We see this again and again in the psalms of lament where the reality of the situation faced is contrasted with what is felt to be true of God. And now we’re facing annihilation at the hands of this pagan coalition! It would have been easy for Jehoshaphat to have said, “What kind of deal is this, God? All because he could say, "The Lord is my shepherd.". But rest assured, He is taking you to the high country, where the sun is warm and the grass is lush. 11:36-40)! When the Sun Sets: Jacob Meets God (Gen. 27:41-28:22), Jacob: When God Turns Darkness into Dawn (Expository Sermons On O.T. He leads me . ". 46:1). It pictures the shepherd's power, wielded against overpowering enemies. Storms that God causes (as Jesus stilling the storm on Lake Galilee) 3. There are two things to see here: I respectfully request sick leave. “In every emergency, in every time of need, men and women may receive God’s grace and power, and yet there will be no lessening of the supply.” The Signs of the Times, July 26, 1905. Not because he strayed off in sin; that is not the point here, because the shepherd is pictured as going with the sheep not snatching him back to the pasture he left behind. If we turn to God as our only refuge and strength, He gets the glory. To this let us join a third rule: that anyone who stands before God to pray, in his humility giving glory completely to God, abandon all thought of his own glory, cast off all notion of his own worth, in fine, put away all self-assurance--lest if we claim for ourselves anything, even the least bit, we should become vainly puffed up, and perish at his presence. . We had a wrong … When all the color has drained out of life, and your soul is downcast, look up. Jehoshaphat’s prayer gives us some important instruction in how to seek God in prayer. A popular T-shirt reads, “Bottom of the ninth, down by three runs, bases loaded, two outs, full count--No Fear!” That shirt is promoting an American folk virtue--self-confidence in a crisis. Another natural reaction would have been for Jehoshaphat to trust in his army. Be careful before you glibly say that! Our pride, self-sufficiency, and self-esteem robs God of His glory. I called this prayer meeting! Incredibly, Christian psychologists are saying that God and His Word are not sufficient; we need psychotherapy! He starts by (20:6) reciting God’s attributes: “You are the God of our fathers” (implying, “You took care of them.”) “You are God in the heavens, the ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations” (including those threatening to wipe us out!). Have you ever had a day like that? We'd love to hear from you. This is the most familiar of all of Daniel’s stories. Characters), The Net Pastor’s Journal, Eng Ed, Issue 37, Fall 2020. The night before last night, we fetch our brother at the airport. See if I follow You again!”. There could be rockslides, mud, or . I … At this time I must have lost my presence of mind, because I let go of the rope and the barrel came down and hit me on the head. To understand this story, we have to see that Jehoshaphat’s call to prayer was a humiliating thing for him to do. The connection between vs. 3 and 4 confirm this: The path through the valley is also one of the paths of righteousness in which God leads. With simple beauty, it speaks of green pastures and still waters as well as dark valleys and enemies and adversities. I struggle with the question, “Why don’t I pray as I ought to?”. We're sorry, an error occurred. Leaders have to be tough and inspire confidence in their leadership. In a great section on prayer, Calvin gives several rules for prayer. "He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Certainly not for God’s information! Then all would be quiet, except for the rattling windows and my cowering imagination. . CSB Holy Land Illustrated Bible (Hardcover). I get hit with trouble while my pagan neighbor enjoys the good life!” So they pout and feel sorry for themselves. After what? God caused the enemy armies to turn against each other, so that all Israel had to do was collect the spoil and celebrate the victory! But... 2. There are places in Scripture that are powerful, so deep, that to recite them is to experience them. Are You Expecting Too Much of Your Pastor? David tells us his confidence came from three sources: Just as these singers’ faith was demonstrated by their marching out to battle, armed only with songs of praise, so genuine faith in Christ as Savior will be demonstrated in a life of joyful obedience to His Word. He believed that valley times were appointed for His good. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. . “You are so powerful and mighty that no one can stand against You.” Why is he telling God all this? Storms that we bring on ourselves (as Samson and his self-induced troubles) 2. . Oh my friend, when you find yourself weak, in the dark, uncertain of the future. God is our sufficiency, our very life. In battle against the Philistines, how did God honor the prayer of Jonathan and his armor-bearer? Select an option and chat directly with a member of our support team. . Believe the crisis is bigger than God or that God is bigger than the crisis. They are about to drive Israel out, not of their possession, but of God’s possession. "That house in which we lived on the side of one of Pittsburgh's hills was three stories high in the front and four in the back. God delights to answer believing prayers where we put our finger on the promises and truth in His Word and ask Him to make it so in our case. In his book, Reaching For The Invisible God, Philip Yancey points out that when it comes down to it, when crisis comes we have two choices: fear the crisis or fear God. I don’t really believe the words of Jesus, “Without Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The valley of the shadow of death conjures thoughts of a dangerous situation where a sheep's life is in jeopardy unless the shepherd is alert and attentive. One of the things the Lord used to correct me was reading John Calvin’s classic, The Institutes of the Christian Religion. But in so praying we miss something crucial: In a crisis, we aren’t supposed to run and get God off the shelf, like Aladdin’s genie, rub Him the right way, get what we want, and put Him back until the next crisis. Not only could Jehoshaphat reacted with panic, he also could have had a twinge of anger at God. 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