THE SECRET PLACE

TO APPRECIATE THE SANCTITY OF LIFE AND THE DEPTH OF LOVE OUR LORD HAS FOR US , WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT EACH OF US HAS BEEN KNOWN TO GOD EVEN BEFORE OUR PLACEMENT IN THE WOMB "Before I formed you in the womb i knew you , before you were born I set you apart ; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. " JEREMIAH 1:5 .....IT IS IN THIS VERY FIRST CHAPTER OF THIS OLD TESTAMENT BOOK THAT WE DISCOVER THAT OUR GOD KNEW JEREMIAH BEFORE HE WAS EVEN FORMED , WHAT A DELIGHT TO FIND OUT THAT WE HAVE A GOD THAT LOVES US SO MUCH THAT WE WERE ON HIS MIND EVEN BEFORE WE WERE FORMED .....FOR WE HAVE EACH BEEN GIVEN A SPECIFIC TIME OF ARRIVAL AS WELL AS AN APPOINTED TIME TO DEPART ..... WHEN WE COME TO UNDERSTAND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD WE ALSO BEGIN TO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR PURPOSE IS TO GIVE HIM THE THE GLORY AND HONOR THAT HE DESERVES ..... SHOULD WE SAY THAT WE KNOW AND LOVE OUR LORD WE CANNOT DENY OR INTERFERE WITH THIS , AS IT WILL ONLY LEAVE US UNSETTLED IF WE DO .....THEREFOR AS THE NEW TESTAMENT SAYS , " let us draw near to GOD with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith , having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water . Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess , for HE who promised is faithful . " HEBREWS 10:22 ..... TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE VALUE OF EACH AND EVERY LIFE , WE CAN TURN TO THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES , " For YOU created my inmost being ; YOU knit me together in my mother's womb . I praise YOU because I am fearfully and wonderfully made ; YOUR works are wonderful , I know that full well . My frame was not hidden from YOU when I was made in the secret place . When I was woven together in the depths of the earth , YOUR eyes saw my unformed body . All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be ." PSALM 139 :13-16 ..... SUCH POWERFUL AND CONVINCING WORDS TO REMIND US THAT WE ARE ALL VERY VERY VALUABLE..... EVEN BEFORE OUR ARRIVAL , BEFORE SELF-ESTEEM..... AND BEFORE ANY ONE EVER TELLS US THAT THEY LOVE US .....AND EVEN IF NO ONE EVER TELLS US THAT THEY LOVE US ......LET US REMEMBER THAT WE MEAN A LOT TO GOD YESTERDAY,TODAY AND TOMORROW ..................................SUMMER

HOW AM I MADE

BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOD WHO HAS CREATED EVERYTHING FROM NOTHING THE ANSWER THAT WE SEARCH FOR MOST OF OUR LIVES IS PLAIN TO SEE IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS ....... GOD TELLS US THIS , "For YOU created my inmost being ; YOU knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise YOU because I am fearfully and wonderfully made ; YOUR works are wonderful , I know that full well .My frame was not hidden from YOU when I was made in the secret place . When I was woven together in the depths of the earth , YOUR eyes saw my unformed body . All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be . " PSALM 139: 13-16.......... WE ARE GODS MOST PRECIOUS CREATIONS AND IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS HE REVEALS TO US JUST HOW MUCH LOVE HE HAS FOR US WHEN HE SAYS , " Then GOD said , " Let us make man in our own image , in our likeness , and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air , over the livestock and over all the earth , and over all the creatures that move along the ground . So GOD created man in HIS own image , in the image of GOD HE created him ; male and female HE created them . " GENESIS 1:26-27 ........ WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE KNOWING THAT GOD LOVES US DEEPLY BY READING THE SCRIPTURE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT , " For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS one and only SON , that whoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have eternal life . " JOHN 3:16 .........WE CAN ALSO REST IN THE WORDS OF HEBREWS 2:5-8 WHEN THE LORD JESUS REVEALS , " It is not to the angels that HE has subjected the world to come , about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified : '' What is man that YOU are mindful of him , the SON of man that YOU care for HIM ? YOU made him a little lower than the angels ; YOU crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet . " ......... HAVING A FATHER IN HEAVEN WHO HAS FORMED US WITH HIS OWN HANDS AND BREATHED LIFE INTO OUR VERY EXISTENCE AS WELL AS PROMISES US THE GLORY OF ETERNAL SALVATION IS A COMFORT TO US WHEN WE TAKE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AT OUR SIDE ......... IF WE TRULY UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE MADE THEN WE REST IN THE COMFORT OF HIS PROMISES .......... IF NOT WE ASK FOR GOD TO DRAW US NEAR TO HIM AND THEN WE BEGIN TO READ HIS HOLY WORD , THE BIBLE ............................................SUMMER

