Archive for May 15th, 2010

Prayer Request

Saturday, May 15th, 2010 | Author:

From Jim in Scotland:

Skip, if you think it appropriate could you pass this request on to the community.

My friend Francis a tough old North Sea fisherman now in his 70′s has adrenal problems, ischaemic heart disease, cancer of the bladder. Five months ago he and his wife Liz had their first grandchild, born prematurely 2lbs 7 oz with a hole in the heart, significant growth hormone problems, and a kidney situation which is in need of urgent treatment, but that is not possible until she (Neave) has grown. Now 5months old and is still only 5lbs.

We had our regular study/prayer meeting last night and Liz announced that baby Neave attended the hospital yesterday and her parents were told that there is also a dislocated hip in the situation. Francis and Liz have been running back and forward to the hospital since Neave was born and are quite exhausted.

Could I ask the community to hold these dear Christians and their situation up before the LORD.

At times like these I wonder just how much can one family take. Liz’s brother is in full time ministry and her niece an obstetrician has been in Afghanistan for several years ‘under the wire’ doing trying to assist the Afghan women and children.

Many thanks

Yours in the LORD

Jim

St. Andrews, Scotland

AND ONE MORE:

Our sister, Melanie, who moved to Spokane, wrote to say she is very discouraged and has no clear direction.  She asked for prayer.  Please lift her up.

Category: Articles, Community Issues & Prayer Requests  | Tags:  | 6 Comments

Deeper Still

Saturday, May 15th, 2010 | Author:

Fear YHWH, His holy ones, for they who fear Him lack nothing. Psalm 34:10 (Hebrew text)

Lack Nothing – The Hebrew particle ayin is used hundreds of times in Scripture to negate some action.  You’ll find it in Isaiah 40:17 as a comparative (“it is as nothing”) and in Psalm 32:9 to describe something lacking (“without understanding”).  There’s nothing (no pun intended) unusual about this word – except its pictograph.

The consonants are Aleph-Yod-Nun.  The components of the picture are Strength (Leader)-To Work or Make- Life (Activity).  But this seems all backwards.  How can a word that negates actions or mean nothing or nonexistence have a picture that clearly is about power, work and life?  It’s a puzzle, isn’t it?  And it might remain a puzzle until we realize that ayin has a homophone and the homophone means “where.”  As an adverb, ayin is always connected to the preposition min, so it always means “from where” (cf. Genesis 29:4).  This is not the same “where” that we find in Genesis 3:9.  That “where” is ayyeh.  This “where” is about location.  “Where is it from?”  So how is “where is it from” connected to “nothing”?  Ah, did it just click into place?

Where is our sustenance from?  Where do we find our security?  Where will we look to find purpose in our actions?  From nothing on this earth.  Just as all that is came from nothing and the speaking of God, so our lives depend on nothing but the speaking God – and when we “fear” Him, we experience “nothing needed because of lack”.   Fear YHWH and ayin mahsor.  What is mahsor (a word that means “a need from lack of something”)?  It is Mem (chaos) Chet (fence) Samech (turn slowly, support) Resh (person).  What is a need because of lack?  It is a person slowly turning toward the fence around chaos.  It is being turned or twisted toward nothing, the very emptiness that God made into all that is.

Those who fear the Lord are not turned toward what is not.  They are turned toward the face of the Almighty who provides.  They come before Him in awe and reverence, knowing that He stands between them and what is not ordered, what is not living, what is not full.

It all depends on your direction, doesn’t it?

Topical Index: where from, ayin, nothing, lack nothing, Psalm 34:10

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , ,  | 10 Comments