September 8, 2013 … The Place of Trial and Tears

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 251

Devotional Song: Go to this link ...  Please take in this powerful song, sung by the group, Phillips, Craig, and Dean, … singing Your Grace Still Amazes Me, reminding us that God’s grace will always be there … even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

Highlight meditation passage – Matthew 36: 38 [NLT]: …
36 Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 
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Highlight reading study of Matthew, Chapters 26, Verses 36 - 46: Go to this link …

Reference Passage #1: Luke 22: 41-44 [God provides His ministry of comfort, even in our time of trials and tears.] … [NLT] …
41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

Reference Passage #2: 1st Corinthians 10: 13 [God may not take away the trial; but He will ALWAYS provide the way to deal with the time of tears.] … [NLT] …  
13 The temptations [can also be translated “troubles, trials, or tribulations] in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure. 

Reference Passage #3: Psalm 23: 1-4 [Through the valley of the shadow of despair into the garden of glory.] … [NLT] … Use this link!

Reference Passage #4: Psalm 84: 6 [No matter what the feeling of despair; God will be there for/with us.] … [NLT] …  
6 When they walk through the Valley of Baca, [translated “the valley of weeping”] it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.

Reference Passage #5: 2nd Corinthians 5: 1-8 [Even if our trials mean physical calamity or death, as a Christian, we’ll find ourselves in the presence of glory with Jesus] … [NLT] … Use this link

My Journal for Today: Ever been there … in the valley of tears, … a point of despair from which there seems no return, … a place where hope seems gone?!!

Jesus was there, … in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he went against Satan one last time before the cross, into what was probably His greatest temptation, … praying desperately for His cup to pass. But His Father would not let this trial of tears pass from Jesus; but as you read above in Matthew 26 and Luke 22, The Lord did send angels to minister to Jesus in His trial of tears, letting Him know that no matter how horrible the trial or troubles might be, God was going to be with Him (even though that would mean that His Father would turn His back on His Son on the cross).

 But as 1st Cor. 10: 13 as well as Psalms 23 and 84, referenced above, attest, God will ALWAYS be there for us in our times of tears and trials; and though He may not take the walk through the shadow of death away, He will be there to help us walk through it into the garden of His glory.

That’s why I love the song, sung by my favorite Christian singing group, Phillips, Craig, and Dean, linked above, His Grace Still Amazes Me; because God’s grace does ALWAYS amaze me! God’s grace is always there for us in those trials of tears. And even if it means being led through the valley of the shadow of death into the arms of death itself, … God’s ministry of grace will carry us right into the arms of Jesus, Himself [see 2nd Cor. 5: 1-8, linked above].

Are you in a valley of tears, … that place surrounded by the valley of the shadow of death? If so, we must not despair; … our Lord is with us, … even to bring us to Himself in glory!

My Prayer for Today … Lord, I await being in Your arms in glory; but if I must go through the valley of tears in this life, I know You’re with me. … Amen