Knowing When To Be Quiet

Text:

Psalms 107:2-6:

2: Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

3: And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

4: They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

5: Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

6: Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

 

Theme:

Knowing When To Be Quiet

 

Introduction:

• Our text comes from the 107^th division of Psalms…David’s private collection of songs and poetry. David wrote not to be seen of men, but, instead, to be seen and embraced by God who, as Hebrews says, was the author and finisher of his faith.
• From this text comes our theme or topic…Knowing When To Be Quiet
  • In rearing children, we as parents are constantly trying to teach a child when to speak up and when to be quiet.
  • When we become adults, we still need to understand when to speak up and when to be quiet:
    • Throughout history, knowing when to speak up and when to be quiet has been the difference between:
      • Opportunity and Restriction
      • Freedom and Slavery
      • Life and Death
    • On our jobs, we have to know when to be quiet because if we speak up at the wrong time against the wrong person we could be out of the right job.
    • In our homes, husbands or wives have to know when to be quiet
  • As a summary, it shows wisdom to know when to be quiet:
    • My granddaddy used to have a saying that went, “Make sure that you listen and do not always talk out. You can either be quiet and let people THINK that you are dumb or you can open your mouth and let them KNOW it.”
  • Knowing When To Be Quiet

 

Body:

• There are two interesting things about when we speak:
  • It is what we say that gets us into trouble.
    • Matthew 15:11, “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”
    • Words can:
      • defile us…contaminate us…incriminate us…put us into bondage…separate us from God.
    • What we say reveals what is in our hearts.
      • Matthew 15:18, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.”
      • Then, what is in our hearts is an indication of who we are and what we are about:
        • Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”
      • Summary: if we can just keep our mouths shut, we won’t get into so much trouble.
      • So, we must Know when to be quiet

1. Sometimes it is not WHEN to be quiet, but instead WHAT to be quiet!
2. The flesh must be kept silent.
   • Zechariah 2:13, “Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.”
   • What are we thinking with and speaking from?
3. Anything contrary to the Will of God must be kept silent
   • Psalms 31:18, “Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.”
   • In 1Corinthians 14:34, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.”
     • Paul asked that the women be kept quiet in the Corinthian church not because of their being women only but because of their speaking contrary to the Will of God for that church. How many of us will speak FOR the leader when we are NOT the leader!
4. Sometimes we just don’t know whether to speak or to be quiet!

• When we just can’t get an answer…when we can’t get resolution to our problem…when we are caught between a rock and a hard place:
• We need to talk to somebody…just to get some relief!
  • First of all, be real!
    • Psalms 51:6, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”
  • Secondly, talk not to other people…TO GOD!
    • 1Peter 1:18, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;”
      • Don’t turn to other people
        • Mama can’t help you…she birthed you but she can’t make you
        • Daddy can’t help you…he can stand with you but he can’t stand for you
        • Friends can’t help you…they surely can seek you but they can’t save you
      • Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
        • Talk to God.
        • The Old hymn says,

“Have a little talk with Jesus

Tell Him all about our troubles

Hear our faintest cry

Answer by and by

Feel a little prayer wheel turning

Know a little fires burning

Find a little talk with Jesus makes it right”

 

Conclusion:

1. Sometimes we can’t speak

• Old folks would say:
  1. When they can’t sing, they would just MOAN.
  2. When they can’t pray, they would just say, “LORD HAVE MERCY!”.
  3. When they can’t say “Amen”, they would just WAVE THEIR HAND.
• But God gives us an alternative to our not being able to speak!

Romans 8:26-27: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

1. Then there are times when we can’t be quiet!

• God can speak IN SPITE OF US
  • Hear His voice in the WIND
  • Hear His voice in the WATER
  • Hear His voice in CHILD
• But, He yet uses US to spread His Word!
  • That’s why our text, Psalms 107:2, says, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so”
    • If He brought you out of darkness
    • If He brought you through hard trials
    • If He brought you through sickness
    • IF He brought you through confusion
    • It’s not the time to be quiet — “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so”
    • We’ve been bought with a price
      • Jesus lived, Jesus died, Jesus rose, Jesus ascended into Heaven
    • “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so”

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