Pastor Jeremy Belter

Monday morning devotion from Shepherd of the Valley Church

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Be Still. God Is Still God.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.  (Psalm 46:10)

A little girl walked into her new school and classroom for the first time.  She had been with mom or dad almost exclusively the first several years of her life.  This was a big change. 

As the little girl walked into her classroom with her mom, she stopped and looked up at her mom.  Mom had some tears in her eyes.

The little girl took her mom by the hand and said, "It'll be OK mom.  Jesus is with me even when you can't be."  And she confidently walked into the classroom.

In her simple, child-like way, that little girl echoes the words of God in Psalm 46, words that we all need to wrap around ourselves and use for reassurance.  Be still. God is God.

As our children go back to school with all that might go into that, remember God is still God. He is with them. As you navigate the difficulties, stress, or extra burdens in life, remember, God is still God. He is with you.

What fills your heart or life right now that leaves you upset, stressed, fearful, and perhaps even shaking?  Quiet your heart and meditate on this simple truth, God is still God. The God who sacrificed his Son for you, he is your God. The God who called you into a saving relationship with himself, he is your God. The God who calls you his friend, he is your God.  That God is with you and he is God.

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Riches Worth Rejoicing Over

I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.  (Psalm 119:14)

Let's be honest.  Wouldn't you be just a little bit excited if you inherited, earned, or were gifted a massive fortune?  Maybe you say no because you've heard the horror stories of people's demise after winning the lottery. Perhaps you say no because you think it'll add unknown issues or challenges or multiply the "friends" you have. But maybe, just maybe you would rejoice at a massive fortune that was given to you. Either way, I think the general consensus out there is that yes, most people would rejoice over a massive fortune gifted to them.

Whether you would or not, we have received a treasure that is worth rejoicing over.  God has given us his Word and following it brings us blessing and joy in life.  Following God's commands and living his Word in our life means we have faith and we are God's children.  His commands provide direction for us in a directionless world and stability in an ever-changing society. They provide a way to reveal God to the people of this world as we daily keep his commands. His commands are a gift to us, providing us a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.  We have the opportunity and ability, through faith in Christ, to keep those commands. God has gifted that to you. 

God has gifted you a great treasure, the opportunity to follow his commands and Word in your life. That is worth rejoicing over. 

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His Banner Over Me Is Love

Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.  (Song of Songs 2:4)

The Olympics are in full swing and that means one thing in our house: it's all we watch.  My wife and I love watching the various sports, learning about different athletes, and discovering all sorts of countries we didn't know existed.

One of the most touching moments of the Olympics for me has to be when an athlete wins a gold medal for the first time.  Their country's flag is lifted above their head. The national anthem plays.  I can't imagine the feelings of pride and joy to see your country's banner flying above you.  You are a citizen of that country, representing it, and bringing success to it. You worked your tail off and earned every moment of it.

Song of Songs speaks about a banner that flies over each of you.  It's the banner of God's love. God's love through Christ flies over you all the time.  Christ Jesus is the demonstration of that love by removing your sin. God promises that you ae loved by him. Now you are his beloved. 

And guess what, you didn't have to do anything for it! No training, no sacrificing, no work at all. God flies his banner of love over you because you are his beloved one.

What pride, what joy can fill your heart because God loves you. He freely, unconditionally, and with great pride flies his banner of love over you every day. You bring God such great joy. Smile!

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You Are God's Sanctuary

When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, Judah became God's sanctuary, Israel his dominion.  (Psalm 114:1)

It was truly remarkable and miraculous how God rescued the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt. Perhaps the most astounding and miraculous part of the whole event is what we hear about in Psalm 114:1. They became God's sanctuary. God chose to dwell with these people.

What an astounding, humbling, and miraculous thing that the Almighty, holy God would choose to dwell with sinful people.  By his presence, he sanctified them and made them holy. Because they had God with them, they had nothing to fear. They had no reason to worry. They could live their lives with victory and confidence because God chose to dwell with them.

Did you know God has done the same for you? God chose to make you his sanctuary. We might call a church or worship center a sanctuary, but the reality is that YOU are God's sanctuary.

