Be Still. Be Strong. Be Steadfast

Psalm number 46, please. I noticed in the Bible reading this morning, this psalm, part of it was coded. Our brother Draper started off with B's, three beseechings.

I want to read Psalm B's from the Holy Bible. Here's the first one. If you have your Bible open, please.

Psalm number 46. Notice the three references to our refuge. Verse one, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

A little further, read verse seven for sake of time. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Notice verse 10. Here's the verse. 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. At the end of verse three, Selah. At the end of verse seven, Selah.

At the end of verse 11, Selah. I want to focus for a minute or two on verse 10. Be still and know that I am God.

Next scripture, 2 Timothy 2. Verse number one. Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also.

My son, be strong. 1 Corinthians please, chapter 15. 1 Corinthians 15, and we'll just take time to read one verse.

1 Corinthians 15 please, verse 58. Therefore, in view of all that has gone before, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know, that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

One more in the Psalms here, Psalm number 17. I'll just read at the end of the Psalm. Psalm 17, verse 15.

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.

I should read one more, it's in contrast to all of these. 1 Peter chapter 5 please. This has been quoted since we commenced here.

Just take time to read. Verse number 8. 1 Peter chapter 5, verse number 8. Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. Now the Lord will bless all that our beloved brethren has given to us since we arrived here on Friday night.

I'll just give you the structure, and I won't be touching all of these scriptures, but I'll just tell you what I've been pondering just recently. Psalm number 46, verse number 10. Be still.

That's comfort. 2 Timothy 2, verse 1. Be strong. Now Mr. Newbery has been quoted, he tells you right here, keep on being strong.

1 Corinthians chapter 15, be steadfast, verse 58. Psalm 17, verse 15. Be satisfied.

I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. Now here's the warning note. 1 Peter chapter 5. Be sober, verse 8. Why? Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, he wants to devour.

I have called that conflict. Some dear folk don't even know there's a spiritual conflict going on. Now, I just want to major on this first scripture for a few minutes.

If you turn to Psalm number 46, please, for a few minutes, before we rise and go away. Please notice three simple divisions. Now before I get into that, you know dear saints of God, we have been really challenged in our own hearts recently.

For so many of the Lord's people that need comfort. We thank God for all this ministry that our brethren has given us, and we believe it's necessary. But before we rise and go away, I want to give a wee word on comfort.

We're in dangerous times, troublous times, lost day conditions, difficult times. We need a little word of comfort. I'd like to ask the shepherds right now, Have you had the privilege recently of giving a little word of comfort to some dear soul? Now you have your Bible open.

The word Selah, I take it, divides the psalm, and I won't go into it save to point them out to you. Verses 1 to 3, God is our tower of strength. You need comfort? Get to God about it.

See verses 4 to 7, God is our river of joy. Selah. Stop.

Ponder. Contemplate. Think it over.

Consider. God is our governor, verses 8 to 11, among the nations. He's still in charge.

Now let me be very, very practical on down to earth. It would seem here, this is, I didn't read the title, but it's to the sons of Korah. And imagine the original sons of Korah, he was a first cousin of Moses.

And Numbers chapter 16 shows that they likely saw their father. The ground opening up and went down into the pit. You think they would forget that? Never.

And the Holy Spirit of God, whether it's succeeding generations to that generation of sons that saw it, it's the same idea. He wants to comfort those that have seen tragedy. Now we can bring that to assembly life.

We can bring it to family life. We can bring it to the workplace. We can bring it to the neighborhood.

We can bring it to the spouses. Whatever realm you want to think about. Remember, as far as the nation is concerned, Pahahiroth.

Maybe there's somebody there today. The sea is on one side for the nation, and the mountains on the other, and the Egyptians are coming after, and they don't know what way to go. We still can see the salvation of the Lord.

Let me just pause a minute now. Think of the political arena today in the global picture. We have been at the side of folk recently.

And because of the different things that have happened in different parts of the globe, the Middle East, for example, this great continent, what has happened with these terrorists in different parts of the world. I know dear people in assembly life, and they're absolutely petrified. And they think that something's going to happen to them.

Could I just give a little word here? Be still and know that I am God. We were invited to a home some time ago. And here's a dear sister.

She's a wife. She's a widow now. Her husband came home from a meeting one night, and he lifted the local newspaper to read a word.

And before she could say something to him, he was home in heaven. It can happen to any of us. She was absolutely shattered.

What an honor and what a privilege to read a verse like this. Be still and know that I am God. I know folk in different parts, different countries.

And this year, 2017, the medical profession told them one on one, you've got the dreaded disease and you have only a short time to live. If it happened to any of us, what's your reaction? If you're in that category today, any of us, will you take this one verse home with you from this conference? Psalm 46 and verse 10, be still and know that I am God. There's all kinds of examples.

