Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”
Psalm 23: 4 (NLT)

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41: 10 (NKJV)

“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28: 20 (NLT)

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8: 28 (NIV)

I wonder how many of us feel like we have been walking in a valley lately.

Or feel like the biggest part of our days seems like the night.

Where most of our hoped-for good times, are sprouting up as bad times.

And it seems that everything we hoped would be right, is going wrong.

Been there? Feeling that way. We all have. Maybe we feel like that now.

But here’s a question for us to ponder. 

Why? Why do we feel that way?

Maybe fear is winning out over faith? 

Maybe we’re living by fear, and not by faith?

Read these verses of Scripture, all inspired by God. 

First this one written by King David—

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.”   (Psalm 23: 4)

And then this one, by the prophet Isaiah—

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”   (Isaiah 41: 10)

Or this verse by the Apostle Paul—

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”   (Romans 8: 28)

And finally, these words by Jesus, the Son of God—

“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”   (Matthew 28: 20)

So then, let me ask again—Why do we feel some of those ways set out earlier?

A thought, a suggestion for us—let faith win out over fear. 

Live by faith, not by fear.

Do you have a step in front of you, which you can see, and you know God would honor you stepping out?

Take it. Then embrace the truth of those verses above, and many more in God’s Word written for you and for me, and keep going. Show up. 

What you and I will see is that God has already shown up and is waiting for us. Actually, He went with us all the way.

He always will. So that we are never alone.

In the song “God on The Mountain,” Bill and Gloria Gaither underscore that truth—that we’re never alone, God’s always got us. Here is some of what they shared—

“Life is easy, when you’re up on the mountain,
And you’ve got peace of mind, like you’ve never known.
But things change when you’re down in the valley,
Don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone.
For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He’ll make them right.
And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night…”  

So, when another valley seems to show up, or nights seem to overwhelm days, maybe good times seem missing, or what we hoped was right, well it seemed wrong. 

Step out in faith with the God on the mountain, who never leaves you. 

Show up with Him. 

It may not always work out as you planned, but look around, God is still there, always at work in everything ultimately for our good, and stands ready to take the next steps ahead with us.

Stepping out in faith, never fear.

Remembering God always shows up.  

And He’s always got you, and me. 

In His Name–Scott

Bet you can’t listen to it just once— “God on The Mountain,” written by Bill and Gloria Gaither. You will be blessed as you listen to Lynda Randle sing “God on The Mountain.