Be still and know He is God!

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

No need to worry!

When something negative happens to you (anything!), pause, take a deep breath, and say to yourself, “I do not have to worry about this thing, because He is God! There is nothing greater than Him, and He is able and willing to help me!”

“‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.’” (Jer. 32:17 ESV)

Have confidence!

We serve a great big, awesome, powerful, wonderful, loving and caring God, who is more than able and willing to help you with and through ANYTHING! So, with confidence you can be still and know that He is God!

Therefore…

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13 ESV)

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28 ESV)

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” (Eph. 3:20 ESV)

Quotes:

“Pray, and let God worry.” – Martin Luther

“We must cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. But this kind of trusting doesn't come naturally. It's a spiritual crisis of the will in which we must choose to exercise faith.” - Chuck Swindoll

“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith,and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.” – George Mueller

Mike Frenchbible promises
How to bear much fruit

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:5-7 NIV)

You get to choose! 

This promise has both positives and negatives, and you get to choose what part you get. Jesus says He is “the vine” and you are “the branches”. If you will abide in (receive, obey, follow, adhere to) Him, something wonderful will then happen, you will “produce much fruit”. But, on the other hand, (the negative part) if you do not abide in Him, you will wither, die, and you will be thrown into the fire and burned! So, it’s a no brainier, remain!

And another wonderful promise is added at the end of this passage!

Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” This promise tells you how important it is to have the Word of God within you and what it will do! It will allow you to “ask whatever you desire and it will be done for you.” Wow, what a promise! Another no brainier about what to do.

Learn to cling!

Understand that what Jesus is saying to do here is not really difficult! Simply, abide in Him (cling to the branch, so to speak) and then have His Word abide in you.

No downside! 

Actually, when you think about “abiding in Jesus,” there just isn’t a downside to it! Fruit is produced in your life, when you sow, and what you ask for, you will get! Not a bad deal at all.

The old oak tree!

As I was pondering this passage about abiding in the vine, I remembered an unusual old oak tree that grew near where I lived as a child. It did not drop its leaves in the fall like other trees did. Instead, its old dead leaves just hung onto that tree all winter long. But, not to worry! Because, in the Spring, when new life started to flow up within and through the trunk of the tree into all the branches and into every twig on the tree, the old dead leaves just fell off and were replaced with beautiful new buds and leaves! In exactly the same way, as we abide in Jesus, those old, hard-to-budge sins that we sometimes deal with as human beings, just like those old dried leaves on the oak tree, just fall away as the Holy Spirit flows into and through us and produces “the fruit of the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:22-23). And, I cannot think of a better way to deal with such things.

Therefore…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23 ESV)

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jer. 17:6-8 ESV)

“You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matt. 7:16-20 ESV) 

“Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil. 1:11 ESV)

Mike Frenchbible promises, abide in jesus, abide, abide in his word
You are empowered by Him!

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:4-7 KJV)

Rich in mercy! 

This promise starts off by saying God is rich in mercy and loved us even while we were “dead in our sins” and he “quickened” us (quickened means, to be made alive) together with Christ. And he saved us by His grace (“grace” means undeserved favor). And, on top of that, he has “raised us up, together with Jesus, in heavenly places”. You can read back one chapter to understand that Christ is seated far above all authorities and powers (and, so are you in Him!) (Eph. 1:22), “Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else-not only in this world but also in the world to come.” And, when you understand this truth, you can have great confidence! 

“Greater is He who is in you (Jesus) than he who is in the world (the devil).  “…for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4).

 And, “I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13). 

Any way you look at it, you are empowered by Him! And, He even explains why, “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Therefore…

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 ESV)

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:19-20 ESV)

Mike Frenchbible promises, empowered, empowered by jesus
How to shine like a star!

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (Phil. 2:14-15)

Everything means exactly what it says!

The passage above starts off with a command to “Do everything without grumbling or arguing”. That’s a tall order, actually, because “everything” means, well, it means everything! And, that includes a lot of possibilities!

Small and large things! 

Everything includes little things like traffic annoyances, or someone being a little rude to you on the phone. And it includes big things like major automotive repairs, dealing with difficult family members, being pulled over for a traffic violation, or even having to work for a difficult boss.

Blameless and pure without fault!

But this command comes with a wonderful payoff promise: “so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.'”

It makes you stand out and shine!

When you live a self-controlled life, and you resist the temptation to react negatively to life’s difficult and challenging situations, you stand out from the crowd, many of which are part of “a warped and crooked generation”. “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” 

That makes it all worth it! And, that’s a great promise to aspire to!

Therefore…

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Eph. 5:8 ESV)

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:6 ESV)

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16 ESV)

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You are free!

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NKJV)

Hiroo Onoda, was a Japanese soldier who didn’t know the Japanese had surrendered and that World War II was over, so he hid in the deep jungle and continued fighting it for a full 29 years more! He didn’t have to! In October 1945, he came across a leaflet from the local islanders saying “The war ended August 15th. Come down from the mountains!” But, he didn’t believe it. He decided that it must be Allied propaganda trying to get him to give up.

We marvel and shake our heads at stories like these, but many Christians are doing exactly the same thing! They are continuing to fight a spiritual war that has been fought and won for them by Jesus over 2,000 years ago. The enemy has been completely defeated by what Jesus did for you on the cross! Jesus said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). He completely paid for your freedom!

