Announcements:

• Sign Up for Thursday Night Bible Study at 7p, (Bible Study theme:  Hungry to Grow In My Christian Journey)
• Prayer Meeting Sunday October 1, 2023 at 6pm
• Women’s Meeting October 21, 2023 at 9:30am
• Sign up to help serve Missions outreach team (need cooks or construction help)
• Spanish Translation for the sermon is now available at HCC.  Feel free to invite Spanish speaking people to church.
• Youth meet every Saturday at 6:30pm.
• Pray for HCC and Open Hands Community Charitable Services as we prepare to expand our service to the community.

Sermon Notes:

Main Point:  Those who have a secret place with God know God personally.

Foundation Scripture:

Psalm 91:1-16.  Those that dwell in the secret place of the most high God shall abide under the shadow of the almighty.

Pastor’s Thoughts: 

• Reading Psalm 91 makes it clear that dwelling in the secret place is very important for Christians.
• Protected from the evil one who comes to kill, steal, and destroy.
• When we value something as very important, we spend time on it.  We intentionally make room for it in our lives.
• As Christians it is important to spend time on understanding and having a secret place with God.

What is the secret place?

Matthew 6:6. The secret place is a place where you pray in secret (no one else watching) and you communicate with God about anything and everything on your heart.  A place where you encounter the presence of God because you are drawing near to God by your action to talk and experience God when no one else is watching.

• Jesus had a secret place where He got away from everyone and prayed to the Father 

Psalm 27:5. In the secret of his tabernacle. 

• One evidence of being in this place is that you are not shaken with trials and troubles of life.
• Another evidence is that you are encountering the Love and presence of God alone.

The journey in finding the secret place

• First, we recognize we are sinners and need a Savior
• Second, we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
• Third, now that we are saved, we find a secret place to encounter the presence of God.
  • We are filled and encounter the Holy Spirit in the secret place.

Pastor’s Thoughts:

• Many Christians get to step 1 and 2 but never really experience Step 3.
• Having a secret place is where you know God personally.
  • If you don’t have a secret place, you are a spectator of who God is.

Protecting the secret place

• Find it and protect it by making time in your life (no matter how busy you think you are)
• We can’t afford not to have time.  Nothing is more important in your Christian Journey than entering into the secret place with God.  This is how we Know God personally.
• Remove obstacles and strongholds that interrupt your time and passion to be in the secret place with God.
• Once you have found your secret place with God, protect it because it comes with bountiful blessings.

The promise for those who have an active secret place with God (based on Psalm 91).

• God will be your refuge (you are under his wings)
• God will deliver you from enemy attacks (victory is assured)
• God will protect you from pestilence-disease
• God will remove fear by his Holy Spirit
• God will give assign Angels to charge over thee
• God will hear you and answer you
• God will honor and reward you
• God will show you long life
• God will show you salvation