Psalm 89:9
You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.
Hebrew word in this passage - sabah (8656)
to keep still, to cause stillness, keeps, still, stilled
My note from several weeks ago in my quiet time notebook:
"This is showing me again, to be still is active. It is the cause sometimes and it is the effect sometimes."
Today is Memorial Day. I do not have to work on this Monday. How wonderful for me, right? I woke this morning to the sound of my husband working in the yard. I do enjoy yardwork sometimes. What I enjoy is chopping stuff down. I like the cleaning out of the bamboo in the backyard, I like pruning the azaleas in the front yard. Stuff like that. I like it once a blue moon.
Sitting down to begin my quiet time was a definite choice because I really wanted to just put on some shorts and go outside. But if I had done that I would have not had my quiet time this morning.
I have made the choice to never read just one verse during my study. I read the ones before and after the verse I have been led to study. If you haven't read Psalm 89 in a long time, it's a long one. 52 verses long. I decided I would read just the part of Psalm 89 that contained verse 9. All that did was get me curious. So I read the entire Psalm not once but twice.
Made me wonder who had written this and why. So I Googled "Ethan the Ezrahite" and I found a sermon. I didn't look to see who had written the sermon, I just started reading it. You can find the sermon at the web address:
http://www.mppres.org/sermons/1999/121999.htm
Right in the middle of finding out about Ethan's circumstances I find this paragraph:
"Cause and effect. In other words, the Bible makes it clear that nothing has happened to Rehoboam that is outside of God's promise to David. Pharaoh Shishak was God's rod of discipline for Rehoboam."
There is much to learn from the sermon, "Ethan the Ezrahite Takes on God" by Dave Wilkinson. I have made that particular sermon one of my bookmarks for right now so I can go back to it.
Anyway, I am right back to learning CAUSE AND EFFECT in being still.
So glad I chose to meet my God, whom I can call Father (read the sermon and that will mean more to you) this morning first instead of going outside to chop stuff in my yard.
My prayer is to be even more aware of when I need "to cause stillness" in my life.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Finding REST
Today I don't have much time to actually type out the scripture for my next Hebrew word so if someone is reading this you will have to look up and read for yourself the following:
Jeremiah 47:6
Psalm 37:7
Joshua 10:13
Joshua 10:12
Exodus 15:16
Actually I will come back later and type it all out because I want it here for me, too.
The Hebrew word in these verses - damam (1957)
to be still, be silent, be quiet, rest, find rest, keeps quiet, rest, silence, stand still, stops, wait, waiting in silence
I have a very dear friend, Carrie. She is in the last stage of a lung disease. BUT she is not in the last stage of life.
She went to a doctor's appointment this past week. One of our friends went with her to support her and to hear what the doctor would say. The friend said after much paper shuffling by the doctor, when he could not really find the words to say, beautiful sweet Carrie leaned forward and said to the doctor, "You need to know that I am not afraid. It is going to be alright."
What a wonderful witness she is to her friends and to her doctor. She is finding rest in her LORD.
She is one of the examples in my life of BEING STILL in the LORD!
Jeremiah 47:6
Psalm 37:7
Joshua 10:13
Joshua 10:12
Exodus 15:16
Actually I will come back later and type it all out because I want it here for me, too.
The Hebrew word in these verses - damam (1957)
to be still, be silent, be quiet, rest, find rest, keeps quiet, rest, silence, stand still, stops, wait, waiting in silence
I have a very dear friend, Carrie. She is in the last stage of a lung disease. BUT she is not in the last stage of life.
She went to a doctor's appointment this past week. One of our friends went with her to support her and to hear what the doctor would say. The friend said after much paper shuffling by the doctor, when he could not really find the words to say, beautiful sweet Carrie leaned forward and said to the doctor, "You need to know that I am not afraid. It is going to be alright."
What a wonderful witness she is to her friends and to her doctor. She is finding rest in her LORD.
She is one of the examples in my life of BEING STILL in the LORD!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
A CONTINUING
Daniel 9:21 - NIV
While I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.
Daniel 9:20-21 - The Message
"While I was pouring out my heart, baring my sins and the sins of my people Israel, praying my life out before my God, interceding for the holy mountain of my God — while I was absorbed in this praying, the humanlike Gabriel, the one I had seen in an earlier vision, approached me, flying in like a bird about the time of evening worship.
