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'Be still and know that I am God

or Be still that you may know that I am God.'

Psalm 46 Verse 10

In the foregoing verses the psalmist declares God's mighty works as Creator and Sovereign of the universe. Even in the desolation of war He decides the issue for all concerned. In a war more weighty, waged against Christ and His Church by their enemies, He calls us to consider His sovereignty, not only in times of trouble but at all times.

In this Psalm the Church encourages herself in the Lord. 'God is our refuge.' In the destruction of war she discerned God's judgement but also that wars ceased at His command.' Wars into peace He turns.' In this verse God Himself speaks – 'Be still.'

The command implies a previous state of darkness and unrest which threatened to overwhelm the soul. But, as when Christ stilled the storm, the word of God, 'Be still,' comes over the waves. 'The Lord's voice on the waters is.'

Let us consider what is implied by this stillness, 'Be still.' When trials abound our nature gives way to complaints. And it were well if we stopped at that, but in our hearts we entertain hard thought of God. Not only is this true of the world – who, when corrected, think that they do not deserve such dealings – but it is true of the believer.

The dark clouds of affliction darken his vision of God and he gives way to doubts of His love to him, to complaints, to rebellion even. And every complaint is rebellion against God as much as when Adam rebelled and fell. In our text we are called upon to subdue all thoughts of rebellion.

It is not easy to be still in such circumstances. While we retain our health and our friends, while providence favours us with prosperity, it is easy to think and speak well of God. But when trials and sorrows multiply and when the streams from which we drew comfort and joy are made bitter or dried up, when disease and death deprive us of loved ones and His waves and billows go over us then to be still, because He has done it, is not easy.

But difficulty as it is we are called to 'be still.' 'Be still;' trample the pride that is at the root of your rebellion against His ruling. As if He said, 'Remember what you are and what you have been; remember your ignorance of what is best for you. I never promised you what would please you but what was for your welfare. I promised to withhold no good from you whether bitter or sweet, but I never promised to withhold trouble and sorrow.'

And what God commands, to 'be still' that we may know that He is God, the history of the Church testifies that it can be done. 'My grace is sufficient for thee.' How dreadful were the trials of Job which deprived him of health, wealth, family and friends – and what was worse – of God's own presence. Yet he was 'still.'

'The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord' (Job 1:21). How sore the tidings brought to Eli, that God would destroy his house, that no sacrifice would blot out their transgressions forever. He was 'still' and he knew that He was God. 'It is the Lord, let Him do as seemeth Him good' (1 Samuel 3:18). And we have the supreme example of our Lord. When He was led as a lamb to the slaughter He opened not His mouth. It was His father's will and that sufficed.

But to be still implies more than restraint. It bids us submit in humility of heart. In other words, 'Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.' It means that we should part with what we cannot keep any longer willingly and heartily. We must realise and appreciate the goodness and mercy of God for us.

That being so, it must be best for us however dark and bitter at the time. It means that we should look back on all the comforts and blessings in which we rejoiced and, when deprived of them say, 'The will of the Lord be done.' It means that we look ahead in a changed world to what lies before us and however dark and lonely the path to say with David, as he ascended Olivet barefoot and pursued by his enemies, 'If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me again.'

If not let Him do what seemeth Him good. Happy is he who thus vindicates the dealings of the Almighty; who through much prayer and wrestling with God is enabled to expel the fearful thoughts that the adversary pours in upon his soul; who when heart and flesh are failing gets the victory over his perplexities saying, 'Though I walk in the midst of trouble,' and who holds on to God saying 'Though he slay me' and make my life a desert, 'yet will I trust him.'

Amidst the darkness and emptiness let us seek to do God's will in our daily calling as did Habakkuk, 'although the fig tree shall not blossom...yet I will rejoice in the Lord' (Habakkuk 3:17); and as David, 'although my house be not so with God yet He hath made with me an everlasting covenant.' (2 Samuel 23:5).

Now such heavy strokes teach us that with all the truth and means of grace at our disposal it is by sore experience we learn the will of God. To learn it is to love it and to be resigned to it. As we go on we are reminded of how little we know of God's will.

