Christian Photographers Community

November 8 - The Hidden Things of God

"Blessed art thou...for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my
Father which is in heaven."
(Matthew 16:17)

Remember when you went to school and learned your ABCs? You learned them by
using your five senses and your logical abilities to gather information and sort
it out. That kind of knowledge is called natural knowledge and it's the only
kind most people know anything about.

But in the kingdom of God, there's another kind of knowing. One that works its
way from the inside out instead of from the outside in. It's called revelation
knowledge.

Jesus spoke about this kind of knowledge in Matthew 16. He'd just asked the
disciples, "Who do you say I am?" Peter had answered Him by declaring, "Thou art
the Christ, the Son of the living God."

"Blessed are you, Simon," Jesus responded, "because flesh and blood has not
revealed this to you, but My Father which is in heaven."

In other words, Jesus was saying, "Peter, you didn't learn this information
through your physical senses. You received it another way. You received it
directly from God."

If you've ever had a revelation like that, you know that when it comes, it
changes things. It makes you see old things in an entirely new light. It gives
you such unshakable confidence that, as Jesus said to Peter, "The gates of hell
can't prevail against you."

But revelations like that don't come easily. You have to meditate the Word and
search the Spirit of God for them because they are "hidden" in Him. The Bible
says God has hidden His wisdom for the saints (1 Cor. 2:7-9). Notice, He's
hidden it for you, not from you. He wants you to have it.

Don't think, however, that God is just going to drop great revelations into your
lap while you're watching television. You have to seek Him.

If you're hungry for revelation knowledge, get yourself in a position to receive
it by meditating the Word, praying, and fellowshiping with the Lord. Begin to
receive those revelations from Him. It's the most exciting kind of learning
there is.

Scripture Study:1 Corinthians 2

Awakened Heart, this is such a good study.

I know, in my own life, that I have to ask for forgiveness because I don't seek the hidden things of God often enough. I truly believe as the study has said.....there is so much that we are lacking, so little we have of God's riches when we could have so much more.  His wisdom is our treasure......a treasure to be discovered in God's heart.

Thank you again.  I'm going to print it out.

Hi Nita !
Thanks for the response to the study.
The reason that it touched me is because I KNOW it to be TRUE.
And I am FAR from it in my life.
There was a time when I thought NOTHING could tear me apart from my time with God and the intimacy we had.
But I have not been in the place where I once was.
Sometimes I don't even want to read Christian articles, Especially ones that are really in the spirit. I think because I am not there and it hurts my heart that I don't feel it inside.
I try again and again to get back and I feel so far away.
Have a GREAT day Geri-Jean

Geri-Jean.......I truly understand how you feel.  I've said your same words.

I guess that's why it touched me so much also.  The secret times, the sweetness of relationship, His Presence that is so real and dear that in times of His manifest presence, even your very breath is distracting.....I know.  As long as your heart still hurts, you can find your way back.  I can find my way back.  God promises that if we draw near to Him, He'll draw near to us.  What breaks my heart is that after loving Him with such passion, I could find my heart taking Him for granted sometimes.   I miss Him too.  Let's pray for each other.   He loves us and longs for our love in return.  How could we ever withhold that from our King and Savior?

  Sometimes my heart feels so very hard.

Geri-Jean and Nita - bless God for your openness to His self revelation!  That openness is the very first blessing He gives, and it's precious beyond description!  And in the Scripture incident you've recorded, the revelation to Peter was a revelation of Jesus Christ and His glory.  There can be no greater revelation.  Oh how we need to rejoice in Him.  Paul said, "But God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ!"  I want to worship Him more, but my worship waits on His self revelation - the revelation of my Lord Himself in the glory of His holiness, in the glory of His love, of His righteousness, of His goodness, of His lovingkindness, or His power, and of His MAJESTY!

Thanks Nita and Al...
Thanks for your honesty Nita ! It blesses me to know that you understand this place.
My boyfriend and I lead worship at church. And we had to lead today and will be again tonight.
I did feel God in our worship this morning. Actually at the end of the service we just kept going, even with all the sound shut off. We just kept worshiping with those worshipers who desired more and stayed. It was Beautiful.
i thank God for that moment of sincere worship/
Bless you both today!
Geri-Jean

Thank you, Al, for posting to Geri-Jean and myself.

I'm so glad you had that blessing today, Geri.  I'm praying that, as the Lord creates His will in you, day by day, that you'll have these times of brokeness and, as you said, knowing you are worshipping with sincere lovers of God.

I used to do worship songs, as the Lord would give them to me....

I would rather be broken again and again, than to be strong and upright in my own strength.  I only want to need Him.  I know I need Him,.  but I want to know it with my very breath and deepest longing.  My heart used to be so tender,so easily convicted or moved toward the Lord.  Does anyone ever get like me.......just missing Him?  And I've heard so many times, "if you aren't near God.......who moved?"

