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My book is now published and available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback formats. “Out of darkness, Into the Light.” By Michele Frantz
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The 91st Psalm is full of buoyancy and expectancy, not one of self-confidence, but one whose hope is rooted in God. It is Gratitude and wonder for a guardian angel who leads us through a life of great danger. “God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble.” Ps.46
Religion is not an insurance policy against every form of adversity. They are not a promise of immunity from temptation, hardship, and failure. But, finding and residing in the secret place of the Most High is immense protection from devastation. It is a place where we can avoid or ride through the hardships of life and come out the other end unscathed.
Prayer is how we enter “the secret place of the Most High.” I have learned that desire is prayer. If my desire is an honest longing to know God better, if it is pure and sincere, wonderful things happen. It is how we Commune (connect) with our higher power (God). The Bible tells us that we “live and move and have our being IN God,” which is the secret place. IN God is the key here. Since God is infinite there is no place where He is not, and it is impossible to be outside of infinitely. The Secret Place is a spiritual state of mind reached through consciousness. It sounds great, but it sure doesn’t seem like that’s where we are now, does it?
It seems like I am experiencing a mortal, material life, filled with possible danger around every corner. But, in truth, I am the image and likeness of my creator, God, His spiritual idea. When I’m in the secret place, I can express that image and likeness here in this experience. Psalms 91 gives me great hope; it tells me that no matter how bad this experience gets, I can be safe in God’s care. I can live through tough times and not experience despair, and if I do, God will see me through it. My divine parent is always with me if I live IN God, I can never be outside His care. BUT here it comes; I must believe it and have no doubt before I can experience it. If I doubt God’s protection, I can’t avail myself of it.
Remember, in the Bible, when Jesus was walking on water, and Peter wanted to walk out to meet Him? “And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:29–31) It was fear and doubt that prevented Peter from walking on water. Those two things are what I realized had prevented me from expressing God’s image and likeness here in this experience.
Christ Jesus dwelt in “the secret place” always and saw only God’s perfection, man in God’s image. He did not see sinning mortal man. Because of that, he was able to heal any discord that crossed his path, and the harmony of God’s kingdom was seen by all around him, who believed and had no doubt. To believe in a power apart from God is to dishonor God. When I was overcome with fear and doubt and tried to find a solution to this human experience, what I found was despair. Like Peter, I started to sink. But Christ is always there to take my hand. Until I learn to walk on the water, he is there to keep me safe.
In the Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, I read this, “This hill, though high, I covet to ascend; The difficulty will not me offend, For I perceive the way of life lies here: Come, pluck up, heart, let’s neither faint nor fear: Better, though difficult, the right way go. Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe.” Looking at this material experience may seem like the easy way, but I have found the easy way is not always the best.
As I gained spiritual enlightenment, little by little, I started to see the secret place. It doesn’t show up all at once. Slow and steady changes in my belief system, from the mortal to the spiritual, and a desire to enter in, helped combat mortal mind’s temptations that made me think this might not be for me, or I was not strong enough, or good enough, or loving enough to enter in. We all are. That is our home, where we belong as God’s image and likeness. He is waiting for us to find our way home. To reach the harmony of life, which is innately ours, in the secret place of the most high, where life is eternal, untouched by material beliefs.
Yes, I have had many struggles finding my way, I have been beset by many difficult challenges, but I made it, and so can you. God’s arms encircled beneath, around above, and held me safe through all the challenges I faced. Through child abuse, an immoral lifestyle, fear, being lied to, being married to an alcoholic, and then a schizophrenic, raising a child alone, and many bad choices in life. I stumbled and fell many times before I found Him. Still, he picked me up, and we went forward, and I came out the other end a much better and happier person.
I have just recently discovered that once I found my way home to the secret place, the more I keep my thought aligned with God the fewer bad times I experience. But with all the distractions in human life, it’s hard to keep my thought there all the time. So, I find that from time to time I need to reestablish the secret place of the Most High in my thought to correct a current situation.
You are safe in God’s care. Find your way home to the secret place, your divine Father/Mother is waiting for you there.
This is the PSALM 91
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14 Because he (man) hath set his love upon me,(God) therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
Out of Darkness, Into the Light 