Echoes From the Campfire

[Don Adkisson]

“We'll face it then. Nobody lives their life without having to face things from time to time.”
--Louis L'Amour (Hondo)

"If that is our case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."
--Daniel 3:17-18 (NKJV)
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Are you good with secrets? To whom do you share your secrets? Some folks are just plain old blabbermouths, but guess what, even they have secrets hidden within them. A person will not confide in another the deep secrets of their heart unless that person is someone they respect. This goes both ways; you respect the person in whom you would confide because they have already shown respect for you.

Take time to read Psalm 25:14, read it several times before going on to the rest of the morning's thought.

"The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant." (NKJV)

The Lord has a secret, does He respect you enough to share it with you? First of all do you want to share in the secrets of the Lord? Some have delighted in this, others have run away. God will give it to those He respects. Phillips Brooks states, "Love without respect has lost the substance and the essence of itself... You cannot love God unless you fear Him." This is one spiritual truth that the church has forgotten. Hopping and swooning in a "worship service" is not necessarily showing the fear of the Lord, nor that you sincerely love Him. This is familiarity. People want a "pal" and in this "easy familiarity which God loses His secret." There is something missing when reverence is forgotten or removed.

Abraham was a man in whom God shared His secrets (see Genesis 17 and 18). He was a man who deeply loved God and greatly revered Him. "Love deepens every hour, but reverence is always deepening with it, and to this ever-deepening reverence and love the nature and purposes of God are always opening." (Brooks) This love/reverence combination is why at times you will feel a great grieving when you see things happening amongst God's people.

Are you one who will refuse to hear the secrets of God? Or will you cling close to Him? To know His secrets you must spend time with Him, having serious talks. You must read His Word, and there must be obedience. "By true obedience understand what He is, and then the fearfulness of God, the greatness of His nature and His love will take possession of you, and in that atmosphere the secret of the Lord shall come to you and be with you." (Brooks)

Be a friend of God, seek Him, and He will share with you His marvelous secrets

D.C. Adkisson