S.A.L.T Pt 2
A MESSAGE BY PASTOR KENT MUNSEY
In Psalm 46:10, the scripture says, "Be still and know that I am God." In Hebrew the phrase "be still" means to stop, surrender, and to desist. To “be still” speaks to possessing a certain level of spiritual discipline. This particular passage of scripture is a specific word that the Lord has for each and every one of us.
In the 16th chapter of Numbers, we learn about Korah. Korah was the cousin of Moses and Aaron. Korah was a part of the Israelite tribe of Levi. The Levites were descendants of Levi, and therefore a part of the Levitical Order. Each of the 12 tribes of Israel had a specific duty, and the Levites duty was to serve the Lord through ministry. The Levites covered all things regarding ministry and their tasks could range from what may be deemed as essential, to some tasks that could be perceived as mundane. Every family had a responsibility, and for the Levites this included (but was not limited to) things like: preparing the curtains before ministry, assembling and setting up altars, and carrying the sacred Ark of the Covenant, among other things.
Korah felt that some of his family’s tasks were not as “essential” as the tasks that others received. Korah began to complain that his family was tasked with carrying the heavy burdens, and were not chosen as priests. Korah’s complaining led him to compare. He began to compare his family’s position with the position of others. Korah’s comparing then led him to challenge. Korah began to challenge the leadership, and this eventually led to a full-on rebellion. The behavior of Korah and his rebellious affiliates displeased God. Korah’s attitude angered God, and He literally swallows Korah and the rebels up from the Earth!
The irony here is that Korah’s complaints were rooted in his feeling that he was not chosen. However, in reality, just by being a part of the tribe of Levi and having a position in the ministry he was truly chosen! Korah didn’t appreciate the task that God had set forth for him. God’s design set Korah and his family apart from the rest of the Israelite nation. It was Korah that became ungrateful for the task that God gave him on mission. Korah didn’t think that God’s plan for him and his family was good enough. You are in big trouble when something that is big to God becomes small to you! This is an indication that your soul is not healthy. Your soul is not in a healthy state when you are complaining, comparing, and challenging.
How healthy is your soul?
· Are you complaining more than you’re connecting?
o Instead of complaining about your position, you should be connecting with others to help achieve God’s mission.
· Are you comparing more than you’re celebrating?
o Instead of comparing your position to that of others, you should be celebrating all positions as they come together to achieve God’s mission.
· Are you challenging things instead of completing?
o Instead of challenging things, you should be working in tandem to help complete tasks that help achieve God’s mission.
The sum (total) of us is greater than any one of us. When we connect together, celebrate one another, and work to complete each other, we can achieve the mission that God has for us.
In Mark 4:38, Jesus and his disciples were travelling on a boat when a furious storm came. As the disciples quickly became frustrated, they started to panic. At this time Jesus was sleeping peacefully, with his head on a pillow at the bottom of the boat. The disciples’ panic bred more frustration, and they woke Jesus to say: “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus awoke from his slumber and rebuked the winds, saying “Quiet! Be still!” The winds immediately died down and there was calmness over the waters. Jesus then rebuked his disciples saying, “Why are so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” This is relevant to the passage in Psalm 46:10. Just as Jesus commanded the winds to “be still,” we too must have that same spiritual discipline. In the passage in Mark, the disciples should have first stopped to be still and not react, followed by acknowledging the God that they know, so that they could then learn of God and His character, and lastly trust God to do what only He can do!
If you cannot be still to know God and celebrate all that He is doing, you can’t complete the assignment that God has for you. When we complain, compare, and challenge, our soul becomes unhealthy and we find ourselves at a place where we are no longer trusting God.
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: Give God 8 minutes! "8" is the biblical number for new beginnings.
S - STOP. Just stop and do not react. Give God 5 minutes and "be still." (do this for 5 minutes)
A - ACKNOWLEDGE. Know that God is, and know who God is. (do this for 1 minute)
L - LEARN. Learn about God. We should learn about His love, glory, and His character. (do this for 1 minute)
T - TRANSFER OUR TRUST. We have to transfer our trust over to God. (do this for 1 minute)