THE SECRET PLACE

We all had them, special places, and I hope to stimulate your memory regarding your own personal escape to solitude. A place of peace, a refuge from distraction and interference. Both physically and mentally we have the indwelling desire and ability to take "time-out". Perhaps as a child it was lying on your back in the tall grass on a lazy summer day.  The sun warmed your face as you chewed on a piece of hay and watched the puffy clouds drift by.  The sights and sounds of everyday life faded in the distance.  You may have sat on a rock beside a clear stream and watched the reflection of the light,and listened to the gentle language of the water as it splashed and gurgled over and around obstacles.  The sweet sounds of nature allowing you to meditate and reflect.

Add to these scenes the joyful and diverse songs of the birds, and the audible movement of the leaves dancing in the breeze, natures own relaxant.

Another level of "secret places" as we grew older, and wanted to be accepted and "belong", were our clubs and mini-organizations.  These were often located in the proverbial tree-houses. Only special friends or carefully screened applicants were welcome here!  This was a broader scope of serenity, but with limited access so as to maintain a restful and comfortable atmosphere.

Then came the times in our lives when we couldn't get away, there was no place to run from our situation. We resorted to a new concept, one of retreating mentally.  In this secret place we used the power of the imagination to create a safe haven, always a place of beauty and quietness.

The reason this factor is present in us, and we naturally flow in this direction, is because we are in His Image.

God not only has secrets.. He has a "Secret Place."

As His friends, He welcomes us there.

John 15:15 I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father ...I have told you.

There is a god of this world, a spiritual force, a prince and power of the air, but he is not omniscient.

Choosing the knowledge of good and evil resulted in the death of the spirit. That choice was made by Adam and we are in effect "still-born" in our spirits until we choose the Christ-Life. Our spirit is then quickened or made alive.

The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world, because had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory (1 Cor.2:7-8).

The greatest secret of all time and eternity past was the "Plan of Redemption."  The angelic spirit world desired to understand.

The prophets eagerly craved knowledge of the things about which they prophesied (1Pet.1:10-12), but no!  Our Heavenly Father was keeping His secret until the exact right moment,"the fullness of time".

It was as if time became like the bud on a flower (perhaps the Lily of the Valley or the Rose of Sharon) so full that it burst into bloom... the Son of God.

All of creation harmonized in implementing the "Plan".

Psalm 91  He that dwells in the "SECRET PLACE " of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

There is such tremendous revelation in this one verse. God almighty by-passed angels and prophets and invites us to live in perfect harmony with Him.  He longs to share His secrets with us (Matt.13:35; Romans 16:25; Eph:3:9).  He wants us to live in the secret place. He so loved us that He manifest in flesh so we could relate to Him and so He could die and settle the debt (1 Pet:3:18).

He came as the perfect Lamb of God (Col. 1:20).

The "flesh" concept is so important that 1 John 4 issues a warning that we recognize and understand "why" the Word was made flesh.  No man could look on God and live.  The flesh of Jesus Christ filtered the rays of the eternal Light casting a shadow of the Almighty, a place where we can dwell in safety.

We need to constantly remind ourselves of our position "in Christ" and all of the Blessings and benefits that it offers.
Jesus died -once- the work is finished, the enemy is defeated. We are invited to live in power and victory right now.

The example we are given of following the leading of God until we come into that place of rest, is found in the story of the journeys of the Children of Israel.  They were delivered from captivity, experienced the miracle of salvation, saw the enemy defeated, were provided and cared for by their Heavenly Father. However, these people were hard to convince. They were not seeing what God was doing -- not Hearing what He was saying.  They had short-term memory of the positive and long-term memory of the negative. This led to unbelief which became their barrier to entering into rest and possessing the promises.

There was no foundation in the wilderness, always moving.  No permanent dwelling-place. It was the will of God for them to go on.

When we mature in our Christian walk to the extent that we can cross over into spiritual Canaan, then we can begin to build.

We enter into rest -- we stop trying to work things out and let Him. We possess the promises and Blessings of God here and now in this life.

Jesus Christ is the Secret Place of God. When we get "in Him" we are complete. We have to know (believe) who we are "in Christ."

The good news of the Gospel lets us know that we can experience the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, but the same Word tells us that He didn't stop there . He ascended to a position of power and authority (Eph.1:20-23; Eph.2:5-6).

If we are "in Christ" we are where He is. I submit to you that we are seated together with Him in Power, Authority, and Victory.

The prayer recorded in Eph.1:17-19 should be our ongoing objective. To know Him, to have Him renew our mind and cause us to ever be aware of our position "in Christ."

1Cor.1:30  But of Him are ye "in Christ" Jesus who of God is made unto us , wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.

He wants to be everything to us.

See you in the Secret Place !!