Be still and know that I am God. (Quality: very good)

[0:00] I'll direct you to the text we had this morning, which is to be found in Psalm 46, and the first part of verse 10, Psalm 46, and the first part of verse 10, be still and know that I am God.

[0:42] You know what, I spoke this morning to those of you who were here, and I feel there's something in here which if only the Lord would open to me, I would speak in.

[1:07] I am dependent upon him. When this afternoon I spent a long time in prayer, praying to the Lord that he would guide me and direct me in that which I am to speak in his name tonight.

[1:35] And my thoughts went quite without any prompting, I might say, when to that chapter I read this evening of Philip and the eunuch.

[1:59] Now, I feel to be in a state where I would not in any way, in any way, as it were in my own wisdom and strength, broach into that pathway of your pastor.

[2:31] Only in this sense to confirm his ministry. I know not what he carries here.

[2:44] I do know he carries a heavy burden. And I do not know what the Lord has laid within his soul.

[2:55] Only he knows what goes on secretly between him and the Lord. But here we find in this chapter and in this psalm, be still and know that I am God.

[3:21] My thoughts go to Manoah and his wife. How that the Lord, the angel of the Lord, came and spoke to his wife concerning this child.

[3:40] And as you know, in the reading of Manoah, he wanted a confirmation.

[3:54] And the angel came again and spoke. And they offered up that sacrifice. And the angel ascended up into heaven in the flame.

[4:10] And Manoah, he said, we shall surely die. But his wife said to him, would the Lord have shown us these things if he intended to slay us?

[4:28] Or worse, to that effect. Now, there is something in this psalm. There is something in these words. Whereby the Lord may be bringing you, both as a church, as a congregation, into a path where he will work, and who shall let it, where he will reveal himself as your Lord, your God, your Savior, your all in and all, under the power of his Holy Spirit.

[5:21] And I do feel, in this path, whether you've entered into it or not, I do not know.

[5:32] But I know this, in this feeling before you now, that he will bring you as Manoah and his wife, and you will stand still, be still, and he will reveal to you that he is your God, your all and in all.

[6:04] Now, I'll tell you something else. You will not be able to lift a little finger, touch his work with a little finger.

[6:16] You will stand amazed at the wonderful workings of God. But you will have to be still.

[6:31] And added to this, the Lord may place you, as he placed Zechariah, into a dumbness, overawed by the work of the Lord.

[6:59] Yet, be still, and be silent. You will have to be silent due to the very nature of this work.

[7:17] I do not know. I do not know what it is. I do not know what it will be. But I do feel within my heart, whatever burden, whatever case, the Lord has laid or is laying within your heart, you will not be able to do a single thing.

[7:44] And what I speak as a church, what I speak as a people, I speak individually. Some of you now may be coming into something.

[8:02] It comes to my mind if I can just speak a little without too much on my own experience.

[8:15] One Sunday morning, I had a dream. Yet it was not a dream.

[8:28] Not as we think of dreams. We dream every night. And some of the dreams we dream are so horrific.

[8:43] They call them nightmares. But the Lord himself, he can lay his will into your heart in a way, in a dream.

[9:03] How even as we read it in the Bible, we read of so many dreams which came to pass.

[9:18] On this occasion, I said, I have dreamed a dream. And in the impossibility of it, I did not believe it would ever take place.

[9:40] and I laughed at it, that I should dream such a dream as that. I'm not going to tell you what it was.

[9:56] But within twenty-four hours, that which was impossible became possible.

[10:11] But where did I have to go? I was dumb. Couldn't speak of it. Couldn't speak of it.

[10:24] And as was Zachariah, wasn't it, in the birth of John, you know, this is what I get so tormented because as I speak these things, so it comes in like a dagger.

[10:44] You've made a mistake. You've made a mistake, Zacharias. And how, you see, he did not believe.

[11:02] Did not believe. impossible. And this which the Lord has laid within your heart and is laying within your heart is impossible.

