Lay it to Heart

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Be Still and Know What? This passage from Psalms is taken out of context.

Psalm 46 is used to call for a quiet time or tell people to stop worrying

Psalm 46:10 says "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." People have quoted this verse to tell me about why I should be still or have a quiet time in the morning. While we should study God's word, that is not what the verse is talking about. It's not talking about a peaceful Maui evening either. Deuteronomy 6:7 tells us, "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." To call this a quiet time is not accurate. Deuteronomy 6 says, "4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." While we are to study God's word, when we look at Psalm 46, it is talking about something else. Also, if you are praying out loud or quietly to God it really is not a quiet time. A "quiet time" is not a substitute for the real thing, actually studying God's word and praying.

Psalm 46 is really about world peace

Psalm 46:
1	To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2	Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3	Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
4	There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
5	God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that center early.
6	The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
7	The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
8	Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
9	He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
10	Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
11	The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

God is talking about nations fighting amongst themselves, not about sitting quietly and meditating, not about studying or reading the Bible. Even the verse with "be still" in it mentions other nations and not people. If you apply this to your personal life it would be about struggles with other people not about getting up in the morning or about a duck floating peacefully on a pond like "Christian" wall paper that I have seen. We need to rightly divide the word of truth, not butcher it. Christians should pray, read and study their Bibles not have "devotionals" and "quiet times".Do not be afraid to say what you are really doing.

Seek first the Kingdom of God

During the sermon on the mount Jesus said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." What things was Jesus speaking about? In verse 25 he said, "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" If the nations would seek Jesus the problems of food, oil, inflation, employment and world peace would be solved.