Month: July 2026

These words are taken from Psalm 46:10 which says, “Be still, and know that I am God:”.  This verse is probably familiar to a lot of us.  It’s a favorite to put on Christian pictures and notebook covers.  I am always blessed to see Bible verses being widely published, but that also poses the risk that they become cliché.  And I think that might be the case for this verse.  I have seen it referenced many times by using only the words, “Be Still”.  Although we may recognize that those words come from this verse, we may just say them without really considering them.

So, let’s consider them now…

“Be still” means to relax, chill out, let it go, don’t worry.  Sometimes in life, we are presented with situations outside our control.   Maybe we lose our job, get sick or suffer a loss.  These things happen and we cannot always prevent them.  But how we respond to these events will determine their impact on our lives.  Do these situations fill us with anxiety?  Are we overwhelmed with fear?  Do we feel like there is no hope?  All of those attitudes work against our efforts to obtain a positive outcome.  And that is why the Bible tells us to “be still”.  This verse is saying, “Do not give in to any of those defeating thoughts, let them go!”

Letting go of negative thoughts requires effort on our part.  The world has conditioned us to think negative thoughts.  Consequently, positive thoughts are not always our first response or an easy reaction.  We must change that habit.  And the Bible gives us the true words we need to accomplish that change.  When we align our thoughts with what the Bible says, we will receive the benefits that the Bible promises. 

“Be still, relax. God’s got this! Whatever is bothering you, He can handle it.”  When this is our heart’s conviction, we will be at peace.  We can rest assured that God will take care of us no matter what we are facing.  We can be calm whatever the storm.

I want to add something here.  As Bible students, we often look at the Hebrew or Greek words from which our English Bibles were translated.  The Hebrew word for “Be still” in Psalm 46:10, can also mean to abandon or forsake.  Thus, in essence this verse means that being still happens when we abandon our worries and forsake our fears.  This Hebrew word is also used in other verses that say that God never forsakes us nor ever abandons us.  From this, we can deduce that we are able to forsake our fears because God never forsakes us!  And when our fears are forsaken, we will be still.  Isn’t that beautiful?

That makes the next part of Psalm 46:10 even more meaningful.  “And know that I am God.”  We can be still because we know that God is the Almighty God.  He is the loving Father.  He is the one and only true God.  He is all knowing, all powerful, all giving, all gracious and all loving.  By His power alone were the heavens and the earth created.  If He could do that, is there anything He can’t do for us?  And God created the heavens and the earth specifically for His children.  Would He withhold any good thing from us now after going to all that trouble? 

When we know that we know God, He will be a very present reality in our lives so that we can be still.  Those who do not know God, cannot be still because they are counting on their own limited abilities, which are not always dependable.  God’s abilities are a solid rock, but people’s abilities are a slippery slope.

How do we get to know God?  The same way we get to know anyone – through communication and experience.  We have various levels of communication with many people in our lives. For instance; with acquaintances, we have polite conversations.  With friends, our dialog centers around our common interests.  With very close friends, we share more intimate conversations.  And with family, we can bear our souls.  What level of communication do you have with God?  Is it polite conversation?  Or do you bear your soul before Him? 

Think about a special friend or loved one in your life.  How did they become so special to you?  Initially, it was because there was something about that person that caught your attention.  Then, you took the time to get to know them.  You talked, shared stories and enjoyed each other’s company.  Your relationship developed because of mutual interests and like-minded opinions.  Your care and affection grew as you spent time together.  You allowed that person into your life, and they allowed you into theirs.  You weathered storms together, supported each other, and prioritized one another. 

What about God?  Is He special to you?  Do you talk to Him and spend time with Him?  Do you allow Him into your world?  Is He a priority in your life?

God knows our deepest thoughts and all our secrets, whether we voice them or not.  There is nothing hidden from Him.  And He loves us anyway!  So, there is no reason whatsoever to be reluctant to approach Him.  He continually offers His heart to us.  But do we seek His counsel?  Do we want to hear what He has to say?  Do we want to know Him better and better?

Yes!  Yes!  And yes!  We want God in our lives.  There is nothing more worthwhile than having a close personal relationship with our Heavenly Father.  God reveals Himself to us through His Word (the Bible) and through the gift of holy spirit that we got when we were born again.  God makes Himself available to help us in any and every situation.  When we ask, He answers.  When we need Him, He is ready, willing and able to help us.  He never leaves us nor forsakes us!  God chose us before the foundation of the world to be His children.  He made the first move. Now it’s up to us to continue to build our relationship with Him. 

