OK, open back up with me to Psalm
46 again. Psalm 46 I. Prepared this a few days ago.
And yesterday, you know, naturally speaking. Doris is 89 years old. Surgery is risky, very risky. And a lot went on and afterwards,
after it was kind of all over with late last night, Hannah
and I were in her room with her. She said, what are you going
to be preaching on tomorrow? And I said, Psalm 46. She said, I've
been literally quoting it all day long. I said, verse 10 is
our text. And she said, be still and know
that I am God. She said, I've been quoting it
all day long. Be still and know that I am God. If the Lord will enable us to
do that, what a wonderful thing to do. I am learning that this
life is not going to slow down. I thought it was busy a year
ago when I was traveling all over the place. And I thought,
once I get to Kingsport, it's going to slow down. It's not. It's not. Be still and know that
I'm God. Be still. Be still, that's what
our God commands us to do. Be still in heart. Be still in mind. Be still in
spirit. Whatever it is that's going on
with us. Everything, every day, be still. Oh, the quietness of being still. The quietness. The peace of just
being still. The rest of being still, Moses
said, stand still. And see the salvation of your
God. Moses, they're going to get us. Every single day, almost something's
going to come where we're going to say this ain't looking too
good. The odds are stacked against us. In and of my flesh, it's not
looking like I'm going to come out on top. Moses, we're going
to die. What are we going to do? He said,
be still. Just be still. The Lord is our shepherd. We shall not want. He maketh
us to lie down in green pastures, and he leadeth us beside the
still waters." Still waters. Just be still. Be still. It says in verse 10, and know.
Know. Be still and know that I am God. Paul said to the Philistines,
Oh, that I might know him. I want to know him. You know that I want to know
him. I really do. I don't want to
know about him. I know about the president. I
want to know him. I need to know him. I need to know that he knows
me. If I'm going to find any comfort,
that's what I need to know. Is that he knows me. Our Lord
said this is life eternal, that they might know thee. Know thee. The only true God
in Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. Be still and know. Don't you love to see a believer? Doesn't it comfort you to see
a believer stand still and know that God is in control? Isn't
that comforting? Be still and know. I want to know. I don't want
to think. I think God will handle it. I want to know. Those men thought
the Lord was going to be well pleased with them when they stood
before him saying, we have prophesied in thy name. And in thy name,
we've cast out devils and done many wonderful works. The horror
of finding out I was wrong. I thought I was wrong. The Lord said in Psalm 50 verse
21, thou thoughtest you thought that I was altogether such in
one as thyself. You thought I was just like you,
but you thought wrong. You thought wrong. He says, be
still and know that I am God. I'm God. How can I know? That's the title of the message.
Alright, the title is How Can I Know? Is the sun shining right now? How do you know? Is this microphone on? How do you know? Did you eat
breakfast this morning? How do you know? You love your wife. How do you know? How do you know? How can I know? Is God really
God? Have you ever seen him? No, I
haven't. Is God really God? Will God provide? We say the
Lord will provide. Rest, be still. Will God provide? Everything I need spiritually
and physically is the God, your God. How do you know? How do you know? How can I know anything? No. Well, here's one way. Is the sun shining today? Yes,
it is. How do you know? I can see it. I can see it. I know I can see
it. There's actually no doubt in
my mind. I can see it. Turn with me over to Luke 24. Luke 24 verse 13 says, and behold,
two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus. And
I want to say this as we read this, I think this is one of
the most interesting and amazing stories in the scripture because
we understand some insight to our Lord's personality and his
ways. And I love this. I love this.
So verse 13 says, Behold, two of them went that same day to
a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem, about three
score furlongs. And they talked together of all
these things which had happened. And it came to pass while they
communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went
with them. But their eyes were holding that
they should not know him. All right. Their eyes were holding that
they should not know him. And he said unto them, what manner
of communications are these that you have one to another as you
walk and are sad. And the one of them whose name
was Cleopas, answering, said unto him, Art thou only a stranger
in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to
pass there in these days? You hadn't heard about everything
that's going on? Verse 19, And he said unto them,
What things? And they said unto him, Concerning
Jesus of Nazareth. which was a prophet, mighty indeed
in word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests
and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and
have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been
he which should have redeemed Israel. We thought he was going
to redeem us from our sins. But do you know what happened?
He died on a cross. And we're so sad. Because we
thought He was going to redeem us from our sins. Blind. Blind. Verse 21. But we trusted that
it had been He which should have redeemed Israel. And beside all
this, today is the third day since these things were done.
Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished
which were early at the sepulcher. And when they found not His body,
they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels
which said that He was alive. And certain of them which were
with us went to the sepulcher and found it even so as the women
had said, but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools
and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into
his glory? And beginning at Moses and all
the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the
things concerning Himself. And they drew nigh unto the village
whither they went, and He made as though He would have gone
further. But they constrained Him, saying, Abide with us, for
it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And He went
in to Terry with them, and it came to pass, As he sat at meat
with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and break, and gave
to them, and their eyes were opened, and they knew him. And he vanished out of their
sight. They saw something they had just seen three nights ago. And their eyes were opened, and
they knew him. They knew him. I can know something. If I've
seen it. If I've seen it, our Lord said
in Matthew 1127, no man knoweth the son, but the father neither
knoweth any man. The father saved the son and
he to whomsoever the son will reveal him. I can know that He
is God if the Son has revealed Him to me." Revealed Him to me. I can know. Now, here's another way I can
know. Is my microphone on right now? Yes, it is. How do you know? I can hear it. I can hear it. Paul said this.
I knew a man who was caught up to the third heaven and I heard
things. Oh, I heard things. How, you
know, Paul, I know, I know whom I have believed. I heard things
turn with me over to first John chapter one. 1 John chapter 1 verse 1 says, That which was
from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen
with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have
handled of the word of life. For the life was manifested and
we have seen it and bear witness. and show unto you that eternal
life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us. That
which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you
also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship
is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ." Well, you
know, John was speaking from first-hand experience. He really
did hear him. He really did see him. Paul was
speaking from firsthand experience. The Lord really took him up.
He really did hear things that were impossible to say. What
about me? What about now? Well, turn with
me to John chapter 10. John chapter 10, look at verse
27. The Lord says, My sheep hear
My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. He said, All
of My sheep are going to hear My voice. Now look at verse 3
right there. John 10 verse 3, To him the porter
openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own
sheep by name, and leadeth them out. He calleth his own sheep by name. How? We'll turn over to Mark
chapter 7. Mark chapter 7, look at verse
31, it says, And again, departing from the coast of Tyre and Sidon,
he came unto the Sea of Galilee through the midst of the coast
of Decapolis. And they bring unto him one that
was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech. And they beseech
him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the
multitude. Now here's the first thing that
the Lord does is, he's going to take a person aside from the
multitude. This is going to be one-on-one. And put his fingers into his
ears. The next thing the Lord's going
to do is he's going to stop a sinner from hearing all that other junk. We're going to cut all that mess
out. And it says, he spit and touched
his tongue. This is going to come directly
from the mouth of God. Verse 34, and looking up to heaven,
he sighed and saith unto this deaf man, Ethetha, that is be
opened. And straightway his ears were
opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake
plain." Speaking plain now. "...And he charged them that
they should tell no man. But the more he charged them
so much, the more a great deal." They published it. What were
they doing? They had to tell people, you're
not going to believe with this man that Christ has done for
me. I was deaf. I can hear now. Verse 37, And
were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things
well. He maketh both the deaf to hear
and the dumb to speak. Can you imagine that man? He'd
been deaf all his life, and the very first words he ever heard
was the voice of Jesus Christ saying, Be opened. That's what
happens spiritually. A man can come to church all
his life, do read his Bible all his life. And then all of a sudden
he's going to hear the voice of God through this word say,
be opened, open your eyes, open your ears. And for the first
time, they're going to say, I see it. I hear it. How do you know? I know. I know. I can know that He is
God if He's opened my ears. Here's another way I can know.
Did you eat breakfast this morning? Yes, I did. Very quickly, but
yes, I did. How do you know? I could taste
it. I tasted it. Turn with me to
John 21. John 21 verse 11 says, Simon
Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes,
a hundred and fifty and three. And for all there were so many,
yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and
dine. And none of the disciples durst
ask him, Who art thou? Knowing this is the Lord. Jesus then cometh and taketh
bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third
time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that
he was risen from the dead. So when they had dined, Jesus
saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me
more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord,
thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith unto him again the second
time, Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea,
Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed
my sheep. He saith unto him the third time,
Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because
he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto
him, Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee.
