encouragement

MONDAY: January, 14th, 2008

Good Morning, Ladies!!

I found myself stumbling around this morning, my lower back hurting and not wanting to head to the office! ? (Oh… I forgot… it’s Maniacal Monday!) ? ?

My hubby was already downstairs studying, so I took the opportunity to find some “Words of Wisdom” in God’s Word. But something “hit” me this morning… The Bible is not “Words of Wisdom”… they are “Wisdom of the Word!” The whole Bible is “words of Wisdom”… so anything I read will be “inspired!” ?

I wanted to start communicating with you daily on a few “devotional” studies… not necessarily poignant for you at this time, but possibly in the near future. The word of God is poignant for any time… but one lady may be up on a “Mountaintop High” and the other in a “Hidden Valley.” Every lady will have either experience during the days ahead… so I hope these daily devotionals will be helpful to you.

This morning, with my back hurting and the work e-mails flying and phones ringing, I once again, found myself in Psalms. Psalms 91:1.

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” I think at one time I talked about the “Secret Place” of God… but I wanted to reiterate how important it is to remember that even God Himself, has a “secret place!”

“Karen… what type of ‘secret place’ could God Almighty have?” I’m glad you asked! ? In Psalm 18 there are some very powerful and awe inspiring verses to me! My love of “storms” brought me to these verses when I was 18 years old… little did I realize how much these verses would impact me in the future. I have referred to them over and over again these past 22 years.

Psalm 18:6-11

• 6. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
• 7. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
• 8. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured : coals were kindled by it.
• 9. He bowed the heavens also, and came down : and darkness was under his feet.
• 10. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly : yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
• 11. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
• 12. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed , hail stones and coals of fire.
• 13. The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
• 14. Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
• 15. Then the channels of waters were seen , and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
• 16. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

Notice verse 11: He made “darkness” his “SECRET PLACE.” Interesting how God makes “Darkness” his “Secret Place.”

“Karen? How does this apply to me?” Another good question… (you ladies are very awake today!)

Notice verse 6… “In my Distress..” How many of you ladies have ever felt “distressed?” *I’m raising my hand here… in fact I’ve raised BOTH my hands!* Distress is a dark and very often lonesome time in our lives. Very literally interpreted… distress means: suffering, pain, sorrow, agony, grief, misery. Usually considered the darkest time is when you are “distressed.”

Let me tie these thoughts together now: “In my distress… (or darkness), I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God.” And what? “He heard my voice!” What did God do? He made your darkness His “Secret Place!” (Psalm 91:1) That’s when He seems to work the most… when we are at the darkest and most distressful time in our life! God shows Himself in such a way that even during the “Dark Times” we see “light at the end of the tunnel!” Verse 16: “He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.”

Please note in Psalm 91:1 again: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” What is God’s “Secret Place?” Darkness! And what happens if you are in that “dark time?” You’ll “abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” I don’t know about you, ladies, but when I’m in a “dark time” in my life, I want to be in God’s “shadow.” So close that when I call, He turns around and I’m right there in His shadow.

What a joy to know that God makes darkness His “Secret Place”… and what a more blessed joy to know that OUR DARKNESS is where He will work His miracles. No wonder “darkness” is God’s “Secret Place.” It’s the one place where His majestic work can be seen and acknowledged by His children… and when verse 16 comes into our lives, we can praise Him all the more for His “Wondrous Works”.

Please remember to send me your favorite verses. And if something has touched your heart in the verses that you would like to share with everyone. I would like to post these on the church website to be shared with ladies across the United States.

God bless all you ladies today!!

Sincerely,

Karen Johnson

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TUESDAY