However, the enemy rages on as though the battle has not been won! But, the only “tools” he has left are deception and lies! He is a liar, a deceiver, and a thief, and he continually tells God’s people that they are not free! And, unfortunately it works when people believe his lies! Even though they are free they continually behave like prisoners of sin!

Our promise today says it very clearly, “Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed!”

What does this “freedom” mean to God’s kids?

Because of what Jesus fought and won for you, you get: (just a short list here, there is actually much more!)

  • Freedom from the Old Testament law

“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” (Rom. 3:28 NIV). And, “Through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.” (Acts 13:39 NASB)

  • Freedom from guilt

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1 NASB)

  • Freedom from condemnation

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:1-2 ESV)

  • Freedom to come boldly to God in the time of need

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 NKJV)

  • Freedom to call God your father and Jesus your brother

“God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Gal. 4:4-7 ESV)

  • Freedom from fear and anxiety

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18 ESV). And, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7 KJV). And, “Be anxious for nothing.” (Phil. 4:6 NASB)

  • Freedom from eternal punishment (hell)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 NKJV).  And, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23 NASB)

  • Freedom to serve God

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2:16 ESV)

  • Freedom to claim and apply all His thousands of promises found throughout the Bible

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” (2 Cor. 1:20 NIV)

Therefore…

You are free and victorious! You don’t have to do anything except to continue to stand firm in the truth! 

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1 NIV)

Mike Frenchbible promises, free, you are free
Celebrate to the Glory of God!

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31 )

This “do all to the glory of God” also includes when you are celebrating!

Today is July 4th and we in the USA celebrate our Independence Day with much fanfare and fireworks

And setting aside time for celebration is good! The Bible is filled with lots of celebrations and much praise to God.

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!”(Psalms 150:1-6)

Here is what our country’s founders had to say when they were drafting, signing, and defending the Declaration of Independence:

 Samuel Adams, during his signing of the Declaration

“We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His kingdom come.” 

 John Quincy Adams

“The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” 

 Noah Webster

“The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all of our civil constitutions and laws…All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.” 

 William Penn

“If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him… Those who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.” 

“The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, some say, is the king of America? I’ll tell you, friend, He reigns above.” (Thomas Paine)

 George Washington

“It is impossible to account for the creation of the universe, without the agency of a Supreme Being. It is impossible to govern the universe without the aid of a Supreme Being. It is impossible to reason without arriving at a Supreme Being.”

 Daniel Webster

 “If truth be not diffused, error will be; If God and His Word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendancy, If the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will; If the power of the Gospel is not felt throughout the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness will reign without mitigation or end.” 

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He has rescued us from darkness!

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13-14 NIV)

He HAS rescued us from darkness! 

Notice that this promise declares that “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness.” It is written in past tense because it is a done deal! It is finished, paid for, and completed! This is a bold promise!

Because of this…

You no longer are a part of the old covenant system of being separated from God by a wall of sin and darkness! (Matt. 27:51) You are now a member of “the kingdom of the Son He loves!” You have been redeemed and have been given total “forgiveness of sins.” You can now come boldly to God at any moment to instantly find mercy and grace in the time of need!

Therefore…

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” (Eph. 5:8 NIV)

“Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 NIV)

Mike Frenchbible promises, darkness, rescued from darkness, light, children of light
God's Word lights your path!

“The steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord.” (Psalm 37:23 KJV)

God’s personal guidance 

One of the great benefits of being connected to God is the personal guidance you can expect to receive from Him. 

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8 ESV)

His Holy Spirit guides you into all truth

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (John 16:13 NIV)

His Spirit reminds you of His Words 

As we read and study Scriptures, and it gets into our minds, the Holy Spirit brings appropriate Scriptures back to our remembrance at just the right moment to bring needed comfort, guidance and truth into every situation as needed.  

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26 ESV). 

 God’s Word brings light to your path 

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105 KJV).

Therefore…

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” (Psalm 37:23 ESV)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Prov. 3:5-6 ESV) 

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jer. 33:3 ESV)

Mike Frenchbible promises, lamp, light, path, god’s word
We are Christ's Ambassadors!

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” (2 Cor: 5:20 NIV)

We are aliens in a foreign land! 

Ambassadors, by definition, represent their home country while working and living in the country to which they’ve been appointed. It’s the same way for Christians who are God’s ambassadors here on earth! Our real home is in heaven and we are like aliens who are visitors in a foreign land (1 Peter 2:11).

When people see you, who do they see?

Sure, they see the physical you, that’s true, but did you know that as Christ’s ambassadors, when they see you, they should also see Jesus? Our promise of the day says it very clearly, that “we are Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” Another verse puts it this way, “as he is in the world, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17 ESV).

How do you do this ambassador job correctly?

You allow the Holy Spirit to fill you and do His transforming work within you! When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, “spiritual fruit” is produced, and that is what people will notice! 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23 ESV). 

When people see these things in you, they will be seeing the character of Christ because He is all of these things!

Therefore…

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Eph. 5:1-2 ESV)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9 ESV)

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:1-3 ESV)

Mike French