Through the Valley: "Have You Forgotten Me...?"
Have You Read The First Part of: Through The Valley?If Not, Click: Here
"Have you forgotten who created love...? Have you forgotten who is love? Have you traded my gift of love for the world's dead rose...
...Have you forgotten me for the flowers in your hand...?" -Jesus
"You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above... ON THE EARTH beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God..." - Exodus 20:3-6
"So that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars —all the heavenly array —do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven." - Deuteronomy 4:16-19
“Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God” -Martin Luther
If I can be completely honest with you, This series has been the hardest for me. It is not just because it is a challenge to put my thoughts and God's word/message together in an interesting, yet challenging way...
But this series has been hard because, All of these questions... "Ready to listen...? "Have you forgotten me...?" I have heard the Lord ask me, in one way or another...
One of those questions, that was asked this time last year, hit home for me. That one question would light the spark that would change my life. What question...?
"Have you forgotten me for the flowers in your hand...?" -Jesus
If you follow The Well... Then you will know that humbleness and honesty is a HUGE part here; however, this doesn't mean that honestly comes easy.
One reason that sometimes honesty does not come easy is because I have fallen hard in so many areas that I discuss... ...and today is no exception.
On May 10th 1994, I was born unto this world, naked and helpless...
...17 years later I finally reached out to the Lord for a cure to this reality.
17 years later 6205+ days... 148,920+ hours... 8,935,200+ minutes... Went by Until I SERIOUSLY started following Jesus Christ...
What was I following till then...? Who was I living for you might ask...?
I was following the god I made out of the world God's own creations I made my god...
"godless love"
And guess what...?
Honestly...?
Everyday I get a choice to follow that god...
the god I KNEW so well
...Idolatry
Heard of this word...? Sound familiar...?
Idolatry- (i·dol·a·try)
It should be familiar to us... because it is one of the Ten Commandments...
<<<PAUSE>>> May I introduce someone to you?
I would argue that this person is the wisest man to EVER live, but just like us, he also struggled with this word. And just like us...? At first he didn't recognize he was struggling with it...
I want you to read what he writes, I love the way he put this into words. Maybe you can relate to what he is talking about,
All of the quote bellow is his words, NOT mine…
"...I said to myself, Come now, let's give pleasure a try. Let's look for the 'good things' in life!
But I found that this, too, was meaningless...
I said. "What good does it do to seek only pleasure?" After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. While still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I hoped to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.
I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned great herds and flocks, more than ANY of the kings who lived before me.
I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines.
I had everything a man could desire!
So I became greater than any of the kings who ruled before me. And with it all, I remained clear-eyed so that I could evaluate all these things.
Anything I wanted, I took.
I did not restrain myself from any joy. I even found great pleasure in hard work, an additional reward for all my labors.
But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.So I decided to compare wisdom and folly...
Anyone else would come to the same conclusions I did.
Wisdom is of more value than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. For the wise person sees, while the fool is blind.
Yet I saw that wise and foolish people share the same fate. Both of them die. Just as the fool will die, so will I. So of what value is all my wisdom?
Then I said to myself, "This is all so meaningless!" For the wise person and the fool BOTH die, and in the days to come, both will be forgotten. So now I HATE life because everything done here under the sun is so irrational. Everything is meaningless, like chasing the wind!
So I turned in despair from hard work.
It was not the answer to my search for satisfaction in this life.
For though I do my work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, I must leave everything I gain to people who haven't worked to earn it. This is not only foolish but highly unfair. So what do people get for all their hard work? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night they cannot rest. It is all utterly meaningless.
So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work....
Then I realized
that this pleasure is from the hand of God.
For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?"
-----
I’m sure you are thinking like me, Everything that he said, We all can completely relate too!
His name is King Solomon
…He lived around 3000 YEARS ago…
But why is it that his words seem so relevant to today when it was written such long ago!?
I found those words in the Bible,
Ecclesiastes 2:1-25
and some say that the Bible isn’t relevant to current time…?
It's almost like more than often We put ALL that we have into something that feels almost like a sinking ship! Relationships, friendships, love! It’s like he put our feelings into simplified words! Why do we get hurt so bad by the "Love" that is suppose to feel good!?
