Be Still And Know

Tuesday Gathering Report — 19th October 2021

Scripture readings and Praise from the meeting, with comment.

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
[Psalm 46:10 NKJV]

Gill had felt strongly that The Lord’s word for us on Tuesday was “Quiet”, confirmed when Derek Prince’s audio podcast that morning (in the ‘Hearing God’ series) spoke of being quiet in His presence — so that we can hear that still small voice [1 Kings 19:12 NKJV]
SONG: I WAS GLAD WHEN THEY SAID UNTO ME, LET’S GO UP TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"
[Mark 1:25 NKJV]

SONG: GIVE THANKS WITH A GRATEFUL HEART
In Mark’s gospel, Jesus casts out an unclean spirit from a man in the synagogue. This took place

• on the Sabbath,
• in God’s house and
• While Jesus taught

The man with the unclean spirit was being disruptive and challenging to the when, where and what of the occasion, but was silenced by the who. And we can see that whenever we gather to worship or hear God’s word — when we are ‘in The Lord’s house’ (and wherever we gather ‘in His name’ becomes His dwelling place) — His presence addresses any unclean spirit and commands that it come out and flee.
Yet another picture of whenever Jesus stands in the midst, He declares “Peace be with you.”

The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."
[Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV]

This quiet in the spirit is something that Jesus’ presence undoubtedly brings, but is also a state we should aspire to, and earnestly desire by looking to Him at all times until His nature becomes an ineradicable part of ours.

But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;
that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
[1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 NKJV]

Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
[Psalm 131:2 NKJV]

But as always, there are two sides to the ‘quiet life’…

When the Gazites were told, "Samson has come here!" they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. They were quiet all night, saying, "In the morning, when it is daylight, we will kill him."
[Judges 16:2 NKJV]

‘Quiet’ does not always mean ‘at rest’, or indeed ‘in his rest’. The unregenerated man can be quiet when plotting or conspiring in the dark hours, and that will always seek to kill the Christlife. This need not necessarily be of deliberate intent, but it can be the outworking of choosing unbelief.

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
[Psalm 1:1-3 NKJV]
--
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
[Psalm 23:2-3 NKJV]

As is often the case, Isaiah has much to say on the subject. We read chapter 30 from verse 15 onwards, but two verses were particularly relevant.

In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."
But you would not,
[Isaiah 30:15 NKJV]
--
Moreover, the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of seven days [concentrated in one], in the day that the Lord binds up the hurt of His people, and heals their wound [inflicted by Him because of their sins].
[Isaiah 30:26 AMPC]

The light of the moon is reflected light from the sun — a type for the Divinity. The moon has no light of its’ own and thus is a picture of the Church of Jesus Christ. The vision Isaiah describes is surely an amazing revelation of God’s perfecting work in His people. Notice that He binds up the hurt and heals the wound, expressed in the singular. That is because His people have become one in Him.

Set me as a seal upon your heart,
As a seal upon your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy as cruel as the grave;
Its flames are flames of fire,
A most vehement flame.
[Song of Songs 8:6 NKJV]

SONG: BE STILL (FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD IS HERE)

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A HOLY WALK: Oswald Chambers on Faith

The acts of faith the writer of the Hebrews refers to were not performed by astute-minded men and women who made defined statements about God. They were not tortured for convictions’ sake, but for the sake of their faith.
And God is training us to do what they did — to live a life of tenacious hold upon God in spite of everything that happens.
[from ‘He Shall Glorify Me’]

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“Be Still And Know That I Am God” — Divine Hymns
Erratum: Please note that the lyrics in verse 3 should read “In Thee, O Lord, do I put my trust”.

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'Meditate on these things'

There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
[Psalm 46:4-5 NKJV]