He entered your life when you came to faith and he made you holy with his presence. You are forgiven of your sins. God is with you. We don't deserve to have God dwell with us or make us his sanctuary because of our sins, but that's what God has chosen to do. That is a miracle. That is grace! That is how much God loves you.  You are his sanctuary. You don't have anything to worry about or fear because of God's presence. You can live with confidence and victoriously because you are God's sanctuary.  

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God Is Able

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  (2 Corinthians 9:8)

God has many characteristics.  He is gracious, compassionate, caring, just, righteous, holy, powerful, and so much more.  Do you ever think about the fact that God is able?

What are you struggling with right now?  Are you worried about your finances and wondering how the end of the month will turn out? Perhaps you're struggling to forgive yourself for what you did wrong. Maybe you're unable to forgive someone in your life right now. Maybe you're trying to be a better, more godly person.  You want to be kinder, more patient, or understanding, but are struggling to do it. It could also be a situation or circumstance you can't change, no matter how hard you try.  It could be a sin you're struggling with, trying to quit doing it. What are you struggling to do right now?

Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9 that our God is able.  He is able to bless us in every way so we will abound in all good works. God is able.

Do you believe that?  How often do you pepper God's ears with your prayers because you expect him to accomplish what you need? Or do you despair when nothing happens right away? Do you forget that God is able and just assume it's all up to you?

Paul is pretty clear that God blesses abundantly so that at ALL times and having ALL that we need, we will abound in EVERY good work. There is nothing God is unable to do. God is able.

God is able to fill you with grace to forgive. He is able to fill you with desire to quit that sin. He is able to change your circumstances. He is able to rescue you. He is able to forgive you. He is able to fill you with desire to forgive.  He is able.  Trust he is able.  Pray to him for the help you need because your God is able.

Fill in the blank.  God is able ____________________ .  Now trust he will do it.

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Give Thanks For The Small Things

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (Zechariah 4:10)

What are you thankful for today?  I'm sure there are big, obvious things on your mind.  You could think of health, family, a home, your vacation, a job, a running car, and so much more.  But do you ever give thanks for the small things?  Sometimes the simplest and smallest things can go unnoticed.

The book of Zechariah in the Old Testament records a small thing to be thankful for.  The people of Israel had returned from their decades long captivity.  There was much to do and rebuild in Israel.  The Temple was on that list and finally, it was being rebuilt.  It would be a wonderful building when it was done. It would serve Israel for hundreds of years.  And the first thing the Lord rejoiced at during the building process was the fact the work had begun.  The Lord rejoiced to see a construction implement in Zerubbabel's hand to lay the cornerstone of the Temple.  It was a small thing, but a moment to be thankful for.  The beginning of a glorious project.

What little things do you have to be thankful for today? It's easy for us to overlook the little things and think they're not important.  But consider this, all things, even the little ones, are from the Lord. The big ones are easy to see, but what small things do you have in your life right now?  Remember, those too are from the Lord.  Give thanks even for the small things.

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The End of The Blame Game

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

The blame game. Ever played it? We all have from little on. When we get caught doing something we shouldn't be doing, it always seems to be someone else's fault. We blame it on the circumstances or the situation. The blame game is as old as time, literally.

The first blame game was played in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command and ate from the tree they weren't supposed to eat from. When the Lord confronted them about it, Adam blamed Eve and God.  Eve blamed the serpent. Nobody wanted to accept responsibility for what happened because they were afraid. They were afraid of what they deserved.

Isn't that why we blame others for what we do? We don't want to pay the price. Who does? Jesus does.

That's right, Jesus takes the blame for what we did wrong. Jesus, the sinless, Son of God, took the blame and then the punishment for our sins and paid for it all by his death on the cross.  Paul said it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made him who had no sin (Jesus) to be sin for us, so that in him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God." 

In his grace, Jesus takes the blame for our sin, pays for it, and then gives to us his perfect life.  We stand holy and forgiven in God's sight. No sin we have ever committed is on our record. There's no need to blame anyone for what we did wrong, because Jesus took it all.

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God's Morning Routine

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

I have the same morning routine. Unless we are on vacation it'll get altered slightly, but otherwise at home, same thing day after day. Call it boring, routine, annoying, old, I like it. I like routine and the comfortability I feel within it. Morning after morning it's much the same thing.