Precious Master.....Jesus, my Best Friend and Dearest Companion, the Love of my life......take my heart and make it into what pleases You.  I can't do it, Lord.  I can't do anything.  I'm going to wait here, knowing I am yours, and let you gather me into Yourself, by Your Spirit.  Melt my heart, Master. 
Forgive me for apathy and hardness of heart.   I love you.  I need you.   amen

God is sooo GOOD .. He knows our heart ... He knows our failures ... and He loves us anyway.  I am so thankful that He is a personal God and that He loves me ... and you ... and each of us as though we were the only one on earth that He cares for.  I'm praying for a closer walk with Him .. closer and closer and ever closer ...

Hi, fren Jane.   I know how much you love Him and trust Him..  And I know your peace that passes all human understanding.  Your quiet "knowing" is an inspiration, and I love you.

Quote from: Nita on November 14, 2005, 01:51:01 AM
Thank you, Al, for posting to Geri-Jean and myself.

I'm so glad you had that blessing today, Geri.  I'm praying that, as the Lord creates His will in you, day by day, that you'll have these times of brokeness and, as you said, knowing you are worshipping with sincere lovers of God.

I used to do worship songs, as the Lord would give them to me....

I would rather be broken again and again, than to be strong and upright in my own strength.  I only want to need Him.  I know I need Him,.  but I want to know it with my very breath and deepest longing.  My heart used to be so tender,so easily convicted or moved toward the Lord.  Does anyone ever get like me.......just missing Him?  And I've heard so many times, "if you aren't near God.......who moved?"

Precious Master.....Jesus, my Best Friend and Dearest Companion, the Love of my life......take my heart and make it into what pleases You.  I can't do it, Lord.  I can't do anything.  I'm going to wait here, knowing I am yours, and let you gather me into Yourself, by Your Spirit.  Melt my heart, Master. 
Forgive me for apathy and hardness of heart.   I love you.  I need you.   amen

Yes...I relate Nita.
I miss Him.
Last night we had like an open church, where people could share their hearts. My boyfriend and I did a song that God gave to me called "Come away".
It seemed to be the theme of the night.
He is really calling us back to intimacy with Him.
I find it so difficult.
I get so distracted. I believe HE can do it though.
Thanks for the prayer Nita !!!
Geri-Jean

This was in my email today.
Thought I would share it with you.

Today's Devotional:

In this ongoing series, we will be looking closely at what lessons we can learn from Solomon

about how to have the kind of relationship with God that He desires for us to have. I urge you

to take the time to meditate upon each Truth presented; to ask God to make each lesson

REAL to you and to take quiet time to prayerfully ponder each point and what it means to YOU! To visit the archive of past LESSONS ON RELATIONSHIP FROM SOLOMON, please

see

www.sermonillustrator.org/minisermons/folder_3/lessons_on_relationship_from_solomon

LESSONS ON RELATIONSHIPS FROM SOLOMON, Lesson 17
Unit 2: OUR Part in the Relationship;
Part 4: We Must Cry out to Him!

Run to me Dear Lover

You know, I'm afraid that I am often guilty of not reading documents in their entirety. In fact, as

I am often pressed for time, when I read through my professional journals, I often skip right

through to the final, concluding paragraph and sentence, and it never fails that this is where I

find a summary of the most important ideas in the article. Any well-written essay is the same.

The concluding statement always sums up what the entire essay is trying to say. And this

final verse in the Song of Solomon is the concluding summary of the entire book. In it is

summed up one of the most important truths about having a relationship with God. Let's look:

"Run to me . . . Come like a gazelle. Leap like a wild stag on the spice mountains." (Song

8:14b from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H.

Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Remember. God wants to be your "dear lover", your most intimate companion and dearest

friend. Your part in the equation is simply to desire God as much as He desires you, to

desire Him enough to call out to Him: "Run to me!"

But when the verse goes on, it repeats itself! How many of you know that when God repeats

Himself, He's REALLY trying to get your attention? "Come like a gazelle. Leap like a wild

stag on the spice mountains." Now gazelles are VERY fast and stags are known for their

ability to leap over obstacles in their path. Friend, you should so desire God's presence that

you cry out for Him to bound over any obstacle that stands between you (like a wild stag), as

quickly as possible (like a gazelle) to come to you!

Ponder this, my friend. Ponder the truth that the place to start to have a relationship with God

is to desire to be in His presence enough to cry out to Him to come-quickly, leaping over

every obstacle-to be with you! That's the first steps! Why not try it today?

Please join us next Saturday for Lessons on Relationships From Solomon, Lesson 18 where

we will examine the importance of telling others about God!

In His love,

Lyn 

Lyn Chaffart, moderator, The Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets (

www.sermonillustrator.org/minisermons ), Answers2Prayer Ministries,

www.Answers2Prayer.org , Lyn@Sermonillustrator.org .

QuotePonder this, my friend. Ponder the truth that the place to start to have a relationship with God is to desire to be in His presence enough to cry out to Him to come-quickly, leaping over every obstacle-to be with you! That's the first steps! Why not try it today?

Thank you

Hi Nita