Beth Moore's Blog, page 55

Big Sisters and Little Sisters

I’m really ticked. I just ran into a beloved little sister in the faith on my way to work when I stopped off at a grocery store to grab a few things. She and her family are nearly being eaten alive by the enemy. Honestly, we stood right there in plain sight near the vitamin aisle and ratted on the devil and shook the family tree for some fresh truth. As big tears rolled down those cheeks, she said one thing so emphatically that it seared straight into my bones:

“I was just thinking about you this morning, Beth. And I’ve just gotta know: have you been here?”

Where exactly did she mean by here? In that place where the enemy seems to leave NOTHING untouched. Nothing unmangled by his crushing iron jaw. The scene of the onslaught. Where Satan seems to systematically and patiently and daily and hourly go for you – heart, soul, and body, and for everything and everyone you hold dear, and for all you know – that you know – that you know you believe. That season where you can’t seem to recover because every time you start to get back up, something knocks you down again. That season that you really do begin to believe will absolutely kill you…and, in some respects, it does. It kills the old you. If allowed to, it stones to death the Goliath within every David, one welting throw after another. Welcome to the sifting zone where Satan gets so much leash that he rips to bloody shreds everything he can get his paws on…but what is really real. What is really left behind when we are stripped bare of all our earthly security and fleshly confidence.

Have I been there, my beloved little sister?

Let’s see. How loud can I say this?? I HAVE BEEN THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOY, HAVE I EVER BEEN THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And part of me survived. And part of me died.

And the part of me that died, as painful as it was, needed to.

And when it tries to resurrect it’s ugly, deformed, decayed head, I remind it that it is dead, lest it need another killing. Because I don’t want another killing.

I don’t mean my baffling tendency to sin is dead. I deal with that old nature everyday. I can still – almost out of nowhere – vacillate furiously between self-love and self loathing until I’m so dizzy I could regurgitate. But that joint victim and victimizer in me, that violent inner working nurtured at the breast of deceit and raised in sickness with a bent on self-destruction, took what still appears over many years to be a fair beheading.

YES. I have been there. And it was so awful I still well remember almost to the detail. And this morning I was glad I did because my little sister in the faith – a MIGHTY woman of God – needed to hear it.

I got in that car so mad at the enemy and at this brazen, hateful world that I made a bee-line straight to work and clicked the words “new post.”

Big sisters, our little sisters need some encouragement. They need to know we’ve been where they are. Even if they’re not in a season of hell on earth. Maybe their house just smells like one huge dirty diaper. Maybe they just need a nap. Maybe they need a job. God alone knows exactly and truly what they need from Him but this WE can know they need from us:  encouragement! And, by God (and I mean that), we are going to give it to them.

Here’s what we’re going to do today. You who are 39 and under get to tell us where you could use some encouragement. You who are 40 and older and willing are going to give it to them. Here’s how it’s going to look:

If you are 39 or younger, you’re going to start your comment with “Your little sister here: …”

If you are 40 or older, you’re going to start your comment with “Your big sister here: …”

Here are the ground rules: (I’m going to warn you. When I’m furious, I can get into a bossy frame of mind and I’m there right this second. But, look at it this way. I’m beside myself in your behalf so humor me.)

Little sisters, don’t snow ball with every irritating, annoying, frustrating thing or relationship in your life. Get pretty quickly to the bottom line. I’m thinking about someone I really do love so much and want to encourage and help when at all possible but her emails to me are so long and about so many things going wrong and so many people going awry that by the end of it, all I can do is throw up my hands and say, “I am so overwhelmed, I have no idea where to begin!” Try, as much as you know how to tell us, to articulate what is really wrong. The real bottom line. Also, please look throughout the post for encouragements that may help you and keep in mind that what the big sisters write to one, they extend to all. Don’t be offended if no one speaks directly to you. Every encouragement is meant for every one of you.