We've already been told about the storm on the lake. There, for example, in Mark chapter four, the Lord Jesus asleep on the boat, on the vessel. These dear people, they thought sure they're going down to the bottom of the lake.

And without developing it, there was a moment when the Lord stood up in that little vessel and he addressed the elements that he created. Peace, be still. There was a great calm.

You're facing difficulties today, financial, health, family, assembly. I know some dear brethren, nothing to do with the U.S., but in some other parts. And the conditions for conflict in the assembly have reached the stage where they say, the dear brethren who take responsibility, shepherds, we can go no further.

Can't do anything about it. We'll have to let it drift. Oh, dear saints of God, will you take this home with you today? Be still and know that I am God.

There are all kinds of examples, and I won't take time to say anything more about them. It's a word of comfort. I told you that about the towel that the Savior used that night in the upper room with the basin.

Comfort. Comfort ye. Comfort my people.

Dear brethren, there's more among us than we realize that need comfort. Let me just say a word about this next scripture. This has already been alluded to.

Paul is on his way. In a matter of days, he'll be in heaven. He lifts his pen and he talks to his young friend Timothy, his genuine child in the faith.

And I'm paraphrasing it. He's saying, Timothy, I'm going on. You'll be left.

Here's the word for you. A word of counsel. Be strong.

And I know there's seven figures in the chapter, and we won't take time to look at that. But I tell you, he learned this. That if he was going to be strong, he would need to know what it was all about.

To be a soldier. To endure hardness. In the front trenches.

As he moved on. This already has been alluded to. He's saying, Timothy, if you're going to be strong, you better be diligent in the scripture.

Study to show thyself approved unto God. Could I underline the ministry today? Dear friends, whoever we are, and I say it to myself first. It's one of the things that's on the wane among us.

Read the book. People tell me all the time, I have no time. Well, you better take time.

That can be expanded all kinds of other ways. I'll tell you another thing. He's saying now, you're going to meet folk there in Ephesus.

And they have gone wrong in doctrine. But second Timothy 2, they have displaced and misplaced the resurrection. He says, now look, the servant of the Lord must not strive.

I was in a paper reading recently in assembly life. And whatever happened, the brethren couldn't agree to differ. And they stood on their dignity.

When they should have been sitting on it. And I just quoted this verse. The servant of the Lord must not strive.

See the next bit. But be gentle. Keep that in mind when you're in the paper reading and don't agree with somebody else.

We'll likely get tested on that in the next few nights here. Nobody knows, only the Lord. Here's another one to think about before we go.

A challenge. Be steadfast. 1 Corinthians 15, 58.

Beautiful context. Be steadfast. Unmovable.

Always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know, your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Now, there's a message in that alone.

Let me give you seven C's here. I'll just mention two. You can develop them for yourself.

Here's the challenge of the Holy Bible. Therefore. That's verse 58 of 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

Conclusion. My beloved brethren. That's the company he's addressing.

Be ye steadfast. That's the charge. Unmovable.

That's the character. Always abounding in the work of the Lord. That's being consistent.

For as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. You see. There's a comfort.

And it's in the Lord. It's a control. We've been asking ourselves recently.

As far as our life is concerned, are we satisfied? Even in view of all that has been said at this conference. Psalm 17 in application tells us. In view of the final goal.

When we awake with his likeness, we shall be satisfied. Forever. As we move to the land of fadeless day.

Are we prepared as we leave this conference? Are we satisfied? With our place in assembly life and the work of God and all the rest of it. Just for a minute or two. Be still.

Comfort. Be strong. Console.

Be steadfast. Challenge. Be satisfied.

Completion. We're not there yet. I'll just say this about it.

First Peter chapter five. Verse number eight. Be sober.

Why? There's a conflict on a spiritual conflict. See what we have been enjoying at this conference. The old devil don't like it.

And we're exhorted in this verse. To think that he moves as a roaring lion. We see that's only part of it.

Other scriptures shows. That he moves as an angel of light. Second Corinthians 11.

He's on the premise. If you can't beat them. Join them.

And we're going to see that one of his great tools. Right to this very day. In the next night or two.

His division. And discouragement. And distress.

And all the rest of it. We're not ignorant of his devices. He's been around a long time.

He knows how this. The thing that we talk about sometimes. He knows how to stir the pot.

He's not omniscient. Only divine persons are. But he knows enough.

The ruinous. Will you take the challenge on board as we leave today? Be still. And know that I am God.

Where comfort? Be strong. Council. Be steadfast.

Challenge. Be satisfied. And view.

Of that day of completion. And beware. Be sober.

Be vigilant. The conflict is on. The Lord bless you all for coming.

Thank you for listening. Could be. We'll never all meet here again.

Oh dear brethren. Do your best. To do everything we can.

To further the work of Christ. Thank you very much.