You can find comfort in the valley!
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God’s Master Plan for the Family
God’s Master Plan for the Family
final installment will be Wednesday night on zoom during Bible study. It will cover Dating, Divorce, practical marital lessons from my 27 years of marriage, and have a Q&A time
Father’s Day!
Father’s Day!
to all father’s present, we honor you today and thank you for what you do for your children
to my father - even though he is in heaven, I still honor him, he was not only a great man, but a great father, and I cam thankful to bee his son
to my Heavenly Father - We honor you. Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name. Thank for loving us so much! We give you all the praise
and now let’s pray over the word God has for us today . . .
You can find comfort in the valley!
You can find comfort in the valley!
Introduction
In Psalm 23, King David, describes the Lord as our Shepherd.
And in this most famous psalm, there are three major scenes painted for us
the first scene is a pleasant scene: green pastures, still waters, soul restoration, and paths of righteousness
the 2nd scene however is of a fearsome valley
and the 3rd scene is a scene of complete victory! . . . table prepared in front of our enemies, anointing, overflowing cup, goodness and mercy
We don’t need much encouragement when we live through scenes one and three. But’s that middle scene can be so difficult to deal with. So today, God has provided three encouragements so that you can find comfort in the valley.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
In life, the simple reality is that we will walk through some valleys . . . it’s not always green pastures and still waters
ofttimes we find ourselves in the valley, hedged in, surrounded, and unable to see what’s on the other side
and “valley of the shadow of death” is a poetic phrase that indicates how dark and troubling and dangerous these valleys can be
NLT and NIV describe it as “even though I walk through the darkest valleys”
These valleys represent times of hardship, danger, sorrow, trouble and uncertainty. They could be health struggles, financial difficulties, broken relationships, betrayal, evil plots against you, or traumatic events . . . and these types of things cause us to feel lost, overwhelmed, depressed, and hopeless.
but God sent me today to say you can find comfort in the valley.
And know that the author is speaking from experience. David had valley experiences
as a youth, David had to face a lion, bear, and giant named Goliath
as a young man, he unfairly got put on the most wanted list, and became a fugitive for years. He barely escaped with his life several times.
another time David was trapped in the city of his number one enemy and barely escaped with his life
another time, his own son usurped the throne, and tried to kill him, and sent David fleeing into the night . . . and enemies made fun of his situation
another time, when David was older, a giant named Ishbi-benob, a descendant of Goliath tried to kill him, almost did . . .
David He knows about valleys . . . valleys were destruction and/or death were so close that he could see death’s shadow
Yet in this verse about the valley, King David gives us three encouragements to help us find comfort in the valley
1st Encouragement
Valleys are not permanent dwelling places. They are seasons that we walk through, pass through, go through. Because it says, yeah though I walk through the valley
You are not stuck in your valley, you are walking through the valley
the valley is not your destiny, it’s just part of your journey
Whatever you are going through, you are to go through . . . in other words keep walking by faith
the faith that says you’ll survive
the faith that says you’ll make it
the faith that says, this too will pass
it’s tempting to sit and cry
it’s tempting to stop and hide
but with God we can walk through
though it may be hard, just put one foot after the other and walk through the valley, keep on keeping on
Find comfort because valleys are not permanent dwelling places
2nd Encouragement
Next David reminds us that though evil is present, you don’t have to fear it.
In the midst of these dark valleys, the psalmist proclaims, "I will fear no evil."
the evil is there, and the evil is real, but I am not afraid
There are all kinds of evil
there are different levels of evil, but fear no evil means fear no evil . . . no matter where it is, no matter where it came from, no matter what level of evil . . . you don’t have to fear it
I might have to face it, but I don’t have to fear it
And David gives the reason why you don’t have to fear evil in the darkest of valleys: It lies in understanding the next part of the verse: "for you are with me."
Children of God have someone stronger than evil on their side, we have an all powerful God on our side . . . El Shaddai, God Almighty
And we have the assurance that He will ALWAYS be by our side, and will never leave us nor forsake us . . . no matter how difficult or dark the valley becomes
When we truly grasp the reality of God's unwavering presence in our lives, fear loses its grip on our hearts.
it’s like having to face the neighborhood bully with the whole of the US Military on your side
There would be no fear - I don’t have to call out the planes, tanks, warships, drones, and missiles . . . just get a couple of dudes from the local base
that’s why Isaiah 41:10 says - "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God."
