Being Still is alright

Good morning church, it is so good to be able to share God’s word with you this morning. A couple of weeks ago i was about to begin a little video series of devotions where we would pray through the psalms.

I really felt God moving me in a different direction during our time together in those devotions and I have seen God do great things among His people through that time. However I felt the urge to share this message with you. I’d like to speak with you this morning on this subject:

Being Still is Alright.

Being still its something were not used to, its something that is very difficult for each and everyone of us to do. We are busy, crazy busy we cannot completely get through one task without having several others on deck ready to be done. So while this title sounds silly i think it is something we need to hear.

Being Still is Alright.

We live in a world where time waits fro no man, where time is money, where time is of the essence, where time is everything, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in a day to accomplish everything we want to accomplish. We have books we want to read but our lives are so crammed with things to do we dont have the time or the energy so now we have a

In this fast paced world of go, go,go God speaks to us and He says Be still.

Being still is alright

Being still is beneficial

Being still is a command.

I am sure many of you this morning are like duck on the pond, sure on top of the water you have slowed down, but under the water those legs are kicking 100 miles an hour. However this morning the Lord speaks to us and HE says very clearly that we should be still.

Psalm 46

Countless songs have been written about this Psalm, countless poems have been written about this psalm. hundreds of sermons have been preached about this passage of scripture and we are going to learn this morning about the blessing of being still.

When we hear a verse like this people wonder well what does a verse like this mean, does it mean like do I not do anything what does it mean?

It means admit defeat, it means give up trying to figure out and work out everything in your own strength, COME TO THE END OF YOURSELF.

Let GO of all the efforts and all the striving, struggling, even the things that seem to be Godly but its that which has its fuel sorce in human effort. GIVE UP trying to be Godly in your own strength.

How can I learn to be still when everything else around me is noise.

Listen to what Isaiah says He was calling out to the people of God in a horrendous time in history where they quite possibly could have been wiped off the face of the planet. He says:

Isaiah 30:15 ESV

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,

In coming back to that which is the source of your life and strength in letting go of human effort and coming back having confidence in the work that only God can do this would have been your strength but you wouldnt come, these people continued to try to strategize and work and do the best they could but they never fully returned to the source of thier strength the Lord Himself.

Isaiah 30:16 ESV

and you said, “No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore you shall flee away; and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore your pursuers shall be swift.

Isaiah 30:17 ESV

A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill.

God says if you wanna run then I’ll let you run so far so fast until you’ve exhausted all of your strength until there is nowhere to go but where I am and when you get done I’ll be there and I’ll be waiting for you But God tells them that He will be merciful to them there, the mercy and grace of the Lord is amazing.

I wonder how many of us are just like these stubborn Israelites, I wonder how many of them are just like us.

Let me ask you a question when all of this is over will we really be changed?

How will your life be different?

Has there been a fundamental reorientation of our lives?

Or will we just quickly dart right back into the same old habits we had prior to this pandemic. Will there be a lesson learned? Or will we like the Israelites strive and run until we are exhausted once again and God will be sitting there waiting on us once again.

But isn’t it nice to know the graciousness of our God the mercy of our God why would he have anything to do with me? That boggles my mind

How can I learn to stop trying to do everything in my own strength, and trying to work out everything in my own wisdom and ability?

Stop trying to figure it all out, stop trying to have all the answers and a plan for those answers just be content to just be with the Lord and be satisfied seeking the presence of the Lord...

There are many things we can figure out and plan but we cannot fathom the inner working of the Lord and we cannot manufacture the power of the Lord.

We need to remember that the Lord is Soverign He keeps His promises we have ot know deep within that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him Who he says He is is who He is.

Every purpose and plan of God will be performed in the Earth and will be true in my life if I choose to trust Him.

BE STILL LET DOWN YOUR HANDS

This is where we get the saying let go and let God

We mean simply let go cease striving and start trusting.

Everybody needs to say that out loud wherever you are, cease striving and start trusting.

Let me explain

(ringing our hands..... making our plans,.... worry fret concern)

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We can have peace because we know God has it all under control, we can know everything is gonna be alright because God has it under control God doesn’t need our help, He can handle His business all on His own.

