Hills & Valleys
Day 1:
The Promise of a New Land
Devotional
When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He wasn't just relocating them geographically—He was transforming their entire way of life. In Egypt, they labored with back-breaking work, dragging their feet through irrigation channels to water crops. But the promised land operated on an entirely different system—one dependent on God's provision rather than human effort. This mirrors our own spiritual journey. When we come to Christ, we aren't just getting an improved version of our old life; we're receiving a completely new creation. The old systems of striving, self-reliance, and bondage are replaced with covenant relationship, divine provision, and freedom. Just as the Israelites had to learn a new way of living in their promised land, we too must learn to live according to God's ways rather than the world's. This means trusting in His rain from heaven rather than our own irrigation systems. It means believing that His care is personal and constant. Today, consider what 'Egypt systems' you might still be relying on. Are you trying to create blessing through your own efforts rather than receiving it through relationship with God? The promised land isn't just about arriving at a destination—it's about embracing a whole new way of living.
Bible Verse
"For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year." - Deuteronomy 11:10-15
Reflection Question
What 'Egypt systems' of self-reliance might you still be operating in, and how can you begin to embrace God's promised land way of provision instead?
Quote In your old life, you relied on the waters of Egypt. But in this new promised land, it's going to be based on your covenant with the Lord. You're not going to have to drag your foot on the ground to get a blessing.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for bringing me out of my own Egypt into Your promised land. Help me to recognize when I'm still operating in old patterns of self-reliance. Teach me to trust in Your provision and to live by Your covenant rather than by my own efforts. May I fully embrace this new creation life You've given me. Amen.
Day 2:
Relationship: The Key to Thriving
Devotional
The promised land was a place of abundance, but it came with a crucial requirement: relationship with God. The Israelites couldn't just arrive and expect automatic prosperity. Their blessings were tied directly to their covenant relationship with the Lord. The same is true for us today. Many believers want the benefits of the Christian life—peace, joy, provision, purpose—without the relationship that makes those benefits possible. We can't thrive in our spiritual promised land without genuine connection to God. There's a profound difference between seeking God's face and merely seeking His hands. When we only approach God for what He can do for us, we reduce Him to a cosmic vending machine rather than honoring Him as Lord. True relationship means we value His presence more than His presents. The irony is that when we seek God's face first, His blessings naturally follow. But when we focus only on the blessings, we often miss both the Blesser and the full measure of what He wants to give us. Today, examine your approach to God. Are you primarily interested in what He can do for you, or are you genuinely seeking His presence? The promised land is meant to be enjoyed in relationship with the One who provided it.
Bible Verse
"And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil." - Deuteronomy 11:13-14
Reflection Question
In what ways might you be more focused on God's blessings than on God Himself, and how can you shift your attention to seeking His face rather than just His hands?
Quote You will not survive or thrive in your promised land without A relationship with God, you will not survive or thrive in your promised land. Without a relationship, you'll starve to death sitting right on the pew.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I've been more interested in Your gifts than in You. I want to know You, not just what You can do for me. Help me to seek Your face above all else, trusting that as I do, everything else will fall into place. Deepen my relationship with You today. Amen.
Day 3:
The Blessing of Speaking Blessing
Devotional
Our words have tremendous power. They can either build up or tear down, create or destroy. When God brought the Israelites into the promised land, He wanted them to speak blessings over it—to declare His goodness and provision rather than complain about the challenges. How often do we focus on what's wrong in our lives rather than what's right? We can become so accustomed to speaking about our problems that we fail to acknowledge our blessings. This negative focus doesn't just affect our mood—it shapes our reality. God calls us to be people who speak blessing. When we declare God's goodness over our lives, families, work, and circumstances, we align ourselves with His perspective. We begin to see through eyes of faith rather than eyes of lack. This doesn't mean ignoring genuine problems or putting on a fake smile. Rather, it means choosing to emphasize God's faithfulness even in difficult seasons. It means recognizing that for every valley in our lives, God has created two mountains—meaning we experience twice as many high points as low points! Today, make a conscious effort to speak blessing over your life. Notice the good things God has provided. Declare His promises over areas where you're still waiting for breakthrough. Your words matter, and speaking blessing is itself a blessing.
