Be Still

Q: What does the Bible say about being still before God?

The Bible commands us to be still and know that He is God, reminding us of His sovereignty and presence. Psalm 46:10 states, 'Be still, and know that I am God.' This command invites believers to cease their striving and recognize God’s sovereignty in all circumstances. In our turbulent world, where distractions and anxieties abound, being still before God means resting in His presence, trusting in His control over our lives. It encourages a state of calmness amidst trials, where we can focus on who He is rather than the chaos around us, affirming that God is our refuge and strength, a constant help in times of trouble.

Q: How do we know God is our refuge?

We know God is our refuge through His promises and presence during our troubles as affirmed in scripture. Psalm 46:1 declares, 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.' This verse affirms God's nature as a protector and a source of strength for believers. Throughout scripture, God reveals Himself as one who shelters His people, offering safety and support during life’s challenges. Our assurance comes from our personal experiences and the testimonies of His faithfulness, ultimately culminating in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who embodies our refuge in His saving grace.

Q: Why is understanding God's sovereignty important for Christians?

Understanding God's sovereignty reassures Christians that He governs all things for their good and His glory. The sovereignty of God is central to Christian faith as it speaks to His absolute control over the universe. Believers find comfort in knowing that all events, even those that seem chaotic or painful, are under His wise and holy governance. Romans 8:28 encourages us that 'all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.' Recognizing God’s sovereignty empowers Christians to remain steadfast and hopeful in trials, as they trust in His ultimate purpose and plan for their lives.

Q: What does it mean to rest in Christ?

Resting in Christ means relying on His finished work for salvation and finding peace in His sovereignty. Resting in Christ involves recognizing that salvation is not based on our efforts but solely on His redemptive work. It means to cease striving for our righteousness and to trust in His grace that redeems us. Hebrews 4:9-10 speaks of entering God's rest, a rest that allows believers to lay down their burdens and insecurities at the feet of Jesus. In our daily lives, this manifestation of rest also includes turning our anxieties and fears over to Him, knowing that He is in control and will work all things for our benefit and His glory.

Open your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 46. Psalm 46. The name of the message is Be Still. I've been thinking about this verse. I've preached it in the past, but I've been thinking about this verse more and more. And one of the things I've been thinking about is, in this world that we live in, There's so much turmoil. There's so much anxiousness. And even we as believers can get caught up in that, can't we? Looking at things that are going on in the world. But I want us to be still before the Lord. To just be still.

And this is actually a command from God for us. And this, like all scripture, crosses time, civilizations. It's for God's people, scattered throughout time. And we see here that this psalm is actually a psalm of holy triumph. The prophet exhorts the church to make God in Christ our only refuge amidst all the turmoil of the world.

And the Lord Jesus Christ is the refuge for our souls, isn't he? He's the one by God's grace who we fled to. He's like the city of refuge, the manslayer, which we could say is Satan, is on our heels. And we fled into the city of refuge, haven't we? Which is the Lord Jesus Christ. Where we're safe. Safe from the avenger of blood. Safe from the accuser of the brethren. Washed in the precious blood of Christ. forgiven of all our sins through the redemption that is through his blood, according to the riches of his grace. My.

Let's stand up together. We're going to read verse 1 first, and then we're going to read verses 7 to 11 together. So first verse 1. Let's stand up and read verse 1. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Now look at that. Very present help in trouble. Then now let's read verse 7 to 11. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge, Selah.

Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth. He breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear and sunder. He burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selah. Oh my. Remember what Joe Terrell said, and I've been telling you guys this and been telling myself this for all the years I've been here, that the hardest thing for us to do is just rest in Christ. Right? Hardest thing is just to be still. Just to be still. Just to rest in Christ. He's our refuge.

Now again, in the times that we're living in, we may become distressed by what's going on in the world. It can affect us. Some of us it doesn't affect. Some of it really does. Something that affects me might not affect you. But you see the turmoil going on in the world, I'm thankful that we know about God's sovereignty, but what is those things, the events in the world, they are all to turn us to Christ. Because all these things, wars are just a result of man's sinfulness. Right? Somebody wants more land, someone wants more power. And they all occur, and the Lord said, you see wars and rumors of wars, but don't be distressed. Don't be distressed. My. Don't be distressed at all.

