Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place
Pulpit Series Volume 16 Issue 47 12/31/2006
Pulpit Series Volume 16 Issue 47 12/31/2006
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant
Psalm 25:14
The natural world is full of secrets. It seems the best things are hidden away, certainly they aren’t laying around on the surface. Precious metals are hidden in the earth. Rocks need to be blasted in order to secure the hidden ore. Diamonds come from great depths; pearls are taken out of the deep sea.
The labor of James Watt gave us the steam engine; The toil of George Stephenson, a railroad; the research of Edison and Bell, the telephone; none of them dead beats or idlers.
These men denied themselves of money, comfort and pleasures. They shut themselves up searching out these things that you are so glad to use in everyday life.
Once, when Thomas Edison was working on developing a better battery, an assistant came up to him and suggested that Mr. Edison must be ready to quit after having performed some 50,000 tests without success. "You must be pretty downhearted with the lack of progress", the assistant said. Edison replied, "Downhearted? We've made a lot of progress. At least we know 50,000 things that won't work!" In the end he developed a nickel-iron alkaline battery that became an industry standard and is still used today-more than 90 years later!
It took more than 2,000 tests to find the right filament for the light bulb. We all use the light bulb; imagine if Edison had given up because it was too hard?
I want to say to you that just as men willing to deny themselves get the secrets of nature, so, they that deny themselves and search, find the secrets of the Spirit. Don’t settle for surface.
God has some things that men don’t find by simply occupying a chair in a church service.
His secrets and mysteries are only revealed to those who fear God and willingly pay the price.
Many people think Christians are all alike in heaven; but the Bible doesn’t teach that. All men are not the same here, and they won’t be the same there; some folk, if they ever get there will get in by the skin of their teeth, bareheaded, having no crown.
As certainly as Jesus had a few disciples who stood close to Him and went with Him everywhere, to whom He revealed His secrets and told the things of His life, God has a select few to whom He tells His secrets.
There are a lot of church attendees who know nothing about the things I am talking about, I am not saying that God shuts them out, but rather that they shut themselves out.
God has secrets in the spiritual realm that He is revealing to the people who are living near Him! I want to call your attention to some of these secrets. One of them is the new birth. The new birth is a secret none know except those who have it. It is a secret that is revealed by the Holy Ghost in the heart. Saved or church attendee?The secret of faith. Daniel knew that secret. Daniel and God had talked the matter over. God said, "Daniel, if you will be true to me, and sleep with the lions, I will send an angel and stop their mouths." And Daniel said, "I’ll do it"; and God let Daniel go into the lions' den, and He stopped their mouths.
He wouldn’t let you go into the lions' den; you’d not be honored with a trip like that, because you’d not be quiet and trust God. You’d be screaming to get out, and the lions would eat you up.
But God knew Daniel, and God knew Daniel would trust him, for he had "the secret of the Lord."
Daniel went into the lions' den and slept like a baby, it was the ungodly king who walked the house all through that night. When you get this secret you believe for anything and get it.
When you get this experience, you are assured that God has your loved ones in hand. He shall and will attend to them.
Without this secret the probability is that you will tell them this, that but never get them saved. But when you get struck with His lightning yourself, God will send conviction that’ll move your relatives. Wouldn’t you like to see your family saved?
The labor of James Watt gave us the steam engine; The toil of George Stephenson, a railroad; the research of Edison and Bell, the telephone; none of them dead beats or idlers.
These men denied themselves of money, comfort and pleasures. They shut themselves up searching out these things that you are so glad to use in everyday life.
Once, when Thomas Edison was working on developing a better battery, an assistant came up to him and suggested that Mr. Edison must be ready to quit after having performed some 50,000 tests without success. "You must be pretty downhearted with the lack of progress", the assistant said. Edison replied, "Downhearted? We've made a lot of progress. At least we know 50,000 things that won't work!" In the end he developed a nickel-iron alkaline battery that became an industry standard and is still used today-more than 90 years later!
It took more than 2,000 tests to find the right filament for the light bulb. We all use the light bulb; imagine if Edison had given up because it was too hard?
I want to say to you that just as men willing to deny themselves get the secrets of nature, so, they that deny themselves and search, find the secrets of the Spirit. Don’t settle for surface.
God has some things that men don’t find by simply occupying a chair in a church service.
His secrets and mysteries are only revealed to those who fear God and willingly pay the price.
Many people think Christians are all alike in heaven; but the Bible doesn’t teach that. All men are not the same here, and they won’t be the same there; some folk, if they ever get there will get in by the skin of their teeth, bareheaded, having no crown.
As certainly as Jesus had a few disciples who stood close to Him and went with Him everywhere, to whom He revealed His secrets and told the things of His life, God has a select few to whom He tells His secrets.
There are a lot of church attendees who know nothing about the things I am talking about, I am not saying that God shuts them out, but rather that they shut themselves out.
God has secrets in the spiritual realm that He is revealing to the people who are living near Him! I want to call your attention to some of these secrets. One of them is the new birth. The new birth is a secret none know except those who have it. It is a secret that is revealed by the Holy Ghost in the heart. Saved or church attendee?The secret of faith. Daniel knew that secret. Daniel and God had talked the matter over. God said, "Daniel, if you will be true to me, and sleep with the lions, I will send an angel and stop their mouths." And Daniel said, "I’ll do it"; and God let Daniel go into the lions' den, and He stopped their mouths.