[11:20] And as I said, like Zacharias, dumb. You see, the Lord, he brings you into these places.

[11:31] Be still. Be still. God. And know that I am God. And you will prove this, that in this very trial, and I'm not speaking of a trial as you would a natural person.

[11:54] What I'm saying in this is the exercise of your faith, the exercise of that which the Lord has laid within your heart.

[12:10] That's what I'm speaking of. And I emphasize this again, emphasize it, that you see some of these trials, you cannot speak a word on it.

[12:33] Why? Because the Lord is going to manifest his power. He's going to manifest that which you do not believe.

[12:46] I said to you this morning, I said that you do not know the power of God.

[12:57] There's a difference, you may worship the Lord, you may see his face, but to know the power of God.

[13:08] I'm getting closer to it now in this text. Be still, be still, and watch the unfolding of the wonders of the work of the Lord, and he will reveal it to you.

[13:32] And I emphasize this again, to show you his power. Zacharias couldn't say a word, could he?

[13:49] Couldn't say a word. he was struck down. But, note this, this may have been something in your heart which you have been praying to the Lord concerning it.

[14:15] Be still, praying to the Lord, thy prayer is heard. Oh, the stillness, the stillness within your heart.

[14:35] And, before it comes to pass, even as you go into it, you will feel this, it is the Lord.

[14:52] But it's the unfolding of it. This is what I'm trying to tell you, the unfolding of it. This is beyond all works of man.

[15:05] and it's beyond all your works. I can assure you of that. Be still.

[15:16] Be still. Struck, done. And that's how I was in that case which I told you of.

[15:29] With myself, only one thing that I passed through. I passed through other things. But I remember how plain that was.

[15:41] Didn't dare. Couldn't. Couldn't. And neither will you be able to. Cannot touch it. And, I say this, if you do attempt to touch it, it will be as flames of fire come from the Lord, bring you into dread.

[16:13] Remember this, that with David, he in love to his Lord, in love to the ark of the Lord, sought to bring it back.

[16:33] But he did it in the wrong way. To do a right thing in a wrong way.

[16:43] God and as you know, one put his hand to the ark to prevent it falling, how he was struck dead.

[17:04] And the Lord, if this is something the Lord is going to bring you into and may be bringing you into, it will be that you will not be allowed to touch that work.

[17:25] Be still. Be still. Now that's very hard. Very hard for a man, for a woman, for a child, for anyone who the Lord is teaching you his power and his own work, no one is allowed to touch.

[17:51] I said to you, did I say to you this morning, deep within your soul, I don't think I did, which is beyond, beyond all nature and no one can touch it.

[18:12] Our work as a minister in his name, oh, how we need to be taught this.

[18:26] We would add something to it, but we're not allowed to touch it in the least degree. only to speak that which the Lord lays within our hearts.

[18:47] So as we come here, we find, you see, Zacharias not able to touch it in the least degree.

[19:00] But when it came to pass, what happened, he, and, he said this, how that his name shall be called John.

[19:20] Open his mouth, you see. Only when the Lord brings it to pass, when you, as it were, stand amazed at the work of the Lord.

[19:36] Oh, it's a wonderful thing, but I can tell you that it disciplines you, and after that time, you will become very, very careful in those things which the Lord leads you into.

[20:00] Oh, there is much teaching here, but be still and know that I am God.

[20:11] Now, if the Lord will help me, I'll just touch this other part concerning Philip and the eunuch.

[20:26] Now, you see, that which the Lord is his will, that which he knows everything, he knows your whole life.

[20:42] Yes, he does. And his own work, let me emphasize, it again, his own work, be still and know that I am God.

[20:58] We have an illustration of it here. Here was this man traveling many, many miles, many miles to go up to Jerusalem.

[21:15] He did not know anything about Philip and neither did Philip know anything about him, but the Lord knew.

[21:29] The Lord knew. The Lord directed everything. This will you please realize this, that if you're praying to the Lord, if you are seeking his face, be very, very careful in that which you lay before him.