Big Sisters, today is for encouraging our little sisters and that’s all. I know you have problems because I’m about your same age and I have a truckload of them. But you and I have lived long enough to know that we’re going to make it and that God IS going to be faithful and He is INDEED going to bring beauty from ashes and He will most certainly, given enough time, work every single detail out for our good and His glory. No complaining from us today. This post is a N0-Whine zone for big sisters. Life and the devil are eating our baby sisters alive. Let’s GET UP in their behalf, encourage them, and draw out our swords and fight for them. As often as you can, make your comment to all of them instead of just in reply to one of them. There will be exceptions, of course, but it’s crucial that we edify them across the board. They could all use it. You can talk to them or pray for them in your comment. Both are so Biblical and so right.

Now, listen, Little Sisters. One more thing from Big Sister with the big mouth. Get your tails in the Word. I mean it. Get your tails in the Word. NO TIME OFF. Read it aloud when you can’t absorb it or concentrate on it. Get yourself some accountability. Call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised and so shall you be saved from your enemies. Every morning.

One last thing. I left my beloved little sister with an assignment this morning and with the accountability to let me know she’s doing it. I’m going to give you little sisters who are feeling devoured the exact same one: memorize Psalm 25. Every word of it. Don’t tell me you can’t. Yes, you can. Get it printed out, laminate it, and memorize it. Say it over and over and over again. Start today. We can cheer you on and we can fight for you but we can’t fight instead of you. This victory is YOURS. The battle is meant to bring plunder directly to your personal life and family line or God wouldn’t have allowed it. Get up and fight.

Psalm 25.

I mean it.

I’m going to be asking you about it.

OK. I’m sorry for the bossy tone but I am so mad on behalf of you, our baby sisters, that I’m bruising this keyboard.

Now get busy, Girls. I have to be out of the office for a little while several times today so if we go a few hours without any comments moderated, have no fear, I’ll get back to it and get your encouragements posted.

I love you.

 

Living Proof Live – Colorado Springs Recap

UPDATE FROM BETH ON JULY 5th: Hey, you sweet things! Thinking of you so much. This is my first day back in the office at Living Proof Ministries since our time together. I flew to Atlanta right after we said good-bye then served there throughout Sunday then came home and took a few days off. (Thank you, 4th of July!) I told my beloved coworkers that, as long as I have clarity of mind, I will remember our time together in Colorado Springs. God marked my heart with you. I nearly bawled as I watched the recap and was deeply moved to see a comment from one of you who lives in the city saying God opened up the sky and let it rain soon after. What grace of our Savior. I want to let you know that I kept my word to you and, with great joy, just signed a check to Samaritan’s Purse. I don’t want to draw attention to it in the larger public but I do INDEED want you who check in around here to know. I didn’t dare hold off any longer than my first day back because…

TO FOLLOW [JESUS] = TO FOLLOW THROUGH!

What I owe you now is a debt of love (Romans 13:8) and I will gladly pay it for many years to come. STAY IN THE WORD, SISTERS! I’ll see all of you at the Throne and perhaps some of you another time when we flip open our Bibles together. I am honored to be your servant. I love you so. 

 

The rest of this post is the original one that our wonderful Lindsee wrote. If you haven’t seen the recap, DO IT!

 

 

Siestas! Here is this weekends recap video. We have already heard from so many of you that were able to attend the conference this weekend and how the Lord spoke so personally to you and we thank the Lord so much for that. He alone is worthy of praise! In the middle of much chaos, He is sovereign and able to speak truth, speak loud and bring healing.

On Friday, we shared with you that Samaritan’s Purse was going put all of their donations this weekend toward wildfire relief efforts in Colorado Springs. I know you’ll rejoice with us when I tell you that this weekend attendee’s raised $85, 591! Ladies, your generosity is incredible. Thank you so much! May God be praised!