Jesus said unto him, Feed my sheep. Feed my sheep. Our Lord said, Blessed are they
which do hunger and thirst after righteousness. For they shall
be here filled. They shall be filled. Does hearing
about the Lord Jesus Christ feed your soul? When we see him, when
this scripture opens up and we see him, we see who he is. We get a glimpse of our Lord
and we hear his voice in his word. Does that feed your soul? Well, then taste and see that
the Lord is good. Taste and see, be still and know. I can know if he's fed me. His word, him alone. Here's another
way I can know. Do you love your wife? You love your wife? I can't hear that love. We can
show things, but sometimes actions are deceiving. Can't really see
that love. Can't taste it. You love your
wife. Do I love my wife? How do I know? How do I know? Turn back with
me over to Luke 24. Brother Bob Coffey dealt with
this Sunday night. Luke 24, look at verse 28. They drew nigh unto the village
whither they went, and he made as though he would have gone
further, but they constrained him, saying, Abide with us, for
it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went
in to tarry with them, and it came to pass, as he sat at meat
with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave
to them, and their eyes were opened, and they knew him. And
he vanished out of their sight, and they said one to another,
Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by
the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? Did not
our heart. Burn within us. How do I know
there's something going on inside this heart? There's something
there. When I don't see her. There's
something going on in there that I don't like. I was in Iowa. I missed her. Something wasn't
right. How do you know something in
the heart? Does your heart with burn within
you for this man, this man, verse 33, they rose up the same hour
and returned to Jerusalem and found the 11 gathered together
and them that were with them saying, the Lord is risen indeed
and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were
done in the way and how he was known of them and breaking of
bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst
of them and said unto them, peace be unto you. But they, you know
what? This is what our Lord said, where
two or three are gathered in my name, I am there. Is our God
a liar? No, he's not. Is he here right
now? Yes, he is. If I, if he could open, you remember
when Elijah, when the servant of Elijah was so scared because
they were going to come take Elijah and they sent all those
soldiers, all those soldiers on horses with swords to come
take Elijah and Elijah sent the servant out and he prayed, Lord,
would you open his eyes? And that servant walked back
out and the Lord opened his eyes and all of the mountains were
full of chariots of fire and angels with swords. And he said,
they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
If the Lord could open our eyes right now, we would seek God
in the midst of us. Verse 36 says, as they thus spake,
Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and saith unto them,
peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted,
and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them,
Why are you troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Handle me
and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me
have." Is this God the actual God, your God? Yes. How do you know? I felt Him. Salvation is not a feeling, but
I have felt Him. My heart burns for Him. Our Lord
was walking through a crowd one time and He stopped and He said,
Somebody touched me. Can you say, He touched me? He touched the feeling of my
infirmities. That's what he touched. The feeling
of my infirmities. How do you know? I can smell
it. I can smell it. The Lord Jesus
Christ is a sweet smelling safer. Oh, taste and see that the Lord
is good. Go to John 8. John 8 verse 28 says, Then said Jesus unto them, When
you have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall you know. that I'm He, then shall you know. When you see me as the only thing
that will appease a holy God, then shall you know. Not even
of my works, not anything I've done, not my living When you
see me as the only thing that can appease this holy God, when
you have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall you know. I can know that this God is my
God if he died for me. You can just listen to Ephesians
chapter 5 verses 1 and 2 say this. Ephesians 5, 1 and 2 say, Be
ye therefore followers of God as dear children and walk in
love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for
us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. A sweet smelling savor. Just be still and know. All right, I want to give you
one more way we can know one more way. Find the book of Joel
chapter three. It's before Amos at the end of
the Old Testament. Joel chapter three. Joel chapter 3 verse 16 says,
The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice
from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shall shake. But
the Lord will be the hope of His people, and the strength
of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the
Lord, your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then shall
Jerusalem be holy and there shall no strangers pass through her
anymore. Is the Lord all your hope? Is the Lord all your strength? Are you trusting in anything
other than the Lord Jesus Christ? If He is everything to you, so
shall you know. So shall you know. The Lord will
be the hope of His people. So shall you know. Have you seen
His glory? Mine eyes have seen the glory
of the coming of the Lord. Have you seen His glory? Have
you seen Him high and lifted up? Yes. How do you know? I can't tell
you. But I can tell you that I once
was blind, but now I see. I see it. Have you heard His
voice? Well, does He speak out loud?
Nope, much louder than that. Has your soul heard his voice
through his word? Have you tasted and been satisfied
with heavenly bread and living water? I've heard messages, I've heard
men preach, and about 90% of the way through, I'm thinking,
you're going to have to stop. I just can't hold anymore. My heart has burned within me.
I've been so overjoyed. I just can't hold anymore. My
cup runneth over. I'm full. I'm satisfied. I'm
satisfied. Have you smelled the sweetness
of his sacrifice? That sacrifice, that bloody,
horrible sacrifice is the sweetest smelling savor a sinner has ever
smelled. If so, then be still, be still
and know that he's God. Know that he's your God. The God will provide. The God
will do all things. The God will protect. Be still. Be still alright. Let's stand
together. Let's turn to.