Bible Verse
"Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, lest the LORD's anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you." - Deuteronomy 11:16-17
Reflection Question
What areas of your life have you been speaking negatively about, and how might intentionally speaking blessing over these areas change your perspective and experience?
Quote We need to start telling people that we're blessed. We need to start speaking blessings over our own life. Every time you talk to somebody, if you tell them everything that's wrong with it, you need to change and start talking about everything that's right with it.
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times I've focused more on problems than on Your provision. Help me to be mindful of my words and to speak blessing over my life, my family, and my circumstances. Give me eyes to see the good You're doing, and a mouth that declares Your faithfulness even in challenging seasons. May my words align with Your truth. Amen.
Day 4:
Finding Nourishment in the Valley
Devotional
Valleys get a bad reputation. We often view them as places of darkness, struggle, and isolation—seasons to endure rather than embrace. But God's perspective on valleys is quite different from ours. In the natural world, valleys are actually places of incredible fertility and growth. While mountains may offer spectacular views, it's in valleys where rivers flow, crops grow, and life flourishes. Water doesn't pool on mountaintops—it flows down to the lowest places. The same principle applies spiritually. When we find ourselves in life's valleys—seasons of difficulty, disappointment, or waiting—we're actually positioned perfectly to receive God's nourishment. Our humbled state creates space for His living water to flow into our lives. Rather than immediately seeking escape from the valley, perhaps we should ask what God wants to grow there. What nourishment is He sending our way that we can only receive in this lowered position? What refreshing is available to us precisely because we're not on the mountaintop? Today, if you're in a valley season, resist the urge to view it only as something to overcome. Instead, look for the unique nourishment God is providing in this place. The valley isn't a detour from God's promised land—it's an essential part of it.
Bible Verse
"Thus says the LORD: 'Make this valley full of ditches.' For thus says the LORD: 'You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.'" - 2 Kings 3:16-17
Reflection Question
If you're currently in a valley season, what unique nourishment might God be offering you that wouldn't be available on the mountaintop?
Quote Have you ever noticed that nourishing water doesn't pool on the side of a mountain, flows down in the valley. It flows down in the valley. It flows down to where it finds the lowest place. If you're low this morning, I want to tell you the water is on its way.
Prayer
Father, thank You that You meet me in the valleys just as faithfully as on the mountaintops. Help me to see my lowered places not as punishment but as positioning for Your provision. Open my eyes to the unique nourishment You're sending my way in this season. May I create space to receive all that You're pouring out, trusting that Your living water flows to the lowest places. Amen.
Day 5:
The God of Hills and Valleys
Devotional
One of the enemy's most effective lies is that God is only present in our mountaintop experiences—that He somehow abandons us in the valleys. This falsehood has caused countless believers to question God's faithfulness during difficult seasons. In 1 Kings 20, we find a fascinating story where the Arameans believed that Israel's God was only "a god of the hills." Based on this misunderstanding, they attacked Israel in the valley, thinking God's power wouldn't reach there. They were tragically mistaken. God demonstrated that His sovereignty extends to every terrain of life—hills and valleys alike. This truth remains vital for us today. The God who blesses us in seasons of prosperity and joy is the same God who sustains us in seasons of hardship and sorrow. His character doesn't change with our circumstances. His power isn't limited by our location. In fact, sometimes God's presence is more palpable in the valley than on the mountaintop. When everything is going well, we can easily forget our need for Him. But in the valley, our dependence becomes clear, and we experience dimensions of His faithfulness that remain hidden in easier times. Today, whatever terrain you find yourself in, remember that you serve the God of both hills and valleys. He hasn't left you. His power hasn't diminished. The valley is as much His territory as the mountaintop.
Bible Verse
"Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, 'Thus says the LORD: "Because the Syrians have said, 'The LORD is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,' therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD."'" - 1 Kings 20:27-28
Reflection Question
How might your perspective and experience change if you truly believed that God is as powerful and present in your valleys as He is on your mountaintops?
Quote For the God of the mountain is still God in the valley. When things go wrong, he'll make them right. And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. The God of the day is still God in the night.
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times I've doubted Your presence in my valleys. Thank You that You are the God of every terrain of my life. Help me to recognize Your faithfulness in difficult seasons just as clearly as in times of blessing. May I never again believe the lie that You've abandoned me in the valley. You are the God of hills and valleys, and I trust You in every season. Amen.