[22:04] you see, we say, well, we want to do this, we're going to do this, we'll make it a matter of prayer, make it a matter of prayer, but have you been still before the Lord, seeking his face to know his mind and his will.

[22:43] Watch this, to know his will, because you see so often we make many mistakes.

[23:00] Oh Lord, wilt thou as I heard a person praying, a man praying, he'd been made, his work had ceased.

[23:22] I can't think of the word I want to use now, but you see, unemployed, and he was praying to the Lord for an open door, and then appeared an opening, and he hoped he would obtain that position, but what did he pray?

[23:58] Lord, if this is not thy will, and he wanted it, he needed it, to feed his family, and as I said, everything about it looked perfect, be still, be still, and then all that prayer, Lord, close the door, if it is not thy will, can you understand what I'm saying?

[24:40] God and in the course of time, he did not obtain this position, the Lord closed the door, but what he did not know was this, that the Lord had another position for him which was far better, you see, if we are praying to the Lord that he would direct us, that he would go before us in all our exercises, in all our concerns, he does not work in the way that we think, he can bring a whole nation, to work for one person, yes he can, he can bring all those that hate his name to work for this one, those who do not know him, so

[25:58] I, I, if you're walking this, be still, it's so emphasizing with me, in whatever you're walking in now, you are to be still, you are to be silent, you are to watch and wait, because know that I am God, and as you know, I started speaking of this, this one, this eunuch, but you see, if the Lord wants me to leave it alone, I'll leave it alone, but the Lord knows what I felt this afternoon, you see, what is here, in here, is in our text, be still, oh, to listen, listen, to the

[27:08] Lord's word, oh, watch, as Habakkuk did, I will stand upon my watch, and wait, and see, what he will say unto thee, the vision is yet for an appointed time, an appointed time, and although the Lord may delay, although the Lord may for a long time keep you waiting, you are to be still, but you see, it's so much here with Philip, the Lord said to him, and Philip was disappointed, wasn't he, he had baptized this one, home was, seemed to be a false character, but now you see, it says here, and whatever it is the

[28:25] Lord may say to you, do it, do it, watch, watch before him, whatever the case may be, and find, and we find, that he was directed to go to a certain place, and where was it?

[28:53] It was in a desert, and he said to Philip, arise and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

[29:17] This is the way the Lord works. He works in a marvellous way, yes, he does. One little action, one little thing, one little thing that takes place may change your whole life, and you can look back to see that it was the hand of the Lord.

[29:54] Only one little thing. I was talking to a friend of mine a little while ago and we were both speaking in our own cases how it was just a little thing that turned our whole life.

[30:18] A little thing. tremendous love. You see, the Lord brings you into ways which are beyond your understanding, but be still, be still, and it means this to be silent, be silent.

[30:42] I believe, I feel with my heart, there are some in here that they are walking in these things. Yes, they are.

[30:53] They are learning the power of the Lord. And remember this, thy will be done.

[31:07] And so this illustration in the case of Philip, you see how the Lord brought it to place to be in the right place at the right time.

[31:27] And how it came to pass concerning the will of the Lord and the answer of the prayer of the eunuch.

[31:42] There is only one other thing I will speak concerning this. Philip did not mention a single thing concerning baptism.

[31:56] I might just speak here a little of my own experience.

[32:09] I went to a chapel, never been there before, and I preached. and when I came out of that chapel, I drove up to a lay-by and I slumped over the will and I said, Lord, I'm useless.

[32:36] Lord, I'm hopeless. I'm not a good servant of thine. I'm so poor, wretched, and feel undone.

[32:51] And to my surprise, a person came forward under that ministry.

[33:04] I was amazed. I never said a word concerning baptism.

[33:17] I preached out of darkness, a path of darkness, and that man, he said, you've preached through my whole life.

[33:34] So, you see, you may preach baptism. You may think that the person is coming for... Yes, yes.

