Walking Through the Valley of Achor

So I have been procrastinating...digging my heels in. About what you ask? About this post. Don't wanna do it. Do I sound like a 2 year old? Can you picture me jumping up and down with my hands in tight fists?..yup...that's me. Why the drama you ask? Well, I shall tell you. You see, I love it when God speaks to me..gives me fresh revelation, new insights, and especially when I feel a Word that I am meant to say through writing. He loves us, and wants us to hear Him. Love it. But you see, usually the messages I impart to people are loving..touchy-feely. Sure, He rebukes, but always in love. When I write and feel His leading I feel the love He has for us, the message is nice to write..like giving good news...not bad.

Well kids, this time I actually gritted my teeth a little..this one's a little out of my comfort zone. You see, my flesh is getting in the way of this one. My mind keeps telling me not to write this because people won't like it. I feel scared that I will offend people and they will hate me for it. "Just be silent...no one needs to hear this one...in time it'll go away and be forgotten and people will know no difference, but you will still be good old LauraLee.."That is what my mind is telling me..my mind, or the enemy. You see I actually got this revelation about 5 days ago. And let me tell you, when I normally get a revelation I jump at the chance to write about it, to tell you all, because that is what I am called to do..not so this time. This time I paused..and pondered..and prayed..and procrastinated. And I got the sense that God is allowing me to feel Him and whether or not I speak it out is my choice..that if I don't speak..someone else will. "It's okay LauraLee..your choice." And when I felt Him say that, what can I do but say "Forgive me Lord for waiting so long!"

Okay. Out with it already you say! First, let me remind you of our Father's immense love for us. So much love that He continually forgives us for our sins..so many sins, sins that we don't even know we have committed. Okay, Father..I feel like I need to pray it out in writing so those who read this understand:

Father,
Let the words that flow out of me be from you Lord. Speak to our hearts Father, open our hearts to you. Let your words really sink into us Lord, let us absorb the meaning so we can obey your calling on us. Soften hardened hearts Lord. Break down walls Lord that we have constructed to protect us from pain, especially the walls that we have built so we don't feel you Lord. As I'm writing this I feel like someone reading this is mad at You, no..furious with You. This person has built a wall around his/her heart. Lord, sometimes a past hurt turns into a fierce unforgiveness. Lord, I pray for healing. I pray Lord that they really hear you, that it will resonate within us..the magnitude of your love for us. Oh, I pray Lord. Amen.

God is trying to get our attention. He is telling us to smarten up. How? Okay, this is where my teeth start clenching because I so know what the world would say..what excuses they will use..what words they will call people like me who speak the Truth. This is the passage I felt God was leading me to speak:
"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and I will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the day of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt" (Hosea 2:14-15).

What's so bad about that you ask? Absolutely nothing. In this passage God is speaking about winning Israel back to Himself. Israel has been found unfaithful to God, but He still wants her to return to Him, because He loves her. All scripture is God-breathed. It is alive and speaks to those who seek the Truth. So even though the context is Israel way back in the day, God can still use it to speak to us now.

God is saying that He is going to wake us up, get our attention. He is jealous for us. He does not want to share us anymore with the world. He does not want to fight to have time with us. He desires His people. He wants them back. He wants them to seek His face. He wants to speak to them. He wants them to be His once again..totally. So He is going to take us to the desert, to a place where our focus will be on Him, were there are no distractions, where nothing remains but Him. In the desert..in the desert, He will speak tenderly to us. He will engage us. He will bless us there. His presence will be with us. The desert is a place where we are stripped of everything of the world. When in the desert we may first feel alone, deserted, angry at God, we may ask questions like "Why God? Why?" It is a place that is absent of comfort, trials are faced in the desert. We may ask why were we brought here..it was so much easier before. But then God says.."There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.." In the desert he will bless us, give us back our vineyards where we will produce fruit, abundant fruit. And the Valley of Achor will become a door of hope...Achor means trouble. So the Valley of trouble will become a sign of hope...The trouble we are going to walk through will bless us and become the very hope we have been seeking before we were created. Hope we didn't even know we needed. Hope that our souls seek with every shed tear, with every misfortune, with every travesty, with every fiber of our being! Praise you Father! Hallelujah! In the desert, through the valley of trouble we will sing, and praise our Father.."as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt". We will feel Him, like the Israelites saw the presence of God in the pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day..He will make Himself known. He will be known.