It is the darkest hour, when wave upon wave breaks over us and we are given a glimpse of God's will, we see that all that is being done is His will. What depths there are in the will of God! 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God' (Romans 11:33).

And we discover how mysterious the will of God is. He commands us to do His will when everything about us seems set to prevent our doing it, and that also is His will. This is when faith comes into exercise. When we seek to carry out God's will our direction seems to go against the promise of God. So Abraham 'against hope believed in hope' (Romans 4:18), and Jacob, when tried, declared, 'all these things are against me,' and all things turned out to be in his favour.

These experiences convince us of our weakness and of our nothingness in the sight of God. They take our eyes off the creature and cast us on God alone for comfort and support. They lead us to realise that His ways are not our ways nor His thoughts our thoughts. They teach us to commit ourselves and all we have to Him who alone knows what is best for our eternal welfare, and who can make all things work together for our good.

Happy is the man who, by sorrows however multiplies, is thus weaned away from the world and is drawn to God to say, 'All my hope is in thee.' 'Whom have I in the heavens but thee and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside thee' (Psalm 73:25).

And you, who know not the will of God, pray that He may reveal to you His will in Christ, done by Him for sinners.

The above has been copied from my site.

LOL

Your brother in Christ

Iain

GOOD MORNING 11.05 Am in HOLLAND

IAIN thank you for the very good devotional this morning God Bless you brother

LARRY and PAT thank you for the nice hyms yesterday

PAT thank you for the words from D. JAMES KENNEDY
very good dear sister

DEAR RUTH ANN MY PRAYERS ARE FOR YOUR 2 SONS.

Also our neighbour next door is suicide yesterday late in the evening  he is gone to a psychiatric clinic for the 4e x in 1 1/2 years. The last time that he was in the psychyatric clinic he has had electroshock therapie
but yesterday is was terrible he has again try to play
suicide when his wife was back at 10.40PM i have a long time been with here. There son his coming today he and his wife are on wintersports. Today they are come back.It is terrible and it is so sad they are not
believe in GOD.

A caring heart, a listening ear,
A thoughtful word, a gentle tear
Will help to lift the heavy load
Of weary souls along life's road.
                                             D. de Haan

I wish you all a Blessed Day
BYE LOVE RIA

ANGIEF888

RIA

Iain thanks for the devotional this morning. Be still and wait on the Lord. Easier said than done but the Lord will give me the strength as I go through the day.


Listening to the radio it is another cold day.

Ria: Good Morning


Have a great day
Ruth

Thanks so much, Iain, for rescuing me once again!  It was so frustrating last night to have my cable connection just clicking on and off as was my TV going on and off at the same time.  I think it was the very cold extreme weather we were having.  And what good words you've given us from the Lord...  "Be still and know that I am God."  How many of us need to do this!  Let's "Be still" today and realize that we have a wonderful God who is in complete control.

Now, I'm getting ready to leave for London for my first dental appointment of this year.  It will be so good to have this big job done.


Hello to you Ruth.  Oh, how I remember those very cold mornings going to the bus hoping that it would start.  Enjoy your day!

Hi Ria.   I'm so glad that you enjoyed the hymns and the article by Mr. Kennedy.

I have many things to do this morning before I leave for London so I better shake a leg here and get going.

From "PROCLAMATION "MAGAZINE.


THE FALSE GOSPEL OF

SELF-ESTEEM


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COUNSELING

"Christian counseling" has become a very prominent feature of the Church of Jesus Christ. The fact that the general area of "counseling" is rife with the philosophies of man results in great danger that the "wisdom" of this world will infiltrate the message of the Church at the expense of the wisdom of God. A growing deception found in Christian counseling (and throughout society) is the false gospel of "self-esteem" which is incompatible with the Biblical Gospel of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Increasingly, the counseling mentality is that "low self-esteem" is the root cause of a teenager deciding to engage in pre-marital sex or of a house-wife who is always depressed. In fact, prominent Christian personalities can be heard to claim that society's greatest problem is that of "low self-esteem", and that everything from abortion, school drop-outs, teen pregnancy to rape, robbery, and poverty can be solved if only we help people to esteem themselves more highly; to love themselves more and more; and to realize their great self-worth!