The Promise of a New Land
Devotional
When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He wasn't just relocating them geographically—He was transforming their entire way of life. In Egypt, they labored with back-breaking work, dragging their feet through irrigation channels to water crops. But the promised land operated on an entirely different system—one dependent on God's provision rather than human effort. This mirrors our own spiritual journey. When we come to Christ, we aren't just getting an improved version of our old life; we're receiving a completely new creation. The old systems of striving, self-reliance, and bondage are replaced with covenant relationship, divine provision, and freedom. Just as the Israelites had to learn a new way of living in their promised land, we too must learn to live according to God's ways rather than the world's. This means trusting in His rain from heaven rather than our own irrigation systems. It means believing that His care is personal and constant. Today, consider what 'Egypt systems' you might still be relying on. Are you trying to create blessing through your own efforts rather than receiving it through relationship with God? The promised land isn't just about arriving at a destination—it's about embracing a whole new way of living.
Bible Verse
"For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year." - Deuteronomy 11:10-15
Reflection Question
What 'Egypt systems' of self-reliance might you still be operating in, and how can you begin to embrace God's promised land way of provision instead?
Quote In your old life, you relied on the waters of Egypt. But in this new promised land, it's going to be based on your covenant with the Lord. You're not going to have to drag your foot on the ground to get a blessing.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for bringing me out of my own Egypt into Your promised land. Help me to recognize when I'm still operating in old patterns of self-reliance. Teach me to trust in Your provision and to live by Your covenant rather than by my own efforts. May I fully embrace this new creation life You've given me. Amen.
Day 2:
Relationship: The Key to Thriving
Devotional
The promised land was a place of abundance, but it came with a crucial requirement: relationship with God. The Israelites couldn't just arrive and expect automatic prosperity. Their blessings were tied directly to their covenant relationship with the Lord. The same is true for us today. Many believers want the benefits of the Christian life—peace, joy, provision, purpose—without the relationship that makes those benefits possible. We can't thrive in our spiritual promised land without genuine connection to God. There's a profound difference between seeking God's face and merely seeking His hands. When we only approach God for what He can do for us, we reduce Him to a cosmic vending machine rather than honoring Him as Lord. True relationship means we value His presence more than His presents. The irony is that when we seek God's face first, His blessings naturally follow. But when we focus only on the blessings, we often miss both the Blesser and the full measure of what He wants to give us. Today, examine your approach to God. Are you primarily interested in what He can do for you, or are you genuinely seeking His presence? The promised land is meant to be enjoyed in relationship with the One who provided it.
Bible Verse
"And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil." - Deuteronomy 11:13-14
Reflection Question
In what ways might you be more focused on God's blessings than on God Himself, and how can you shift your attention to seeking His face rather than just His hands?
Quote You will not survive or thrive in your promised land without A relationship with God, you will not survive or thrive in your promised land. Without a relationship, you'll starve to death sitting right on the pew.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I've been more interested in Your gifts than in You. I want to know You, not just what You can do for me. Help me to seek Your face above all else, trusting that as I do, everything else will fall into place. Deepen my relationship with You today. Amen.
Day 3:
The Blessing of Speaking Blessing
Devotional
Our words have tremendous power. They can either build up or tear down, create or destroy. When God brought the Israelites into the promised land, He wanted them to speak blessings over it—to declare His goodness and provision rather than complain about the challenges. How often do we focus on what's wrong in our lives rather than what's right? We can become so accustomed to speaking about our problems that we fail to acknowledge our blessings. This negative focus doesn't just affect our mood—it shapes our reality. God calls us to be people who speak blessing. When we declare God's goodness over our lives, families, work, and circumstances, we align ourselves with His perspective. We begin to see through eyes of faith rather than eyes of lack. This doesn't mean ignoring genuine problems or putting on a fake smile. Rather, it means choosing to emphasize God's faithfulness even in difficult seasons. It means recognizing that for every valley in our lives, God has created two mountains—meaning we experience twice as many high points as low points! Today, make a conscious effort to speak blessing over your life. Notice the good things God has provided. Declare His promises over areas where you're still waiting for breakthrough. Your words matter, and speaking blessing is itself a blessing.