Make God special in your life.  Talk to Him.  Spend time with Him.  Give Him priority over all worldly distractions and hinderances.  Trust Him.  Allow Him to demonstrate His love to you.  And when you do, you will be still because you will know God. 

Note to my readers:  Getting to know God is a lifelong endeavor that brings us exceptional joy!  Thanks for reading! 

“Life is full of ups and downs”.  This is a very familiar saying and probably one to which we can all relate.  But recently, I heard a Bible teaching that challenged this saying, and that premise really blessed me.  So, I thought it might bless you too. 

Life can be messy as we know.  And there is no doubt that it has its ups and downs.  The world is unkind, and it often seems to delight in tearing people down.  Have you ever been “flying high” and suddenly something (or everything) went wrong?  The world loves throwing monkey-wrenches into our celebrations.  And generally, people’s reaction is, “Oh well. That’s just how things go sometimes”, hence the saying being so familiar.  The world’s modus operandi is to raise people up just to knock them down.  God on the other hand, takes people from the lowest pit and raises them up to glory.  And He continues to provide His children with “ups” that the world just can’t comprehend. 

The Bible says that before we were born again, we had no hope and were without God in the world.  (Ephesians 2:12)  But God made us alive, raised us up and seated us in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.  (Ephesians 2:5 and 6)  That is a pretty big up!  And it sets the pattern for all our downs and ups.  We start out being down in the world and God raises us up.  And with God, the end result is always UP! 

The world is not going to change.  If anything, it will grow worse.  So, are we relegated to going with the flow and accepting the wrongs the world gives us?  Absolutely not!  God gives us solutions.  He delivers us from worldly traps.  He makes a way where there is no way.  When the world drags us down, God pulls us up. 

There are many verses that talk about our strength, our freedom, our rights, and our guaranteed victory with God.  These verses edify and encourage us, so that we can remain strong in adversity.  They also remind us that the world opposes the things of God.

For example:

Romans 8:37 – Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

This is one of my favorite verses.  From the first time I heard it, I believed its promise that I could be a super-conqueror.  But it took a while for me to realize that being a super-conqueror necessitated that there was something that needed conquering.  The world is full of things that oppose us as Christians, and any one of them could knock us down.  But God gave us this upward promise of being “more than conquerors” so that we would know that even when the chips are down, He provides an up. 

Galatians 5:1 tells us to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ made us free.  We wouldn’t need liberty if there weren’t things in the world that seek to enslave us.  But God freed us from the world’s enslavement and seated us UP above the world’s commotion.  How about Ephesians chapter 6 that tells us to put on the whole armor of God.  We wouldn’t need armor if we weren’t in a battle.  And we wouldn’t be in a battle if we didn’t have an enemy.  And that enemy is pulling the strings in the world today.  But God gave us the victory over him through the finished works of Jesus Christ.   (And just an aside; When God says things like “stand fast” or “put on” we must remember that He never asks us to do anything that we can’t do.  And everything that God asks us to do is for our benefit.)

Does the world’s opposition diminish God’s power in any way?  Can anything the world throws at us, keep God from fulfilling His promises?  The answer to those questions is a resounding NO!  Our God is the Almighty God, Who created the heavens and the earth, and Who is our Father. He has made exceeding great and precious promises to us.  He has sworn to never leave us nor forsake us.  His ear is always open to our prayer.  And His compassions never fail.  He is all love and all light.  He gave His only begotten son so that we could be saved and become His children.  Don’t you think God wants the best for His kids?  Don’t you think God will fight for His kids?  Of course, He does and He will!  God’s love for us is unfathomable.  He would move heaven and earth for us if He needed to. And because of His undying love for us, God has promised us the ultimate victory – our enemy’s total annihilation and our future securely in God’s presence with Christ Jesus for all eternity.  Nothing in this life can stop us from attaining this victorious UP, not even death. 

God’s Word is jammed packed with knowledge about all that God has given us and all that He has done and will do for us.  The Scriptures lift us up far beyond anything the world could offer.  Here are a few verses that I remind myself of every day:

Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Romans 8:18 – For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Isaiah 40:31 – But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

For the people of this world, life has its ups and downs.  But for God’s children, life has its downs and ups!  Whatever the world throws at us; God can fix.  Whenever we get knocked down; God can pick us up and set our feet on solid ground.  Whenever we feel like quitting; God has the resources to turn our lives around.  We may not be able to avoid every down.  But we can always, always, always count on God for a glorious UP. 

Note to my readers:  I’m not suggesting that we rewrite the old saying.  It has such a familiar cadence.  But why not think of our lives in terms of downs and ups?  Because truly, God’s marvelous ups are ready and waiting for us whenever we ask. 

2 Corinthians 2:14 – Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ…