Secret Things Belong Unto The Lord Our God

Deuteronomy 29:29

“Secret things belong unto the Lord our God.”* A secret is something known only to one or to very few. Many things are known to God which are kept secret from man, but all man’s secrets are known to God. It pleases God, however, to reveal some of His sweet secrets to man. Those who love God and serve Him faithfully have the blessed privilege of knowing many things of God and heaven that others do not know. God “revealeth his secrets to his servants.”* 

Jesus said that He would make Himself known to us as He would not unto the world. Oh, how blessed to come near to Christ and have Him tell us some of the precious secrets contained in those mysteries hidden for ages! The angels knew that the mystery of salvation contained many precious things, for they desired to look into it. The revelations of Jesus are heaven to the soul. How the heart that has heard the voice of the Lord longs to know more of the secret things hidden in Him! Such a heart will seek after Him; it will cleave to Him; it will rest only when in His presence and learning more of Him, seeing more of His love, and tasting more of the sweetness of His life.

God usually speaks in a “still small voice,”* and hence to hear Him one must necessarily come very near to Him. God has a secret place in which He tells His secrets. It is only those that “[dwell] in the secret place of the most high”* that can know the secrets of the Lord. If you would know much of the secret things of God, you must live near Him. The Lord has a secret tabernacle, and it is in that secret place with all the world shut out that He tells His secrets. 

It is a narrow passage that leads to this secret pavilion. Houses and lands must be left behind. Those hearts to whom houses and lands can talk cannot hear the still, sweet voice of Jesus. The voice of the Lord might be saying, “Come to me in a quiet hour of prayer”; but houses and lands would be saying, “You will not have time; we must have your service.” If you would hear God speak, you must leave this world so far behind that you cannot hear it when it speaks.

The way into the Lord’s secret pavilion is so narrow that father and mother, brothers and sisters and friends, must be left behind. Jesus may speak; but if you are not deaf to the voice of father or mother, you may not hear Him. Children also must be left behind. God may be calling you to a secret place where He can tell you secret things. It may be far from home; it may be over the stormy seas; but father, mother, brother, sister, or children may talk so loudly to your heart that you cannot hear God’s voice. “The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him.”* To fear God is to keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 5:29).

To enter into the secret chamber of God, your own life must be left behind. Self must be crucified. Oh, how many dear children of God have failed to hear the secrets of the Lord because of the clamorous voice of self! Jesus is talking to your heart, saying, “Here is one of My poor, needy ones to whom you can now give aid, and I will bless you and make you happy”; but that monster self sets up such a din and confusion that you cannot hear the voice of Jesus. So self must be crucified.

There are secret things of God to be learned all along the Christian way. We are to grow not only in the grace but also in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus. It is not in the greatest affairs and concerns of life only that we need to know more of God; but many, I am persuaded, also need to know Him better in the little happenings and circumstances of everyday life. 

When Peter called the Master’s attention to the withered fig tree, he answered, “Have faith in God,”* and then farther said, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”*  God will bless the affairs of your everyday life. Do not think anything too hard nor too small for God to do. If you want a mountain removed, ask Him and doubt not, and you shall have what you asked; or if it is only a grain of sand you want removed, ask the Lord and doubt not, and He will remove it. 

It is more difficult for some to have faith for the small things than for the great things. If you have but two pieces of meat, do not hesitate to give one piece to the needy. God can, and will if you ask, make the remaining piece go farther than the two would have gone without His blessing. This is a secret not known by everyone.  

God’s child has nothing to fear. The love of a gracious heavenly parent is over it. Have faith in God, and He will reveal Himself in many wondrous secret ways. Christ fed the multitude from a few loaves. He is the same today, and He will do the same for you literally. Draw near to Him, and He will teach you secret things.

~Bits and Pieces of The Secret Things Of God – Secret Things Belong Unto The Lord Our God – Prophetic Secrets

"Lord, Your Word says, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding' (Proverbs 9:10). May a healthy fear and knowledge of You be the foundation upon which wisdom and discernment are established in my children and grandchildren. May each one turn to You for all decisions so that they will not make poor choices. Help them to see that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in You and that You give of them freely when we ask for them. As each one seeks wisdom and discernment from You, Lord, pour it liberally upon them so that all their paths will be peace and life." [Amen.]   -S. Omartian

A Bible Study I was Blessed to read and had posted on FB on June 19, 2017

THE NEW BIRTH

JOHN 3:1-21

3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus (“Conqueror of the People”) was an influential and respected member of the Sanhedrin. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus was thoroughly trained in Jewish law and theology; Jesus therefore called him a “teacher of Israel” (3:10). 

Nicodemus may have come to Jesus at night because he was fearful of losing his reputation and position. More likely he was a particular example of those mentioned in John 2:23; if so, his night visit would indicate a lack of certainty that Jesus was the Messiah Himself. 

Upon repentance, a new order of life opens to the believer in Jesus Christ.  Jesus used the figure of "new birth" to dramatically indicate three things:
  
1) Without New Birth, there is no life and no relationship with God (14:6). 

