(Psalm 84)
I. BLESSED MEN GO THROUGH VALLEYS
Even the most devout saints go through valleys. Valleys are those places where our metal is tested. It's the place where quitters quit and doubters doubt. It's the location where our faith is proven. It's here that "blessed men" are separated from those who are merely religious.
A. THEY PASS THROUGH - The Christian life is an ongoing pilgrimage or journey, of which "Valleys" are part.
B. VALLEYS OF WEEPING - Places where hope is defied and failure looms large. (Example: David at Ziglag--I Samuel 30) The severity of this valley is seen in the fact that it is called the "Valley of Bacca" or "Valley of Weeping." Tears were an integral part of the Psalmist life.
Psalms 42: KJV - My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
Psalms 56:8 KJV - Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
C. VALLEYS OF ACCUSATION - It is here that Satan accuses.
With Past Failure - "You're here because of past sin."
With Injustice - "God's treating you like your enemies ought to be treated. You haven't done anything to deserve this. God is unfair and unjust."
II. BLESSED MEN GO THROUGH
They don't camp out. They don't quit. They don't have pity parties. They get up and they go on. It is here that we learn that their blessedness is not dependent upon the cause or the circumstance, but upon their response.
III. BLESSED MEN TRANSFORM THE VALLEY
Blessed men make the valley a fruitful place.
A. THEY MAKE IT A PLACE OF SPRINGS - They go beyond the surface experience and tap into the subterranean springs.
They do not wait for rain, but pray through to rivers of living water.
They know the God of the valley and of the mountains (I Kings 20:28).
B. THEY EXPERIENCE THE OUTPOURED BLESSINGS OF GOD - To the existent springs, God adds His outpoured blessings. He covers the spring fed pools with rain from heaven. This is not a picture of spectacular deliverance, but of added blessings.
IV. THE BLESSED MAN'S STRENGTH IS IN GOD - "whose strength is in thee." (v.5)
A. IN GOD'S GRACE - Power is available to failures. "O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob [cheat, supplanter...]. (V.
B. IN GOD'S GUIDANCE - "For the LORD God is a sun..." (V.11) The sun directs orbits or paths of planets. (See Ps. 37:23)
C. IN GOD'S PROTECTION - "The Lord is a shield." (V.11) He protects me or stands between me and disaster.
D. IN GOD'S GIFTS - "The LORD will give grace and glory." (V.11)
Grace - No matter the cause of the valley, God's unmerited favor removes the guilt and provides the way out.
Glory - The outshining of His life, which is Christ. In the valley, Christ is formed in us.
V. THE BLESSED MAN'S BLESSING (84:7)
A. THEY GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH - Between each new level of strength is a valley. Each valley brings greater and greater strength.
B. THEY APPEAR BEFORE GOD - They will ultimately reach their destination---God Himself. They will make it - "every one of them...appeareth before God."
CONCLUSION:
Men in route to the presence of God, must learn to survive the valleys along the way. They are sure to face them, but only those who yearn for God will endure them and turn them into places of refreshing. With the promise of His presence ahead, and the provision of living water in the Valley, we have made it through.
http://www.bayou.com/~lou2247/psalm84.htmlJer 17:7 Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
Jer 17:8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and [that] spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
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