Hope in the Valley
A Thrill of Hope • Sermon • Submitted
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· 67 viewsLove, Joy and Hope are hallmark themes of the Christmas season and story. Yet, while many celebrate with smiles, potlucks and presents there are others who really struggle during the holiday season. Maybe our plan for how this year was supposed to turn out didn’t happen. The discouragement of disappointment or delay can be a difficult one. Maybe celebrating the Holidays after a recent loss has been more challenging than we thought it would be. No matter what may be discouraging us we can have a confident hope that Jesus knows exactly what we are going through and exactly what we need. This week we pray for the Light of Jesus to shine Hope in the dark valleys of life.
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Introduction: It’s Easy Until It’s Not
23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
‘God with us’ — simple enough phrase but it holds incredible meaning..
For Christians it’s easy to believe God is WITH US on the mountain tops
When we get a raise * Team wins * Kids sleep thru the night * Parking Spot
More difficult in the VALLEYS: Alone, Scared, Hurting or Bad News
VALLEY: Battles — Loneliness — Depression
But they are places of Growth — Build Faith — Experience God in different ways in the valley
Many of us facing job loss — Money problems —
loss of a loved one — celebrating without them for the first time
Disappointment — Discouragement — Delay
MY STORY:
Christmas was different after my dad got cancer
Right before the holidays Tarah miscarried
We want the mountains…but the RIVER of God’s PRESENCE is in the VALLEYS
>>The Story of Christmas reminds us that because God is with us...
Big Idea: There is Hope in the Valley
Big Idea: There is Hope in the Valley
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.
Valley Baka — desert country—thorns, wild animals, vipers, (cats) danger. Nearly impossible to travel without facing trouble and hardship.
Valley of Baka—Valley of Tears, Valley of Weeping, Valley of Loss
If they wanted the Mountain—Valley of Tears was ahead
How to Hold onto Hope in the Valley:
1. Depend on God
1. Depend on God
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
CULTURE: Values SELF-Dependence
Don’t know God personally—What you have is all you have — Exhausted—Can’t take any more—Don’t think make it.
NOTICE: NOT BLESSED are those who Make it on their Own — INDEPENDENCE
WE ARE CREATED TO DEPEND ON GOD
REMEMBER: God is in Control
STORY: I DIDN’T HAVE THE TOOLS TO HELP TARAH IN THIS LOSS… I HAD TO DEPEND ON JESUS
2. Train my Mind
2. Train my Mind
Psalm 84:5 (NLT) What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Blessed are those who HAVE THEIR MINDS SET TOWARDS GOD
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
My current circumstances may be in the valley—Mind is fixed on God!
My heart may be anxious—Mind is fixed.
Soul may be aching—Mind is fixed.
My emotions may racing—Mind is fixed.
Too much to do—Marriage in bad place—Inlaws—Paying for Xmas
God’s wisdom isn’t mine: I worry about what I can do — Mind is fixed on God!
STORY: HONEST MOMENT — THIS YEAR I HAVE BEEN ON A JOURNEY TO RE-TRAIN MY MIND
3. Stay the Course
3. Stay the Course
Stay in It (the fight…struggle…etc)
Psalm 84:5–6 (NIV)5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
We may be in the Valley—Not Destination—Just passing through.
Even though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death
Just want out—(Many times) —
the Way is through not out!
In the Valley it’s about ENDURANCE not ESCAPE
VS.5: WHERE ARE THEY GOING? Jerusalem (Zion)—
House of God—City of Refuge—Place of Peace
To get to the City of Refuge—Had to travel through the Valley of Tears.
THE VALLEY IS THE PATHWAY TO THE PLACE OF PEACE —
VS.6: WHAT ARE THEY DOING? — they are passing through and Making a well!
The KJV says “…they make it a well’” … they DIG A WELL!
Buried in this scripture is a PROMISE — IF WE STAY IN IT, IF WE DEPEND ON GOD…IF WE TRAIN OUR MINDS TOWARDS HIM — WE ARE ACTUALLY DIGGING A FOUNTAIN OF LIFE — The process of passing through the valley enables us to make it a place of refreshment because GOD IS WITH US & His strength is in us.
If you stay in it & draw near to God — He will draw near to you
If you stay in it & seek God — You will find God
If you stay in it & make room for God — God will reveal Himself to you
He’s your Light in Darkness
He’s your Peace in the Storm
He’s your Joy in the Trouble
He’s your Strength when You’re Weak
Conclusion: God met Humanity in the Valley
Psalm 139:7-10 “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave,* you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.”
STORY: I woke up Christmas morning with the news that Tarah was pregnant again…it was scary but it was exciting
Mountains or Valley’s … God is with us
God’s presence has always pursued us to bring us home….
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
But God’s people had lost their way to God’s house...
For 400 years it was quiet
People could barely remember the mountain top of their history when King David reigned…When the fire of God’s presence glowed in the temple...
Then a star…a bright light shined … IT WAS HOPE IN THE DARK ...
Then a baby…HOPE wrapped in HUMILITY not POWER
God never said you won’t go through the valleys BUT the story of Christmas…the thrill of hope we have is…God is with us…so we will never go through valleys alone…So we can have HOPE…
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
PRAYER:
Maybe you’re on a mountain top … maybe your whole life has been a mountain top but it’s not what you thought it would be like…God is calling you
Maybe you’re in a valley…God is with you