when the Bible says be still and know
that I am God
it's really telling you to stop
everything you're doing stop worrying
stop fighting stop resisting and start
yielding to God
start listening to God
there is something about Stillness
and I believe that this verse is calling
us to be still before the Lord because
we need to direct all of our attention
all of our focus on the Lord
you see when you spend time getting to
know the Lord when you spend time in the
presence of Jesus Christ you will truly
be transformed and I encourage you to
desire and hunger for these types of
Rich Encounters in the presence of God
because it's only in those one-to-one
intimate encounters that each of us can
get a personal revelation of who God
truly is
it's only in those one-to-one intimate
encounters that each of us can be
empowered and filled with Courage the
courage to face the world and stand up
for Christ the courage to stand up to
the devil and declare that Jesus Christ
is Lord
the Bible presents us with the story of
two gardens
the Garden of Eden
and The Garden of Gethsemane
Adam and Eve disobeyed God's will in the
Garden of Eden however in the Garden of
Gethsemane Jesus said nevertheless not
as I will
but as you will
isn't it interesting that there is this
huge contrast between what took place in
the Garden of Eden and what took place
in the Garden of Gethsemane
Jesus offers us the greatest lesson of
obedience In The Garden of Gethsemane
whereas we can learn about the painful
consequences of disobedience
when we look at Adam and Eve in the
Garden of Eden
in that first Garden
Adam and Eve listen to a voice they had
no business listening to
and as a result they took a fall
they fell into sin
they fell into disobedience
but in the second Garden
Jesus Took a stand
he said his own feelings aside
and he obeyed the voice of God the
Father
you see Genesis 3 verse 9 says then the
Lord God Called to Adam and said to him
where are you
think of that
because of sin
in the first Garden
God sought Adam
however in the second Garden
Jesus sought God he left the disciples
to go and seek God almighty
Matthew 26 39 says he went a little
farther and fell on his face
and prayed saying O my father
if it is possible
let this cup pass from me
nevertheless
not as I will
but as you will
and really pay attention to the
contrasting events that happened between
the two gardens
in Eden
Adam hid from God
in Gethsemane
Jesus made himself fully available to
God
in Eden
the devil deceived Adam and Eve to a
tree that led to their spiritual death
but oh and Gethsemane
our lord Jesus began that journey of
Love pain and sacrifice that ended on
the cross
but let us to eternal life
now these two gardens are symbolic of a
state of living for each and every one
of us we all have choices we all have a
measure of control when it comes to how
we live and what we do each day
and what I'm trying to put across to you
or rather what I'm trying to demonstrate
is that when it comes to your spiritual
life
you're either living like Adam and Eve
in the Garden of Eden where you believe
the lies of the enemy you act on those
lies and you disobey God
it's a state where one lives in San and
hides from the presence of God because
of their shame
or
you're living like Jesus in The Garden
of Gethsemane
sacrificial living
your will God and not my will that type
of living
where it's all about God
you may be sorrowful and troubled at
times but you still
choose to obey God you may be
overwhelmed but you still choose to obey
God
and I want to encourage you today
friends
I Christ
separate yourself from others and seek
the face of the Lord in prayer
seek to be willing and obedient
God is firmly in control God is
all-knowing God is Almighty
Isaiah 45
22-23 says look to me and be saved all
you ends of the Earth for I am God and
there is no other I have sworn by myself
the word has gone out of my mouth in
righteousness and shall not return that
to me every knee shall bow every tongue
shall take an oath
in those moments where we are still
before God
we need to realize just how Mighty God
is just how powerful God is the Bible
tells us there is no one and nothing
that can be compared to God
we need to remember this nothing and no
one is worthy to be competing for the
number one spot of your heart
the prophet Isaiah received a revelation
that should inspire all of us to
recognize God for who he truly is listen
carefully to what Isaiah 45 verse 2 to 7
says I will go before you and make the
Crooked places straight I will break in
pieces the gates of bronze and cut the
bars of iron I will give you the
treasures of darkness and hidden Riches
of secret places that you may know that
I the Lord who call you by your name am
the god of Israel for Jacob my servant's
sake and Israel my elect I have even
called you by your name
I have named you though you have not
known me I am the Lord and there is no
other there is no God besides me
I will gurge you though you have not
known me that they may know from the
rising of the sun to its setting that
there is none besides me
I am the lord and there is no other
I form the light and create Darkness I
make peace and create Calamity I the
Lord do all these things
this is a wonderful revelation of just
who God is
God should be first
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be like Christ
separate yourself from others and seek
the face of the Lord in prayer
seek to be willing and obedient
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