He wouldn’t let you go into the lions' den; you’d not be honored with a trip like that, because you’d not be quiet and trust God. You’d be screaming to get out, and the lions would eat you up.
But God knew Daniel, and God knew Daniel would trust him, for he had "the secret of the Lord."
Daniel went into the lions' den and slept like a baby, it was the ungodly king who walked the house all through that night. When you get this secret you believe for anything and get it.
When you get this experience, you are assured that God has your loved ones in hand. He shall and will attend to them.
Without this secret the probability is that you will tell them this, that but never get them saved. But when you get struck with His lightning yourself, God will send conviction that’ll move your relatives. Wouldn’t you like to see your family saved?
This is the way to do it, make your own life right.
If that church going mother would learn to live as sweet a life at home, in her kitchen, as when she has company, her husband would soon be converted. Some church folk are so hard to get along with, that no one wants their religion.
Lord, help us to get saved through and through, so that we will have something that people want!
Psalms 51:2-13 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me…. Purge me with hyssop and I’ll be clean: wash me and I’ll be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; Hide your face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence and take not your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with your free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors your ways; and sinners shall be converted to you.
There is a secret of power which the Church ought to know. Someone says, I wish I had power. Power for what? Power to be good at this or that. Power to be a somebody? This is of no account. What we need is Power to live godly lives!
II Peter 1:3 According as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness...
Where is the secret of power? It is in the Holy Ghost; and if more people would receive the Holy Ghost they’d have power for the successful accomplishment of everything they do.
There is a secret of joy about which the rank and file know nothing. When you get this blessing you can follow James' injunction, "When you face various trials count it all joy."
You can rejoice on Monday as well as on Sunday.
You can rejoice when everything is against you, when you are out of a job; you can rejoice when you are out of money; you can rejoice when your friends go back on you; you can rejoice when the devil is near; you can whistle, sing, shout, laugh and praise God when there is nothing in sight to rejoice about!
I am talking to you about something that is intensely practical. It is something that will make a you praise God when things don’t go your way.
I tell you what… when something goes wrong in your home, and leave the house slamming the door, and leave your wife standing there feeling hurt -- you, a member of the church - you’re in need of something more than what you got!
This secret will make us live just as God wants us to live, wherever we are, no matter what you are going through.
What is the difference what I preach to you, anyhow, if I am not right at home?
What does it matter what I may say, if my sons and daughter don’t have confidence in me? I’d rather have the confidence of my children than all the honors that the world may give me.
O for something that makes us behave ourselves in our own homes! Beloved, when you get this blessing you can laugh when there is nothing to laugh about.
When Israel walked with God they always had good water, and when they murmured they always lost it?
What is needed is a man who can shout when there is no water in sight, who can praise God when everything looks like midnight darkness. Anyone can praise God after the devil has been defeated; but it takes a man full of salvation who can dance when he is being attacked.
God has such people. I am not done with this subject, but I am going to stop. There doesn't seem to be any end to sermons anyway. If you are going to get the secret you’ll have to come and walk with the folks who possess it. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.
The Lord will give you the secret of regeneration, of power, of joy, and a whole lot of things I have not mentioned -- he’ll flood your life with the second blessing. Praise the Lord!
Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Where is the secret of power? It is in the Holy Ghost; and if more people would receive the Holy Ghost they’d have power for the successful accomplishment of everything they do.
There is a secret of joy about which the rank and file know nothing. When you get this blessing you can follow James' injunction, "When you face various trials count it all joy."
You can rejoice on Monday as well as on Sunday.
You can rejoice when everything is against you, when you are out of a job; you can rejoice when you are out of money; you can rejoice when your friends go back on you; you can rejoice when the devil is near; you can whistle, sing, shout, laugh and praise God when there is nothing in sight to rejoice about!
I am talking to you about something that is intensely practical. It is something that will make a you praise God when things don’t go your way.
I tell you what… when something goes wrong in your home, and leave the house slamming the door, and leave your wife standing there feeling hurt -- you, a member of the church - you’re in need of something more than what you got!
This secret will make us live just as God wants us to live, wherever we are, no matter what you are going through.
What is the difference what I preach to you, anyhow, if I am not right at home?
What does it matter what I may say, if my sons and daughter don’t have confidence in me? I’d rather have the confidence of my children than all the honors that the world may give me.
O for something that makes us behave ourselves in our own homes! Beloved, when you get this blessing you can laugh when there is nothing to laugh about.
When Israel walked with God they always had good water, and when they murmured they always lost it?
What is needed is a man who can shout when there is no water in sight, who can praise God when everything looks like midnight darkness. Anyone can praise God after the devil has been defeated; but it takes a man full of salvation who can dance when he is being attacked.
God has such people. I am not done with this subject, but I am going to stop. There doesn't seem to be any end to sermons anyway. If you are going to get the secret you’ll have to come and walk with the folks who possess it. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.
The Lord will give you the secret of regeneration, of power, of joy, and a whole lot of things I have not mentioned -- he’ll flood your life with the second blessing. Praise the Lord!
Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.
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