Text: Ps. 46:10-11

Title: "Be Still: Know God"

Subj: Silence before God

Intro: The Bible says, " Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephes. 6:10-12

How many of you have been to a "mass meeting" of one kind or another. Sports, music, religious, political? Can you recall being swayed by the shear force of the crowd, the noise of the participants, and/or the excitement of the event? That is "mob psychology," and it has been used since the Tower of Babel to motivate the thinking and actions of people who would not have been otherwise influenced to godless behaviour. And always associated with these events is loud, incessant, beat-driven music that appeals to the flesh, self-gratification and the base nature of man, all the while shutting out avenues of restraint, self-denial, and the spiritual side of man. The music and/or noise is used to cover the message, or disguise it while it finds a lodging place in the subconscious of the hearer.

" Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

The wiles of the devil. An unusual term. The Greek word means "with a way, method, cunning, device, contrivance, craft." The English dictionary makes it a little plainer: "a trick or strategy practiced for ensnaring or alluring; to entice, lure." One of Satan's grand strategies is the continued use of noise to keep our minds in a continuing state of activity and aggravation. This also appeals to our sin nature which craves the company of the things of this world. That is why you turn on music or T.V. while you study, or for "company" at other times. Even good quality Christian music can be used by Satan to distract our minds, even though quality words are going into our subconscious memories. If one of the wiles of Satan is loud music and noise, what is the way of God? "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it,..." Isaiah 30:21

Ps. 46:1-11 -- "Be Still--Know God" -- prayer

v1. What God is

v2a. What He gives, no fear

v2b-3. Our adversary (Selah)

v4-5,7. What God is (abundant ["river"], localized ["city"], most High, available ["in midst of"], a right early help, Lord of Hosts, God of Jacob).

v4-5,7. What He gives (Presence, stability, help, refuge).

v6a. Our adversary (Selah)

v8-11. What God is--Judge! (and that is the end of the adversary!!), God, exalted, Lord of Hosts, God of Jacob.

v10-11. What He gives (Peace ("be still"), knowledge, Presence ("with us"), refuge.)

I. IF WE WILL BE STILL, GOD CAN BE GOD TO US (v10a)

A. By Revealing Himself

A. "I Am" is the Name of the Self-existant, Ever Present One.

From the great pronouncement , "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14

1. He ever lives

a. He is not a dumb idol or a carved image

2. He is ever present

a. Though He is everywhere, He is always here!

"He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber." Psalm 121:3

3. He is all sufficient

a. There is nothing He can't supply, and you don't need what He hasn't supplied (to this point).

B. By Giving Us Knowledge

1. "Know that"! "Know" = knowledge gained by the senses.

a. Most people have five senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling (Those that own a large hoofed quad-ru-ped have a 6th: horse sense!)

2. How can we know God by our physical senses?

1) "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though He needed any thing, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;" Acts 17:24-25

2) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Roms 10:17

3) "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him." Psalm 34:8

4) "And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you." 2 Thes. 3:4

5) "But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God." Philip. 4:18

C. By Making Us Still

1. Be still! "Still" = cease ye. "Stop doing one thing in favor of something else." Drop it, abandon it.

"Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." Psalm 4:4

"And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." Mark 4:39

2. Be thinking

a. "Selah" = Rest in contemplation after praise, lift up the heart.

Selah bids the music rest, Pause in silence soft and blest;

Selah bids uplift the strain, Harps and voices tune again;

Selah ends the vocal praise, Still your hearts to God upraise.

3. Be listening

"And [God] said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. and, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." 1 Kings 19:11-12

Note: The one person we are most fearful of being alone with is ourselves. That is why most of you immerse yourselves in noise from whatever source, when you are alone. And even if we find ourselves alone with ourselves, we fear being alone with our thoughts. You see, it is often in those moments of silence that God reveals our thoughts to us. And our thoughts reveal ourselves to ourselves, and remind us of what God really knows about us. The sin nature and its resultant sins are not a pretty picture. And admitting and confessing and cleansing ourselves, of ourselves, before God is not a pleasant task. That is why God says, "Be still," be thinking, be listening."

II. IF WE WILL BE STILL, GOD WILL BE EXALTED (v10b)

A. "Exalted" = high, lofty, rise up

1. By Us

a. Among the heathen (we are among the heathen)

2. In Us

a. In the world's-system (we are in the world, but not of the world)

3.When God is exalted, we are lifted up as His children

III. IF WE WILL BE STILL, GOD WILL BE WITH US

A. "Lord of Hosts" = Commander of every army (lost/saved)

1. Is with us!

Note: God is in charge of every battle, and both sides of every conflict. If we know that, and we are activily patient, then it is impossible for us to be defeated by the circumstances of life, even impossible circumstances.

IV. IF WE WILL BE STILL, GOD WILL BE OUR REFUGE

A. "God of Jacob" (whose name was changed to Israel) = God of His people, intimately associated with them. As He was to Jacob, so He is to us. An unchangeable relationship.

1. "Refuge" = high place, high tower. The idea of reaching and remaining upon some fortified height, which is inaccessibile to the enemy.

Note: There is a place to hide when your world comes crashing about you. There is a place to hide when your enemies come charging at you. There is a place to hide and cry "Abba, Father," when people reject and disappoint you.

Concl: The world's way of drowning out the realities of life is with noise. The Christian's way of copping with the realities of life is stillness and silence before our God. It was not in the wind, nor the earthquake nor the fire that Moses heard God's still small voice, but in the loneliness of a cave, alone with himself. Some of you need to turn off the world's noise so you can hear the voice of God. Some of you are missing God's best because you can't hear His voice of comfort and chastisement.