The Strand Study Bible

PSALMS PSALMS 132:11 The 13th step to ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds is to “look to Jesus” (get your eyes on the real HOUSE – II Sam 7: 1- 11 ; Of the FRUIT of thy body will I set upon THY throne ). Step thirteen – Get refocused! 133:1 The 14th step to ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds is to “look together” (get unified; Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity ). Step fourteen – Get unified! 134:2 The 15th step to ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds, is to “look with your hands;” raise them high (get surrendered; Lift up your hands in the sanctuary ). Why? Because you’re here; you’ve finally ascended to where God abides. And now that you’re here, you need to lift up your hands in surrender and bless the Lord by acknowledging His moral and natural attributes ( Rom 1:20b – points #4 and 5). Step fifteen – Get surrendered! IN CONCLUSION – Ascending to where God abides and where liberty abounds is going to require: 1. humility (Psa 120/I Pet 5:5-6) Remember: Just because you serve God doesn’t mean you’re serving God. 2. sober mindedness (Psa 121/Titus 2:12) Remember: How you approach God determines if you approach God. 3. focus (Psa 122/Phil 3:13-14 and I Cor 2:2) Remember: All that is not eternal is eternally useless 4. faithfulness (Psa 123/I Cor 4:2) Remember: Though faith alone saves, a faith that saves is never alone 5. dependence upon Him (Psa 124/Prov 3:5-6) Remember: When you depend on Him, He can depend on you 6. becoming secure in Him (Psa 125/Job 13:15) Remember: You won’t look back if you’re not looking back 7. studying properly (Psa 126/II Tim 2:15) Remember: It’s not God’s promises that fail, only our faith in what He says He will do 8. thinking properly (Psa 127/Jere 35) Remember: How you build your home is where you’ll build your home 9. holiness (Psa 128/Heb 12:14) Remember: No one is ever truly happy till he is truly holy 10. leading (Psa 129/Deut 1:38) Remember: People who learn to take the negative in life and make it positive (because God is for us - Rom 8:31-39) are always in a position to lead 11. understanding forgiveness (Psa 130/Lk 17:3,4b, Mt 18:34 and Job 42:6,7a) Remember: If you can’t find forgiveness for yourself, how are you going to find it for others? 12. becoming free from criticism (Psa 131/Phil 3:13-14) Remember: Those who gossip to you will eventually gossip about you 13. refocusing (Psa 132) Remember: Our service for God is never as important as our reverence for God 14. unity (Psa 133/Rom 12:16) Remember: Unity in the essentials, liberty in the non-essentials, and charity for all should be the goal of every believer 15. surrender (Psa 134) Remember: Those who bless (surrender to the Lord) get blessed 923

1 The King James Study Bible . Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson Pub., 1988. Print. 2 McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible: (Volume II) , Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson, 1982. Print. 3 The Pulpit Commentary . Grand Rapids, MI, Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1950. Print. 4 The Interpreter’s Bible . USA, Pierce and Washabaugh, 1955. Print.