[33:45] Yes, it is so. But, you see, Philip didn't speak a word. But, what did the eunuch say?

[33:57] And, you know, what he said? He said, See, here is water.

[34:09] What doth hinder me to be baptized? The Lord knows.

[34:21] The Lord, I hope, he laid it in my heart, but he knows. What may... You may be walking in, in your heart before the Lord.

[34:35] But, be still, and know that I am God. Oh, these things which we are speaking of.

[34:50] Be still. Be still. What is it you've got in your heart now? Have you... You may have one that they are bent on going the wrong way.

[35:14] You've said what you can to them, but it has no effect. But have you come here to pray to the Lord?

[35:29] Be still. Be still. You do not... The Lord may be teaching you the power of prayer.

[35:40] Now, just use this illustration. Maybe other things you're in. You see, we're always doing, doing.

[35:54] But you see, your greatest asset, asset, I might say, is this, prayer. If the Lord, the Lord may lay within your heart this burden.

[36:10] I'll come back in there again. lay in your heart the burden and out of the burden will become the prayer out of your heart.

[36:25] Remember this day, remember this evening. All I've been saying is this, hands off. That's it.

[36:38] That's what I'm saying to you. Hands off. Be still before the Lord. Watch, watch as Habakkuk before him.

[36:54] Pray to him and touch it not. Do not touch it. Only inside before the Lord and as I tried to trace out when I started this evening is that burden the Lord will bring you to stand still.

[37:24] He will bring you to be done and the outside that is outside not inside there will be many, many prayers.

[37:39] Many prayers. Now, know that I am God. One of the things the Lord will be doing within your heart is this encouraging you to come to the throne of grace.

[38:08] Have you felt, if you're walking in something now, have you felt within your heart in the impossibility of it?

[38:24] Some of these things, you know, you come to bury it. Bury it. But, you see, if the Lord touches that, he will rise again.

[38:40] That very exercise that you are carrying in your heart. Lord, hear, my prayer.

[38:51] Have you come at times in silence before him when he has encouraged you to come to the throne of grace and how that you pour it out before him.

[39:14] Pour it out. But, you see, you may say this. I remember a minister saying how that you say the Lord is silent.

[39:31] The Lord, he doesn't say anything about it to me. But, what are you praying to him?

[39:46] What is your prayer? Can you feel free at the throne of grace? Do you feel within your heart, Lord, hear my prayer?

[40:00] Bear in mind what prayer is, the burden of a sigh, the looking up to the Lord. be silent.

[40:13] Oh, I say to you again, be silent. Do not touch it. Be still and be still before the Lord.

[40:24] But, you see, it will be this. You will be active before the Lord, but you will be silent outside.

[40:35] Be still. be still. I know, I feel it, I don't know what you're in, I don't know what you're walking in, but I do feel this, that if one, there's one here, maybe more than one, if the Lord just touch this case, which I bear before him, and bringing me and stripping me of all, all things, and what is that?

[41:10] Without me ye can do nothing. You may have tried and tried and tried, but you've got to take your hands off.

[41:23] The Lord is teaching you that without him, there's no good going on like this. You are to be still and be still before the Lord in watching, watching at his gates.

[41:41] Without me ye can do nothing. Be still and know that I am God. Oh, it's a high favor, I can assure you of this.

[41:56] But you may be walking in a path where you're wrestling and working, but you see, there's the wrestling and not the working outside.

[42:11] Oh, that's what I feel now. Be still, be still, but active at the throne of grace.

[42:24] Oh, that the Lord will guide us and keep us each and help us to be still. There's another side, and I will touch it again.

[42:42] And what is that? We find here in hymn number six, God's ways are just.

[42:53] His counsel's wise. No darkness can prevent his eyes. No thought can fly nor think a move unknown to him that sits above.

[43:09] He in the thickest darkness dwells, performs his works, the cause conceals, but though his methods are unknown, judgment and truth, support his throne.

[43:28] Be still and know that I am God. Amen. Amen.