Wait... let's read that last part again... There was something that he said,
"...this pleasure is from the hand of God.
For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?"
Apart from him...
Is this maybe why love hurts so much...?
THAT'S IT!!!
---> "Love" is not Love if it is APART from the creator! <---
"We love because he first LOVED us." -1 John 4:19
"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is LOVE." -1 John 4:8
"And you shall love the Lord your God with ALL your HEART and with ALL your SOUL and with ALL your MIND and with ALL your STRENGTH." -Mark 12:30
How can we LOVE him with ALL WE ARE if something or someone is TAKING us AWAY from him?
...Idolatry
Anything that takes your heart, eyes, and mind away from the Lord...
"Have you forgotten me for the flowers in your hand...?" -Jesus
Welcome to ONE OF THE HARDEST AND MOST HUMBLING WELL POSTS YET…
First off...? Let's get one thing straight...
The "World" is NOT as great at "Soul Advise" and "Love Advise" as it claims to be...
Disagree with me...?
How is that 50% divorce rate treating you...?
How is that pornography addiction treating you...?
How is that premarital sex treating your mind...?
How does that "O.K." homosexual lifestyle, pushed by the media treating you...?
So now that we have that out of the way, we can focus on the TRUTH of the matter!
1.) WE HAVE TO GET OUR FOCUS AND HEARTS BACK TO THE GOD WHO CREATED RELATIONSHIPS AND LOVE!
We have already established that the world not only does a bad job at "love advice" but arguably doesn't do a bad job... but instead a HORRIBLE job.
If you do not exactly know who or what you are looking for... Then you will accept and settle for ANYTHING!
"Where there is no vision, the people perish..." -Proverbs 29:18
The Lord CARES who and how you date/marry!
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?" -2 Corinthians 6:14-15
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do..." -Proverbs 4:23
Your heart affects everything... Even your relationship with the Lord... So who are you giving your heart too...?
2.)REALIZE THAT OBJECTS WILL NOT COMPLETE YOU SAME GOES WITH PEOPLE! HE/SHE WILL NOT "COMPLETE YOU" EVEN IF THEY ARE THE "PERFECT PERSON". ONLY JESUS WILL COMPLETE AND SATISFY YOU!
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." -(Jesus Christ) John 15:5
" But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23
-Love -Joy -Peace -Patience -Kindness -Goodness -Faithfulness -Gentleness -Self Control ALL Come from the spirit...
...Spirit = God These only come from Jesus... Sounds completing
It is NOT their job to complete you! It's God's... and this job is not too big for him
3.) FRIENDS AND "THINGS" WILL SOMETIMES FAIL, BUT JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD, WILL NEVER FAIL YOU... EVEN IF YOU FAIL HIM!
"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother..." -Proverbs 18:24
"Greater Love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." -John 15:13
Jesus Christ laid down his life for us... NO greater love then this...
4.) WE MUST REALIZE THAT THERE IS A GOD-SHAPED HOLE IN ALL OF US, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, THAT ONLY HE CAN FILL!
"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..." -Genesis 1:26
We have a birthmark from our God! This birthmark is like a little baby bird SEARCHING for its mother, Just like that bird... our soul is searching... Only Jesus can fill that hole... no-one or nothing else
5.) WE MUST BE WILLING TO PUT DOWN OUR "FLOWERS" AND PICK UP OUR BIBLES!
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." -Matthew 6:33
God created marriage for two to come together to grow CLOSER to the Lord together... If two come together... to search and grow closer to the Lord, Then the two will also grow closer to each other...
If two come together... to search and grow closer to the world, Then the two will also grow apart...
Which you prefer...?
Idolatry- (i·dol·a·try)
THERE IS HOPE! THERE IS A WAY OUT OF THIS VALLEY!
THE HOPE IS JESUS!
BREAK FREE FROM WHAT IS HOLDING YOU DOWN! BREAK FREE FROM WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK!
"So that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars —all the heavenly array —do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven." - Deuteronomy 4:16-19
"Have you forgotten me for MY flowers in your hand...?" -Jesus