The Secret Place

I don't know about you but I have this longing to know my Heavenly Father in a more intimate way. How do I obtain this intimacy with the Father? No, I am not about to give you a three step process to increase your intimacy with the Lord. We have to think in the context of a relationship will a loved one, family member, friend, or significant other. Quality time is key in order for a relationship to grow. Also, it is important to have one-on-one time together. You need to be able to lay aside all worries and stresses of life and say, "I am not going to worry about that now because I am here with you." Jesus said something very important in Matthew 6:6.

"But you, when your pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

We must learn to find a private area to go before the Lord. At that moment we are there only for Him. We also must shut out all distractions and stresses of life. Shut the door to your problems and go to the Father to know Him more. Go to Him for who He is, not what He can do for you. Our strength is found in Him. Often we go to him with all our baggage and we spend our entire time talking/praying about ourself and the help we need. No one wants a spouse, friend, or parent who only comes to you to talk about their problems and then went it comes time for you to share they leave. How many times have we left God. We must face it, we live in a corrupt world. There is always going to be something. God promises to help us, the Holy Spirit is our comforter (2 Corinthians 1:1-7). With this said, we must lay down our mountains, our struggles, our issues, and spend time with God without them being the main discussion. When you spend quality time, one-on-one, in private with the Father those mountains, struggles, and issues will feel like nothing. He gives us the ability and strength to conquer not just to bypass. Jesus did not avoid death but defeated it!

AFRICA

Africa, a land full of diversity, is made up of 57 counties with a total population of 934,375,000. Among this population, it is believed there is 3,750 different people groups with 969 of them falling in the least reach category (minimal to no Christian presence). Many African nations are stricken by poverty with the majority of the people living in substandard conditions. James 1:27 says, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and keep oneself unspotted from the world." Before this, Paul address the importance of being "doers" of the word and not just "hearers" of the word. God has called us to reach out to those in need. Accepting His Word and walking it out is vital to the Christian life. The need is there and the challenge has been set before you. How shall you respond?