God has the same morning routine day after day. It's the same routine he has kept since he created everything. God's mercies are there for you and your life every morning. It doesn't matter where you stand in your relationship with God. It doesn't matter how close or far you feel from him. It doesn't matter how good or bad things are currently. God's mercies are always present for you when you wake up. God's mercies are in and throughout your day. That's his morning routine.

Lamentations 3 tells us they are also new. It's not the"'same old thing you had yesterday". God's mercies are new for your today. God's goodness is planned for you for that particular day. God knows what goodness and what good things you need for your day and he has them planned and ready. That's his morning routine.

God's mercies are the goodness, his love, his blessings, his presence, and his good plan for your life. He has that baked into your day, today. When you woke up today, no matter your routine or how excited or fearful you are of your day, think about this. God and his mercies are new, ready, planned, and part of God's routine for you today. Enjoy the mercies of God for you, today!

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He Chose Whom?

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9)

When HR starts interviewing and hiring applicants for a position in their company, whom do they usually select? Most often (not always), but most often they select the most qualified candidates for the position and its needs.

If they put together a job description for a position at your company, what kind of applicants would they look for or hope would apply?  People with high moral integrity?  People who were respected and accepted by society?  People who were qualified to fill the position? Most likely, those would be some qualifiers.

I think all of that is pretty standard stuff.  But in Matthew 9, we find out Jesus doesn't exactly operate that way.  He picked a man to be his disciple and messenger who didn't have high moral standing. He picked a guy who was on the fringe of society. He picked a guy who wasn't really qualified through education and experience.  He picked a tax collector named Matthew to be one of his apostles or messengers to take his message of salvation to the world. Why would he do that?

He did it to amplify his grace! Jesus came for the sole purpose of saving people from their sins. He came to call people who were lost. He came to show people their tremendous need for God's grace and then apply it to people's hearts and lives. He showed that by the kinds of people he called to follow him and represent him. They weren't perfect nor did they have their lives together. They had their sins, their shortcomings, their weaknesses. They had things they needed to change but just couldn't. They had struggles they couldn't overcome. Yet all of them were welcomed to follow Jesus because of his forgiving grace.

If you find yourself in those categories above, you know the "not perfect, struggling to change, down on yourself" crowd, then cheer up. Jesus wants you! Jesus came to cover over weaknesses and sins with his grace. He came to wash them away by his sacrifice on the cross. He wants you to be his followers and representatives to let others know how rich God is in his mercy. You get to be that for Jesus. Yes, YOU!

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Trust Him, Even When You Don't Understand Him

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but do you find it always easy to trust God? Do you find it easy to trust God when your plan in life doesn't line up with his? Do you find it easy to trust him when he doesn't make sense?

We all have times, seasons, or examples in our life when God's plans aren't our plans, when his way isn't our way, or his thoughts aren't our thoughts. What then?

What about when we even go so far as questioning him, getting angry with him, or worse?

Remember whose thoughts, ways, and plans we are talking about. Remember the God who is working in your life. It's the Lord. Not some big, impersonal being out there who has no connection to your life or world. Your God is the Lord, the one who created heaven and earth from nothing and formed you in your mother's womb. He is the Lord, who sent his Son into this world to rescue you from sin, death, and hell. He is the Lord, whose Spirit brought you faith, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of eternal life. The almighty, loving, gracious, Triune God is your Lord.

He knows your needs & provides them. He knows your spiritual condition and saved you from it. He knows exactly what you need in life and what will be for your good. All we need to do is trust him.

You're right, it's not always easy to understand God. But guess what, you don't have to! And yes, I know it's hard to trust him at that point too. But keep in mind who he is and what the Lord has done for you. Let the salvation he won for you and the power he uses for you grow your trust in him. No need to understand, trust him!

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Divine Reminder

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I told you. (John 14:26)

I have a voicemail on my phone from April 20, 2020, that is very special to me. My grandma called and left a message, thanking me for some pictures of my daughter Ellie I had sent her. I have that special message from her so even still today, I can hear her voice, and it reminds me of all the many good times I had with her.

I wish I had more voice reminders from her and my other grandparents. I wish I had sat down and recorded more of their advice and memories. I also wish I could remember all the things they told me and the experiences we had together over the years. Sadly, many memories have disappeared, bits of advice are forgotten, and conversations gone.