Let us keep our eyes on Christ. And this verse here tells us, it's gonna be our text, verse 10, Psalm 46, 10, be still. Notice that? Just be still. Now that doesn't mean stop working in the world while we're alive. It doesn't mean that. But it means in the chaos of everything going on, just look to the Lord and be still. He's in control. And look what it says here. And know that I am God. We've learned some things, haven't we? There was a time when we didn't know he was God. And now, by the grace of God, we know that he's God. And know that I am God. I will be exalted. Is there any doubt there? Nope. Nope. Man is tearing this and tearing that, trying to get the Bible out of here, and trying to get this, and there's all these different conspiracies going on.

God says, I will be God. I am God. And I will be exalted. No matter what man does, I'm going to be exalted. Know that I am God, I will be exalted among the heathen. Now look at this. Think of this. Who are we Gentiles? Amen. We're the heathen. Is he not exalted among us now? Isn't it? Isn't it? He said he, and this is Old Testament, right?

He's saying this way before Christ comes. And who's speaking here? Christ. This is the Messiah speaking. This is the Word of God speaking. And look how He's exalted in us. Look how we exalt Him. Look how we praise Him now. Oh, we love Jesus. Why? Because He first loved us. There was a time when I didn't love Him. But now, by the grace of God, I love Him. That's a miracle of grace, isn't it? And now I'm told just to be still and to know that he's God. And how do we know that God is God? You must be born again. We didn't know God before we were born again, did we?

Now we know him. And then I love this. He says, I will be exalted among the heathen. There's no question. You know why he'll be exalted among the heathen? Because he's got sheep among the heathen. And he bought and paid for us 2,000 years ago. And we will cry out to him, won't we? And we have. And there's, you know why we know the Lord hasn't come back yet? Because there's still some more lost sheep. You know, when the lost sheep is saved, it's all over. But we don't know when that is. We have no idea. We can't put a date on it. We wouldn't want to.

Only the Father knows. And even only the Father knows the season. You hear someone say, well, I know the season. I think it's the season. We don't have a clue. We've been in the last days since the Lord went home. Paul said it. We're in the last days. So as soon as the Lord rose back up to heaven, we're in the last days now.

Isn't that amazing? And this commandment goes out to all God's people? And look at this. I love this. Be still, know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. Glorified and magnified among his people. Out of every tribe, kindred, tongue, and nation.

My We just have to listen to the birds and look at the trees as they grow in the spring and come back to life to know, to look at what God's done. He bought that which looked dead back to life. Where were we born? Dead in trespasses and sins. You must be born again. New life in Christ by the power of God, the Holy Spirit. And we see who's the true author of these words? God, the Holy Spirit. He has a penman pen them, but the true author is the Holy Spirit of God.

And this verse is specifically the Messiah speaking. He says, be still, and that's him up in verse one, too. Look at this. God is our refuge and strength, the very present help in trouble. See, Christ came and he submitted himself to the Father, didn't he? He's his refuge and his strength. My. And he tells us here. Oh my.

Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. And then look at verse 11. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Oh my. And Lord there is the It is Jehovah. Jehovah, the self-existent one in the Hebrew.

See, we need things to live. We need water, we need food. He doesn't need anything. I heard something really neat this week, and I gotta share this with you. It talks about how people say, well, how can, where was God before everything? Well, he's God. And people forget he's outside of time and space, right? And someone said, well, you need time, space, and matter. Well, here it is, in the beginning, right? Time. God created the heavens, space. And the earth, matter. He's outside of time. He's outside of space. And He is the controller of all matter.

He created this world out of nothing by the word of His power. And this is our Savior. If He created the heaven and the earth and He did by the word of His power, is He unable to save you unless you let Him? That's not the same God of the Bible, is it? He's able to save whom He wills, when He wills. And He does, by His grace and mercy.

We say, sinner friend, flee to Christ, because I'm just a safe sinner up here preaching. And we're just a group of people who are safe sinners, aren't we? Oh, okay. We're just a bunch of safe sinners. That's all we are. My, oh, my. And we see in this verse that God, the Holy Spirit, who is the author of these words, tells us in this verse to be still.

And he tells us, I will be exalted. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted. What a wonderful command is set forth before us. And you notice, you notice, be still and know that I am God. Is there any labor involved in that? He didn't say, well, do this and then you'll know I'm God. He said, be still.

And what have we done as born-again Christians? We've ceased from our labors, haven't we? To save ourselves. We can't save ourselves. So we've ceased from trying to save ourselves. Be still and know that I'm God. Now we're serving, won't we? Because we love him. Be still. You see the turmoil, some unexpected event pops up in your life and you're freaking out. Be still. Know that he's got it. Could be health issues.

These are trials that we're going to go through. But what do they ultimately do? You ask Dan and Kathy. They'll tell you that what they went through drew them closer to God. And all of us have went through things like that and know, wow, look what the Lord's done.

He teaches us we're just mortal, doesn't he? And now we long for heaven. You know, 100% of the people we see are gonna die. Including us. But while we're in this world, while we're in the turmoil of this world, let us just be still before God. We're told here, be still, just be still. Doesn't mean cease from labor, or doesn't mean cease from movement, doesn't mean that, but it means in any way trying to justify ourselves, or just the turmoil of the world is getting to you, things getting to you, just be still before the Lord. Just meditate upon Him. Think upon His greatness. It's talking about resting and being quiet. Not murmuring, not complaining, just resting. And thinking about who he is, he's God. Know that he's God.

Pray the Holy Spirit will illuminate your mind to the things of Christ. And look at verse one. Verse one is wonderful. This verse tells us that no matter what, No matter what we go through, no matter what we're seeing going on in the world, the Lord is present with us at all times. Now that's comforting to this old sinner. Is it comforting to you? Look at this. This is beautiful.

God, Elohim, the strong and mighty one, is our refuge and strength. See, we have no strength to carry on, do we? Spurgeon said, if the Lord didn't keep me, I'd fall a thousand times going from my bed to the breakfast table. That's a man who knew something about sin, isn't it? God is our refuge and strength.

Look at this. Now this can minister to our soul. A very present help in trouble. There's trouble in the world, isn't there? There are even disruptions in our country, troubles in our country. God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble.

Look at verse two. Therefore, will not we fear? Though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, if there be utter destruction, though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof, See, what the psalmist is doing is setting our eyes on Christ, who is God in the flesh, the only Savior of sinners. Only those who rest and trust in Christ shall be saved, right?

My. And notice, we're to be still, even though we see troubles all around us, even though we see chaos all around us. And I admit this isn't easy for our flesh to do, is it? But you know, the more we do this, the more we learn this, the easier it is just to continue to do it.

When an event comes up and people are pulling their hair out going, oh my gosh, it's going to be the end of the world. No. The world's only going to end when the Lord says it. And if something does happen and I get taken home like that, well, praise be to God. Put me on ground zero. I'd be going home fast, right? People say, well, that's mortifying. No, it's not. Not for the believer, is it? My.

Though the waters roar, all be tossed about. You ever seen a great flood when they get a great big rainstorm and there's a flood just racing through subdivisions and houses and the water's just smashing against the houses, carrying some of them away? That's what that's talking about. Just that fast rushing water. Just nothing stops it. And that can happen in our world even with Things going on, can't it? It can seem like it's out of control, but it's not. No? Turn, if you would, to John chapter 14. John chapter 14. We'll see what the Master says here. We're to rest and be quietly resigned to the will of God.

To the will of God, which is unfolding before us each day. Do you want to know what the will of God was for yesterday? Well, just look in the newspapers. People always trying to, I remember seeing books when I was religious about, oh, how to know the will of God, how to be in the will of God. Well, I realized that the will of God is to save me and keep me. Right? Or else we wouldn't be saved, right?

Because He does all things according to the will and purpose. His will and purpose. That's wonderful. And look at this. Look what our Savior told His disciples. Because He knew. He'd been talking to them about His death. And look what He says to them here. John 14, verses 1 to 3. Let not your heart be troubled, which is, let your heart not be anxious. See, why is he telling them this? Because he knows they're flesh. This isn't a thing to be saying, well, never do that again. No, because he knows what we are. He knows we're but flesh.

Let not your heart be troubled. Don't let the things going on in this world get to us. Although sometimes it does, right? But what happens if it does? Flee to Christ. Be still before Him. Look at this. Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. Who sent Him? God the Father. And this is God the Son speaking, right? God incarnate in the flesh, the only Savior of sinners.

In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. My. And if I, look at this. Remember what Henry used to say? Where the head is, the body soon follows. Who's the head? Christ. We're the body, right? Look at this. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself. And where I am, there ye may be also.

Forever. All because of the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Forever. This world is so temporary. It's so temporary, beloved. We're born. We live to all different ages. Some live really older lives. A man fell yesterday that was 96 years old. And then we got a little Flynn, just a newborn. Not a newborn anymore, but it wasn't long ago, was it? And my, we're at all different stages of life.

And so, he says, let your heart not be troubled. Let your heart not be anxious, knowing that we will get anxious. You believe in God? Believe also in me. He is God, isn't he? So we see here, back to our text, Psalm 46.10, we're to be still before God, trust and rest in him, in his work into providence, what he does, what he does. We who are the born-again, blood-washed children of God.

Now we're being taught this every day, aren't we? Think of that. We're being taught this every day, because every day there's new events that come in. We live in a world of instant news. I remember when I was a little tyke, we used to get the paper, and everybody would scramble to read the paper, right? And you'd be reading stuff sometimes three, four days old, sometimes a week old. Right? Now it's instant, right? We have everything right there.

We never had that before. And have you ever noticed something about news? They never report on the good things that happen. It's always bad news. Somebody did this over here. This happened over here. But we hear the good news, don't we? Christ came to save sinners. And that's the best news. And that's why the Lord says, be still and know that I'm God. He's God. He's in control. He's in control, beloved. In this world, this world has no care for God, no reverence for God. All we have to do to know that is to look back at where we were before the Lord saved us. We had no care for God. I didn't have any care for God until he saved my soul. But praise God, he delivered us, didn't he? He delivered us from the prison house of sin. He delivered us from the bondage of this world through his blood and righteousness.

And now we're to seek him. We're to sit at his feet. Remember the Gadarene demoniac, the guy that was tearing the chains apart and going crazy all the time? And the Lord saved him. And where was he? Sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind, he was sitting, he was being still before the Lord. And then the Lord, he wanted to go with the Lord. Remember, he says, oh, take me with you, Lord.

He said, no, you go and tell the great things the Lord has done for you. That man became an evangelist, a preacher. Go and tell, I bet you he told everybody. Remember me, I was the guy that was tearing chains apart? Which pictures man's religion trying to fix him. But he just tore the chains apart. Only God could save him.

And he's sitting at the feet of Jesus. Oh my, that's where we, that's where we sit, isn't it? We're sitting at the feet of Jesus. And when you're sitting, you're looking up at him. And just being still. Listening to him. Isn't that wonderful? No labor. Just looking. There's life in the look, isn't there? To Jesus. Look unto me and be ye saved. All the ends of the earth, the Messiah says. Oh my. Let's read in our text too. Here's something we see in our text is God's absolute sovereignty. He commands us to be still. Let's read our text again. Be still and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. This just speaks of his sovereignty, doesn't it? I will. When God says I will, it'll be done. It'll be done. And think of the long suffering of God towards his people. There's a passage in 2 Timothy. that people often use to say, well, see, this means God wants to save everyone. But if you read the context of the verse and the context of who the epistle's written to, it's written to God's elect, it's written to God's people, and he says this, and this shows us his absolute sovereignty.

2 Peter 3, 9, the Lord is not slack concerning his promise. Well, for the believer, all promises are in Christ, right? Says this, if some man counts slackness, but is long-suffering to us-worth, not willing that any should perish. Well, who's the not willing that any should perish? Not willing that any of God's sheep should perish. The ones that he died for on Calvary's cross. And you know what? Not one of them will perish. Not one of them will die in their sins.

They'll be born again by the Holy Spirit of God. not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And people use that and say, see God wants everybody to come to repentance, but does everybody come to repentance? No, so it can't mean everybody. But when you apply that to the elect of God, why did you and I come to repentance? Because of the super abounding grace of God in Christ. That's the only reason.

I was talking to someone the other day about Noah. What's the difference between Noah and all them people that perished? Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. What's the difference between all of us and those who perish? We found grace in the eyes of the Lord, period.

It ain't because we're better than anyone. It's not because we've done more things, no. It had nothing to do with us in that part. It's all through the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. His perfect work. And he says here, be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. Why? Because he saved some of them at Calvary's cross. Washed in his blood. He'll be exalted among them. Oh, yeah, and then he'll be exalted above the whole world, won't he? When every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. My oh my. When it's all said and done, our great God shall and will be glorified no matter what. So we are commanded to just be still before the Lord. Just be still. Be still under His rule. Be still under His providence. Be still on the events occurring in this world because God's in control. Who's the one in control right now? Who's the one who's being given all power by God the Father? See, people don't realize this. Who's the one? who right now currently holds all power.

Brother Tom, you know, we know, don't we? Yeah, it's Christ. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. And who will everybody stand before at the great white throne judgment, where the goats will be divided from the sheep? Who's the one standing and sitting on that throne? It's the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who people say, I don't believe in him. Well, you're going to see him one day, and he's either going to be your judge or your savior, one or the other.

There's no getting away from that appointment, is there? Just like people say, well, you know, I'm one of them guys that make doctor's appointments and cancel them, which is not good, right? But our death and the great white judgment throne are two appointments we will not miss. Number one, we're all going to die. It's a point on the man wants to die, right? And after this, the judgment. Everybody's going to die. Sooner or later. We don't know the date, do we? I don't want to know the date. But all of us are going to die.

And then, everybody who's ever lived, people say, I don't believe in God. No. Now you will see Him. As sure as we're seeing each other, you will see Him. And I pray, I pray that you see Him as your Savior and not as your judge, because there's no hope. Once we die, there's no hope for us. And there's no hope outside of Christ. There's only hope for salvation in and through the Lord Jesus Christ and His blood and righteousness.

That's it. Salvation's in the man. The man in Christ Jesus. And we who are redeemed say, praise his mighty name. He's wonderful. I can't tell you how wonderful he is. I can't. I know that he took someone who used to curse his name, and now I praise his name. I know that. And now I preach his word. And that's a miracle all by itself, isn't it? And every one of us. Our trophies, we who are saved, we who are the redeemed of the Lord, are trophies of God's grace. We don't feel like it, but we sure are. My. And you mothers, you know how much you love your children, right? And you know how much you love your spouses. And we love you. But our love combined is nothing compared to the love that God has for his people.

You know, I remember my mom. I miss her tremendously. I think about her all the time. And I remember the love that she had for us boys. And I have to admit, I was kind of her favorite because I was sick all my life as a young man with disabilities and stuff. But I sure knew my mom loved me. I sure knew it. And it wasn't just by her saying, it was by actions. Right?

We're to be still before the one who loves us with an everlasting love. And he's manifested his love toward us, hasn't he? By sending his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the word of God, to become a man. God becomes a man. God who cannot die becomes a man, still fully God and fully man to save God's people, his people from their sins, to save sinners. Do you know there's no other Savior than Christ? There's no other Savior for sinners than Christ. He is the only way.

No matter what anyone says in here. Religion can't save you, can it? Denominations can't save you. We're Baptist because of conviction, aren't we? But being a Baptist can't save someone. Only Christ can save. Right? Only Christ. You know, it's funny because through the years I used to be really aggressive about certain things and certain convictions I've held. And now the only thing that I'm really aggressive about and hold tight to is salvations in Christ alone through his blood. And the scriptures are the only truth in this world. And Christ saves sinners, and I'm proof of that.

And again, our love that we have for our children, a mom's love, I don't think there's any greater love on this earth than a mom's love for her kids. I really don't. I've seen it. And I know we love our wives, man. I know we love our wives. But the love that you see of a mom and her kids, and that doesn't even come close to how God loves us in Christ. That's amazing. That is amazing. Absolutely incredible. And so we're to be still before the Lord. We're to be still. We're to be still before the Lord's providence without words. We're not to murmur or complain about what God's doing. We're just to be still.

Job's wife told Job, curse God and die. And Job's answer was, but he said unto her, thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What, shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this, Job, in all this did not Job sin with his lips. We're to be reserved to God's will. It's not always easy, is it? No?

We have a family in the church that's been suffering for a couple of years now with different things going on. And I see them just resting in Christ. It's been amazing. It's been hard. But they're just holding on to Christ. Just holding on to Christ.

And this is what we're to do. We're to come and to be ready to receive what God tells us through the scriptures. Because it's the Holy Spirit that will take my words and somewhere between you and me, he will take them and apply them to your hearts and we learn and grow, don't we? And we're in awe of what's being said. But it ain't the preacher, it's God the Holy Spirit. And my prayer is that he goes before my preaching and works in your hearts and mine to receive the word with gladness. And so we're commanded to be still. We're to be still in our actions before God too, aren't we? We're not to lose our minds and get worked up about things. so that it becomes all consumed.

You ever had something? I have had this happen. Have you ever had something become all consuming so much that you've got your mind is totally off Christ? I've had that happen many times. And you're so worked up about whatever happened. It could be something in the past. It could be something that maybe is gonna happen in the future. And you're all worked up.

Spurgeon, I love what Spurgeon said. He says, we make mountains out of mohills. We think they're mountains, and God goes, no, that's just a mohel. It's true, isn't it? So in our actions, we're to be still before the Lord, with our words and with our actions. Right? He's sovereign. And see, this is a learning process for us, right? And again, this wouldn't be in here, this command wouldn't be here, if we were still all the time before the Lord? Do you see how gracious God is? Do you see how wonderful He is? My! So, we're to be still before the Lord in our actions. Remember what Job said? Job rose, he said, didn't Job rose and rent his mantle and shaved his head?

This is after his children died, after he lost all his wealth. and fell down on the ground and worshipped and said, naked came out of my mother's womb and naked shall I return, thither the Lord gave and the Lord taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. And in all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. His wife said, Job, just go and curse God and die. And Job said, no, you're talking like an unsaved person. Foolishness. And then he finds out about his kids dying, finds out about his wealth gone, and he, my, this is the Lord's grace. He says, blessed be the name of the Lord. My, God give us great grace.

And he does in times of need, doesn't he? He does in times of need. And we know we gotta be still in our hearts too, don't we? Because we know that all things work together for good for those who love Christ Jesus for those who are the called according to his purpose Romans chapter 8 verse 28 And why should we be still well because God is God and we're just creatures We're just his creation I remember Sister Diane and I talking one time, and she said, you know, people get worked up about Satan a lot, but he's just a created being, isn't he?

I said, yeah, you got it right on there. You got it right on. He's just a created being. He only has power as God allows him to have power. Remember, he said, well, you can go and touch Job, but you can't take his life. Who's the ultimate authority? We're just creatures. We're just his creation. My.

Woe unto him that striveth with his maker. Let the pot shreds strive with the pot sheds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it, what makest thou or thy work? He hath no hands. So he's the potter, right? We're the clay. I remember as a kid working on pottery on the wheel.

It was so amazing. I'd never experienced anything like it at all. You can mold that clay into whatever you want. And I made my mom a candlestick, and I tell you, it was the ugliest candlestick I'd ever seen, but she thought it was wonderful. Because I made it for her. But that candlestick, as I was making it, didn't say, hey, wait, hold on. I want to be a bull. It didn't, did it? It molded into what I wanted it to be.

God has made us what we are for his glory and for his honor and for his praise. It's wonderful. And we're not speak against our maker, are we? Now we did at one time before we were saved. But we don't anymore. We don't question His will anymore, do we? No, He's in charge. It's mine. And, you know, the only way that we can be still before God is to know God. Think before. Were we still before the Lord saved us? Were we still before God? No, we were a mess. We were a mess.

Now, we know him. He's revealed himself to us. Brother Tom, you say, and the only way we can know God is for him to reveal himself. That is so true. That is the heart. Because we do not know him in our natural state. We have no care for him. So we can't be still before the Lord in our unsaved state, because it's just turmoil all the time. But after the Lord saved us, now we have a new nature. We have a new heart. We have new faith that we never had before. And that faith has one object, and his name is the Lord Jesus Christ, who's speaking here and saying, be still before me and know that I'm God. And he will be exalted, right? Did we not just exalt him in song? We Gentile folks, we just exalt him. We heathen, didn't we just exalt him? Yeah. My, I had somebody meet me the other day.

Met Vicki and I, and I think I've told you guys this. The first thing she did was come up to us and say, my name is such and such, and I'm a pagan. And I can't tell you how many times, because I used to do street evangelism, how many times people use that for shock value, right? They're like, oh, they expect you to go unclean. And I went, oh, I'm Wayne. Nice to meet you. She kind of looked at me. And I wasn't fast enough. I wasn't fast enough, beloved, because I should have said, well, I was a former pagan too, but now the Lord saved me. Oh my. Isn't it so true? We're just saved sinners and we're so thankful, aren't we?

So we couldn't be still before God. Now we're learning to be still before him. We're learning that his providential workings. We're learning of how he moves and the different events that occur in this world occur because a man's sin, but he does allow them to happen. My, and somehow they're working out for our good, beloved, the elect's good. and all according to God's will and purpose.

I don't think we'll ever understand that into this side of heaven. My. So the only way we can know God is to be born again, washed in the blood of Christ. Listen to this. This is wonderful. The Lord says, for I'm the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Why are we not consumed? by our sin? Why do we not spend eternity to heaven? Because we're the elect of God. Now there's some who are perished in their sins and are dying in hell right now, and there'll be many more going there. But only because we found grace in the eyes of the Lord will we be in glory. That's it. only because of the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and his perfect sin atoning work in our room and place on Calvary shall we be saved. That's wondrous. That's wondrous. Listen to this.

John 17 verse 2. as thou has given him all power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given them. The Lord Jesus Christ has all power to give eternal life to whomever he wills. And who does he give eternal life to? All those who the Father gave him in eternity. We don't know who they are, but they're manifest when they're born again, aren't they?

My. And then this, John, 1 John 5, 20, this is wonderful. And we know See, how do we know to be still before the God? Because we know God now. And we know that the Son of God has come and given us an understanding, something we never had before, right? Given us an understanding of our sinfulness, given us an understanding of who Christ was, why he came, what he did, perfect work. Came to save sinners.

Where he is now, he's rose and in heaven right now. Seated at the right hand of the Father. And where he will, where he is, we're soon gonna be there. Oh, it's wonderful. Giving us an understanding that we may know Him. That's Gnoska. That's an intimate knowledge. That is true. And we are in Him. That is true. Even in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God in eternal life. Jesus Christ is God. Came to save sinners. Listen to this. Psalm 135, verses 5 and 6.

For I know that the Lord is great. We know that now, don't we? We didn't know it before. No. For I know that the great Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods, all the gods man make. Muhammad, Mary, all those false gods, Hinduism, all that stuff, all those false gods people bow to, our Lord is the one true living God. He's the one true living God. My, for I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven and in earth, in the seas and all deep places.

Listen to that. He does whatever he pleases. Let's turn over to Ephesians quick. We were studying this this morning. This will be wonderful to close this up. Look at this. Look at this Ephesians chapter 1 Our God is great and he does whatever he pleases and the armies of heaven and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing He's got no counselors. He's got no one to say. What are you doing? He's God And he does whatever he pleases And look what Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, wrote to believers in the city of Ephesus who were born again. In chapter one, look at this.

Start in verse three. Grace be to you and peace from God the Father. Oh, I'm in Galatians. Okay, verse three. Ephesians chapter one. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us, past tense, with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, look at this, according to the good pleasure of his will. Okay. To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood. Look at that. What do we have? The forgiveness of sins. That's all sins. Past, present, and future.

According to the riches of His grace, wherein, so this ties back into the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he had purposed in himself. My, notice that, we looked at this in Sunday school. Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. We now know some things we never knew before.

We know now that there's eternal life only in Christ. And we've been given faith to believe on it. We know what John said, that eternal life is only in Christ. We know what the psalmist said, that our God is the great God, the one true living God. We know some things now. And this verse we've looked at today tells us, just be still before. Just be still and know that he's God. And know that he will be exalted and he is being exalted right now among the heathen. And he will be and he is being exalted in all the world. God's got a remnant of people, doesn't he?

We're not the only ones preaching the gospel. There's other churches out there all around the world preaching the gospel. We may find out about them, we may hear about them, and we rejoice. And we continue to preach salvation through the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ in him alone.

It's not our faith that saves us, it's Christ who saves us. And our faith is set in the one who saves us. See? God-given faith has one object that it rests in. The Lord Jesus Christ, the only Savior of sinners, who the scripture says, he came to save his people from their sins, and he cried, it is finished. Praise his mighty name. Amen and amen. My oh my. Brother Brian, will you close us in prayer?

Be Still

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about being still before God?

How do we know God is our refuge?

Why is understanding God's sovereignty important for Christians?

What does it mean to rest in Christ?

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Be Still

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about being still before God?

How do we know God is our refuge?

Why is understanding God's sovereignty important for Christians?

What does it mean to rest in Christ?

Sermon Transcript

About Wayne Boyd

Comments

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