can know the complete redemption of Jesus Christ, purpose for life, and fullness of joy.

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
many will see and fear the LORD
and put their trust in him.

Psalm 40:13

M y life passion is to encourage people to come to know and love Jesus Christ through the study of His Word. My life message within that passion, however, is complete and glorious freedom. The kind only Christ can bring. I do not know why but it has never been enough for me to be free. I want you to be free too. It is not enough for me to know the thrill of Gods presence. I want you to know it too. I want you to know the power of His Word that can defy every addiction, heal any affliction, and plug up every pit. I want you to know a love that is better than life.

I believe God has scheduled a time and a way for you to get out of your pit. Youre going to need to show up for it though. My prayer is that what follows will serve as an itinerary and guide. If youll grant me the privilege, Id like to be your attendant for a while. Ive taken this trip before. Its bumpy but the destination is worth it. Thanks for having me along.

You really can move up and out of that pit.

Beth

The LORD will vindicate me; your love, LORD, endures foreverdo not abandon the works of your hands.

Psalm 138:8

L ife can be excruciating. Crushing, in fact. The sheer magnitude of our worries can press down on our heads until we unknowingly descend into a pit of despair one inch at a time. Something so horrible can happen that we conclude well never be okay again. We can blow it so badly we think God would just as soon we stayed under that dirt and out of His sight.

But the Bible teaches that there are no lost causes. No permanent pit-dwellers except those who refuse to leave. Every person can know the complete redemption of Jesus Christ, a purpose for life, and a fullness of joy. No, life wont ever be easy, but the trade-off is a spin around Planet Earth that actually means something. I am convinced that when the last chapter of each life story is recorded in the annals of heaven, people would rather have lived out their fullness of days with purpose rather than painlessness.

Living with purpose requires energy and focus, time and sacrifice. What keeps you from pursuing a more purpose-filled life? Are you willing to release those things to the Lord and allow Him to empower you to fulfill the purpose He has for you?

Lord God, how wonderful that we can live our days on this planet with purposeand how wonderful that when You call us to fulfill that purpose, You empower us as well! I ask for that power, Lord. Whether Im living out my purpose by being a wife, a mother, a friend, an ambassador for You, a servant, or a worker in the marketplace, may I find in You strength and joy.

Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Psalm 31:3

I f youre in a pit, you dont have to stay in it. Even if youve been there your whole life, you can call it a day. Even if you somehowat least in your own minddeserve the pit you live in, youre still not stuck there.

Maybe youre the noble type trying to make the best of your pit. You keep wondering why you cant get satisfied there, why you arent mature enough to be content where you are. After all, didnt the apostle Paul tell us that we should learn to be content in any circumstance?

Has it occurred to you that maybe a pit is one place where youre not supposed to be content? Maybe you should thank God youre not. Some things werent meant to be accepted. A pit is one of them. Quit trying to make the best of it. Its time to get out.

Will you think outside the boxoutside the pitand accept the truth that God doesnt want you in there any longer?

I praise You, Lord, for being my Deliverer, my Rescuer, my Redeemer! I know Im not supposed to be content in my pit. And I believe You can get me outYou want me outof it. I will look to You to give me strength and to lead me to a place of true contentment.

To you, LORD, I called; to the LORD I cried for mercy... You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.

Psalm 30:8, 11

M y husband, our two dogs, and I travel a lot, and were often asked why we dont get an RV. The answer: the bathroom. The small space and lack of fresh air in an RV makes the presence of a bathroom so... well... inescapable. They say you get used to it, but do I really want to? Nope, the way I see it, we were not meant to get used to some things. Like living in a pit.

Lets say for years youve been living in an old RV so small you cant stretch your legs or stand up straight. Then imagine being offered a brand-new home. A real one on a solid foundation with big closets and wide-open spaces. You can hardly wait to move in. Filled with anticipation, you rev up the motor of the old RV and plow it right into the new living room, taking out a wall or two on the way. Ah, finally! A new place to call home! You settle back in your RV seat, take a deep breath, and then it hits you. That deep breath tasted a lot like that old lavatory.