2) In New Birth, new perspective comes as we see the Kingdom of God" (3:3), God's Word becomes clear and the Holy Spirit's works and wonders are believed and experienced - faith is alive.  

3) Through New Birth we are introduced - literally we "enter (v. 5) - to a new realm, where God's Kingdom new order can be realized (2 Cor. 5:17).  New Birth is more than simply being "saved."  It is a requalifying experience, opening up the possibilities of our whole being to the supernatural dimension of the life and fitting us for a beginning in God's Kingdom order.  (Matt. 3:1, 2; 4:17; 13:1-52)

3:3-4  Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”   4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

The Greek word translated again can also be rendered “from above.” Nicodemus clearly understood it in the former sense, whereas Jesus had both meanings in mind. To enter the kingdom of God, one must be born again, not by experiencing a second biological birth but by spiritual birth from above.

John's Gospel introduces the Holy Spirit's role in spiritual growth.  The New Birth and the baptism with the Holy Spirit endow the believer with the life and gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the ability to pray in Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, Helper, Advocate, and Guide.  He is our source of true spiritual understanding.  He lifts up Jesus and builds up believers, enabling them to live the Christian life.  Understand that perceiving the kingdom of God and entering it are impossible without spiritual rebirth.

3:5  Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 

Water may refer to physical birth. The Hebrews used terms such as “water” and “drop” in describing natural birth, and such an explanation fits the context. However, some see a reference to the faith that is expressed in water baptism (not “for” but “because of” salvation). Spirit refers to the spiritual birth brought about by the renewing and transforming power of the Holy Spirit. 

3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  

3:9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

3:10-21 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man [b]who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should [c]not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

3:14 The deliverance from sin described in Num. 21:4–9 is a type of the Crucifixion. 

3:16 The theme of this summary of the gospel is God’s love made manifest in an infinitely glorious manner. Only begotten can also be translated “unique” and is often used interchangeably with “beloved” (see Matt. 3:17). The remainder of John’s Gospel is given to demonstrating Jesus’ unique relationship to the Father. 
Study with the ~NSFL Bible

Footnotes:
John 3:3 Or from above
John 3:13 NU omits who is in heaven
John 3:15 NU omits not perish but

David's "Hallelujah Chorus" Bless the Lord, O My Soul - Psalm 103:1-5

Praise the Lord and count your blessings (vv. 1-2)

This is a prayer of nothing but praise to God. There is no supplication, no request, no petition or plea in this prayer. It is pure unadulterated praise to God. David was awestruck with God's blessings.  He realized how good God had been and how undeserving he was of all these blessings. David was singing the ancient Hebrew version of "Count your blessings."  Springing up from the depths of his heart and gushing out onto his parchment came this prayer of praise, this benediction expressing his gratitude toward the Lord. These words were not dry and stale when David sang them. They were full of life and energy. They were part of his worship. David sang it with joy and with a deep desire to let God and all else who could hear know just how much he really wanted God to receive praise and glory.   

Life in relationship with God is whole and healthy (v. 3)

As David writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he understands that God forgives our sins. But he also sees believers as people who have been made whole because of their relationship with God.  God is the great physician to whom we can take all of our physical needs and petitions. He made us and has the power to save us.  He is talking to his soul, telling it that God heals all the diseases of the soul, sin being chief among them. Does the soul have diseases? Indeed it does. Fear, doubt, depression, anger, lust, hate jealously, pride, greed . . . the list goes on and on. These soul diseases can all be traced back to our fallen nature and the effects of sin. But God can give permanent healing to the soul.

Life in relationship with God is meaningful (vv. 4-5) 

God gives His people purpose in living. He gives us meaning. He keeps our lives from going to waste. Our lives are lived with eternal purpose. All lives not lived in Christ are only a shell of what they are intended to be. This is one of the benefits of knowing God, our lives count; they are not lived in vain. They have eternal significance. This is one of the things David is praising the Lord for.  Because He forgives our sins, because He gives us relationship, because He heals our souls diseases, then we see that life is meaningful.  He gives us satisfaction in our old age. Remember he is speaking to his soul, he is saying that one of the benefits of being God's people is that when we are old we will not have to look back upon our lives with regret. Regardless of your age, or of how many years you have walked upon the earth, God will give you satisfaction.

Psalm 103:1-5
By David.

ברכי נפשי את־יהוה וכל־קרבי את־שם קדשו׃
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

ברכי נפשי את־יהוה ואל־תשכחי כל־גמוליו׃
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

הסלח לכל־עונכי הרפא לכל־תחלאיכי׃
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

הגואל משחת חייכי המעטרכי חסד ורחמים׃
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

המשביע בטוב עדיך תתחדש כנשר נעוריכי׃
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle'.

A psalm is a song. All the psalms were in fact sung by the Hebrews.

Holy Spirit said, Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheinu, Melekh Ha'olam

On March 11, 2018, As I was writing a letter to Tria, my daughter, I had the thought of her situation as "For Such A Time as This" which in turn made me think of the story of Esther.  After thinking those thoughts, the Holy Spirit said, Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheinu, Melekh ha'olam.

Why are you positioned where you are? Why do you work where you work? Why do you live where you live? Why do you go to school where you go to school? Why do you go to church where you go to church? You do what you do because God has assigned you there - and here – “for such a time as this.”