PASSING THROUGH ON OUR WAY HOME

ALTHOUGH WE MAY CALL THIS EARTH OUR HOME AND WE MAY SET UP HOUSE AT A PARTICULAR STREET ADDRESS , THE LORD REMINDS US IN HIS WORD THAT OUR TRUE RESIDENCE IS WITH HIM IN HEAVEN ........" PASSING THROUGH " IS A WAY OF DESCRIBING OUR LIFE HERE ON EARTH ........ DEFINITELY FILLED WITH A VARIETY OF TRIUMPHS AND TRAGEDIES WE ARE CONSTANTLY UP AGAINST CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LEAVE US AMAZED, BEWILDERED, CONFUSED AND EVEN FRIGHTENED.......AT TIMES "LIFE AS KNOW IT " CEASES TO BE , CHALLENGING EVEN THOSE MOST MATURE IN THEIR FAITH....... AS PROFESSOR AND THEOLOGIAN D.A.CARSON SAID , " THERE IS NOTHING IN SCRIPTURE TO ENCOURAGE US TO THINK WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE FREE FROM THE VICISSITUDES THAT PLAGUE A DYING WORLD. " ........ SO , HOW IS IT THAT WE ARE TO PERSEVERE WHEN THERE ARE NO WORDS ........ IN THE 2nd BOOK OF CORINTHIANS 4:17-18 GOD'S WORD DESCRIBES OUR TROUBLES AS SUCH , " For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far out weighs them all . So we fix our eyes not on what is seen , but on what is unseen . For what is seen is temporary , but what is unseen is eternal . " ........TO UNDERSTAND THIS SCRIPTURE WE MUST BELIEVE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A HEAVEN ....... JESUS CHRIST RESIDES IN HEAVEN WITH GOD OUR FATHER AND HIS MOST HOLY SPIRIT ......... WHEN WE COME TO KNOW JESUS AS OUR SAVIOUR WE FIND OUT THAT WE SERVE A LIVING GOD WHO IS ALWAYS PRESENT WITH US IN TIMES OF JOY AND SORROW AS WRITTEN , " Be strong and courageous . Do not be afraid or terrified because of them , for the LORD your GOD goes with you ; HE will never leave nor forsake you . " DEUTERONOMY 31-6........ THEREFORE SINCE GOD HAS CREATED US WE WILL SOMEDAY RETURN HOME TO HIM ........ "Do not let your be troubled . Trust in GOD ; trust also in ME. In MY FATHER'S house there are many rooms; if it were not so , I would have told you . I am going there to prepare a place for you . And if I go and prepare a place for you , I will come back and take you to be with ME that you also may be where I am ." JOHN 14:1- 3 ......THE HOPE OF HEAVEN ALLOWS US TO PUT THE DARK TIMES OF LIFE IN PERSPECTIVE ....... AND ALTHOUGH THE BIBLE ENCOURAGES US TO ENJOY THE BLESSINGS THAT GOD BESTOWS UPON US AS SAID IN THE 1st BOOK OF TIMOTHY 6:17 , IT ALSO REMINDS US , " Do not love the world or anything in it . If anyone loves the world , the love of the FATHER is not in him . " 1st JOHN 2:15 ......... KNOWING JUST HOW MUCH GOD LOVES US GIVES US THE COURAGE AND THE STRENGTH TO OBEY HIM AS APOSTLE PAUL DID WHEN HE SAYS ," I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which GOD has called me heavenward in CHRIST JESUS . " PHILIPPIANS 3:14 ....... AND ALSO WHEN HE SAYS , "Rejoice in the LORD always . I will say it again: REJOICE! Let your gentleness be evident to all . The LORD is near . Do not be anxious about anything , but in everything , by prayer and petition , with thanksgiving , present your requests to GOD . And the peace of GOD , which transcends all understanding , will guard your hearts and your minds in CHRIST JESUS . " PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7 ........AS THE NEW YEAR BEGINS THERE WILL BE TRIALS AND THERE MAY BE TRAGEDY AND YES , THERE WILL BE JOY AS WE ARE PASSING THROUGH ON OUR WAY HOME ........MY PRAYER IS THAT THE LORD BE WITH YOU..........................SUMMER

