Perhaps one of the words we hear little about is the word "calm". We are living in a world that knows nothing about being calm or even what calmness is.As I was reading in the Chronological Bible NIV, I came across a verse that stuck to me. Ecc. 10:4 in the NIV (New International Version) the word "calm" is used. In the NAS (New American Standard Bible), the word "composure" is used.
"If the anger of the ruler rises against you,
do not leave your place,
for calmness will lay great offenses to rest."
do not leave your place,
for calmness will lay great offenses to rest."
~Ecc 10:4
The dictionary says that calm means: not excited and not agitated. In our modern language today it would be "cool". Don't lose your cool.
Now in the new testament and the Psalms, the word calm is used to describe the sea after a storm. Jesus calmed the sea. The matter of being calm is not NOT listening or acknowledging. Sleeping is not calmness. Dead people are not calm. Calmness here has to do with what is in your spirit when everything seems to be out of control. When facing a storm, or a stormy person. DON'T LOSE YOUR COMPOSURE.
Last week our friend and Bible teacher lost it at the business meeting. He got mad and angry and stormed out saying he was finished. It is easy for us to lose our cool. The world in which we live pushes us to react violently. But the WORD says "... calmness can lay great errors to rest." "... composure allays great offences."
When some one or something opposes you, don't push the panic button. Be quiet, still, and sweet even though on the inside the bats or butterflies are beating their wings. The one thing that destroys churches.. destroys friendship.. destroys marriages is the lack of composure.
In 1st Peter, Peter tells wives to have a quiet gentle spirit. Also he says the same for men. Only God can give us calmness in the midst of trouble. We need to trust Him for that.
Anger is not the answer. Jesus never lost His cool. Look with me to 1st Peter 2:21-24. Over and over Peter tells us to follow in Christ's footsteps, to see His example. After every exhortation, he points to the example of Christ.
Am I prone to anxiety.. panic, fear, worry when things seem to come out of the blue?
Now in the new testament and the Psalms, the word calm is used to describe the sea after a storm. Jesus calmed the sea. The matter of being calm is not NOT listening or acknowledging. Sleeping is not calmness. Dead people are not calm. Calmness here has to do with what is in your spirit when everything seems to be out of control. When facing a storm, or a stormy person. DON'T LOSE YOUR COMPOSURE.
Last week our friend and Bible teacher lost it at the business meeting. He got mad and angry and stormed out saying he was finished. It is easy for us to lose our cool. The world in which we live pushes us to react violently. But the WORD says "... calmness can lay great errors to rest." "... composure allays great offences."
When some one or something opposes you, don't push the panic button. Be quiet, still, and sweet even though on the inside the bats or butterflies are beating their wings. The one thing that destroys churches.. destroys friendship.. destroys marriages is the lack of composure.
In 1st Peter, Peter tells wives to have a quiet gentle spirit. Also he says the same for men. Only God can give us calmness in the midst of trouble. We need to trust Him for that.
Anger is not the answer. Jesus never lost His cool. Look with me to 1st Peter 2:21-24. Over and over Peter tells us to follow in Christ's footsteps, to see His example. After every exhortation, he points to the example of Christ.
Am I prone to anxiety.. panic, fear, worry when things seem to come out of the blue?
YES!
One more word. Calmness is not just sitting down resting, trusting, sleeping, deadness to all around us. Calmness is not stagnation.
In life, there is a need to be stirred up, excited, and moved. If we are in a state of perpetual calm, we will never go any place. Calmness, composure is what we need when we are attacked, or when we are confronted by a storm.
Calmness is not a state of being numb either. We see in Haggi 1:14 "For the Lord stirred up the Spirit of Zarbable." God wants us to be enthusiastic and moving forward with our lives.
In life, there is a need to be stirred up, excited, and moved. If we are in a state of perpetual calm, we will never go any place. Calmness, composure is what we need when we are attacked, or when we are confronted by a storm.
Calmness is not a state of being numb either. We see in Haggi 1:14 "For the Lord stirred up the Spirit of Zarbable." God wants us to be enthusiastic and moving forward with our lives.
We are to be calm in the storm..
We are to be stirred in the calm.
We are to be stirred in the calm.
May the Lord help us to recognize a storm and may we look to him for composure and calm when it comes.
It is my wish that this little talk be a blessing to you.
Bill Gibson
GMU 07/25/00
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