You Will Not LIVE in that Valley!

We recently made a trip through the Boston Mountains in northwest Arkansas.  Normally I’m pretty worn out after the ride but this year it was nice. I like rolling hills and the not so big mountains in Arkansas.  We came home a different way to avoid construction and found ourselves going through a valley. Some valleys are pretty, fertile and green with slow moving cattle and the occasional deer. Other valleys are stark, treeless and without any green to speak of.  I find it hard to see any beauty in those valleys. 

God speaks to my heart: I’ve been through a lot of valleys. Some of you may be going through a valley right now. Some of them were valleys I chose to walk through. Other valleys showed up abruptly because of things that happened to me. At the hands of another, the valley can be especially hard. Can you relate? There are the valleys of decision, valleys of death, valleys of troubles, trials and emotion.

What do we do when we’re in a valley? What happens if a torrential rain of trials, hurts, agony comes? How do we escape? Where do we find solace? What if the sun is beating down so hard on us that we feel we’re going to burn up and die right in that valley? Will anyone find us? Will anyone help us? Where is the shade when you need it? Where are our friends? Why are we all alone in this huge valley? We don’t think we’re going to make it!

What we’re really saying in all of our valleys is “where is God?” That’s who we really want!  When everything else is empty, when everyone else has walked away, driven on, ridden out of our life, it’s just us and we have a Savior. And His name is I AM. His name is Comforter, Wonderful, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and He is my Abba Father.

Oh beloved, God is God in everything you are going through. He has not abdicated His throne. He has not given away His Sovereignty, His Provision or His will. He is stepping into your valley as King of Kings and Lord of Lord. But He alone is King. He alone is Lord. If you will look up from this valley and look to the mountain of the Lord, look to Him alone, you will find Him to be the All Sufficient One.

Nothing else is true beloved. You are not alone. You are not abandoned. You are not lost. Because God sees the past, present, and future, He is able to know beforehand what our needs are and therefore make provision for all that we need. You are not at the mercy of the buzzards who want to circle your circumstances. You are not left to be eaten and destroyed.

The Lord Himself loves you and that love is everlasting, eternal and complete. He is on your side, already making provision for you! Rejoice as you live in the light of His Word!

Genesis 22:14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” (Jehovah Jireh)

Isaiah 33:6 In that day He will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.

Psalm 42:11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!

Looking for your "Happy Place"?

Caleb is our more reticent grandchild. While the other grandchildren may fly into a room and lavish kisses and a hug on everyone, Caleb is more likely to hold back, look down and stay quiet.  If you get a hug from him, it’s a real treat. A kiss is hardly ever earned, but when it is you are blessed indeed! He generally wipes off all kisses from others.

They all came into my house the other day to visit with my aunt.  We all started calling each one of the grandkids by name, including Caleb. As we asked him to say hi, he quickly sueezed his eyes shut. As if that weren’t enough he then slapped his hands over his face! He was intent on drowning out the requests and going to “his happy place”!

We find ourselves doing the same thing at times don’t we? The stress rises and we just want to escape! We squeeze our eyes shut! As if that’s not enough, we try to put our hands over our faces and melt away. Trouble is, we can’t just get away all the time – we have to work it through. We can’t just drop everything and try to escape.

Life is full of surprises. Not all of them are ones we like or welcome.  We have to learn to deal with troubles so that we don’t weaken our faith when troubles come. We can’t plan ahead for everything that may come our way. Just like Caleb, we may want to be reticent about life – hoping that if we hold back we won’t have so much stress. But it doesn’t work that way. We may feel that with our eyes shut tight we shut it all out, but we’re still right in the middle of the room with the hurt, worry, fear, trouble, embarrassment, humiliation and more.

So, where do we go for our “happy place”?  How do we life in the midst of things that come against us? How do we make it when the money is short, the love is lacking, the hurt is throbbing and the way seems so insecure?

There is One who goes into every room with us! He will carry us through, guard us in the  process, hide us in His shelter! Not only that, He will give us strength to stand tall, wisdom to know how to proceed, and power to resist the enemy’s temptation to quit.

Oh beloved, I know it can be hard to remain calm in the storms of life. It can be so tempting to walk out on the source of your pain, but God says hold on! He speaks to your heart and He says you are more than a conqueror, you are more than a survivor, you are more than the entirety of your troubles and fears. He says to you this morning, I AM your strength, your power, your persistence, your victory, your answer. He wants you to make it beloved, but He wants more for you! He wants you to hold fast, to seize the moment, to reject the fear and embrace the Truth!

Run to His Word this morning, for it’s the only way to find your happy place! Find the Word for your situation and seize it! Hold it up for the crowd to see! Fly it like a banner and read it aloud! Don’t bury your eyes or your faith another moment. Let God show you your true strength and as you stand in the light of His Word your troubles will truly fade away to their proper place, beneath your faith! He loves you so much that He’s given you wisdom, power and love to stand and to know that He’s for you! And that’s all that really matters.

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised.”

Jeremiah 16:19 Lord, you are my strength and fortress, my refuge in the day of trouble! Nations from around the world will come to you and say, “Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage, for they worshiped worthless idols.

Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the faint and weary, and to Him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. Amplified

Psalm 108:13 Through and with God we shall do valiantly, for He it is Who shall tread down our adversaries.

Romans 8:37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.

God is On Your Side and He Adores You!

 

My father was an independent man. He left home at age 16 and joined the Navy. He visited home occasionally but never returned to stay. I was born when he was 56 years old. He had traveled the world and showed up in the drug store of the Driscoll Hotel in Corpus Christi Texas where my mother worked.  He swept the 41 year old woman off her feet and the rest is history.  Not all of my father’s history was good. Looking deeper into the layers of his life you’ll find a father who was distant and unforgiving.  My father’s mother died after giving birth to him. My grandfather held it against him all of his life.  One of his most sorrowful moments as a child was when, in anger, his father hit him in the head with a well pulley. My father was out for days and the family wasn’t sure if he’d survive. But survive he did. His grandmother protected him while she was alive but eventually she died and he was left to fend for himself. As soon as he could he escaped.

I know the past can be hard to overcome. You may have been too sheltered and find it hard to deal with life. You may have been abused physically, emotionally or verbally.   You might never have been told that God even existed, much less that He loves you and has a marvelous plan for your life. You may have turned your back on your raising because it was just not good. Just as my father became independent, you too may have vowed “I don’t need anyone”. 

Oh beloved, it’s time to escape! Escape to the One Who can heal you of all scars, protect you from all harm and see you through all troubles!  His Name is Abba Father and He knew your name before you were born! His plan for you began before the world was formed.  Although life can be harsh, trials and tests can appear for a while, you have nothing to fear for your Father God is watching over you.  Your independence will not get you where you really want to go, for without the Lord of Heaven and Earth guiding your steps you will continue to fall short.  Let Him love you today! Let Him heal you in every way! Let Him hold you close as He whispers to you: I AM the Lord Who heals you and I will take whatever happened in your past and turn it out for your good and My Glory! All you have to do is give Me the opportunity by turning it all over to Me. I love you and I AM on your side and that’s all that really matters, in the past, right now and in the future!

1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.

Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Exodus 6:7 I will claim you as My own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I AM the LORD your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt.

Psalm 75:3 When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I AM the one who keeps its foundations firm.

Isaiah 45:3 And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness— secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I AM the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.

Isaiah 57:19  bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the LORD, who heals them.