Bible Verse
"Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, lest the LORD's anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you." - Deuteronomy 11:16-17
Reflection Question
What areas of your life have you been speaking negatively about, and how might intentionally speaking blessing over these areas change your perspective and experience?
Quote We need to start telling people that we're blessed. We need to start speaking blessings over our own life. Every time you talk to somebody, if you tell them everything that's wrong with it, you need to change and start talking about everything that's right with it.
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times I've focused more on problems than on Your provision. Help me to be mindful of my words and to speak blessing over my life, my family, and my circumstances. Give me eyes to see the good You're doing, and a mouth that declares Your faithfulness even in challenging seasons. May my words align with Your truth. Amen.
Day 4:
Finding Nourishment in the Valley
Devotional
Valleys get a bad reputation. We often view them as places of darkness, struggle, and isolation—seasons to endure rather than embrace. But God's perspective on valleys is quite different from ours. In the natural world, valleys are actually places of incredible fertility and growth. While mountains may offer spectacular views, it's in valleys where rivers flow, crops grow, and life flourishes. Water doesn't pool on mountaintops—it flows down to the lowest places. The same principle applies spiritually. When we find ourselves in life's valleys—seasons of difficulty, disappointment, or waiting—we're actually positioned perfectly to receive God's nourishment. Our humbled state creates space for His living water to flow into our lives. Rather than immediately seeking escape from the valley, perhaps we should ask what God wants to grow there. What nourishment is He sending our way that we can only receive in this lowered position? What refreshing is available to us precisely because we're not on the mountaintop? Today, if you're in a valley season, resist the urge to view it only as something to overcome. Instead, look for the unique nourishment God is providing in this place. The valley isn't a detour from God's promised land—it's an essential part of it.
Bible Verse
"Thus says the LORD: 'Make this valley full of ditches.' For thus says the LORD: 'You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.'" - 2 Kings 3:16-17
Reflection Question
If you're currently in a valley season, what unique nourishment might God be offering you that wouldn't be available on the mountaintop?
Quote Have you ever noticed that nourishing water doesn't pool on the side of a mountain, flows down in the valley. It flows down in the valley. It flows down to where it finds the lowest place. If you're low this morning, I want to tell you the water is on its way.
Prayer
Father, thank You that You meet me in the valleys just as faithfully as on the mountaintops. Help me to see my lowered places not as punishment but as positioning for Your provision. Open my eyes to the unique nourishment You're sending my way in this season. May I create space to receive all that You're pouring out, trusting that Your living water flows to the lowest places. Amen.
Day 5:
The God of Hills and Valleys
Devotional
One of the enemy's most effective lies is that God is only present in our mountaintop experiences—that He somehow abandons us in the valleys. This falsehood has caused countless believers to question God's faithfulness during difficult seasons. In 1 Kings 20, we find a fascinating story where the Arameans believed that Israel's God was only "a god of the hills." Based on this misunderstanding, they attacked Israel in the valley, thinking God's power wouldn't reach there. They were tragically mistaken. God demonstrated that His sovereignty extends to every terrain of life—hills and valleys alike. This truth remains vital for us today. The God who blesses us in seasons of prosperity and joy is the same God who sustains us in seasons of hardship and sorrow. His character doesn't change with our circumstances. His power isn't limited by our location. In fact, sometimes God's presence is more palpable in the valley than on the mountaintop. When everything is going well, we can easily forget our need for Him. But in the valley, our dependence becomes clear, and we experience dimensions of His faithfulness that remain hidden in easier times. Today, whatever terrain you find yourself in, remember that you serve the God of both hills and valleys. He hasn't left you. His power hasn't diminished. The valley is as much His territory as the mountaintop.
Bible Verse
"Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, 'Thus says the LORD: "Because the Syrians have said, 'The LORD is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,' therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD."'" - 1 Kings 20:27-28
Reflection Question
How might your perspective and experience change if you truly believed that God is as powerful and present in your valleys as He is on your mountaintops?
Quote For the God of the mountain is still God in the valley. When things go wrong, he'll make them right. And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. The God of the day is still God in the night.
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times I've doubted Your presence in my valleys. Thank You that You are the God of every terrain of my life. Help me to recognize Your faithfulness in difficult seasons just as clearly as in times of blessing. May I never again believe the lie that You've abandoned me in the valley. You are the God of hills and valleys, and I trust You in every season. Amen.
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