I feel the need to go back to school and take a course in Hebrew. Maybe many courses in Hebrew. I have been doing some research online for this next Hebrew word for still. I don't know how to type the symbols/accents for the Hebrew words I am finding, so they really don't look like they are suppose to look. So excuse that error on this blog.
Anyway,from my Strongs I found "still in prayer" or "Absorbed in this praying" is from the Hebrew word "od" (6388)meaning:
this is not an absence of moving - this is continuing; stopped, remain, how long,
kept on, stands
In Aramaeic (10531) "od" meaning: yet still
BUT online in a Hebrew dictionary the word "od" had only one definition: MORE.
This word MORE hit me because I have been hearing the same words over and over this past month. I feel like He has had to say "I am going to tell you this one MORE time. The words, do what I told you".
On May 4th I heard not an audible voice but a "still" small voice during my morning prayer say, "Ok, that's enough asking about that. Start thanking me!" It makes me smile to remember that event. I wish I had a picture of the look on my face. I literally remember opening my eyes and saying out loud, "WOW!
On May 7th I read, "How long shall we pray? De we not come to a place where we may cease from our petitions and rest the matter in God's hands? There is but one answer. Pray until the thing you pray for has actually been granted, or until you have the assurance in your heart that it will be."
On May 14th I read, "Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is; delayed obedience is disobedience. Every time God calls us to any duty, He is offering to make a covenant with us; doing the duty is our part, and He will do His part in special blessing." and "Luther says that a 'true believer will crucify the question, 'Why?' He will obey without questioning.' I will not be one of those who, except they see signs and wonders, will in no wise believe. I will obey without questioning."
On May 19th I read, "Every right prayer is answered before the prayer itself is finished - before we have 'done speaking'." and "When we believe for a blessing, we must take the attitude of faith; and begin to act and pray as if we had the blessing."
On May 26th I read, "Our praise will still open fountains in the desert, when murmuring will only bring us judgment, and even prayer may fail to reach the fountains of blessing."
Since that morning of May 4th I have been doing a whole lot of "do what I told you". A whole lot of "thanking". In a way, it has changed my prayer life. For over 20 years I have been praying several very specific prayers. For over 15 years I have been praying for my future daughters-in-law, whoever they may be. For about 2 years I have been praying for guidance in knowing for certain where my husband and I should worship on Sunday mornings. There are other things, too. Anyway, my prayers for the things I have mentioned have turned to thanksgiving. There are now other burdens I pray for when led by the Holy Spirit. I have begun asking my God, "what are the burdens on Your heart for this day."
My BEING STILL in this lesson for me is: (1) Thank God for what He has already done that I just may not be aware of and (2) allow the Holy Spirit to guide me into some MORE new things to lift up in prayer.
I think I really like the Hebrew word "od".
(All quotes are from "Streams In The Desert".
While I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.
Daniel 9:20-21 - The Message
"While I was pouring out my heart, baring my sins and the sins of my people Israel, praying my life out before my God, interceding for the holy mountain of my God — while I was absorbed in this praying, the humanlike Gabriel, the one I had seen in an earlier vision, approached me, flying in like a bird about the time of evening worship.
I feel the need to go back to school and take a course in Hebrew. Maybe many courses in Hebrew. I have been doing some research online for this next Hebrew word for still. I don't know how to type the symbols/accents for the Hebrew words I am finding, so they really don't look like they are suppose to look. So excuse that error on this blog.
Anyway,from my Strongs I found "still in prayer" or "Absorbed in this praying" is from the Hebrew word "od" (6388)meaning:
this is not an absence of moving - this is continuing; stopped, remain, how long,
kept on, stands
In Aramaeic (10531) "od" meaning: yet still
BUT online in a Hebrew dictionary the word "od" had only one definition: MORE.
This word MORE hit me because I have been hearing the same words over and over this past month. I feel like He has had to say "I am going to tell you this one MORE time. The words, do what I told you".
On May 4th I heard not an audible voice but a "still" small voice during my morning prayer say, "Ok, that's enough asking about that. Start thanking me!" It makes me smile to remember that event. I wish I had a picture of the look on my face. I literally remember opening my eyes and saying out loud, "WOW!
