You can keep up with our family activities and observations by way of Hope, Karen, and Matthew, at their respective blogs.

Blessings,

James

I spent a lot of time fishing and wading in the stream, and exploring the woods through which it ran.  Located right behind our property and a bit north was a large pool of water, in the midst of which was a large boulder, half of it submerged.  By wading carefully on one side of the boulder, one could make their way to a section of the rock that could be climbed, thus gaining access to the top of the rock in which was a large fissure.  If you sat in the just right, you could conceal yourself in the rock.

I spent many a day sitting in this hidden area in the rock, many times fishing, but more often just contemplating life and my purpose in it.

It was a perfect, secret place, where life’s puzzles could be considered.

I was reminded of this place when meditating on this verse:

Psalm 119:114  Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

To the psalmist, God is this hiding place, this place that is secret.  But’s it’s not a physical location.  It’s a relational place.  It’s a relationship where things happen to you that happen to know one else.  God teaches you, comforts you, ministers to you, disciplines you, and on and on, in a unique and personal way.  It is a private relationship. 

That’s like the secret place in the rock where I spent my boyhood.  That experience is now burned into my soul which will forever be a picture of what my relationship with my Lord should and must be.

Do you have a secret place in your life?

1. We are saved to a life of faith.

Gal 3: 6  Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

2. We are saved to a life of obedience.

1 John 2: 3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

3. We are saved to a life of holiness.

Heb 12: 14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

4. We are saved to a life of fruitfulness.

John 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

5. We are saved to a life that is passionate about good works.

Titus 2: 14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

6. We are saved to a life that gives the deepest meaning and significance to marriage.

Eph 5:31  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

7. We are saved to a life that is headed for heaven.

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Knowing these things ought to produce some things in us.  What would those be?

1. Having been given faith, we need to exercise it.

We need to learn to trust God for things.  We need to be dependent on Him.

a. Sacrifice to the point of need. (2 Cor)
b. Pray for needs (Give us this day…).
c. When God gives you real needs, don’t react negatively.  He is giving you these needs to that you will depend on Him.
d. Engage in practicing the One Anothers.
e. Keep looking forward.

2. Make sure your obedience to the commands of God are:

a. Immediate (without delay).
b. Complete (finish what is begun).
c. Without complaint (do it with joy).

3. In consideration of a holy life, what steps have you taken to remove the old and replace with the new, in every area of life?

This is one reason I love this time of year.  This time of year reminds me about the newness of life in the Christian.  A birth is all about newness.  When we finish a year and start another, it is about newness.  And no part of your life is exempt.

4. Do we consider how to best go about being fruitful? 

Remember, we are judged according to our fruit, not our gifts.

5. How passionate are you about practicing the One Anothers?  Do you know what the One Anothers are?

Click here to view the One Anothers of Scripture.

6. Is your marriage fulfilling the purposes of what a marriage is supposed to be?

What are the purposes of marriage?

a. Purity.  Marriage is a picture of the purity of a relationship.  One man, one woman, for life.  This pictures the relationship of Christ and the church, which ought to be just as pure.
b. Fruitfulness.  The having of children is a purpose of marriage (how ever many God gives you). 
c. Companionship.  There is a mutual affection for and help of one another in a marriage.

7. Do you long for heaven and are you preparing your place there?

We prepare long and hard for a great many things.  What about heaven?  Do we think about things in light of eternity?

Matthew 1:21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Why was it necessary for Him to save His people?  Here are a few reasons:

1. He saved us so that we would no longer be enemies of God.

Rom 5: 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

2. He saved us from being in bondage to sin.

Romans 6: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

3. He saved us so that we would not be fearful.

Hebrews 2: 14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

4. He saved us from a corrupted conscience.

Heb 9: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

5. He saved us so that we would not have to satisfy the legal demands of the law.

Col 2: 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross…

6. He saved us from an eternity in hell.

Matt 25: 34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world… 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…

Thanks be to God, for His wonderful and precious gift to those of us who are His, a life freed from these things and set apart for His purpose.