IN THE COMPANY OF ANGELS

THERE IS A PLACE HIDDEN IN OUR LIVES WHERE NO SIN IS ALLOWED TO LIVE ....... IT IS THE PLACE WHERE WE ARE FORGIVEN ONCE AND FOR ALL ......A PLACE WHERE NOTHING EVIL RESIDES AND WHERE WE STAND BLAMELESS BEFORE THE HOLINESS OF THE MOST HIGH.....IT IS A PLACE SO PURE THAT ANGELS ARE SENT FORTH SO AS TO MINISTER AND PROTECT US SO THAT NO EVIL WILL COME TO PASS UPON US........WHEN WE MAKE THE CHOICE TO WORSHIP AND SERVE THE LORD THROUGH OBEDIENCE AND PRAYERFUL LIVING OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM STRENGTHENS .......THE ANGELS GO TO WORK FOR US KEEPING UNSEEN DANGERS AWAY FROM US .......WE READ THIS IN PSALM 91:9-13 " If you make the MOST HIGH your dwelling - even the LORD , who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you , no disaster will come near your tent . For HE will command HIS angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways ; they will lift you in their hands , so that you will not strike your foot against a stone . You will tread upon the lion and the cobra ; you will trample the great lion and the serpent . " CAN WE MAKE THE CLAIM TO BEING THE KIND OF CHRISTIAN WHOSE FELLOWSHIP WITH OUR LORD IS SUCH THAT WE ARE IN THE COMPANY OF ANGELS ? .................SUMMER

A CHILD IS BORN

COME AND READ THE GOOD NEWS......... "Therefore the LORD HIMSELF will give you a sign : Behold , a virgin will be with child and bear a son , and she will call him IMMANUEL ." ISAIAH 7:14 ......... "For a child will be born to us , a son will be given to us ; And the government will rest upon HIS shoulders , HIS name will be called WONDERFUL COUNSELOR , MIGHTY GOD , ETERNAL FATHER , PRINCE of PEACE . " ISAIAH 9:6......."And the WORD became flesh , and dwelt among us ,and we behold HIS glory , glory as the
only begotten SON from the FATHER , full of GRACE and TRUTH . " JOHN 1:14..... "And she will bear a SON; and you shall call HIM JESUS , for it is HE who will save HIS people ." MATTHEW 1:21........ "And you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at HIS birth ." LUKE 1:14 ......MY PRAYER FOR YOU THIS CHRISTMAS IS THAT YOU MAY TAKE THE LORD JESUS INTO YOUR HEART AND EXPERIENCE THE WONDERFUL JOY AND PEACE THAT HE OFFERS ALONG WITH PROMISE OF ETERNAL SALVATION ......... MAY YOU HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS ................................................SUMMER

SALT AND LIGHT

TO SAY THAT WE KNOW THE TRUE LOVE OF CHRIST AND HIS MAJESTIC BEAUTY WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER JUST HOW SINCERE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR LORD IS ......WE MAY CALL OURSELVES A CHRISTIAN BUT DO WE SEND CONFLICTING MESSAGES TO THOSE AROUND US BY THE WAY WE LIVE OR DO WE SET AN EXAMPLE BY LIVING LIFE IN A WAY THAT EXEMPLIFIES THE SCRIPTURE THAT STATES , "You are the salt of the earth . But if salt loses its saltiness , how can it be made salty again ? It is no longer good for anything , except to be thrown out and trampled by men . You are the light of the world . A city on a hill cannot be hidden . Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl . Instead they put it on its stand , and it gives light to everyone in the house . In the same way , let your light shine before men , that they may see your good deeds and praise your good deeds and praise your FATHER in heaven . " MATTHEW 5:13-16 ......GOOD DEEDS TO BE DONE ONLY TO GIVE GOD THE FATHER THE GLORY ......REFLECTING ON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD TAKES ON A WHOLE NEW FORM WHEN WE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT KNOWING GOD IS DIFFERENT FROM KNOWING ABOUT HIM .....JUST AS WE COME TO KNOW THOSE AROUND US IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES JUST IMAGINE IF WE WERE LOOKING FOR A DEEP AND ABIDING RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE AND WE READ ABOUT THEM AT FIRST ......ALTHOUGH WE MAY LEARN A LOT ABOUT THEM BY READING AND HEARING DIFFERENT THINGS WE WOULD NOT GET TO TRULY KNOW WHO THEY WERE UNTIL WE ACTUALLY FORMED A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM ......IT'S THAT WAY WITH GOD AS WELL .....GOD CREATED US FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM ......THAT IS VERY TRUE , HOWEVER , SIN ENTERED THE WORLD ( YOU UNDERSTAND IT AS WELL BY SAYING WRONG MORAL CHOICES ) ...... ADAM AND EVES DISOBEDIENCE SEVERED THE ONCE PERFECT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAD WITH GOD ....... YES , SINCE OUR GOD IS SINLESS AND PERFECT , SPOTLESS AND EVER SO HOLY , THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIM AND ALL HIS PEOPLE HAS BEEN MARRED EVER SINCE THAT DAY IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.....IN THE BIBLE IT STATES , " All have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD " ROMANS 3:23 ...... THE BIBLE ALSO STATES , " the wages of sin is death , but the gift of GOD is eternal life through CHRIST JESUS our LORD . " ROMANS 6: 23 .....THE SERIOUS CHRISTIAN KNOWS THE IRONY OF THE SCRIPTURE ABOVE IS BOTH THE BLEAK OUTCOME FOR ALL PEOPLE AND GODS ANSWER FOR ALL PEOPLE.....JESUS CHRIST .......THE NEWBORN KING......GOD IN FLESH ......THE GREAT I AM ......THE BRIGHT MORNING STAR ......THE KING OF KINGS ......THE LAMB OF GOD......WHEN HE CAME TO EARTH JESUS LIVED A PERFECT LIFE SO THAT HE COULD PAY THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS.......WHEN HE DIED ON THE CROSS AT CALVARY HIS BLOOD WAS SHED ONCE AND FOR ALL ......WHEN ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE SO AS TO NEVER DIE AGAIN ...... JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE AND SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF OUR FATHER GOD IN HEAVEN ..... AND SO WE NEED TO EXAMINE THE AUTHENTICITY OF OUR BELIEFS ABOUT WHO JESUS IS....... UNLESS WE STUDY GODS WORD ( THE HOLY BIBLE )IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHO JESUS CHRIST IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US OR WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN..... IT IS JUST NOT ENOUGH FOR US TO "BELIEVE " ...... IN THE BOOK OF JAMES CHAPTER 2 VERSES 14-26 JESUS TEACHES THAT TRUE FAITH WITHOUT DEEDS (WORKS , ACTIONS ) IS DEAD FAITH ...... JESUS KNOWS HIS OWN ......CAN WE TRULY MAKE THE CLAIM TO BE ONE OF HIS ....... IF WE SAY YES PRAISE OUR LORD BUT IF WE SAY NO OR NOT SURE IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO SUBMIT OURSELVES BEFORE OUR LORD AND BEGIN ANEW AND WHAT BETTER A TIME TO START THAN THIS BLESSED CHRISTMAS SEASON.............................SUMMER