Colorado Springs LPL

*Update: (Friday Morning) LifeWay Women, Living Proof Ministries along with Beth Moore and Travis Cottrell are inviting those victims and evacuees of the Colorado fires to be our guests, free of charge, at the Living Proof Live event starting this evening through tomorrow at noon at World Arena in Colorado Springs. Please see the details below about how evacuees can gain access to the venue. It is our hope to accommodate and minister to as many of those affected by the fires as our available seating will allow. It is our privilege and blessing to serve them and our prayers are with them:

Evacuees without a ticket must go to Gate C for access into the arena
Gate C door will open for evacuees to enter at 6:00 p.m.
Access to available seating will be on a first come, first serve basis, but we anticipate having plenty of room.
We are asking evacuees with access to the internet to RSVP with us atwomensevents@lifeway.com but this is not required for entrance.
Kaye Hurta will be their contact person at the Gate C door
Only evacuees need to come to Gate C for free access – anyone with a ticket needs to enter at the main entrance with all other attendees
The event is general seating for individuals and small groups; large group seating is reserved.
Samaritan’s Purse will be on hand to provide water at the doors to evacuee attendees as supplies last.
NOTE: Any attendee who has paid for a ticket but who has lost their home to the fires will be refunded the cost of their ticket and they will be our guest. Refunds will be processed through our registration office next week. Other Evacuees who have already purchased their armbands may enter through the main entrance.
Any questions can also be sent to womensevents@lifeway.com

 

Good Thursday afternoon, ladies.

We come to you with heavy hearts regarding all the devastating fires happening in Colorado Springs this very minute. The pictures alone are chilling and sobering.

We serve a God who is into every detail of our lives, and He alone knew that there would be a Living Proof Live scheduled in Colorado Springs the very same weekend these fires would come screaming down the beautiful mountainside.

At this moment, LifeWay still has the event scheduled. If anything further develops, we will update and post that information on our website here.

Beth is flying out today, along with the rest of the team, as they have plans to minister to the people of Colorado Springs. Please pray for them. Please pray for their safety. As we ask the Lord to pour out His Spirit over the arena, we’re asking that He would pour out the rain in that city as well. They desperately need it.

We are so grateful to Samaritan’s Purse, who partners with LifeWay at each Living Proof Live event, for designating 100% of their donations at this weekend’s event to the city of Colorado Springs. They are already on ground for disaster relief, but this will be a huge blessing to them.

If you feel led to give in this area and help with disaster relief, you can do it without even attending the event. What you would need to do is text RELIEF to 85944 to automatically donate $10. You can also visit their website for volunteer opportunities or find out how to get help at www.samaritanspurse.org.

We are praying, ladies. Those of us in Texas know the devastating effects these fires can cause as we just dealt with the same thing a mere eight months ago. Join us in praying for a miracle? Miracle rain?

We love you guys.

Siesta Summer Bible Study 2012 Official Launch and Registration!

The day has finally arrived! Wooooohooooo! Let’s get into the Scriptures, Girls! This is our official launch where you will officially register as participants in our summer Bible study but here’s the important part: YOU WILL SIGN IN AFTER YOU AND YOUR GROUP VIEW THIS VIDEO AND HAVE YOUR DISCUSSION TIME. (If you’re going solo, you’ll view it by yourself, of course, and answer the questions succinctly in your comment as your way of discussing the subject matter.)

Please read the following instructions carefully:

If you are participating in a small group (even on line), choose a name for it in your first gathering. It does not need to be clever although you’re welcome to do it that way. It can be as simple as “Greensboro Summer Siestas.” Mine will be “The LPM Village” because I’ll be going through it with my in-house staff and we call our merry band of sisters the Village. You will use your group name every time you leave a comment on Bible study day.

After watching the video and participating in the discussion time with your small group, appoint ONE representative from your group to sign in through a comment to this post. You’re welcome to appoint a different representative each week that we meet. The main idea is to make sure only one person signs in for your group.

This is the way your group representative will sign in:

City, State; Name of group, Number in group. *A brief summary about your group time.

(*This might convey something interesting that came up in your time together or the question that motivated the most discussion. It’s wide open. Just give us a succinct report on your time in small group. Remember to keep them short and specific so that we can read as many as possible!)