On May 7th I read, "How long shall we pray? De we not come to a place where we may cease from our petitions and rest the matter in God's hands? There is but one answer. Pray until the thing you pray for has actually been granted, or until you have the assurance in your heart that it will be."
On May 14th I read, "Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is; delayed obedience is disobedience. Every time God calls us to any duty, He is offering to make a covenant with us; doing the duty is our part, and He will do His part in special blessing." and "Luther says that a 'true believer will crucify the question, 'Why?' He will obey without questioning.' I will not be one of those who, except they see signs and wonders, will in no wise believe. I will obey without questioning."
On May 19th I read, "Every right prayer is answered before the prayer itself is finished - before we have 'done speaking'." and "When we believe for a blessing, we must take the attitude of faith; and begin to act and pray as if we had the blessing."
On May 26th I read, "Our praise will still open fountains in the desert, when murmuring will only bring us judgment, and even prayer may fail to reach the fountains of blessing."
Since that morning of May 4th I have been doing a whole lot of "do what I told you". A whole lot of "thanking". In a way, it has changed my prayer life. For over 20 years I have been praying several very specific prayers. For over 15 years I have been praying for my future daughters-in-law, whoever they may be. For about 2 years I have been praying for guidance in knowing for certain where my husband and I should worship on Sunday mornings. There are other things, too. Anyway, my prayers for the things I have mentioned have turned to thanksgiving. There are now other burdens I pray for when led by the Holy Spirit. I have begun asking my God, "what are the burdens on Your heart for this day."
My BEING STILL in this lesson for me is: (1) Thank God for what He has already done that I just may not be aware of and (2) allow the Holy Spirit to guide me into some MORE new things to lift up in prayer.
I think I really like the Hebrew word "od".
(All quotes are from "Streams In The Desert".
Friday, May 28, 2010
Being Still in the backyard
This morning I decided to to sit in my backyard with my Bible for my quiet time.
It's amazing what you can learn when you sit still for just a few moments.
On April 27th my family lost a dear friend. He weighed about 80 pounds, had brown hair, brown eyes, and smiled when he looked at you. His name was Otter. Otter was with our family for 13 1/2 years. He was the very first dog my boys ever had. My family has been grieving over his lost for a month now. Some days we just laugh about all the things he use to do and some times we shed some tears and our talk is quiet.
A couple of days after he died and we buried him in the backyard near a dogwood tree, I went to a local nursery to buy a plant or two to mark his grave. I told the lady at the nursery that the spot never received any sunlight. She looked at me kinda funny and asked if I was sure. I was very sure.
This morning during my time with God watching his sunlight begin to creep in my yard I was amazed to see just a little light fall right on the plants. As I have continued to watch the sun shine brighter and brighter on the plants that should receive no sunlight, I've thought of how God pours His blessings on me and on others when we never know it is happening because we are not being still enough to see it.
I guess I will go back to the nursery and tell the lady that my plants are receiving full sunlight every morning. I will ask her if she has another plant that I can plant that will thrive in that spot.
This has been just another ramble but what a lesson for me to Be Still and not just know He is God but to look for God.
It's amazing what you can learn when you sit still for just a few moments.
On April 27th my family lost a dear friend. He weighed about 80 pounds, had brown hair, brown eyes, and smiled when he looked at you. His name was Otter. Otter was with our family for 13 1/2 years. He was the very first dog my boys ever had. My family has been grieving over his lost for a month now. Some days we just laugh about all the things he use to do and some times we shed some tears and our talk is quiet.
A couple of days after he died and we buried him in the backyard near a dogwood tree, I went to a local nursery to buy a plant or two to mark his grave. I told the lady at the nursery that the spot never received any sunlight. She looked at me kinda funny and asked if I was sure. I was very sure.
This morning during my time with God watching his sunlight begin to creep in my yard I was amazed to see just a little light fall right on the plants. As I have continued to watch the sun shine brighter and brighter on the plants that should receive no sunlight, I've thought of how God pours His blessings on me and on others when we never know it is happening because we are not being still enough to see it.
