'The Joy Of Knowing God



"THE JOY OF KNOWING GOD!"

PSALM 46:10

INTRO: In this world man is continually seeking and searching for peace,

fulfillment, and joy in his life. Man tries many things in his search to

fill the void that is in his life. But nothing this life has to offer seems

to fill that void. Isaiah 57:20-21 says, "But the wicked are like the

troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Seeking and searching

but finding no rest, no peace, no hope in this life! That is the

condition of man without God!

But God's Word tells us that there is peace, fulfillment, and joy to be

found! In Jeremiah 17:7 we are told, "Blessed is the man that

trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is." According to

Webster's Dictionary, the word "blessed" means "to make happy!”

Only by knowing God can we find peace, fulfillment, and joy in this

life! The Christian has happiness and peace because God through His

Spirit has done a wonderful work in his heart! Romans 5:1-2 says,

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our

Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this

grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

The Christian life is a happy life because we know God and know He

is there! God in Psalm 46:10 exhorts us, "Be still and know that I am

God....". There are two interesting phrases used there. First, "be still,"

the Hebrew word implies "to hush and listen." The second phrase,

"know that," the Hebrew word implying "to come to the knowledge of,

by seeing, by hearing, and by experience." Those two phrases are the

conditions a man must exercise to know God in a personal way.

First, he must hear the Word of God. Romans 10:17 tells us, "So

then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." But

man must do more than merely hear the Word. He must believe it by

faith! That second phrase there meaning "to come to the knowledge

of!" Isaiah 1:18 says, "Come now, and let us reason together, (think

about) saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be

white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as

wool."

I'd like to title the message today, "The Joy Of Knowing God!" If

you're lost today, I want to challenge you in the message to know God

in a personal way. If you're saved today, I want to challenge you to

know God in a more intimate way!

GOD GIVES US:

(1) A WORD OF AFFIRMATION

PSALM 46:10c—“I am God...”

*Look at the word “God”. Here it is translated from the Hebrew Word

“Elohim” which means “strong and faithful one." This world has a great

misconception of who God is! God is Sovereign and will do as He wills and

will answer to no man! Isaiah 40:12-14 speaking of God’s greatness says,

“Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out

heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a

measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counselor hath taught

him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him

in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the

way of understanding?” It is good for us that are believers to stop from

time to time and consider who He is! He is:

A. OUR CREATOR. Genesis 2:7 tells us, "And the LORD God formed man

of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;

and man became a living soul." Paul in his message on Mar’s Hill said

in Acts 17:28—“For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as

certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”

ILLUS: At a 1981 symposium, Sir Fred Hoyle said: "The chance that

higher life forms might have emerged in this way (through

evolutionary processes) is comparable with the chance that a

tornado sweeping through a junkyard might assemble a Boeing

747 from the materials therein." Hoyle further said that "he was

at a loss to understand" the compulsion of evolutionary

biologists "to deny what seems to me to be obvious (i.e., that

evolution is not tenable)."

B. OUR COMFORTER. We read in 2 Corinthians 1:3—“Blessed be God,

even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the

God of all comfort.” In this Psalm, three things are revealed about God:

← He Is A Refuge (vl). Our English word “refuge” is translated from a Hebrew word which means “a shelter, or a place to flee". The Psalmist David said in Psalm 27:1-5—“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.” God alone is our all in all! All other refuges are refuges of lies, all other strength is weakness, for power belongeth unto God: as God He is all-sufficient, our defense, and our might equal to all that may come our way! (Charles H. Spurgeon. The Treasury of David. Volume One. pp. 863-864).

The hymn writer J. B. Coats wrote:

“Where could I go but to the Lord

Where could I go oh where could I go

Seeking the refuge for my soul

Needing a friend to save me in the end

Won't you tell me

Where could I go but to the Lord”



ILLUS: Many a criminal has fled overseas into inhospitable wilds or

into other countries to escape the just penalty of their crimes.

The weakness of civil government has been their safety. But

where shall he flee who has sinned against God, whose empire

is the universe, and who, from His perfect nature, must

recognize and punish sin? Christ is the only refuge possible!

(Elon Foster. 6000 Classic Sermon Illustrations. p. 661).

PSALM 18:1-3 says, “I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD

is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in

whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high

tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I

be saved from mine enemies.”