Imagine if the same thing had happened with Jesus' words and life! Imagine if it were left to the memory of apostles to write down EVERYTHING Jesus said and did! We all know many of memories, words, and events would be lost or forgotten.

Thankfully, Jesus made sure that didn't happen because he sent the Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit came and reminded the apostles about all of Jesus' teachings. He reminded them of Jesus' tremendous miracles and everything he did for our salvation. Thankfully, God the Holy Spirit had them write it down for us so we can know, read, and believe all Jesus said and did. We can listen to his teachings and grow in godly living. We can hear Jesus forgive and comfort us when we feel guilt. We can watch with awe and amazement as Jesus deals with people gently and with divine grace. We can hear that and know it's for us, too. We have these words so eternal life is ours.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit with a divine reminder of all Jesus said and did. We have it all in the Bible. Open it up and hear all your Savior said and did for you.

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God Sings Over You

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

Todd and Sarah prayed and waited a long time to have a baby.  There were plenty of reasons, both known and unknown, they could not have children.  Finally, after years of doctor visits, thousands spent, countless hours of prayers and tears, they received a blessing.  They were able to adopt a little baby. They were overjoyed, over the moon with excitement, and humbled at the gift of a baby.  The first night they brought her home, Sarah held her new baby close to her chest.  She softly sang song after song over her baby, even after she fell asleep.  Her baby brought her so much joy and so she sang out her joy over her little baby.

Did you know God does the same for you? Zephaniah 3 tells us that God is singing over his people.  That's you! 

We all have a natural tendency to wonder what God thinks of us, if he loves or cares about us, or if he's just REALLY upset with us, or if he's forgotten all about us.  Our life can look like that.  The devil tempts us to think that.  We fall into the trap of believing God doesn't care.  That couldn't be more untrue.

The truth of the matter is God rejoices in you.  You've been redeemed by his Son, and all your sins have been removed.  You have been adopted into God's family through faith in Jesus.  God knows where you were, lost and not part of his family. But now, he has you back.  You are his own. What song is he singing?  Only he knows the exact words. What we do know is that it's a song of love and joy, always.

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God Is Greater Than Satan

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

When you think of the relationship between God and Satan, how would you characterize it? An epic struggle between two equally opposing forces vying for supremacy in this world? Two equally powerful spiritual beings, one good and the other evil, who are playing a massive game of chess? Do you ever think that God is clearly losing and Satan is gaining the upper hand? In reality, none of that is correct. The answer is found in 1 John 4:4.

John tells us that God is greater than Satan, the one in the world. God has no equal.  Satan is not God nor equal with God. He has been defeated by God's Son, through his death and resurrection.  And that Savior lives in you! Now his victory belongs to you. You have overcome Satan and the world, too.

Think of the great peace you have now.  No matter how bad things get, how impossible situations look in your life, or how troubled you are by the evil in this world, God has overcome it.  It will never conquer or destroy God or his people.  No matter how guilty and awful you feel because of your sin, Jesus has paid for it and defeated it. There is nothing in this world more powerful than God or even equal with God.  He is in a class unto himself.  And by his grace, through faith in Jesus, you have that victory, too. 

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Remain in the Vine

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Several days ago we had to throw away some flowers my daughter had picked up at church.  They were bright, pink flowers from a crab apple tree on a small branch.  I should emphasize, they WERE bright...at one time.  Do you know when they were bright pink?  When they were connected to the tree! 

After this small branch had been separated from the tree's sustenance for several days, the energy slipped away. The color faded.  The flowers shriveled up. The flowers and branches had died. It wasn't useful anymore and so we threw it away.

That's the vivid metaphor Jesus uses in John 15 to explain the necessity of remaining connected to him and his Word. When we are connected to Jesus by faith, hearing his Word and learning it, studying what he says and taking it to heart, we receive the spiritual food we need to produce the fruit of kindness, love, service, humility, and so much more. When we are connected to Jesus our faith is alive. We produce the good works Jesus wants from us and this world needs! 

What happens if we aren't connected to him by faith?  What will our lives look like if we aren't in his Word being fed with the life-saving good news of Jesus' grace and mercy?  Our faith will quickly shrivel up like those flowers.  It'll become less and less vibrant.  The good works will slowly cease.  And faith will be gone.

