Joel 3 Devotions by Stephen Taylor

Joel 3:14

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 

 

I’m not sure how many a multitude is, but I feel like it’s repeated twice here to show that it’s a lot of people!! When I was in prison, my mom sent me this verse and a dream she had. Her dream was this: “There was a place with people lined up as far as the eye could see, and these people were standing in darkness. All they had to do was take one step forward and be in the light, but they didn’t know how to or didn’t know that was an option.” 

 

That has stuck with me since then and speaks to me now. We are living in that time, and people are craving the love, forgiveness, and relief that comes with knowing Jesus! But they don’t know how to get there or where to go. It’s time for us to break the stereotype of the Church and lead these people to Jesus! We need to show these people the Church is not some stuffy, perfect, judgmental place but a refuge for sinners saved by grace!!

 

The more real and honest we are with each other, the more God’s power and love shine through!! I feel like today, more than ever, this verse is playing out before us, and to me, it’s a cry to rally the troops and get to work!! There may be multitudes in the valley but it starts with 1.

 

I love you all, God bless, and Glory to God!!!

 

 

Joel 3:15,16

The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

These verses speak of the End Times, times of uncontrollable distress and upheaval, times when the ground will be shaken and the heavens will tremble; the world will literally be crumbling around us, and yet God says, “It’s okay, I will be your safe place your refuge from this storm!” It’s amazing to me how we see the peace and safety God offers us in the midst of this great distress. Though the world may crumble around us, He is and always will be our refuge, our safe place, our peace, and our hope. He is confident in this because He is in control, and we can be confident in Him because He does not lie.

Now, there is a caveat to this promise of protection, and it is this: you must be His, which means you must belong to Christ. This protection is not promised for the world but for His children. This protection is not something you can earn, and it’s surely not something we deserve, but it is something that is available to us today! It’s a simple yet profound process of turning from sin to Christ. I cannot make that decision for you, nor can I take you with me, but I can encourage you in this way. God knows your past, and He knows what lies ahead without Him. Trust the God who knew both of these truths and sent Christ to set you free. He knows our sin and where it will send us, so He sent His Son to make the way.

The way has been made; will you walk in it, or better yet, in Him? By the way, this promise of a safe place in the midst of calamity is not some far-off dream but a very real promise you can live in today. He is my refuge in the daily storms as much as He will be on that day! Thank You, Jesus! My Rock, my Redeemer!

Romans 10:9- If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Acts 16:30,31- He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

God bless! I love you all, but His love bore the cross, broke the hold of sin, and triumphed over the grave! Glory, honor, and praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit!