Be Still, and Know that I am God.

How to Know that God’s Presence, the God of the Bible, is our Stronghold in the Struggles and Troubles of Life.

In order to live life to its fullest, the Bible teaches us, that we examine our present life, in the light of past experiences, while making decisions about our future.

We will all face troubles and struggles in life. Usually we find ourselves in tight spots, right after we past milestones in life.

Some mile markers in life include:

Becoming a teenager,

which is overshadowed by turning 16 and getting our license.

We graduate high school and go to college.

we graduate college and get married.

We have children.

And then we watch our kids repeat the same cycle.

When we become teenagers, we go to high school. Looking back, we realize that friendships we thought would last forever disappeared leaving us alone in a strange place.

When we get our license, we find we have more friends than can fit in the car. These friends will also disappear as they, in turn, get their license.

When we graduate high school, we often wish we could return to the safety and stability of the home that we always wanted to leave.

All these major events in our life used to be celebrated with church family, as a way of exalting God’s presence in these mile stones in life.

But, as we past these mile markers, we somehow forget God’s presence in the troubles and struggles of everyday life. To our credit, we do occasionally try to reorient ourselves with God’s presence.

We think of God, when we plan our marriage. We may have not walked in a church in 4 years, but we know we should get married at church. But somehow, on the way home from the honeymoon, the directions to church must fly out the window.

So we tend to neglect our need for the presence of God, until we have children and begin watching them repeat the same sad cycle of life.

Then we find our way back in church, hoping to acquaint our children and family with God’s presence.

Kristen today you are at a mile stone in life. Mackenzie and Abbey you are passing the 16th birthday sign, Hannah you have passed the 16 sign, but they still want let you drive. I am asking you all not to make the same mistake I made. If we are honest, I think every adult in the room will tell you that the struggles and troubles of life, often cause us to make the mistake of neglecting our everyday need for God’s presence in our lives.

I want to give you one activity (practice), that can teach you three things you need to Know about the God of the Bible.

Be Still, Know that God’s Presence is Your Source of Refuge and Strength

Crease and Desist Order is a legal document handled down by an governmental entity ordering someone to immediately stop an activity. To put to an end a state of being or an activity.

Cease and desists from the activity of being afraid.

Illustration:

To be good enough at softball to get a scholarship, you had to practice. You had to practice regularly to develop skills that don’t slip when you are under pressure.

When we practice, we are preforming an exercise to accomplish to purposes. 1) we desire to improve or enhance a skill, and 2) we want to maintain proficiency in that skill.

To stop from the chaos and confusion that accompany the tight spots of life, we have to practice. God commands us to cease and desist from participating in the chaos of our problems and look for His presence, in the situation.

APPLICATION: I will not fear, when the familiar stability of my environment changes, instead I will trust in God.

Creation was the stabilizing center of the Jewish worldview that give them confidence in the struggles and trouble of life.

Be Still, and Know that God’s Presence is Your Stronghold

A stronghold is a place of security or a place fortified by a group of people to provide protection. The Jews though of the city and the temple as a fortified defensive structure that could not be overtaken.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 46:4–5

Because God was within her, the city would not fall. (Years later, however, the city did fall. Because of extensive idolatry in the temple, Ezek. 8, God’s presence left, Ezek. 10. Without His protective presence, Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians.)

Cease and Desist immediately, when you begin to look for stability, in your new environment. God’s presence made Jerusalem secure, not the fortifications of the city’s walls or location.

APPLICATION: I must trust in the Person, of the place; not the Place, of the Person. We find safety when we trust in God’s presence.

We don’t go to church to make a deal with our parents or with God. We go to church because God calls His people to meet Him here.

Be Still, and Know that God’s Presence will be Exalted among Your Enemies and Troubles of this earth.

Exalt means to evaluate, to lift oneself up above the others in the field.

My daddy is stronger than you daddy. My mama makes better brownies than your granny. There was a time when we exalted others. But now we often only exalt ourselves.

APPLICATION: Know that the God of the Bible Is a very present Help in times of trouble.

Call the nations to come and see what God’s presence has proved to be your stronghold in the troubles and struggles of this this world.

We must not only concentrate on what God has done in the Bible, but also what God’s presence has accomplished in our own lives.

Psalm 27:1–2 NASB95

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

Psalm 121:1 NASB95

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?

Psalm 121:2 NASB95

My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

Hebrews 13:5–6 NASB95

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”