We have been rebellious. We tune our five senses to the world. We pray when we have time. We think about God on Sundays, if there's no football or other game on. We disregard His holy name by using it as a profanity. We laugh and mock those who sincerely seek God. We call them "simple, not intelligent." People choose to believe we originated from slime rather than from a loving, intelligent Creator. You are a myth to many, just one of many gods. Phrases like " the universe is sending you positive vibes your way", "whomever you hold as creator.." Children having children. Innocence stolen. Excuses. Entitlement. So lost, and we don't even know it. Free will..so many choices..not many choose the narrow path of Truth. Wow. Just reflect on that. What have we become? Yes, God is loving and forgiving, but I feel we are using that as an excuse to abuse our freedom in Christ. Because God is also God, Almighty, The Alpha and Omega, Most Holy, Creator of the Universe. We need to respect and acknowledge that. Why does He need to take us through the desert? Why not just speak to us? "While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD. I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called to you, but you did not answer" (Jer. 7:13). In the age of communication and technology, where there is barely a wakeful moment that doesn't consist of some form of distraction: iPhone, iPod, laptop, radio, TV,etc..can you understand that maybe God has been calling but you were too busy to notice? He's trying to wake us up.

The earth is groaning. Earthquakes, tsunamis, snow blizzards, drought, floods, volcanoes...God is speaking through creation. No, He does not seek death, He seeks His people to give them Life! He is going to shake the very foundation..that which is not built of a strong foundation will surely fall. Christ is our sure foundation. Though walls fall, cities crash, economies shake...Christ stands sure. Nothing can shatter him. He is our cornerstone (Psalm 18:22). We belong to a foundation that is ever secure. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever (Psalm 125:1). Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let he righteous be shaken (Psalm 55:22). He is shaking that which can be shaken, that which is false, that which steals His attention. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Timothy 6: 9-10). Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Tim 6: 17). Praise you Father!

Repent. Turn from the ways of the world.

The world would tell you:
Fear not. Global warming. We will build bigger, better foundations. What kind of God would kill innocent people? Women and children? Buy more, stimulate the economy..our lives depend on stability. Why is everyone concerned about the weather..there have been earthquakes, hurricanes, etc in the past. Middle East disturbance..so what?There has been fighting there forever and always will be..no significance to me. Be happy. It's all about you. Watch this.Taste this. Feel this. Listen to this.Everything will be fine. This is all there is, so live now.

What God says:
For a time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4 :3-4).

Stand at the crossroads and look, ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls (Jer. 6:16).

Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks with deceit. With his mouth each speaks cordially to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap (Jer. 9:8).

Listen, I know what politically correct is, being socially sensitive. The truth is sometimes lies are being told in order to soften the blow. I am giving it to you how I received it. I am backing this with scripture. What good is being socially sensitive and politically correct if it leads you to falshood, lies and, without Christ..ultimately hell? Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7). The world is selling a version of peace that is false. They keep saying to those who despise me, 'The LORD says: You will have peace.' And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, 'No harm will come to you.' (Jeremiah 23:17). Sounds familiar...society tells you that there is no heaven and hell, no consequences for your actions. The world tells of coincidences, not a divine plan. God is saying He has a plan. There is a reason for every thing. When heartbreak happens, when our world falls apart, when the desert comes...there is a reason. It is not for vengeance or for wrath. It is for reconciliation. God wants us to return to Him. He is the lover of our souls. Stand firm in Him. He brings great hope in our trouble. He loves you and is calling you to you. Will you accept the call? Be amazed by Him. His power. His majesty.

Christ be Our Sure Foundation

Christ be our sure foundation.

Christ be our cornerstone.

Build up from every nation

a people of your own.

Blest through your font of mercy,

blest be each living stone

of faith alive in witness

Fair Christ, by all be known.

The art of Christian living

adorns each day like dawn,

the work of Christ the Master

through people weak and strong.

Those hurt hands fashion wonders

with thorns, wood, nails and sin

till we shine like church windows,

bright Light of Christ within.

Beyond the words of sages,

more sure than scholars' claims,

You are the one who answers

and knows us by our names.

You know how we are tempted

to doubt and lose our way.

Be first in all our thinking

and last at end of day.

O Jesus, ever near us,

uplifting us through fears,

your tender mercies give us

the strength to stand through tears.

Your pow'rful arms embrace us

when we are at our end.

Christ, carry us to safety

with you all time to spend.

(Oremus Hymnal)