HE IS NEAR

SURELY WE HAVE HAD A MOMENT OR TIME IN OUR LIVES WHEN IT WAS SO BAD THAT THINGS SEEMED AS THOUGH THEY WOULD NEVER GET BETTER ...... OR STILL YET WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED THE HEARTFELT PAIN OF LOSING SOMEONE THAT WE LOVE ...... AND THEN THERE WERE THOSE NIGHTS WE COULD NOT SLEEP BECAUSE OF GUILT, WORRY OR LONELINESS ...... WE MAY EVEN BE SUFFERING THROUGH ONE OF THESE SITUATIONS RIGHT NOW ...... WE MAY BEGIN TO WONDER WHAT IS SO GOOD ABOUT GOD BEING GOOD ?...... IN THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES , PSALM 73 : 28 STATES , "But as for me , the nearness of GOD is my good ; I have made the LORD GOD my refuge , That I may tell of all YOUR works. " WHEN WE EXAMINE THIS LINE OF SCRIPTURE IT TELLS US THAT GOD ALONE IS GOOD ...... HE IS THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD ...... HIS NEARNESS IS ENOUGH FOR US ....... HE IS ALWAYS THERE , NEAR TO US , IN GOOD TIMES AND IN IN BAD ...... HIS PRESENCE IS ALL WE NEED WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT ......AS CHRISTIANS WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NEVER TRULY ALONE ......THE LORD GOD SAYS , "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them , for the LORD your GOD goes with you ; HE will never leave you nor forsake you . " DEUTERONOMY 31:6 ......WE ARE CALLED TO PERSEVERE WHEN WE ARE GOING THROUGH TIMES IN OUR LIVES THAT TEST OUR FAITH ...... " Let us draw near to GOD with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith , having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water . " HEBREWS 10:22...... WE CAN REST IN THE SECURITY OF OUR SALVATION BECAUSE JESUS SACRIFICED HIS LIFE SO THAT WE MAY HAVE ETERNAL FREEDOM IN HEAVEN WITH HIM , OUR FATHER GOD AND HIS HOLY SPIRIT ..... THE REALITY OF IT IS THAT ALTHOUGH WE LIVE HERE FOR NOW OUR FOREVER HOME IS IN HEAVEN ...... "Therefore , since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens , JESUS the SON of GOD , let us hold firmly to the faith we profess . For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses , but we have one who has been tempted in every way , just as we are - yet was without sin . Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence , so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need . " HEBREWS 4:14-16 ...... THE WORD OF GOD SHEDS LIGHT ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO WHILE WE ARE HERE IN THIS WORLD ...... THE SCRIPTURES ALSO REVEAL HOW WE NEED TO LIVE , WHETHER THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN OUR LIVES ARE GOING GOOD OR BAD ....... KNOWING THAT OUR LORD NEVER LEAVES US NOR FORSAKES US SETS A PRECEDENCE FOR US TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH OURSELVES AND ASK A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION ..... ARE WE NEAR TO HIM ?............. SUMMER