Find comfort because valleys are not permanent dwelling places
and find comfort because God IS with you!
3rd Encouragement
The Comfort of God's Rod and Staff: The psalmist continues, "thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." The shepherd's rod and staff were essential tools used by the shepherd.
The rod, a thick club like stick, was mainly used for protection, it was used to fend off predators.
God’s will protect you from predators in your life: those enemies who will try to take you down one and for all . . . Be comforted that God protects his sheep
We see just in the book of Psalms that God is a protector. he is described as shield, shelter, fortress, refuge, very present help in trouble, a stronghold, my keeper, my light and salvation
Proverbs says the name of the Lord is a strong tower
Isaiah describes God as a rock in a weary land,
God protects his people!
The staff, on the other hand, was a slender stick stick employed to guide and correct the sheep, preventing them from straying.
The staff represents God’s loving care and guidance. A push to go here, a nudge to turn the right way . . . leading us safely through the valley
A dark valley can be confusing, but with his staff, God guides us through it.
While in the valley, God pushes us to go here, and nudges us to turn there
he opens one door and closes another
he allows one circumstance, and blocks another
God will prompt you with His Holy Spirit
God will send someone with a word
but most often it is the simple truth of the Bible that tells you what to do . . . for his word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our pathway
the word tells you things like:
wait on the Lord and be of good courage
vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord
the Lord will fight for you, you need only be still
the battle is not yours, it’s the Lord’s
Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything
let’s pause right there . . . . in the valley:
less worrying, more praying
less complaining, more praying
less crying, more praying
and we will see that God guides us through the valley, we just have to learn to trust him with all our hearts
So with his rod and staff, God provides protection and guidance . . . and though we are in the valley, with evil is all around, God has the situation under control . . . and that’s comforting
And God comforts us more than just for our own comfort
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
not only does he give comfort, He is the God of all comfort . . . and he is able to give us so much comfort that we will be able to comfort others
Find comfort because valleys are not permanent dwelling places
and find comfort because God IS with you!
and find comfort because God protects and guides
And Jesus is a good example for us of how Psalms 23 works.
He lived through a scene 1:
When he arrived on the scene, Jesus had green pastures and still waters: people were amazed at his teaching, and amazed by his power . . . many followers
There were some people who tried to trip him up, but he stayed on the the paths of righteousness
But he also lived through a scene 2, the valley:
and Jesus was in the valley of all valleys
In His valley, people who once cheered him on as the messiah, now started shouting “crucify him”
In His valley, one disciple betrayed him, and and the other disciples deserted him
Jesus did nothing but good, but in His valley he was accused of doing bad
in His valley , he was being mocked and ridiculed and spit on
in His valley, they put a crown of thorns on his head
in his valley they put nails in his hands and his feet
in his valley, Jesus suffered for the sins of a evil world
in his valley, it wasn’t the shadow of death, it was death, and he died
How did Jesus feel when first entering that valley?
38 Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”
Felt like he was going to die, just thinking about the evil and suffering in the valley
So what did he do! . . . Jesus prayed in the valley! And it was an honest prayer! . . . . So honest that Jesus even asked to be taken out of the valley, He said Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me . . . but it was the will of the Father not to take him out of the valley but to take him through the valley
and just like Psalm 23, verse 4 promises, Jesus got comfort as he went through the valley
43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.
and though in the valley of valleys, Jesus was comforted
so comforted that from then on, Jesus never said a word to defend himself (God fight my batttles)
so comforted that he let them know that they had no power over him, unless it was given from above . . . in other words God has this situation under control
so comforted that he had enough to comfort others
he comforted his mother, I will have John to look out for you
he comforted a thief who believed in who he was, “this day you will be with me in paradise”
someone might say, but didn’t he cry out, “My God, My God why hast though forsaken me?”
He did, but he quoting the opening verse of Psalms 22, the Psalm right before Psalm 23. and in Psalm 22 you will see a description of His valley
but it describes not only what he was going through, but describes how he was going to trust in the Lord, and how it would all end not in the valley (because he wasn’t going to stay in the grave) . . . it was going to end in a scene #3
and oh what a scene #3! scene 2 was bad, but scene 3 was better than good
for though he died in scene 2, he rose from the dead in scene 3 with all power and in complete victory
and then he comforted his disciples who were feeling low, and commissioned them to go comfort the nations . . . let them know that there is a true and risen Savior
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
There is comfort in the valley!