Those of us who call ourselves Bible-believing Christians must ask some crucial questions. Is mankind's problem a lack of self-esteem or is it pride, self-centeredness and rebellion? Is the answer to our problem "building self-esteem" or is it brokenness and repentance at the foot of the Cross? And how about my "self-worth"? Doesn't God's Word say that in-and-of my "self" I am worthy of eternal hell?

THE REBELLION OF SELF

The origin of the theology of "selfism" can be found in Isaiah 14:12-14 where Satan's long list of self-exalting "I will's" are recorded. Satan then took his message of "Self" to the Garden of Eden in Genesis three where, in the form of the serpent, he told Eve that she could be her own god and decide for herself what is right and wrong. Revelation 12:9 says, "...that serpent, Satan, who deceives the whole world."

THE CROSS

Far from exalting or esteeming "self", Jesus says in Matthew 16 that we should deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow him. Jesus says in Matthew 22:34-40 that the two (not three, but two!) greatest commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus wasn't, also, giving us a third commandment to love ourselves. He was acknowledging that even in our sin nature we love ourselves already: we feed ourselves, we clothe ourselves. He is saying, "Now, go and serve other people like you are already serving yourself."

The whole Christian life is built upon dying to self and serving God and serving people. We are to get our eyes off of self and fix our "eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). People-in-need must realize that they are helpless and hopeless, but, "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us." (Romans 5: Through repentance we find forgiveness and then a life of surrender; of trusting and obeying. What we must respond to is, not any sense of our own worth, but the fact that Jesus loves us and has a purpose for our lives, and he wants to use us!

THE WORLD RELIGION

The Bible says that there is coming a one-world religion whose inspiration is the author of "Selfism". May we never take part in synthesizing the Evangelical Church into that one-world religion. First Timothy 4:1 tells us that, "In latter times some will abandon the faith and follow after seducing spirits and the doctrines of devils." And 2 Timothy 3 warns, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves..." and chapter three goes on to list the inevitable results of a self-absorbed society.

As we counsel people in the midst of crisis or tragedy or trouble of any kind, I pray that we will give them Jesus, and him crucified; having confidence that in his word, God, "...has given us everything we need for life and godliness." (2 Peter 1:3)

SOLA SCRIPTURA!

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/r/trstobey.htm

Hi Chris....   I agree with you.   A song with words that say:      

          Jesus is the answer for the world today
          Above Him there's no other,
          Jesus is the Way

Like we are reading in the Purpose Driven Life,   God knew us before we were conceived and He knows the answer to any problems we have.    If we will just take it to Him.


God Bless


Ruthie

Thanks Chris, for that article from Proclamation Magazine.  It's very, very good to see that coming out, and I pray it'll be blessed to many, many Christian hearts in our day.

I have been here to read all the posts and post in the PDL thread for yesterday and today. Now I must go to work.

Thank you Iain for  the wonderful devotion this morning, I have actually heard the Lord say to me "Be still and know that I am God." I don't know if it was in my heart that I heard is voice, It sure saounded to me as if it were audible. As it rang in my ears at a time when It was important for me to hear  those words.

TTYL

Good devotional thoughts today.  I am back on track with class today, and don't have time for a long post, but wanted to stop in and "greet the brethren" anyway.

I pray you are all being blessed today.

angief888!

Good morning.  It's not so cold here.....warmed up a lot, but it's still rainy.  I'd send some of our warmness to you if I could.  Actually, I don't know if it's that warm, but there is concern by some that the warm weather will melt the snow and cause flooding.

Iain, the devotional is such a life lesson for Christians.  Waiting is very hard, and sometimes it doesn't seem as though God is listening.......but I've learned through the years that it is the most powerful thing we can do when God says to do it.  Be Still and know I am God.
Know that He has been your deliverer and your strong tower in times past; know that He will not leave you as orphans; know that you are joint heirs with His own Dear Son, our Savior, Jesus.  Be still and know.........and let God be who He is for you.   Thank you for posting this morning.   I need to remember this always, and a reminder is very timely.

Have a blessed day everyone.

I know you are all real busy but I think this website will humble us into thinking 'What Can We Do for Fellow Man?"

http://members.accessus.net/~tmcdonld/lighthse/Texas.htm

---

Papa John wrote this last March.  I read this often!

