- Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. Joel 3:14 – This final chapter of Joel speaks of the nations and peoples that had come against Israel and scattered them over the centuries. Essentially its talking to the nations that had made the decision to oppose God and His ways. And how many had made that decision to oppose the Lord? Multitudes and multitudes. So many had chosen to reject God’s ways and turn to the ways of idolatry. They had made their decision and it wasn’t to follow the Lord. Now the Lord is giving the picture of this massive multitude coming together as an army against Him walking in a valley before Him. This valley He called the valley of decision, the valley where the Lord was to now judge the decision they made to follow Him or not. The end for those in this “valley of decision” was not victory or peace, but swift wrath on their choice to oppose the Lord. Our role today is to be telling the multitudes around us to never enter the valley of decision. For this valley isn’t the spot where they make the choice to follow or not, this is the valley where those who made their choice to oppose the Lord go. Tell people about Jesus, show people Jesus, for those in the valley of decision will not find life and victory there but only death and Hell. Today they have the decision to either enter the valley of decision where they refuse the Lord or enter into God’s kingdom and worship Him. Do all you can in their story to help them make the right decision. I pray your conversations this week with family will open eyes to the goodness of Jesus and the beauty of His offer of salvation. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3288
- …and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it. (v.3) It’s heartbreaking in ministry when you hear someone is being mistreated. Doesn’t have to be physical abuse, but possibly someone found out there special someone has another special someone. Could be they are feeling isolated from their family because of their choice to follow Christ and the rest of the family’s distain for religion. Mistreatment shatters confidence, removes worth, and creates a feeling of being unlovable. All this is why God is leading you away from giving your life to anything but Him. In the end, anything we give our life to other than Him will mistreat us. We’ll find ourselves in a broken and confused state because what we thought was what we needed turned out to be anything but that. If you’re exhausted with finding yourself drained, belittled, and unfulfilled, step away from whatever you’ve devoted your life to and direct it onto God. He encourages. He builds confidence. He created love so expect that to be overflowing in your story. If that sounds appealing, it’s understandable why you’d want it. Being with God like this is such a good life that Jesus died so you could take part in it. Allow God to bless you with what He’s longing to bless you with. Give up on those unfulfilling drains in your life and begin pouring yourself into our connection with God. – Daily DEVO 41
- For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem… Joel 3:1 – Not if, but when. When it comes to being restored after we’ve been emptied out by life’s troubles, we don’t want the promise from God to be “If” I come through for you, you’ll be filled. We need it to be “when” I come through for you. This is the confidence we can have in our God. He doesn’t work on a “if” type of relationship with us. God always comes through for His children and never lets one of His promises remain unfulfilled. You can move forward today, even if you are moving forward after being deeply emptied by the circumstances of life, with a sureness that God is going to restore His followers. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1191
- I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it. Joel 3:2-3 – God’s deep judgement and wrath is coming on these people. Why? Because they treated His own people with no value and let sin be their guide on how they handle others. What we see in this passage is that God values the lives of His creations and commands those lives to be treated with dignity, love, and honor. Is this life in the womb, God says value it. Is this life a struggling, pregnant mom, God says value it. Did this life vote no, God says value it. Did this life vote yes, God says value it. Is this life in foster care? Is this life addicted to a substance? Is this life living in sin? Is this life a Muslim? Is this life an atheist? Is this life broken? Is this life lost? Is this life hopeless? Is this life a politician? Is this life believing in ways you don’t? Is this life saying things on social media you don’t agree with? Is this life your neighbor? Is this life a creation of God who is a co-imager bearer of His who Jesus died on the cross for that you’ve been called to show the message of salvation too? Then God says to value such a life. I don’t care if they voted differently than you and hold different values than you, God still commands you as His follower to love them deeply, value their life, and treat them like Jesus would. Let close with this, I’m sure glad when Jesus went to the cross, He didn’t specify who His sacrifice could save based on a way they voted. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2076
Daily DEVO 