We have been connected to the true Vine, Jesus Christ. He imparts strength and life to us through his Word. Remain in his Word and watch faith and good works grow! 

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He's Risen! He's With You In The Darkest Valleys

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; (Psalm 23:4)

What dark valleys do you face right now? What dark valleys are coming in the future? What events or circumstances in your life or in the world scare you right now? Do you wish you could just run away from it or make it go away? Anytime you face something that is scary or threatening, you want to run away from it. But sometimes, that's impossible.

There are times you have to go through something difficult that is completely out of your control. There are different circumstances that you face that you can't avoid but will need to walk through, no matter how difficult and how long it takes. What then?

Remember the words of Psalm 23:4 when you are facing or walking through a dark valley in life and rest your heart in these comforting words. You don't walk through the valley alone. "You are with me", David said about his God.

His God is the same God who died for him and is raised to life. Jesus Christ is with David in his dark valley. He's with you in your darkest valleys as well.

Jesus has already walked through the darkest valleys and defeated them all. Temptations by the devil? Defeated! Sin and all its consequences? He endured it and paid for it! Death itself? He suffered and conquered it by rising triumphantly from the dead. Now your risen Lord Jesus stands with you and walks with you through every dark valley. Nothing in those valleys will defeat you. Nothing in those valleys will remove you from him. Those dark valleys hold no fear for you because your conquering hero, Jesus, is with you.

You can face whatever dark valleys you're in right now or will be in the future, even death itself, without fear. Why? Because the risen Lord is with you through them all.

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He Is Risen! Eternal Life Is Yours!

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  (John 11:25-26)

Cheating death. Reversing the clock on aging.  Why do we die?  Those were some of the questions and topics in a recent article I read about aging and dying.  It caught my attention because the main thrust of the article was trying to figure out how to stop dying!  That topic has been and will always be part of our mind and discussion, because nobody has been able to stop it from happening.  And that scares us! That is, until Jesus showed up.

Jesus encountered a scene, recorded in John 11, that has played out billions upon billions of times.  Someone died.  The situation did to him what it does to us.  He cried.  But that's where things changed.  Jesus came to take away the sting and fear of that awful end of life.  He came to defeat it.

Jesus presents you and I and anyone who will believe in him with a promise. The promise is simple.  Believe in him and you LIVE, even though you die.  What's more, believing in him means you will never, EVER die.  Jesus is holding out to anyone the promise of eternal life after death.  Eternal life has no pain or sorrow or sadness.  Eternal life has none of the loss of this life. Eternal life. As hard as that is to comprehend, life that has no end, but is perfect, that is what Jesus promises you.

Jesus rose from the dead to destroy the power of death.  It serves Jesus now to bring you to eternal life in heaven.  Jesus rose from the dead to take away the fear of death, because death is not the end. Jesus rose from the dead, so this life has become the staging ground for eternity, the staging ground to usher all believers into eternal life. 

Rejoice! Jesus lives forever, and so will you.

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He Is Risen! Now We're Forgiven

He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.  (Romans 4:25)

My yard has started to come to life. The hyacinths are blooming, the tulips are 4 inches high, the roses are coming to life, and my grass is green.  Spring is here! This time of year is exciting because winter is losing its grip and new life is taking over again. 

I love that Easter falls during this time of year. Spring is a season of new life and rebirth, just like Easter. Death and sin have lost their grip. Jesus is alive and that means new life for us. Easter means renewal, hope, certainty, and new life.

Romans 4:25 focuses on one aspect of that new life we have through Jesus' resurrection. We are justified or forgiven because of Jesus' resurrection.

The Friday prior to his resurrection, the innocent Son of God was crucified. Why? Certainly not for anything he did wrong. He is perfect! Romans 4 tells us exactly why. He was delivered over to death for our trespasses. He died in our place. He paid the penalty we deserve for our sins. He gave up his life to pay for all we'd done wrong. And the proof it is real? The proof he really paid the price and we can have confidence our sins are paid for? He rose from the dead! Jesus' resurrection is proof our sins are paid for and we stand forgiven before God.

Sin's grip over you is done. Life now reigns supreme. In this season of Easter, find peace in the forgiveness won and secured for you by Jesus' death and resurrection. Guilt and sin do not control you. Jesus does! You're forgiven because of Jesus.