The challenge Esther received is found in Esther 4:14 and it may very well be the challenge that our Savior has for you at this point in your life. “Who knows but that you have come to your position for such a time as this?” In other words, God has placed you where you are, not just to enjoy the benefits of life in America, but to build His kingdom, to help His people, to fulfill His purposes.

If you’ve ever experienced brokenness in your life – if you think you’ve been dealt a tough hand, there is a beautiful lesson here for you. If you’ve been crushed by life - if you have a troubled past that is fractured, then you can learn some unforgettable truths from Esther.

God created you for a divine appointment - a unique role to fulfill in your life - just like Esther! There is something you can do for God that no one else can do - a God-given niche only you can fill.

God issues His challenges, His teachings to us in many ways. He does it though His Word. He does it through His pastors. He does it through His church. He does it through family members or friends or bosses or co-workers or fellow students. 

Listen, we are not the source of power to fulfill our divine appointment for such a time as this. God is the source! Through the Holy Spirit, God will faithfully empower us to take the actions we need to take “for such a time as this.” Every now and then, we find ourselves at a moment in time that might be called a “pivot point” in history.

Today, in America, we aren’t living with the threat of physical death. But God’s people are in distress!

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.         Hosea 4:6

People are dying for the truth. That’s why we are here – to bring life where there is death!

Today, we see the threat of death to family.

We see the threat of death to morality.

We see the threat of death to eternity.

Wherever there is a people of God there are enemies of God.

You are where you are for such a time as this because God’s people are in distress!

This was the testing of Esther’s character. She was beautiful on the outside. But was she beautiful on the inside?

I believe these verses go on to teach us that she was incredibly more beautiful on the inside. I Samuel 16:7 says, “The LORD sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” What did He see when He saw Esther’s heart? What does He desire to see in your heart and in mine?

What is God looking for in your heart?

God challenges our values, doesn’t He? What is most important to you? In order for us to fulfill our divine appointment in such a time as this, we must be willing to let go of the selfishness. We’ve got to let go of our need to be in control. We’ve got to let go of our telling God when it is convenient in our schedules to serve Him. We’ve got to sacrifice our time, our talent, and our treasure.

God is looking for a sacrificial heart.

What does God see when He sees your heart?

For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.  II Chronicles 16:9

“Enough of the easy life,” said Esther. “It’s time to put my life on the line. I am Jewish and I believe in the living God. I’m ready to stand up for my people. And if I perish, I perish.”

What does it matter if you get involved or not? It matters greatly because it shows what’s in your heart. Yes, it’s true that God has other ways to accomplish His objectives. He has other people He can use. He isn’t frustrated or restrained because you and I may be indifferent. But when that happens, we are the losers. When we are called “for such a time as this,” how tragic if we do not have what it takes to stand when invited.

I am only one,

But still I am one.

I cannot do everything;

But still I can do something;

And because I cannot do everything

I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.

God’s person has been discovered! That person, I believe, is you and it’s me!

Esther had asked for prayer and fasting to prepare for the moment when the doors to the Throne Room opened and she walked through the door. She knelt as soon as she was clear of the doorway and waited for the response from the King. Would she live or would she die? When the King extended his golden scepter, he had spared her life. His response was very tender. The king listened to her pleas for her people.

The tables were turned on the man who wanted to kill Mordecai and all the Jews. The king saw him for what he was – a selfish, power-hungry, ego-maniac. He was executed on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai’s murder. Not only were the Jews allowed to live, they were permitted to defend themselves against their enemies. Esther, a Jew, remains the queen. And Mordecai, another Jew, becomes second-in-command.

Behold, God is exalted in His power…Job 36:22

O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!  Psalm 68:35

Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. Daniel 2:20

Wicked plans have been thwarted. Corruption has been rooted out. Evil has been fully dealt with.

Are you struggling today? Caught in between a rock and a hard place? Stop, take a breath and look around. Look for the hand of God leading you and orchestrating the events around you. Who knows, but that you have been lead to right where you are, for such a time as this.

Never let the fact that God is invisible cause you to doubt the fact that God is invincible.

God’s power is on display!

Notice something. The link between God’s people in distress and God’s power on display is God’s person. Are you God’s person?

God knows everything about you and sees you as His masterpiece, and will never give up on creating you to be everything he created you to be. So, give permission to God to take control of your life. If you don’t know Jesus, He’s here. He loves you. He died to pay the penalty for your sins. He rose again. If you haven’t already, ask Jesus to come into your life right now.  ~Bits and Pieces of the Sermon by Rick Duncan

Baruch Ata Adonoy Shehechianu | Jonathan and Aviva Settel

( Shabbat Shalom Prayer ) In Hebrew and English Lyrics

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, Melekh ha'olam

Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe

asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu

Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us

l'had'lik neir shel Shabbat. (Amein)

to light the lights of Shabbat. (Amen)

You have kept us Alive for Such a Time as This.

Jonathan Settel - Shehekianu/Shehecheyanu - Lyrics. Messianic Praise and Worship

My Glimpses of Heaven with Divine Guidance