We trust His character!

Notice HE says be still and know that I am God be still and know I AM!

Who is God lets remind ourself...

God is our Helper

Psalm 46:1 ESV

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Let me just take a moment to say something, can I tell you that there is no limit to where you can go on your knees in prayer. There is no limit to where you can go on your knees in prayer.

We say things in sermons like run to the Lord and I dont really think people always know what that means, it means that while you might not be physically running, spiritually the attitude of your heart can be desperate for the Father, so when we say things like God is our refuge, which means safe place, or strong tower.

Let’s understand that prayer is the way we access these truths about the Lord it is a fundamental truth that we run to the Lord in prayer because we know He is the only safe place in this life that there is.

We know when we have worked and worked and worked and tried and tried that when our strength is all gone He is the only One who has the strength to help us carry on.

So we need to remember before we face our day, before we make decisions, before we do anything we must learn to speak with god seek God on the matter first, so that we do not have to learn the hard way.

(Jonah)

We need to remember that when the sun dawns on a new day there is a new opportunity to walk with God that day.

(Grace and her tree)

God desires to walk with you, God delights when His children need His help, God delights simply when His children want Him to walk with them through their day.

The Bible says when you come to Christ you are a new creation old things have passed away and behold the new has come.

that means where you used to go through life on your own now you carry with you Christ the hope of glory,

“He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own, and the joy we share while we tarry there, none other has ever known.....”

He is the safe place where you can run and the pandemic cant get there your fearsa cant get there I am telling you when oyu run to the refuge in the secret oplace through prayer the bad things of this Earth cannot touch you!

Thanks be to God!

When you are week and weary you can come and through prayer access strength you did not have within yourself.

A TOWERING STRENGTH IS OUR GOD!

Our god is a help for now, right now and immediate help, today.

He is a very present help tomorrow just when you need him. Our God is right there, don’t become so familiar with Him that you forget that.

Don’t become numb to the reality that God is alive and He desires to be your helper!

The Situations

In light of the truth that God is a helper a very present helper in times of trouble… watch closely WE WILL NOT FEAR Though we go through natural disasters and the Earth should change, mountains slipping into the heart of the sea.

​Psalm 46:2 NASB95

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;

There is a helpless feeling when your left in the midst of a massive storm. While we watched the trees bending over and snapping, and we got news that the eye of the storm might pass right over us.

My kids played in the interior room in the house the adults sat guarding each end and while I was sitting there I prayed. Lord if this storm comes over us there isn’t much we can do at all, the winds began to pick up and as I sat there feeling helpless I was reminded where my help came from.

I serve the maker of Heaven and Earth the one who steers the winds the direction that He wishes, fear began to leave me, I was reassured within my spirit by the very real presence of the Lord that everything would be ok.

Why?

OUR GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND OUR STRENGTH A HELPER WHO IS ALWAYS FOUND IN TIMES OF TROUBLE!!!

I remembered His name:Jehovah Sabaoth- the Lord our protector and I was reminded of the passage in Psalms 91

​Psalm 91:1 HCSB

The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.

Whom or what shall we fear?

If God is for us then who or what can be against us?!! Then as I focused on who He was...... peace.... peace… When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows rollWhatever my lot God has taught me to sayIt is well with my soul

As the Holy Spirit ministered to me I thought to myself, what must it feel like for those who don’t know who the Lord is, what fear must be gripping them in the midst of that storm?

What fear must be gripping the hearts and minds of those who have never learned to run to and trust in the Lord during this pandemic?

WE WILL NOT FEAR

​Psalm 46:3 HCSB

though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Selah

​Psalm 46:4 HCSB

There is a river— its streams delight the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the Most High.

what is this river?

It’s the peace that flows into the hearts of those who know God. Notice its streams delight WHO?

THE CITY OF GOD!

I am telling you all that you can know the names of God you can know the character qualities of God but if there is no relationship there is no comfort nor peace.

