Posted:
Based on “The Valley of Blessing”
by Pastor Mark Balmer;
1/23-24/10,
Message #MB405; Daily Devotional #3 - “Choosing to Be Blessed”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel… He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them.
They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "(2 Chronicles 20:14-18)
What would have happened to the people of Judah if King Jehoshaphat did not know what God was telling him to do? What if he decided it would be better for his people to begin their march a day earlier or a day later than the Holy Spirit told them to?
What if, in a “logical” response to fear, Jehoshaphat decided to put his army at the head of the battle instead of leading with the musicians as he was instructed? The valley of joy might today be called the valley of sorrow if King Jehoshaphat had decided to act on his own will instead of God’s.
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): It is likely that Jehoshaphat had fear and doubt when he chose to be obedient to God’s instructions. By today’s standards, he had to have enough faith to believe that he could defeat an army with a marching band. He also had to have enough trust and faith to follow instructions that weren’t given to him directly.
The Holy Spirit spoke to him through Jahaziel. Today each of us has a counselor residing in us, the Holy Spirit. He guides us and convicts us to live a God-centered life. Yet even after attending church and reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God, we often make decisions based on our own will rather than God’s. Sadly, today many of us would choose a warehouse full of bread over a father who owns a bakery, simply because we cannot overcome the temptation of immediate gratification.
Doing what God wants us to do and living how God wants us to live are things our world now believes are choices, not necessities. Waiting for God’s timing is not something we tolerate well as a society. Under Satan’s influence, the world tells us it is OK for us to live in sin. People live together, have affairs, and have same-sex intimate relationships. The world approves of these choices, but the consequences are dire. Divorce is on the rise, and drug and alcohol abuse are seen everywhere.
As a result grandparents, foster homes, and group homes are now raising children, because there is an increase in the number of parents who are incapable of taking responsibility for their own children. Our world is one that encourages free will. But when our choices are self-centered rather than God-centered, we eventually become incapacitated, and our choices lead us down a path that ends in sorrow, even despair. (Malachi 2:2)
When we do not choose God’s way, we choose Satan’s way. (Ephesians 2:1-5) God will not be our guide when we choose to go down a path that He does not approve of, but Satan will. If we persist in staying on these paths, we are choosing the valley of sorrow over the valley of joy.
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): By choosing to follow God’s will, the people of Judah received many blessings almost immediately after their turmoil was resolved. God speaks clearly to us through prayer, circumstances, and his Word, which is the Bible. The Word of God has not changed. The Bible is a timeless instruction book on life. When we choose to listen to the Lord, even in times of trouble, we have chosen joy over sorrow.
We can put our faith in God because we know that He “owns the bakery.” We can choose to be joyful, even when our lives are troubled, because we know that God loves us and will never leave us. We can trust that the outcome may not be what we want but will be what we need. As Christ followers we know He will give us blessings greater than we deserve and more than we even imagine when we put our trust in Him. (Deuteronomy 28.2-13)
The greatest blessing, however, is the knowledge that we have eternal life in Heaven because we have repented for our sins and accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we lead a God-centered life we don’t have to settle for blessings that taste like chocolate, we know we have gotten the real thing.
Cultivating (Additional Reading): Deuteronomy 30:1-7, 1 John 5:20
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