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“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4) August 2004 Dear Friend, Trusting that all is well with you and your loved ones. We are fine, and enjoying the fruit of summer evangelism. Teams are going out to the parks to minister hope to all who will listen, and as souls are won to the Lord, we follow up with phone calls to encourage them in their new life, and see how we can help them to grow. We recommend churches in their area, and send literature with good solid teaching. This is always a tremendous blessing, as it is a joy to listen to a new born Christian as he or she describes the wonderful experience of their new birth in Christ. Isn’t it refreshing to catch the fire of enthusiasm that comes forth so quickly from a new Christian? We need to catch that fire at times and go back to the joy of our salvation experience. In Psalm 27 David declares his faith with such exuberance! He declares that there is one thing that is above all else that he desires, that which he will seek after, and that is to live in the house of the Lord, and behold His beauty all the days of his life! David knew the heart of God. He knew that in his helplessness, he could depend upon God to sustain and protect him. He looked to God to teach him; he wanted all that God had to give, and he would not let go! This was the “one thing” in his life that mattered more than anything else to him. By himself he was helpless, he knew that only God could assist him in his troubles. So he went for the “one thing.” That “one thing” brought him into the secret place where he could be hidden in time of trouble. Even though there were enemies all around him, he did not fear. He offered sacrifices of praise in the tabernacle, singing praises to the Lord. David knew to encourage himself in the Lord by seeking Him with praises and song. He focused on God’s goodness and mercy, and he knew that he had to wait upon the Lord for answers. How many of us give up hope when we pray, sometimes for years for something, and we do not see the answers? It is as if we give God a problem to fix, and if it is not fixed immediately, or the way we would like it to be, we give up and walk away. Sometimes we may even think, “well, it wasn’t God’s will after all”, so we throw in the towel and decide to let it go. My friend, if what we are praying for lines up with the Word of God, then we should be holding on for dear life, and never let go! This should be the “one thing” in our life! We should be holding on to God’s Word, believing Him for answers, but above all, living to dwell in His house forever! When we dwell in His house, and are in that secret place there is no enemy strong enough to overtake us! Of this we should be confident, as David was. God wants more than you or I to see our loved ones saved. He wants more than you or I to see our cities delivered from strongholds that bear down on its citizens, holding them captive to the snares of the enemy! God wants to see you in the secret place that He has set apart for you, so that you can commune with Him day and night. Do you find yourself impatient with God? Do you know the best way to handle a problem? Praise is the solution to the problem. Instead of focusing on the problem, or yourself, focus on God’s care for you. Focus on praising Him, and getting yourself into that secret place where it is only you and Him. Find a quiet place, even if it has to be the bathroom, and begin praising God and thanking Him for taking care of your problems, even though you do not see the answer in the natural. Know that God has your best interests at heart, and He knows exactly what you need. David knew that God was powerful and faithful, and worthy of praise. Are you satisfied with life? Think about it. We eat a meal, and say “I’m so full, I will never eat again.” Then what do we do a few hours later? We eat again. We take a dream of a lifetime vacation, and even before we come home we are booking another one. We were not satisfied. A child will say, “oh, if only I were a teenager...” As an adult, we want to get married; as a spouse we want children; then we want them grown up, and when they are and the house is empty, we long for their visits. We are not satisfied. Why? Because nothing in this world can satisfy our deepest longing, which is to see God. We will not be satisfied until we do. It is the “one thing” that keeps us going; that draws us to heavenly places seeking the One who created us, and loved us so much that He would send His only begotten Son to live among us, and then suffer a tormenting death. Our soul longs for Him, and we will not be satisfied until we meet Him face to face. While on earth we have the option of living our life to the fullest by doing that “one thing” ...seeking Him day by day, and spend time in His secret place that brings us to heavenly places in Christ Jesus. How do we get to that secret place? By praise and worship. It does not matter where or when, we do not have to be in church to worship! We can put on a worship tape at home or in our back yard, and just enter in. Begin by praising Him and adoring Him, even if everything around you is in turmoil. Enter in as His blood bought child, seeking after Him, and receive the glorious love and peace that only He can give. You are a joint-heir with Jesus Christ! All of heaven is available to you! Do that “one thing” and choose life and hope! God bless you, Rev. Barbara Anne Yovino, Ph.D
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