Monday Morning Music Ministry

6-24-24

“The wisdom of the ages.” “Wise words, tested by time.” “Worldly advice, from the mouths of wise thinkers.”

People tend to think that because sayings are old, they must be true, if not “wise.” To some degree, almost everyone casually, or often earnestly, has sought after, believed, or acted upon the advice from horoscopes to dreams. And in between, from fortune cookies, the sayings of Confucius, or tea leaves.

Like a broken clock that is correct twice a day, occasionally there is beneficial advice, if not wisdom, that flows from such sources. But not many people stop and realize that much of the “wisdom” we know sounds like good advice but… contradicts another “time-tested” piece of wisdom that is also universally accepted.

“He who hesitates is lost” is canceled by “Look before you leap!”

“A watched pot never boils” is contradicted by “Strike while the iron is hot.”

“An unexamined life is not worth living,” although “Curiosity kills the cat.”

Perhaps all accumulated wisdom is not so wise after all. But maybe the exception proves the rule. (Whoops!) We can pair-up many of the history’s famous sayings and adages and bywords and make a parlor game of Contradictions.

But. This is not the case when it comes to the Word of God. The Lord “is not the Author of Confusion” (I Corinthians 14:33).

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, saith the Lord; neither are your ways My ways” Isaiah 55:8).

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. …My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:27–29).

To Christians reading these words, I pray you recognize His promises if you are at a point in your life where you need His quiet reassurance.

But I also pray that the eyes of secularists and skeptics fall upon this message too, because it is essential to know more than whether God Almighty stacks up well against ancient meme-writers. God indeed asserted the infallibility of His words, “spake by the prophets’: as His incarnate Son did when on Earth. We have record of the Bible, and history, where God’s promises never were proven false; where myriad prophesies were fulfilled; the recorded acts of Jesus. And, above and beyond documentary evidence and raw data, we know of the testimony of uncountable souls who have experienced profound change in their lives, of miracles, of healings, of spiritual, supernatural blessings.

But we may wander in a spiritual desert if we only obsess over points of evidence, as in a trial, when all the evidence that Children of God ever needed is right there, in their hearts. Even when it comes to making decisions about tomorrow or the rest of your life, it is faith that is required; not facts. God says – in effect; and I accept this metaphor about physical evidence – “take it or leave it, my Children.” Could we possibly need more, from the Creator of the Universe?

The astonishing aspect of God’s promises is how utterly rich they are. Jesus’s greatest sermon, containing the Beatitudes, did not only share God’s point of view… and offer advice on how to live… and recommend ways to live… but also made promises: of Blessings. “Blessed are the meek…” “Blessed are the poor in spirit,…” “Blessed are those who are persecuted…”

There is a doctrine that describes this realization: Self-attestation. Scripture affirms itself. It is kind of a holy syllogism. Let its truth be a blessing.

One of the Bible’s greatest promises, in fact, provides exegetical blessing without reliance on other verses from other books. It is from Psalm 46:10a, Be still and know that I am God. Let its words parse themselves:

Meditate on these words and what they imply – God’s recognition of us; God setting the mood; an invitation to self-awareness; God’s calming assurance; a reminder of His sovereignty.

Comes a Blessing. And, to recall two familiar sayings we all know, we find ourselves not needing a leap of faith… but rather, we find ourselves standing on the solid rock.

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Just as we presented two versions of some old sayings… this week we offer two songs on music videos that may be separate, or double, blessings to you:

Click: Peace Be Still

and

Click: Be Still My Soul

10-24-11

All of the Bible is inspired, and useful for teaching, pointing out error, correcting each other in love, and training for a life that has God’s approval, as it says in Timothy 3:16.

Yet (as with “3:16” verses!) every once awhile in Scripture, you come across a verse that has special meaning, or a personal application, or multiple layers of implications for us.

I consider Psalm 46:10 to be one of those verses – Be still, and know that I am God.

I invite you to break that one sentence of God into parts. Each part will open a door of His presence, His will, His peace. Taken together, they are greater than the sum of its parts.

Perhaps you can meditate on each of its parts, one on each day of the coming week. Every phrase has uncountable lessons for us:

Be.

Be still and know that I am God.
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Be inspired! The song with this message is performed by Nicol Sponberg of Selah: the immortal hymn Be Still My Soul. This version has an echo of What a Friend We Have in Jesus, of which we become aware when we meditate upon this gentle but powerful verse from the Psalms.

Click: Be Still My Soul