The Valley

It is interesting the places God takes you.

My daughter asked why God would send you into a 'wrong' place? Such a great question and a good opportunity to teach. I try to use every circumstance and opportunity in my path to teach the truth.

I told her sometimes we make mistakes in our own fleshly desires and God really didn't send us into these 'wrong' places. We may just realize after a while of strong conviction that we were wrong and have to repent, then the blinders fall off and we realize our error. Other times He does indeed send us to the 'wrong' places to test our loyalty, solidify our faith and to work in our weakness with the purpose of helping us slough off sin or bring a message to the 'wrong' place and best of all to proclaim His glory and Sovereignty. (Now God does not tempt us- EVER!) James 1:12-14. But He does PROOVE your faith is real by allowing testing. (Genesis 22:1, Hebrews 11:17).

This testing requires obedience, sacrifice and total submission to Jesus. It is a painful process because we are still living in this fleshly, sin natured body. Or others don't understand what is happening and judge, assume or abandon you. It's all OK as Jesus is revealing to my own heart, He calls me 'His Own'. He does eventually removes the 'testing' and then the restoration and approval comes.

I do believe the restoration will come to me this year.

I have had to trust Jesus MORE THAN EVER these past 2 years. That's how I know this testing is of Him. I've clung to Him has He's worked within our family structure. He has been removing the things He doesn't want there and causing us to change priorities, while keeping me cocooned in His truth. He has convicted us of sin, showed us error, showed us his grace and mercy as we repent and learn to follow Him as he requires.

He has me on the move again. I have to trust His leading in this matter as he purifies through the moving process. He is causing our family to trust each other, to actually communicate, to expose a better way for us to be united. It has taken a shaking in order for this to happen and He has worked with in our circumstances to pull back layers of things He didn't want there, to make sure He is truly center in our lives and to shore up the things He taught us. It certainly is part of His discipline to take us into the 'wrong' place. He did it to Israel in Isaiah. (Isaiah 44-46).

All of this has been affirmed through scripture.  I do not live according to feeling or experience alone but the Word of God.

Ephesians 6: 10-18 has been my prayer, my action, my study. He warned me to keep the armor on. The truth of His word has kept me through this violent tumbling and now I pray my family has the unity we lacked, the strength we need, the healing our hearts and minds need through His restorative process.

I am grateful for His loving, gentle hand on us through the valley (Psalms 23:4).  You have taken us through the valley and we are glad you are moving us out with your rod (of discipline) and I know you will restore us to what you want. (Even though I do think there will be some more rough road ahead).

My prayer over my family is John 17 during this coming out of the valley. I have not departed from the faith or become hypocritical, my conscience is not seared and I've held onto truth all while in the darkness of the valley.

I am grateful for the teaching of Jacob Prasch, as his teaching has helped us stay on that narrow path even when others have abandoned us because they thought we were on the wide one.  Jesus taught we would go through the same things He did if we choose to follow Him, I am honored to suffer as my savior did. (Although, our suffering is nothing close to His). He was misunderstood by his family, mocked by the culture, abandoned by his disciples, hated by those who should have welcomed Him. Even in our sin, He was waiting to help us turn to the correct way. My what an Amazing God we serve. Thank you for keeping us Lord!

You are answering a prayer of mine. I never thought it would take this to answer it but I trust your method! My answer has involved more than I think I have in me, I think that is where you want me... to show YOU did it and not me!

One of the Best teachings on the BELT OF TRUTH!

EXCELLENT Video...

Do not be ignorant....

This is my prayer for my family... fellowship...

Timely Teaching....John 14-17

Pastor Joe Frocht Nails it!