Eli let the flame burn out, is that what you are doing in your life?
Samuel on the other hand was already in place, ministering before God ready to listen and hear when God spoke to him. That is the example we are to follow.
Listen now.
Sunday, 23 June 2013
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Ayin (ng - as in Sing, or G)
Category:
Blog
Psalms 119:121-128
121) Grant me this, that thou leave me not to mine oppressors, for I have done judgment and justice.
122) Good is assured in thee for thy servant: let not the proud oppress me.
123) Grit fils my eyes as they fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
124) Great is thy mercy, which is deal unto thy servant, and teach me thy statutes.
125) Give your servant understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
126) Gird yourself to action now LORD: for they have made void thy law.
127) Golden are thy testimonies, indeed I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
128) Gravely I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
Meaning of Ayin
The word Ayin means to see, and by extension, to know, understand, and obey.
Matthew 6:22-23
22) The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
The two arms of the letter are said to represent the evil eye and the good eye feeding their input back down to the brain.
Not only is there the problem of our eyes looking to evil or good, there is also the fact that God encourages us to use our spiritual eyes.
1 Corinthians 2:14
14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
You may think that Google goggles enhance what you see, but how much better to see as God sees.
1 Samuel 16:7
7) But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
Key phrase
The key phrase in this stanza has to be, “I am thy servant”. It occurs three times here. Thinking of where David would have been as he wrote this, he had by then become king. He says in verse 121 that he has been the judge and dispenser of justice, yet he is finding it tough. He knows that God is the judge of all men, and his justice is over all.
We need that same realisation that we are his servants.
The Plea
Psalms 119:121-125
121) I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.
122) Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.
123) Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
124) Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.
125) I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
He has a number of requests of the Lord.
- Don’t leave me to my enemies.
- Let me stand up against the proud.
- Open my eyes to your word.
- Show me mercy.
- Teach me.
- Give me understanding, and knowledge.
You can see that thread of Ayin, the eye. Open my eyes, Give me understanding. And obedience is part of being a servant.
Psalms 119:18
18) Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Daniel was one who definitely served God first. Of him it was said:
Daniel 5:14
14) I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
Golden time
Psalm 119:127-128
127) Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
128) Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
The summary of David’s feelings, the response to having your eyes opened can only be amazement at the wonder of God. Esteemed more than Gold, and esteemed concerning all things.
Proverbs 8:8-11
8) All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
9) They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
10) Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11) For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
When it comes to esteeming God, nothing comes close to realising how amazing he truly is. One day we will see that glory revealed, and nothing will compare.
Revelation 1:12-18
12) And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13) And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14) His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15) And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16) And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
17) And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18) I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Sunday, 16 June 2013
Judge Yourself 12 - Hannah and Eli
Category:
Sermons
When it comes to prayer we often come with a shopping list. In truth we need a heart that desires to please God. He uses persistence in prayer to grow our faith and clarify our true requests of him.
Listen now.
Listen now.
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Psalm 119 - Samech
Category:
Blog
Samech (S)
Psalms 119:113-120
113) Supercilious thoughts I hate: but thy law do I love.
114) Shielding me, you are my hiding place: I hope in thy word.
115) Stubbornly will I keep the commandments of my God, therefore depart from me, ye evildoers:
116) Support me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
117) Safety I will have, as you hold thou me up: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
118) Stamping down on all them that err from thy statutes, you know their deceit is falsehood.
119) Shoving away all the wicked of the earth, you treat them like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.
120) Shuddering with fear, my flesh trembleth; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
Meaning of Samech
The root of the word Samekh means “to lean upon”, “to uphold”, or “to support. It is amazing how this theme is also mirrored in this stanza. Vs 116. “Uphold me ...”, vs 117. “Hold thou me up...”, and the contrary for evil doers, vs 118. “Thou hast trodden down...”, vs 119. “Thou puttest away...”.
Samekh is also the letter for Sukkah indicating that God’s omnipresence is our support and shelter, again reflected in vs 114.
A hiding place
The first five verses therefore run with this theme of support, protection and safety in Christ. How badly do we need this sort of succour from our Lord?
Psalms 119:113-117
113) I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.
114) Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
115) Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.
116) Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
117) Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
Throughout the psalmist remains focused on the word of God. he loves it, hopes in it, keeps it, lives by it, and respects it. From this focus arises the shield of God.
Psalms 28:7
7) The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
2 Samuel 22:31
31) As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
God is our shield, yet we also have to use that shield.
Ephesians 6:16
16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And how does faith grow?
Romans 10:17
17) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
We could find much in scripture about how God is our refuge in times of trouble. The important thing is that this is only known if we read the word.
Remember, throughout the psalmist remains focused on the word of God. he loves it, hopes in it, keeps it, lives by it, and respects it.
The wicked
Psalms 119:118-120
118) Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.
119) Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.
120) My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
The contrast is with those who do not have that faith in God, that trust in his word. God is on a clean up job.
What is dross? When you melt metal, a scum of impurities rises to the top and is skimmed off and discarded. The bible speaks of impurities being burnt up.
1 Corinthians 3:12-13
12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
We think mainly of the things which are burnt off, but what also of the impurities in the metal. Even our imperfect work can be melted down to a pure substance of use to God.
Revelation 20:11-15
11) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
That is a terrible judgement. Are you ready for it?
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