But if you are found in the Lord there is a river that will delight you in times of distress and disaster. How can you delight in times of trial because you know MANY ARE THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS BUT THE LORD DELIVERS HIM OUT OF THEM ALL!!

​Psalm 46:5 HCSB

God is within her; she will not be toppled. God will help her when the morning dawns.

Times may get dark and situations may look bleak but heres the beautiful thing about knowing the God who loves you, MORNING IS COMING, SEASONS OF LIFE WILL TEST AND TRY YOU BUT MORNING IS COMING, things may be uncertain in our world but MORNING IS COMING, TRIALS MAY LAST FOR A NIGHT BUT JOY COMES IN THE MORNING WHY?

BECAUSE GOD WILL HELP HER WHEN MORNING DAWNS!

That is a promise for Gods word!

Now when He makes reference to her , He is talking about His bride that’s you and me, that means the ground may shake and shift but the people of God shall not be moved, everything can be chaos around them but the church of Jesus Christ cannot be moved, all of Hell itself can be dispatched but the bride cannot be moved why?

BECAUSE THE LORD IS OUR REFUGE AND OUR STRENGTH! SOME OF YALL HAVE THE WRONG MINDSET YOU THINK “I NEED TO SUCK IT UP, WE NEED TO PULL OURSELVES UP BY OUR BOOTSTRAPS AND MOVE ON”

BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT WE NEED CHURCH!

WE NEED TO RUN TO THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST WE NEED TO FIND OUR STRENGTH ON OUR KNEES! OUR HELP COMES FROM THE LORD! The psalmist moves here from a natural disaster to a national disaster

​Psalm 46:6 HCSB

Nations rage, kingdoms topple; the earth melts when He lifts His voice.

​Psalm 46:7 HCSB

The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

pause and let that sink in;

That’s actually what Selah means, it is where there was a pause or break in the music to allow the listener to ponder what the artist just sung.

It also can mean forever, So let that sink in; the God of angel armies is our stronghold forever, even when we are faithless He is faithful, even when we make ourselves too busy for Him He is never to busy for us, even when He is the last thing on our minds, you are the apple of His eye, even when we feel alone I’M HERE TO TELL YOU CHURCH THE LORD OF HOSTS IS WITH US!!!

Lord of Hosts- This speaks of the reality that God is Lord over both Earthly and Heavenly armies.

Now let that sink in, angels who make men cower and fall on their face as dead when they are seen take their commands from our God! He is Master over the angel armies, He dispatches them at His bidding whenever His children are in need.

These angelic beings seek to do the will of God and glorify Him alone.

What does this say about the majesty of our God!

If all of Heaven sits and waits for His command then how mighty how powerful and what authority must He have?!

WE SERVE THE GOD WHO MAKES A WAY WHEN THERE IS NO WAY, WE SERVE THE GOD WHO GIVES SHELTER WHEN THERE IS NO SHELTER, WE SERVE THE GOD WHO GIVES LOVE WHEN WE FEEL NO LOVE, WE SERVE THE GOD WHO CAN TAKE THE 5 LOAVES AND TWO FISH AND TURN IT INTO A BUFFET, WE SERVE THE GOD WHO SHUTS THE MOUTHS OF LIONS AND CAUSES THE WINDS AND WAVES TO HUSH, WE SERVE THE GOD WHO CAN HEAL BLIND EYES, WE SERVE THE GOD WHO CAN TURN THIS EMPTY SANCTUARY INTO A PLACE OF TRUE HEARTFELT WORSHIP!

WE SERVE THE GOD WHO TURNS WATER INTO WINE, CAN MAKE THE LAME AND THE LEPER WALK IN FULL STRENGTH AGAIN, HE IS THE POTTER WHO RIGHT NOW THROUGH THIS VERY SITUATION IS WORKING SOMETHING DOWN DEEP WITHIN US AND HE SCREAMS LOUDLY AND SAYS YOU ARE NOT ALONE I AM WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO!!!!

HE IS LORD OVER LIFE AND THE GRAVE BECAUSE AT ONE WORD FROM HIS MOUTH THE DEAD RISE UP! OUR GOD OUR FATHER OUR SAVIOR HE IS THE HERO OF OUR STORY! I’M TELLING YOU OUR STORY DOESN’T END UNTIL HE SAYS IT ENDSThis is your heavenly Father, He can handle any situation you may be facing internally or externally, He is Lord over all!

​Psalm 46:8 HCSB

Come, see the works of the Lord, who brings devastation on the earth.

Why would He bring about devastation?

Because sometimes the heart of humanity is too stubborn to listen, because sometimes we all need to wake up in order to know God fully, HE IS THE POTTER WHO BREAKS THINGS AND THEN REMAKES THEM BETTER THAN THEY WERE BEFORE THEY WERE BROKEN!! GOD IS DESIRING TO DO A NEW THING IN US CHURCH HE DESIRES SOMETHING NEW IN THIS TOWN, HE DESIRES SOMETHING NEW IN YOUR HOME, HE DESIRES TO BLESS US WITH HIS PRESENCE BUT WE MUST BE BROKEN IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN

(RE-BREAK A BONE)

Jacob cried out for the Angel of the Lord to bless Him so God blessed Him with a broken Hip, He dislocated His hip which caused Jacob to walk funny on Earth because God cared more about how He walked in His spiritual life.

Some of ya’ll are just like Jacob wrestling with God He wants the best for you and yet you just keep on striving and fighting for your best instead of receiving Gods best. Our work and our worry has no place in trusting God, stop striving, stop toiling understand who I am before you go forward, before you rush right back into the hurried nature of your life and realize that I am god and know what your primary purpose on this Earth is....TO EXALT HIM TO LIFT HIM HIGH TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS LORDSHIP

That is why we were created, not to build little kingdoms for ourselves, not to crumble when everything else crumbles around us but to PRAISE AND HONOR THE NAME OF THE LIVING GOD!!

CEASE STRIVING, STOP HURRYING, STOP WORRYING!!! ‘GOD SAYS I GOT THIS!!

CEASE YOUR STRIVING AND HE SAYS TO KNOW THAT HE IS GOD THAT WORD FOR KNOW IS THE WORD YADA in the HEBREW and in the GREEK IT IS GINOSKO it means experiential knowledge.

In other words God doesnt just want you to know about Him , He doesnt just want us to know His name He wants us to experience His nature. Do you believe that this morning? do you believe that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him?Then let me ask you something when was the last time you got alone with God and sat there and talked with Him?

God desires a relationship with you not just visits on sunday He wants to interact in your lives even when nothing terrible has happened OH THAT WE AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD WOULD GRASP THIS TRUTH THAT GOD IS NOT JUST UP THERE TO BE AT OUR BECKON CALL BUT THE HE DESIRES TO BE INVOLVED IN THE LITTLE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE!! HE IS WORTHY TO BE LIFTED UP BY YOUR LIFE!!

​Psalm 46:11 HCSB

Yahweh of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

He is our stronghold, that word means a place of safety such as a mountain fortress, guard tower, or hideout.(during a storm they tell you to get where?

The safest room in the house… why?

that is your refuge, your hiding place from the effects of the storm.the point of this passage today church is this rather than striving and worrying and trying to control everything run to Jesus, when the cares of life weigh you down dont run to the bottle run to Jesus, when the winds of adversity hit hard on the house called your life dont run to a trusted friends first run to Jesus, when you dont understand whats happening all around you dont try to figure it out on your own run to Jesus, when your stuck in a spiritual rut dont try to climb your way out of it run to Jesus,

HE IS THE IMMOVABLE, UNSHAKABLE, ALL POWERFUL FORTRESS AND WHEN THE RIGHTEOUS RUN TO HIM THEY ARE SAVED!!!

Let me ask a very serious question:

Who/What do you run to when trouble comes?there is only one safe place to be found..... His name is Jesus Christ

​Psalm 91:4 HCSB

He will cover you with His feathers; you will take refuge under His wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.

(God’s wrath)(the cross)

It would be a shame to go through all of this not truly learn anything.

It sure would be difficult to explain how God has given us the perfect chance to square things up and reorient our lives to include Him, and then rush back to “normalcy” and need another lesson.