QuoteI'm thankful every day for the gift God gives us in Christ, the forgiveness of sins, the promise of everlasting life, the promise He will be with us each day, the assurance that we are His children and He is our Father.

Thank you, Papa John!

I read most of the posts...some I will have to go back and read later.  What a great bunch of people we have on CP!!!  I am praying for each and everyone of you.

I got a message on my answering machine yesterday to call my doctor's office and ask for Kathy.
The office was closed.  So I called this morning.  I can't remember all that was said but the MRI shows 'canal narrowing...5-6 vertabrae...arthritis!'  So I am going Monday morning again to a surgeon who is give me an injection and 'hopefully that will take care of the pain'...her words, not mine.  

The time it has taken to type this post was the result of resting from typing but still my muscles are tightening up.  I am praying that no one goes through this ever again!!!  It isn't a boo-hoo, crying type of pain but a pain that makes me almost shout....STOP IT!  GO AWAY!!!!
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"I am better than I was, but not quite so good as I was before I got worse."

Hey, that is how I feel about this arm!!!!

Ms Etta Sue I hope so it will fix this pain for you soon, it is sad to know you are with a pain so much. I love you.

I am SO glad to see you read and treasure the words from Papa John. He is Such a help to me each day. His way it is a kind way and a share of the words of God as they are written. I SO love this way to teach me.

Ms Bice, I love you too. I miss you and I will pray for your family.

I must go away again soon and I know i did not post much for my time here at my home. I go to the Utah on Sat and I think it is hard for me to read here again soon. I do love my time here at the CP and

I miss you Papa John. I hope you are well and I hope you will know you are forever in my heart as my friend. I think I will make my post green to honor you for your kind help to me when i need a help. I thank you that you help me to find the place to gather at the Peperdine, I do go there at times now it is not so far from my home

There are such a wonderful friends here. It is a place to Honor God. God is love, he is here in every one who will take a time to read. In a time of sadness, I see love. when it is a most happy day here, I see love.
It is a day God did make - I will rejoice and be glad in every moment. I pray that all will know the love of God in every moment.

I thank you ms Karmat that you did bring me to this most wonderful place of love and friends. I will miss you all so much for my time away again. I hope to be back to read again when I can do it.

I love you all, I love you ms Pat.
and I love you God

Ah dear Mieka!  It is so sad to see you go again.  But our God is with you, and He is with us as well.  When we pray to Him for you He hears us just as soon as our thoughts begin, and then He can answer immediately, day or night.  We will (I will) pray for you that you will be greatly blessed, both on the trip over there and after you have arrived.  When you talk to God, and we talk to God, He hears and we are together around His throne.  Oh talk much to Him, dear one!

  I thank you Mr Moak. I treasure my time with you too. You are my friend. I will miss you. (((hug)))
I do hope so I can come back again perhaps in the summer.

I know I have much work to do in the Lhasa. I will have God in my heart for my time there. I do not have a fears to go there any more. But i will miss my family for this time away.

A happy new year Mr Moak, I wish you love.

Hi MIEKA nice to see you i love you

AL thank you very  for your words yesterday i can use at this moment such very good words. I have understand what you have writen

CHRIS thank you also for your words
i have everything read and that is not going so quick
but slow but i can understand what you have writen

PSALM 25:4-5
Show me Your ways, O LORD, teach me YOUR paths.
LEAD me in YOUR truth and teach me.

BYE for today RIA

  Ms Ria (((hug)))
I love you and I wish you well.

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I want you to know that I love you and miss you. come back.

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In the beginning...

God covered the earth with broccoli and cauliflower and spinach, green and
yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long
and healthy lives.

Then using God's bountiful gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's and Krispy

Kreme. And Satan said: "You want hot fudge with that?" And Man said:
"Yes!" ...and Woman said: "I'll have one too ...with sprinkles."

And lo they gained 10 pounds.

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that
Man found so fair.

And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the
cane, and combined them.

And Woman went from size 2 to size 14.

So God said: "Try my fresh green garden salad."

And Satan presented crumbled Bleu Cheese dressing and garlic toast on the
side.

