Someone once mentioned something about a sign he had seen hanging on the front porch of an old country store that read:

“THERE IS NO PLACE ANYWHERE NEAR THIS PLACE, LIKE THIS PLACE, SO THIS MUST BE THE PLACE!”

 

Does that not remind us of home or the church or somewhere that is close to our heart? Sadly, there are others who are always

looking for the ideal place, yet never finding it. To them the grass always looks greener on the other side and they are to close

to appreciate what we have and praise the good Lord for the abundance of all His manifold blessings which He continues to

shower upon us.

 

It is a very sad mistake to think that the place called “there “is somewhere out of our reach. Often the very place where God

place us in is despised, yet it should be a place of blessing and we should be a blessing!

 

In Exodus 25:22, the Lord God said “And THERE I will meet with thee and I will communion with thee”. The place that God calls

you to is a place of precious intimacy and communion. It is a place that few have really found. They leave there homes and church

to find that place only to realize that they had left the place called “there” For in this place called “there” is the secret of

contentment service and communion.                 

 

Rather than run away from “there” to somewhere else, we need to climb up to fully realize the purpose and plan that God has

for us. For God tells his servant “Come up to me into the mount and be THERE.” {Exodus 24:12}  In nearly 30 years of ministry

I have watched with sorrow, men and women leave their spouses, local church, service and position looking for a place called

“there” and walk right out of the will of God into a wildness called “somewhere”. It is not in following the dictates of our neither

will nor feelings but following the will of our Lord that will find the true worth of Godly service.

 

Remember the words of our Savior “If any man serve me, let him fellow me, and where I am, THERE shall also my servant be”.

 

“THERE is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy pace of the tabernacles of the most high. God

is in the midst of her”. ( Psa 46:4,5.)

 

Are you there where you are? It is a place of joy and contentment because the lord tabernacles there. You do not have to

runaway from your place of responsibility, your spouse or you local church to find and enjoy God.  Some may even foolishly

think that they can find holiness if they run out of the city. But the pathway to holiness is right “there “God has placed you “And 

a highway shall be THERE, and a way and it shall be called the Way of Holiness” (Is 35: 9). This is there, where God places you

and it is a highway! Are you merely crawling there or are you in full speed pressing towards the mark of a higher calling of God?

You do not have to leave your spouse, your local church nor your place of responsibility to find pleasure, for “ in thy right hand

THERE are pleasures forever more”(Psa 16:11 there where he is) THERE is where He is and you are there where he places you

and since He is there, make no mistakes you should be!

 

I am eternally grateful to Almighty for His continuing faithfulness. I should say a word of special appreciation to all of you,

Highland family, beloved of God for your prayers, participation and faithful support. As it has, I have found impossible to keep

up with everything that is happening in the church, but the lord has enable us to delegate ministry leaders who are able to meet

specific need in the church family. However it has been my privilege “to prepare God’s people for the work of service. So that the

body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge in the Son of God and become mature,

attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph) 4:12-13.

 

With the advent of summer, I do hope we will have many opportunities for evangelism and fellowships. I plan to meet with key

leader and member in informal dinners and get togethers before winter, as the lord allows. I want to urge you, Highland family,

Finally, let us not neglect the gathering of ourselves together on the Lord’s Day. Let us join together in making Highland the Place

of Purpose, Preaching, Praying, Provision, and Power. Highland has not attained to “the whole measure of the fullness of Christ”

and may never till Christ returns. But it is being built and it is the direction it is headed by the mercies of our Lord Jesus Christ, the

Chief Shepherd who is also our good and great Shepherd. Until then, no matter what defects there maybe, let’s add, “THERE is no

place anywhere nears this place so this be the place!” THERE is a place called THERE and this is THERE where the lord is!