God With Us - Valley #1

Intro

And for those of you who are followers of Christ, it is so easy to believe that God is with us when things are good. When you're on the mountaintop it's easy to believe that God is with us. Whenever you get really good news, when you get a raise, good grades , a promotion etc…

But life is not always on the mountaintops there’s always a valley

Valleys places: Battles—Loneliness—Desperation.

Growth—Build faith—Experience God in different ways valley/mountain.

We may enjoy God on the mountaintops, but we get to know him intimately in the valleys.

God in the Valley

Valley is a place of: Alone, Scared, Hurting, Bad news.

Psalm 84:5–7 ESV

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 6 As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Baca, Valley of (Place)

seems to mean that by “passing through the experience of deep sorrow, righteous ones can make it the source of life.”

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

Mountain—Valley of Tears

Psalm 84:5 ESV

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

If you're in the middle of a valley right now, you have access to the very real, ever present power of a good God who is available and ready to come and assist you in your time of need.

"Blessed are those whose strength is found in God." The text doesn't say blessed are those who make it on their own.

One of the big problems in our world today is we almost idolotize a spirit of independence.

I don't wanna need anybody.

I wanna be financially independent.

I wanna be completely good on my own.

I don't wanna trust people.

I don't want people to be there for me.

I don't need God, I don't need anybody.

We were not created to be independent. We were created by our God to depend on Him and to depend on others.

Blessed are you when you realize you are dependent and you have a power greater than yourself.

One commentary said this, it said, "To get to the City of Refuge, "you had to travel through the Valley of Tears." I like that imagery.

the valley of tears is the pathway to the place of peace.

Psalm 84 - NLT 5 What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Set your mind

What you think about matters. Paul talked about this a lot in the New Testament. To the Colossian believers he said this. He said,

"Set your mind on things above, "not on things below."

Paul told the Philippians believer this. He said,

"If anything is excellent or praise worthy, "or admirable, or lovely, "think about such things."

Where you are is one thing. What you think about is something else.

What you think about matters.

Your current situation may be in the valley. But your mind can still be set upon God.

There may be real tragedies in the valley, but my mind is set on the goodness of God.

In other words, we may be in the valley right now but the valley is not our destination. What are we doing?

I'm just passing through.

I may be in the valley right now, but this is not my home. I'm journeying to the place of peace. I'm just passing through. My God will get me through this. I'm just passing through. David said something similar in

Psalm 23:4 NIV

4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

The King James version says "They make it a well. "They make it a place of springs." In other words, whenever you're in a dry place, what do you do? You dig a well.

Psalm 84:6 KJV 1900

6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; The rain also filleth the pools.

But I know my God will provide what I need so I make a container preparing for the presence and the provision of God.

Make a Well

It's almost as if God would say something like this.

"You show me your faith, "and I'll show you my faithfulness."

If you dig it, I will fill it. If you prepare for me, I will show up.

When you're in the dry place, you make a well. You prepare for the presence and the provision of God.

There's somebody here, you haven't sensed the presence of God in a long time. It's time to make a well. It's time to dig a ditch.

It's time to say God, I'm gonna stop and wait for your presence. I'm going to prepare for your provision and for your presence. Because if you dig it, He will fill it.

Even though we're in the valley, we do not fear, why? Because He is with us.

The same God that is good on the mountaintops is good to us in the valley. We get to know Him in the valley.

If you're in the valley right now you're just passing through. You won't be there forever.

Our God will lead you out. He is good, He is with you, He is present and He will take you from strength to strength.

When you can't handle anymore you lean into Him and let His strength be everything that you need. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Why? Because you oh God are with us. Who are you?

You are Immanuel. God with us.