Stand Still, Christian! Psalm 46:9-11

Text: “Be still, and KNOW that I AM God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our Refuge.”

Psalm 46:10-11.

Good morning, Standing Christian!  You and I are enabled to stand – in the face of the most frightening social, national, and international circumstances and events.  How do we stand?  We stand because of nothing that we could humanly do, say, or think – we stand because the Lord Jesus Christ has given us a full STANDING in the Eternal Salvation He alone can give.  Hallelujah!   What a Saviour we have in Christ the Lord!   

“I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine Own sake, and will NOT remember thy sins.”  (Isaiah 43:25)

The Spiritually regenerate Christian believer has been granted a secure STANDING before our thrice Holy Lord God of utter wrath against all sin.  We are hidden ‘…in Christ Jesus…’ our Redeemer.  Thank you, Lord God!

“Therefore (a conclusion) if any man (or woman) be in Christ, he/she is a new creature; old things are passed (or continually passing) away; behold (look), all things are become (or continually becoming) new.  And all things are of God Who hath reconciled us to Himself (the sinful to the Holy) by Christ Jesus…”  (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him (God), and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.  BUT if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth (cleans and continues to cleanse) us from ALL sin.”          (1 John 1:6-7)

Are you and I seeking to ‘…walk in the light…’ with God?  Then the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from All sin. 

Past, present and future sins are completely covered by the shedding of Christ’s sinless Blood.  Glory to God for such grace!  The sin penalty has been PAID. 

This is our STANDING before God’s Throne.  This is our STANDING in the Family of the Living Lord God!  We are granted this STANDING by our Sovereign God’s grace, through faith, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man, or woman, should boast.  Hallelujah! In Christ Jesus, and in Him Alone, we STAND.  God has caused mere dust of the earth to be able to STAND; and to stand in His Holy sight!  Wow!  What a standing we have in Christ!

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship; CREATED in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  (Ephesians 2:8-10)

However, although we Christian believers have been given this gracious STANDING - freedom from all sin - in our family relationship through Christ Jesus.  We still have to deal with the issue of our daily, and almost inevitable sin committed in our naturally sinful STATE.  Fact!

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth (Jesus Christ?) is not in us.”  (1 John 1:8)

In our STATE as natural sinners we commit sin against God daily!  Be honest, Christian!

“…For there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Christ’s sinlessness).”  (Romans 3:22-23)

While our daily sins do NOT affect our family STANDING in Christ Jesus - they most certainly affect our STATE, our fellowship with God and with others of ‘…like precious faith…’ in Christ.  We need to confess such sins continually in prayer to God.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.”  (1 John 1:9)  What a Saviour!  His forgiveness, ever given, enables us to maintain our sure standing in Christ Jesus forever.

Look again at our text for today!:  “Be still, and KNOW that I AM God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our Refuge.”

Verse 10.  “Be still, and know that I am God. Hold off your hands, ye enemies!  Sit down and wait in patience, ye believers!  Acknowledge that Jehovah is God, ye who feel the terrors of His wrath!  Adore Him, and Him only, ye who partake in the protection of His grace.  Since none can worthily proclaim his nature, let ‘expressive silence muse His praise.’  The boasts of the ungodly and the timorous forebodings of the saints should certainly be hushed by a sight of what the Lord has done in the past ages.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 222)

This is the Spiritual context in which you and I as ‘born again’, Spiritually regenerate Christians, are admonished to ‘Be still.’  When things get just too much for us to handle, manage, or endure – we are to ‘...stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord!’

“And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the Salvation of the Lord, which He will show you today: for the Egyptians (worldlings) whom ye have seen today,, ye shall see them again no more for ever.  The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”  (Exodus 14:13-14)

Verse 10. “...And know that I AM God.”  The great Jehovah God told Moses that His Name was I AM – not I will be; nor I might yet be; nor perhaps I can be, no!  The Lord declared Himself to be the ever-present, Omnipotent; Omniscient, Lord God Almighty. Knowing who our God IS, at all times, gives you and I full confidence to be able to ‘Be still.’  Hallelujah!

Verse 10.  “The Lord of hosts IS with us.” Well can we hear the apostle Paul cry out the victory echo: “If God be for us, who can be against us?”  (Romans 8:31)  Praise His Name!

Thought: Knowing for a certainty of faith, that the Lord God is with us, and for us – we realise that He has granted us a very real STANDING before His throne of matchless grace.  Knowing we have this standing, in Christ, we can be forever still.