The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-05-18
y 7777--7---@----- -
The Shadow of r
the Almighty
By REV. J. ". JOHNSON
/ Psstor Of Galway Baptist Church.
Houston. Tens u

Text. Psalm 81. verse l: He tina, dwell
eth in the secret place Of the Most High
shan abide under the shadow OF the AZ
mighty"
To me this is one Of the sweetest
portions Of Gods word. because It Is
poetic. but far more than that for the
reason that 1t holds up before US one
OF the greatest privileges that car
come to the children OF God.
1t is very true that all Christians dc
not occupy the same position in this
world. All are saved by the same
precious blood OF Christ" Rut there
Is so much more to the Christian life
than simply being saved: that Is only
beginning. The blessings offered
are given to every one. God is nc
respecter of persons. and It is as Il
he had said any one who will fulfil
the conditions may have the blessing:
and there is only the one condition
namely. that We dwell in the secret
place OF the Most High" the bless
ings here promised are not for all be
levers. but only for those who live
In close fellowship with God. Every
child looks toward the inner sanctu
ary and the mercy seat. but all do moi
dwell there. They run to It at times
enjoy occasional glinpses Of the face
OF him who is there TO be seen. but
they do not continually abide in the
mysterious presence. and yet 1t is pos
siole for every one.
There IS one beautiful thought about
shadow that always interests. for
the nearest thing TO me as walk IL
the sunshine IS my shadow. and he
who walks IN my shadow is very neaI
to me. and he who is in the shadow o.,
OF the Almighty must be very near tc
him. Again. there never is a shadow
without light: thus the secret place
Is a place Of brightness. It is place
where God is.
In the one hundred and nineteenth
Psalm the psalmist seems to be beat
ing out the ore of thought through
successive paragraphs of power and
beauty. when suddenly in the fifty
FIRST verse he seems to have become
conscious that he of whom he hac
been speaking had drawn near. To-,
with upliEted face OF reverence anc
ecstasy he cried: Thou art near c
Lord" If we could only attain untr
ms. how strong. how happy. how use
fui we should be
The typical reference must be the
holy place OF the tabernacle in the
wilderness: Outside the tabernacle was
covered with badger skins. but inside
just beyond the veil was glory anG
magniticence wrought in gold. silver
purple and fine linen. Thus it Is with
the secret place Of the Most High. g.
In the fourth verse Of the Psalm II
says: He shall cover thee with his
feathers" What place so warm as
the covered nest, the tiny birds there
Kept from harm by the mother bird:
But listen to this. If you will only
dwell in the secret place" you shall
abide under the shadow Of the AL
mighty. and as II that would not be
tender enough to WOO us. we are told
again: He shall cover thee with his
feathers. and under his wings thou
shalt trust
If we had been with Jacob when he
had his dream we would have seen
only Jacob asleep with a stone for his
pillow.
We would only have seen Paul IN
his tent. but he was up in the third
heaven and he heard things he could
not tell.
In the secret place there is peace:
in the world We shall have tribula.
ton. but in me We shall have peace"
In the secret place there is purity.
The unholy man could not see God If
he were set down in the midst O,
heaven. but men and women whose
hearts are pure see him in the very
commonest things Of life.
In the secret place there Is power
II we will dwell there we shall have
power to live Christ before the world
In no place do We read of power OF
intellect or Of human might. but there
is a promise that we shall have power
after the Holy Spirit shall come
upon US.
How may l enter the secret place?
Jesus said: 81 am the door; BY me
If any man will. he shall enter in"
1t is Just what Paul meant when he
said: But now in Christ Jesus ye
who sometimes were afar of are made
nigh BY the blood Of Christ"
Did you ever talk aloud to God!
Try 1t when you are alone. Then
listen to him. BE will tell you things
It will not be lawful to tell. and win
give you the Joy that will help you
tell to others what he has done for
you.
After the Lord had entered into the
heart Of an Indian princess she was Sc
transformed by his presence that out
of the fullness OF her love to him she
penned verse for which shall ever