ILLUS: The best correspondents for LIFE MAGAZINE were sent all

over the world to ask the question, “What is the meaning of

life?" They talked to philosophers and children, taxi drivers,

and Nile River boatmen. More than 100 photographs provided

images. One dramatic photographic off the Brittany Coast was

especially eye-catching! It was of a lighthouse in a violent

storm.

A huge Atlantic storm had sent gigantic waves crashing

around the mammoth brick structure, nearly swallowing it up.

But on the sheltered side, literally surrounded by frothing,

boiling waves, stood the lighthouse keeper. He was looking

casually toward the shore, his hands in his pockets, as

enormous waves crashed around him. We face many storms in

this life, but thank God in Christ, we are as safe as that light

house keeper (Isaiah 25:4). With His protection we can

endure any trial with calm assurance that He who shields us

cannot be moved! The LORD may or may nor calm the storm

around you, but more often He'll calm the storm within you.

(David C. Egner. Our Daily Bread. Volume 38. Number 11.

February 27, 1994).

← He Is A Helper (vl). The word “help” is translated from a Hebrew word which means “to aid or assist.” We have this promise in Hebrews 13:5-6—“ …for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Our God is always there! The Hebrew word implies that He has been tried and proven by His people! “God is…a very present help in trouble.” He is always there to help us no matter what we face. All we must do is call upon HIM (Hebrews 4:15-16). God offers help to all who call upon Him! Psalm 145:18 promises—“The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.”

ILLUS: Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast thy burden upon the LORD,

and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the

righteous to be moved.” The Hebrew word for burden in

Psalm 55:22 is defined by STRONG'S CONCORDANCE

as "what is given by God's providence." The burdens and

difficulties we experience have been allowed by God so

that we may learn to cast them all on Him.

A believer with many problems once dreamed that he

saw a multitude of people weighed down with many

problems and burdens. He was amazed to see that the

LORD himself was permitting their burden to increase.

From time to time more were piled upon them.

Confused, the dreamer approached the LORD and

humbly asked why He allowed this to go on. The Savior

replied, "I'm letting their distresses build up until they

can no longer do without My help. Then when they turn

to me in desperation, I'll carry both them and their

burdens."

The Christian woke with a start. Suddenly he realized

that the dream had special meaning for him. Instead of

complaining, he needed to bring his weighty problems to

the One who is the Great Burden-bearer. (Henry G.

Bosch. Our Daily Bread. Volume 37. Number 10.

January 31, 1993).

God is our strength, our help, and our all! We must allow Him to

help us with all our cares! (1 Peter 5:7).

C. OUR CONQUEROR (v9). In vv. 8-11 of this psalm, the psalmist looks

forward to the future. A time is coming when wars shall cease and the

peace of God will reign! Christ is the Victor already! He has gained

the victory over death, Hell, and the grave. And if by grace through

faith we know Him, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37; 1

John 4:4; 5:4-5)! We SHOULD “Have plenty of courage. God is

stronger than the devil. We are on the winning side.” -- John Jay

Chapman, Christian Reader, Vol. 32, no. 4. "Christ commands us to

'Overcome!' in the strength He alone can supply as we turn to Him in

faith, trusting His promises." - Billy Graham, _Approaching Hoofbeats_,

p. 62.

(2) A WORD OF EXHORTATION

PSALM 46:10b—“...know that I am God...”

A. THE INVITATION. “Be still, and know that I am God…”. The word "exhortation” means "encouragement". David wrote in PSALM 27:14—“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." The Hebrew word here for "wait” means "to hope strongly, to trust in, to wait for in expectancy." A Christian's joy is due to a strong, expectant hope in the LORD! But if we are to have joy in this life we must "know" Him! The Hebrew word implies knowing in an intimate way, not merely a "head" knowledge, but to know in our heart of hearts! 1 JOHN 1:1-4 says, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”

ILLUS: Jeremiah 24:7 says, "And I will give them an heart to

know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and

I shall be their God...". God promises to give not so much a

head to know Him, but a ‘heart to know Him,' for the right

knowledge of God consists not in notion and speculation, but

the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. When God gives a sincere

desire to know Him He will give the knowledge. It is God who

gives a heart to know Him, or else we perish in our own

ignorance. (Matthew Henry. The Quotable Matthew Henry. p.

156).

