BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

Psalm 46:10 (NLT) 10 "Be still, and know that I am God!"

Life is hectic and busy.  Our days are filled meetings and schedules.  We rush from one thing to another only to wonder what happened to the day.  Do you relate?  Does that describe your life?

I know it does for me.  And, if I allow it to - it will keep going on and on with no end in sight.  It is like a being on a treadmill, going nowhere.

The Author C.S. Lewis wrote, “The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists of shoving it all back, in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.” 

We can allow life to crowd out time with God, or we can choose to spend some quality time with Him each and every day.

We all need to take an opportunity to step aside from the busyness of life and just be still in the presence of God.

In the fast, busy, do it now, instant world that we live in, we need to press pause, be still and pray.

Our scripture this morning says, “Be still, and know that I am God!” 

I think it’s fair to say that all of us need to take a little more time each day to be still don’t we?

We need to avoid getting so caught up in our own agenda that we force God out of the way.

Be honest - we are more concerned about getting our task done than to spend that quality time with God.

Hebrews 4:16 reminds us to come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

When we take the time to be still, when we take the time to pray, God listens. 

God is always available, He is never too busy to listen, but too often we lose our focus, God is meant to be at the center of our lives, not pushed to the side or ignored. 

We need to be still and pray and draw near to Him. We need to be a people of prayer. We need to come before God with our thanks, our requests, our praise, our adoration, our confession of sin, our prayers for guidance. We need to take the time to experience the presence of God in our lives.

It is said that prayer changes things. I also believe prayer also changes the pray er, the person who prays.

In His presence we receive comfort, we receive strength, we receive peace, we receive guidance. Prayer must be central to our lives, we must never allow ourselves to be too busy to pray. Our deepest needs are met by God through prayer.

A Christian life without prayer is like a sports car without fuel - it may look impressive and powerful but it will not go anywhere.

Satan hates it when God’s people pray. He is happy when we allow other things to get in the way so that we do not take the time to pray.

Maybe some people find it easier to act Christian than to spend time with God in prayer. 

But God desires a real relationship with us. We need to spend time talking to Him.

And... it should be quality time - not just thirty seconds here, or two minutes there.

Time with God is never wasted time. We must make time for Him. God wants us to pray to Him and meet with Him. 

We must never be too busy to be still.

Examine your day, what have you filled it with that you have made more important than time with God?

Take a step back, look at your activities, and plan to put God in first place on your list. God should be first - before everything and everyone else - not last.

Jeremiah 29:13 says If you look for God wholeheartedly, you will find Him.

Matthew 7:7-8 says “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened”

Are you looking?

Are you asking?

Are you seeking?

Are you receiving?

Are you praying?

When trouble comes do you pray?

When your driving, pray!

When you wake up, pray!

When you go to sleep, pray!

Be still and pray.  Be active and pray. But remember to make time to pray!

God is calling us to an abundant life, a life of prayer. 
Prayer is important to God and it should be important to you and to me.

Some of our problems may be small, but others are big, but God can help you in every situation.

God’s power is greater than anything in all this world. 

Take the time to pray.

Make time to be still and know that He is God.