Mine would look something like this:

Houston, Texas; The LPM Village, 12. Summary: We talked most about the challenges we have this summer and specific ways we each need God to “keep steady our steps.” (Then I’d give a couple of examples that came up in our discussion time. Get the idea?)

Sisters going solo: you will sign in individually and answer the questions very briefly in your comment. (You are welcome to limit your answers to the ones that resonate most to you.) If I were going solo, mine might look like this:

Houston, Texas; Beth Moore (you can just use your first name if you prefer). Questions 5 and 6 resonated most with me because…

NOW! You are good to go. Just watch the video and proceed according to the instructions I’ll give you within it. As you’ll see below, I will always put the instructions in print in case you’re unable to view the video or if, for any reason, it malfunctions. Keep in mind that you don’t need to read what follows unless you can’t watch the video.

Written instructions:

Today in small group time, read Psalm 119:129-135 together. If you have access to several translations, read it first in a formal translation – ESV, NAS, NKJ, NIV, etc – and, second, just for the richness of it, a modern translation like The Message or the New Living Translation. You know I love The NET Bible so that’s another option.

1.  List every term the psalmist uses for God’s communication/revelation to man. (Example: V.129 ESV – “testimonies”)

2.  Psalm 119:129 says, “Your testimonies are wonderful: therefore my soul keeps them.” Each of you (as time allows) share a specific way that you’ve come to know personally that God’s testimonies are “wonderful.” If you don’t have a newcomer to the Bible in your group, imagine that you do. Let your answer help explain to her why YOUR soul desires to keep God’s testimonies and why she should even consider it.

3.  Psalm 119:132 says “Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is Your way with those who love Your name.” If you have placed your faith in God through Jesus Christ, you have demonstrated one titanic way of “loving His name.” Discuss the importance of trusting that God’s “way” is to deal with His children graciously. Talk about whether you tend to expect God to be gracious to you or indifferent or harsh and condemning. If you tend toward the latter, would you be willing this summer to seek God with the grateful expectation of His graciousness toward you.

4.  Psalm 119:133a says, “Keep steady my steps according to Your promise.” What specific challenges are before you this summer that could cause you to really need God to “steady your steps”?

5.  Psalm 119:133b says, “Let no iniquity get dominion over me.” THAT, Beloved, is a prayer that could have huge impact in our lives. If you are willing, share a particular tendency of your flesh that you’re really praying will not get the best of you this summer. (By all means, get personal as the Spirit leads but stop short of really graphic specifics. Give people the idea without the mental images.)

6.  Psalm 119:134 says, “Redeem me from man’s oppression, that I may keep Your precepts.” Look up several definitions of “oppression” and discuss the vital differences between oppression and authority. How can they be confused? Once we know for certain we’re not just resisting authority but we are genuinely experiencing oppression, realize that God’s will is to REDEEM us from it. Pray fervently for Him to do so. He is perfectly capable of redeeming us from oppression while redeeming the relationship.

7.  According to Psalm 119:135, conclude by asking God with a full heart of faith to make His face shine upon you, His servant, this summer and to TEACH you vividly through the Book of Nehemiah.

8.  Sometime today, write Psalm 119:129-135 on a note card and keep it as your prayer for our Siesta Summer Bible Study. (After the video was already made, it occurred to me that I should have suggested we all write this segment on the inside of the front cover of our Nehemiah workbooks so, if I caught you in time, do that instead of a note card. That way it will serve as a Scriptural dedication of sorts for our summer experience.)

Have Weeks 1 and 2 of your homework done by Tuesday, July 10th and we’ll have our next Mini-Session then and your group discussion.

I love you guys so much! Isn’t it fabulous to be back together again in God’s Word??

We’ll meet in two weeks! If you’re meeting over a meal, try to fix Lauri’s Beef Enchiladas on p.32 and Mom’s ginger snaps on p.33.

(Remember! Comments only after your group time!)