The Secret of the Shut Door, does that catch your attention?
In Mt. 6:6 it says: “But you, when you 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.”

Matthew 6:6 contains a powerful secret about the where of prayer. There is a guaranteed way to get into God’s presence. There is a sure-fire 100% guaranteed way to have instant intimacy with the Father, and Jesus Himself gave us the key. Jesus gave us this secret in the above verse when He said, “Your Father who is in the secret place.” Jesus is saying, “Your Father is already in the secret place. He has gone ahead of you; He is waiting for you. The moment you get to the secret place, you are in the immediate presence of your Father.

Jesus affirmed this truth twice in the same chapter. He says it the second time in Mt. 6:18, “So that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who see in secret will reward you openly.” Jesus says it twice for emphasis, so we know this word is absolutely certain. Our Father is in the secret place!

Jesus gives us the key to finding this secret place. If your wondering what you must do to place yourself in the secret place, Jesus made it clear. To get there, all you have to do is shut your door.

So what is THE SECRET? Your heavenly Father desires and delights to meet with you in your secret place. You pick the place and He will meet you there.

Hey: Don’t forget the secret: shut your door!

This is a quote from the first of fifty two devotionals in the book.

“I am absolutely convinced the power of heaven is unlocked on earth when we devote ourselves to the secret place of the Most High.”

“One of the best kept secrets of the faith is the blessedness and joy of cultivating a secret life with God. Imagine the sheer delight of it even now. You’re tucked away in a quiet nook; the door is shut; you’re curled up in a comfortable position; the living word of God is laid open before you; Jesus Himself stands at your side; the Holy Spirit is gently washing your heart; your love is awakened as you meditated upon the gracious words of His mouth; your spirit is ignited and your mind is renewed; you talk to Him, and He talks to you in the language of intimate friendship.”

Does it get any better than this?
So check out Secrets and enjoy with new delight the truth that moves you toward greater intimacy with the Lord Jesus!

The Bibles admonishes us to: …walk carefully not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time… Eph. 5:15-16

How can you make the best use of your time? One of the simplest ways is to plan. That sounds so simple, yet it is amazing how many people do not have a plan for their lives. Do you know where you want to be in your finances, relationships, career, schooling and important areas of your life? Do you just get in your car and start driving with no idea where you will end up? Of course we don’t do that. When you take a trip you have a map to assure that you will arrive at your destination in a safe and timely manner. Why would you not have a map for where you want your life to be in each of these areas?

My suggestion is simple, prepare for this New Year by writing out your thoughts of where you want to be in the various areas of your life. Put your thoughts, dreams and goals down on paper. Do you realize that eighty percent of people who write their goals down achieve their goals? This is a very important step but there is another step that goes with your goals and that is the strategy or steps of how you will achieve your goals. What do you have to do daily, weekly and monthly to achieve your goals? What do you have to change to achieve your goals?

Dreaming this way allows you to tap into the wonderful plans that the Lord Jesus has for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

One important key to achieving your goals is to show them to a friend and ask them to pray for you and hold you accountable to the goals and dreams you are seeking to fulfill.

Dream big my friend, dream big!

Summer is racing toward fall. Isn’t it amazing how fast summer goes? I pray that your summer is fruitful. I will be leaving Aug.2 for a trip to Kenya and Rwanda, Africa. I am excited with anticipation and yet a bit apprehensive. I never feel ready and certainly don’t feel worthy to minister to God’s son’s and daughter’s in various places around the world.
How about you? Are you willing to let the Heavenly Father use you in his vineyard? Do you desire to see the Kingdom of God expand in your area of influence? All we need for that to happen is to follow the pattern of Isaiah in cp. 6. We need a vision of who God is: I saw the Lord…vs. 1 and when that happens it prepares our hearts for the action of vs. 8b “Here am I send me.”
Consider this truth from Jere. 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.

Blessings on your journey, Chuck

There is a couple of powerful verses in Job 22:27-28.

You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.

What you decide (Declare NKJV) on will be done and light will shine on your ways. NIV

When we speak to our Heavenly Father and He answers us, it is light to our soul and spirit. In that place of confidence we resolve to be obedient. Out of our obedience we realize that the Lord has given us authority to make powerful declarations of God’s Word in our lives and situations. When we take that stand of verbal faith our Father is kind to let the light of His presence shine on us through the power of His son Jesus Christ. He even chooses to open the door to unsearchable relational riches in order to encourage His sons and daughters. (Jere. 33:3)

How awesome is our God?

Blessings, Chuck

We have just completed our prophetic seminar and it is wonderful to contemplate always that our Heavenly Father wants His voice to be heard. He has a word for the all who will listen. He is speaking in many ways. His voice is clear, present, and powerful. He is speaking through the beautiful sunrise, through the loved one encouraging you, through the hard circumstances you may be facing and always through His Word the Bible.

Precious one, what is the Father speaking to you in your life? Are you listening and do you hear Him saying come close because I want to speak of the wonderful plans I have for you? Listen… do you hear Him?

"My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27

Blessings, Pastor Chuck

How is your week so far? Will this week fulfill your dreams and desires? Sometimes we get so caught up in the destination that we forget to enjoy the journey. Do you realize that there is one key ingredent that will ensure that this week will meet your expectations. That key is your attitude. There are many things we can’t control and most circumstances we don’t anticipate. Your attitude and knowing how special you are to God will enable and empower your toward victory. Think positive, expect the best and let God take care of the rest. Enjoy your day and anticipate experiencing God’s love no matter what you face this week. The loving Lord holds you in His hands.

Blessings, Pastor Chuck

Just a few thoughts to share with you. I am reading Erwin Lutzer’s book “The Serpent of Paradise” right now and have been captivated by the struggle Lutzer presents as Lucifer (Satan) decides to rebel and the consequences of his rebellion. Lutzer suggests and I agree that Satan’s bid for independence was fatally flawed the moment he sinned. The ramifications of Satan’s fall have been unending.

My question to you, do you believe in the reality of the Devil and what effects of personal sin do you see in your life and struggle for spiritual health?

Food for thought, Chuck

I pray you are living in the power and presence of the living Savior. I have been reading and thinking about the great power the Lord Jesus gave us to deal with the powers of darkness.  From They Shall Expel Demons, by D. Prince, “Jesus gave us His credit card (authority) and we let it get lost in our wallets.” Are you using yours, if so how?

Blessings, with love, Chuck