Download when god is silent: psalm 83:1

WHEN GOD IS SILENT: PSALM 83:1
 Read Ps 83:1.
 Has there ever been a time when God
seemed silent for so long that you
questioned your relationship with Him?
Silent for so long that you begin to
wonder if He was really there? Have you
ever experienced times when God
seems so distant, so far away that the
joy of His presence seems lost to you?
 It is during the periods of silence – when
our relationship with God seems empty
of joy and excitement and we don’t
know why – THAT WE HAVE TO WALK
IN THE GUT-LEVEL KNOWLEDGE OF
ALL THAT WE HAVE STUDIED OR
LEARNED.
 God’s silence is not like our human
silence.
~ GOD DOES NOT CHANGE, NOR
ARE HIS PROMISES MADE NULL
AND VOID.
~ Remember 2Tim 2:13.
 THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON FOR
GOD’S SILENCE A PURPOSE UNDER
HEAVEN.
 In any intimate relationship there are
always periods of silence.
~ God’s silence may be a test of our
faith.
~ Isa 50:10
 IT IS THEN THAT WE MUST WRAP
OURSELVES IN HIS BLANKET OF
FAITH AND OUR CONFIDENCE IN HIS
WORD.
~ We must steep ourselves in His Word;
and cling to His promise.
~ CLING UNTIL HE BREAKS THE
SILENCE!
 Madame Guyon: “I had a deep peace
which seemed to pervade the whole
soul, and resulted from the fact that all
my desires were fulfilled in God. I feared
nothing; that is considered in its ultimate
results and relations, because my strong
faith placed God at the head of all
perplexities and events. I desired
nothing but what I now had, because I
had full belief that, in my present state of
mind, the results of each moment
constituted the fulfillment of the Divine
purposes. As a sanctified heart is
is always in harmony with the Divine
providences, I had no will but the Divine
will, of which such providences are the
true and appropriate expression.”
 What M. Guyon learned, in essence,
was that GOD WAS HER ALL IN ALL.
~ It was when she understood this that
she began to walk in the totality of
meekness.
 MEEKNESS IS NOT WEAKNESS...
IT
IS STRENGTH – HIS STRENGTH.
~ Meekness is accepting everything as
coming from God, no matter what the
immediate cause is, without
murmuring, disputing, or retaliating...
even His silence.
 M. Guyon consecrated herself wholly
to God; He could do with her as He
pleased.
~ She would no longer look to external
experiences or internal joys.
~ Instead she would find rest in His
sovereign dealings, whatever they
were.
~ Feel it or not, see it or not, hear it or
not, she knew the promise of Heb
13:5b-6.
 Sometimes you, too, must feel forsaken,
but you are not.
~ HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU; HE WILL
NOT FORSAKE YOU.
~ Why? Because God will never
abandon the work of His hands. (cf.
Phil 1:6)
 Salvation is of the Lord.
~ Eph 1:4
~ THEREFORE, WHAT GOD BEGAN,
HE WILL COMPLETE (Ps 138:8a).
 GOD IS WATCHING OVER US.
~ Whether we feel His presence and
His care or not, GOD IS THERE –
maybe not manifesting Himself now
but NEVER CEASING TO LOVE US
WITH HIS EVERLASTING LOVE AND
NEVER FAILING TO CAUSE ALL
THINGS... EVEN HIS SILENCE... TO
WORK TOGETHER FOR OUR
GOOD (Rom 8:28).
 EVEN WHEN GOD IS SILENT, HIS
PURPOSE IS ALWAYS VICTORY NOT
DEFEAT.
~ So we can trust Him, therefore, even
in the silence.
 Trouble is, sometimes we equate
silence with separation, but with God,
that can never be true.
~ YOU AND GOD ARE NEVER APART.
 Silence – it’s possible. Separation –
absolutely impossible.
 This is the assurance of faith: THAT
NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER (Rom 8:3839).
~ See Paul’s question in Rom 8:35.
~ He answer, of course, is “NOTHING,
AND NO ONE!”
~ God may sometimes be silent, but
He is always ever present.