And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said: "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in
which to cook them."

And Satan brought forth deep fried coconut shrimp, butter dipped lobster
chunks and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter.

And Man's cholesterol went through the roof. God then brought forth
running shoes so that his Children might lose those extra pounds.

And Satan came forth with a cable TV with remote control so Man would not
have to toil changing the channels. And man and woman laughed and cried
before the flickering light and started wearing stretch jogging suits.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with
potassium and good nutrition.

Then Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center
into chips and deep-fried them in animal fats and added copious quantities
of salt.

And Man put on more pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still
satisfy his appetite.

And Satan created McDonald's and the 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then
Lucifer said: "You want fries with that?" and Man replied: "Yes! And super
size 'em!"

And Satan said: "It is good."

And Man went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

And Satan created HMOs.


Amen

I ALSO AM MISSING YOU SONJA
I LOVE YOU ALSO VERY MUCH

PLEASE COME BACK TO US

YOU ARE IN MY PRAYERS DEAR SONJA

MARYLIN THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE HUMOR
I THINK WE ALL CAN USE THAT ON THIS MOMENT
BYE LOVE RIA

Welcome Bro John, now you will have to invest in a camera,
hahaaaaaaa.
Not really !

9.50 p.m.

Just calling in to say goodnight from England.

Pat I hope all is now well in the "dental" department sister.

Today was the first day for awhile I felt like doing anything much due to viruses and praise God I managed to clean the entry and sort the rubbish for the refuse men to collect early on Friday morning and sorted the card and paper into a special box for recycling.I swept the leaves from the entry again and tidied up the lean-to.

I had a lovely time in The Lord this morning, praying and reading "The Purpose Driven Life."  I think I have just about caught up with Pat and the others.  My copy was delivered early today.
I spent part of the afternoon working on my rug.

Hopefully tomorrow will be drier and I might get to see my friend Carol.  This weather we just make do with e mails to one another.

My cough seems a bit better and my spirit is lifted.

"His Mercies are New Every Morning"

Yours in eager anticipation
of Tomorrow.

Love and Prayers
Jenny

Hi everyone.  I am sitting here chuckling over that piece that Marilyn just posted.  So true--so true!

I have had a very enjoyable day as this was the retiree's luncheon from where I used to work.  We meet every two months and I saw some folks I hadn't seen in about 8 years as well as others I see more often.  We always have a good meal and a good time visiting.  The one thing we all seem to agree on is that we are glad we have retired.    

Wonderful devotional postings today.  I want to go back and reread some of the postings for yesterday and today to focus on them more.  

Welcome angief888.  I look forward to seeing you posting and getting to know you.

Etta Sue, it sounds like they have identified what is causing you so much pain and I sure hope the shot will cause the pain to go away.  I feel so fortunate not to be afflicted with arthritis as have seen members of my family, especially my grandmother, suffer so much with it.  

Mieka, sorry to read that your time of being able to post here is drawing to a close.  You can be sure that we won't forget you and will be delighted to see you post any opportunity you get in the future.  

Jenny, glad to see that you are feeling better and that it didn't take long for you to get the book "The Purpose Driven Life".  

Ria, so sorry to hear of your neighbor committing suicide.  It sounds like you have been there for your neighbors during this very difficult time.

I know as I read the postings that there were comments I planned to make but can't remember them now so will stop for today.  

-2F , -18C!  5:30 A.M. temperature and 5:30 P.M. temperature.  Very little sun today, and what we did have was hazy, so we didn't get out of the mid teens all day.  Now it's a lovely, bright, clear night which means it will get much colder by morning.   That's OK.  It's what it's supposed to do in January in northern New York.  

Etta Sue and Mieka, you are both so kind.  I sorry to hear, Etta Sue, that you continue to have this pain in your arm and the problem with your back.  I had an MRI which showed arthritis in the spine and also bulging disks.  I had six injections but unfortunately they didn't help any.  I hope you have better results than I did.

Mieka, I am sorry you are leaving us again.  Will you come back to America?  We miss you when you are gone and we love you.

2 Pet 1:5-10
5   For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6   and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7   and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
8   For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9   But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10   Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,  (NIV)

--- Papa John              <)))><<

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