B. THE INSTRUCTION. How can we know Him better? :

← By Believing In Him (Hebrews 11:1, 6). The man without Christ does not know him or cannot know Him until enlightened by God's Spirit (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)! The more we know about God the more we will trust Him! And the more we trust Him the more He reveals himself to us!

ILLUS: Jonathan Goforth was to speak at a prayer meeting where the attendance was pitiful. The pastor apologized and asked, "Dr. Goforth, why do people not come to pray?" The old veteran replied, "Because they don't believe God. If they really believed the LORD meets with us when we gather in His name and if they loved Him, nothing could keep them away." (Vance Havner. The Vance Havner Notebook. p. 167).

When we know God we believe His Word and act in accordance with what it teaches us!

← By Yielding To Him (Philippians 3:7-14). For us to know Him and be like Him, we must yield ourselves fully to Him! We are to daily yield our lives to Him, so that more and more Christ shines through in our lives! (Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 2:15-16a). "TO know Christ is to become so one with Him that we share every experience with Him. It means we share the way He walked; that we share the cross He bore; that we share the death He died; and that finally we share the life He lives forever more" ----William Barclay (Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary & Classical. p. 31). TO know Him is to be as Paul, "For me to live is Christ"! (Philippians 1:21).

← By Serving Him. Deuteronomy 10:12 asks —“what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul" What is the purpose of a born-again believer? (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:10). Our main purpose once we are saved is to bring glory to God by serving Him! When we serve Him, we learn more of His purpose and plan for each of our lives! (Matthew 11:28-30).

Only as we believe, yield, and serve, can we know more about God!

(3) A WORD OF CONSOLATION

PSALM 46:lOa—“Be still...”.

A. THE FOUNDATION OF OUR CONSOLATION. The Lord encourages us in Psalm 46:10—“Be still, and know that I am God…”. The reason we can have consolation is because He says, “I am God”. God is a God of Comfort! We find in Him all strength, all peace, and all encouragement! I want you to notice that word “still”. The word “still" is translated from a Hebrew word that means "be silent and listen" Many times it is good for us to have time alone with God to ponder and meditate on His goodness to us! The psalmist said in PSALM 104:33-34—“I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.” Friend, can the same be said of you? Do you praise HIM with your being? Is your meditation of HIM sweet? Are you glad in the Lord? John R. W. Stott once admitted the truth that many of us have felt but failed to confess: "The thing I know will give me the deepest joy -- namely, to be alone and unhurried in the presence of God, aware of His presence, my heart open to worship Him -- is often the thing I least want to do." (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version 3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998, by Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved). It seems there is always something out there demanding our attention, desiring our affection, and detouring our admiration. Folks, we need to slow down and take some time to heed the words, “Be still, and know that I am God…”.

B. THE FOCUS OF OUR CONSOLATION. The LORD gives us encouragement to "be still" and meditate on three areas of our lives:

← Be Still Concerning The Past-Our Sin and Guilt Has Been Removed. The Lord promises in Hebrews 10:17—“ And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” When we came to Christ, God wiped our slate clean. All our sins, which were many, are all washed away! The believer is promised in PSALM 103:12—“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

ILLUS: I have a computer at home. I can type a screen full of images and characters on the screen. But with one touch of a button, they disappear and are gone forever. That is what God did with our sins!

The hymn-writer wrote:

"You ask me why I'm happy so I'll just tell you why, Because my sins are gone; And when I meet the scoffers who ask me where they are, I say, my sins are gone.

They're underneath the Blood, on the Cross of Calvary, As far removed as darkness is from dawn; In the sea of God's forgetfulness, that good enough for me, Praise God, my sins are gone.”

Now because of Jesus, His death for us on the Cross in our place, and our faith in what He did, we stand JUSTIFIED (Just As If I'd Never Sinned) before Almighty God! (2 Corinthians 5:21).

← Be Still Concerning The Present-His Grace Is Sufficient! (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). God's Grace will supply our every need! He has promised. He will perform! NO matter what we face in this life HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT! Even though the trial we are facing may endure, His grace will endure also!

← Be Still Concerning the Future-He Doeth All Things Well! (Romans 8:28). Many times we worry over the future, but we must simply trust God! He does all for our good and His Glory!

CLOSING: Do you know Him today? Have you by faith ever placed your trust

in Him? That is the first step to knowing God! But our knowledge

of God must not stop there. The life of a believer should be one of

daily learning more about God! Are you daily learning more about

God? How can we know how to please Him if we don't really know

Him?

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download