Page 6 - Good News April 2007 paper

THE VALLEY OF FRUITFULNESSALLEY OF FRUITFULNESS
THE V visions and dreams and great By the time Joseph had his
Continued from p. 1
Continued from p. 1 hope. Then God begins to work in second son there was an even
a valley. He is the God of glory, benefit. The very things which us and allows adversity to come greater victory, “And he named
power, and miracles, and He is may seem to overwhelm us, in so that He can perfect us. the second Ephraim, ‘For,’ he
God in our difficulties and battles. time, will refresh us with life, and Joseph was betrayed by his said, ‘God has made me fruitful in
In all things He remains our God. others also. brothers. He was unjustly the land of my affliction’” (Gen.
On mountain tops we can see for How did Jesus do wonderful accused when Potiphar’s wife 41:52).
great distances but in a valley we works? The Word tells us He was tried to seduce him. He was By this time he had not just
may only be able to see a very a man of sorrows, plural. He was imprisoned and forgotten by all forgotten the past, but used the
short distance - while we are in the acquainted with grief. He was except God, Who was watching experiences to bear fruit in his
valleys of life we tend to lose our crushed for our transgressions. Joseph’s reactions to difficulty. present circumstances. God
perspective. The griefs and sorrows we face, if Rich or poor, Joseph was serving made him fruitful in the very
However, this is where we learn to we allow Christ to be formed in us, God. He was being tested, but he things that had afflicted him, and
walk by faith, and often we get will also be used by God to deliver was passing God’s tests. He will do the same for us. The
closer to the Lord because we others. Finally, at the right moment, the specific aspect of our life where
must get closer in order to see During our times of trial, the Lord supernaturally put all the God is seeking to make us more
Him. In the valleys we learn to enemy will try to isolate us, and details of Joseph’s life in place. fruitful is found in the very land of
carefully stay on the path and not cause us to doubt God’s love. Everything that Joseph went our affliction.
drift to the left nor to the right. The When that happens we must seize through may have seemed futile, Ultimately, the Lord will touch
valley are just as important to our the opportunity to grow in our except that in the midst of it God many others with the substance
spiritual development as the faith and believe even when we do was shaping a man for His of what we have gained. In a
places of great vision and per- not feel. purpose. world that is superficial, Christ
spective. We must embrace each The Lord loves us. Every single God uses everything we go will produce something in us
as we are led to it. need, every pain, even the hairs through for missions that He which is deep and living. How-
Valleys are also the most fertile on our head are numbered. Every alone knows. We may not see His ever, we cannot get it by just living
places on earth. It is through opportunity that we have to doubt ultimate plan while we are in the on mountain tops - we must pass
valleys that rivers flow, crops are His love is also an opportunity to valley. Even on the mountain tops through the valleys as well!
planted and produce harvested. grow in faith. we may only see glimpses of what So the Lord delivers us from one
Indeed, fruitfulness does not Never doubt that God cares, and is to come. God sees the end from thing after another. He delivers us
come on mountain tops, it comes that “all things work together for the beginning. Just as He allowed by exposing the thing we need
when God is with us in the valleys. good” (Romans 8:28). He does all Joseph to go through many trials, and as our soul submits to Him in
As the psalmist declared, “How things with your best interest in so He allows us to go through that very area, Jesus will start to
blessed is the man whose mind. In every confrontation with these same difficulties as well. come forth. We are not talking
strength is in Thee; in whose the enemy there is an opportunity God caused Joseph to forget the about a religion about Jesus, we
heart are the highways to Zion! for a victory over that enemy, so difficulty and pain of his life as we are talking about the Living Christ
Passing through the valley of we can be free from oppression read, “And Joseph named the in our thoughts, in our lives and in
Baca, they make it a spring” and so that He can use us to first-born Manasseh, ‘For,’ he our words. Some of us have
(Psalm 84:5-6). Baca means deliver others. said, ‘God has made me forget all wondered what is going on in the
“weeping.” In Genesis 41 we find the story of my trouble and all my father’s valley where we find ourselves.
Everyone has valleys of weeping. Joseph. Joseph was the second household’” (Gen. 41:51). It is very simple - God is calling
There are valleys where our youngest of Jacob’s sons. He was There is something about the you to become fruitful right there.
hearts are crushed, but, when our his father’s favourite. His walk Lord’s ability to cause all things to In the battle, the time of not
hearts are set upon God we “pass with God began with dreams and work together for good in such a knowing what will happen next,
through” these difficulties and visions from God. Joseph is a way that, upon reflection, the God is seeking to bring forth
actually change them into pattern for everyone who has a difficulty can barely be remem- virtue. He will make you fruitful in
“springs” from which others can calling from God. We start off with bered. the land of your affliction.

“He who plants and he who from the Lord. The world we lift up further development... We cannot bear fruit. - Vernon Grounds
waters are one, and each one will to God in fervent intercession do everything, and there’s a
receive his own reward” (1 Cor. grows increasingly violent and sense of liberation in realizing Go, labour on, spend, and be
3:8). anti-Christian. All of this can add that.” This attitude helps us to do spent,
Sometimes we may get dis- up to deep soul-discouragement. small things and to leave “an Thy joy to do Thy Father’s will;
couraged because what we're Listen to the words of a Sal- opportunity for the Lord’s grace It is the way the Master went;
doing for the Lord seems un- vadoran clergyman who was to enter and do the rest.” Should not the servant tread it
successful. The children in the murdered for his fearless denun- This is confirmed by the apostle still? - Bonar
Sunday School class we teach ciation of violence and injustice. Paul’s encouragement to be
may be restless and inattentive. He wrote: “We plant the seeds faithful in our tasks and to wait on You are a success in God’s
The neighbours we're trying to that one day will grow. We water God who “gives the increase”
Kingdom if you are faithful where
reach with the Gospel are seeds already planted, knowing (1 Cor. 3:6-7). Don’t allow dis- He has placed you.
politely indifferent. The mem- that they hold future promise. We couragement to cause you to quit. - Our Daily Bread, RBC Minis-
bers of our own family are far lay foundations that will need In God’s own time our work will tries, 2006.