I guess I will go back to the nursery and tell the lady that my plants are receiving full sunlight every morning. I will ask her if she has another plant that I can plant that will thrive in that spot.
This has been just another ramble but what a lesson for me to Be Still and not just know He is God but to look for God.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Difference between "being still" and "standing still"
What is the difference between "being still" and "standing still"?
Can a human being really be still? We are alive - we are active even when not moving - we blink, we think, our heart beats, blood is flowing. . . . .
Don't have the answer to that question just pondering it? Actually I do know we can "BE STILL" because I do not believe God would instruct us to do something that we could not do.
And in scripture we are told to "BE STILL".
Just pondering -
Habakkuk 3:11
Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lighting of your flashing spear.
(My note: the effect is first mentioned and then the cause)
Ezekiel 10:17
When the cherubim stood still, they (4 wheels) also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.
(My note: cause then effect)
Ezekiel 1:24
When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
(My note: The sounds of the first sentence are excited. The sounds of the second sentence are quiet)
Ezekiel 1:21
When the creatures moved, they (wheels) also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
(My note: cause first then effect)
The Hebrew word "amad" (6641) leads to 522, 5096, 5097, 6642, 6643, 6644, 6647
Alot of meanings, I will bold the ones that stood out to me:
to cause to stand, present (be there), be caused to stand, stopped, appointed, stationed, stay, stop, assigned, endure, put in place, set, stayed, remains, stand firm, came to a halt, propped up, protect, resist, stayed behind, take stand, unchanged, wait, emerge, enduring, gives stability, gives way, halt, joined together, keep on, leave alone, linger, making strong, on duty, occupied, pillar, post, put in charge, rebuilding, repair, resist, resisted, rise up, serve, stand the strain, stared with a fixed gaze, stood waiting, surviving, to feet, uphold.
Sometimes in life we have "to cause" ourselves "to stand" for God.
Sometimes we just have to be "present" with God.
Sometimes we are "appointed" to a task by God.
Sometimes we are "assigned" to a job by God. (Like being appointed but appointed has a happier sound to me than being assigned.)
Sometimes we need to "linger" where God has placed us.
Sometimes we are "on duty" because it is our turn for whatever.
Sometimes we are the "pillar" in a situation for our Lord and Savior.
Sometimes we are in a "rebuilding" period with God.
Sometimes we just have to "stand the strain" with God by our sides.
Sometimes we are just "surviving" by waiting on the LORD.
Still just pondering the difference between "being still" and "standing still".
Have a wonderful day pondering along with the Holy Spirit.
Can a human being really be still? We are alive - we are active even when not moving - we blink, we think, our heart beats, blood is flowing. . . . .
Don't have the answer to that question just pondering it? Actually I do know we can "BE STILL" because I do not believe God would instruct us to do something that we could not do.
And in scripture we are told to "BE STILL".
Just pondering -
Habakkuk 3:11
Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lighting of your flashing spear.
(My note: the effect is first mentioned and then the cause)
Ezekiel 10:17
When the cherubim stood still, they (4 wheels) also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.
(My note: cause then effect)
Ezekiel 1:24
When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
(My note: The sounds of the first sentence are excited. The sounds of the second sentence are quiet)
Ezekiel 1:21
When the creatures moved, they (wheels) also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
(My note: cause first then effect)
The Hebrew word "amad" (6641) leads to 522, 5096, 5097, 6642, 6643, 6644, 6647
Alot of meanings, I will bold the ones that stood out to me:
to cause to stand, present (be there), be caused to stand, stopped, appointed, stationed, stay, stop, assigned, endure, put in place, set, stayed, remains, stand firm, came to a halt, propped up, protect, resist, stayed behind, take stand, unchanged, wait, emerge, enduring, gives stability, gives way, halt, joined together, keep on, leave alone, linger, making strong, on duty, occupied, pillar, post, put in charge, rebuilding, repair, resist, resisted, rise up, serve, stand the strain, stared with a fixed gaze, stood waiting, surviving, to feet, uphold.
Sometimes in life we have "to cause" ourselves "to stand" for God.
Sometimes we just have to be "present" with God.
Sometimes we are "appointed" to a task by God.
Sometimes we are "assigned" to a job by God. (Like being appointed but appointed has a happier sound to me than being assigned.)
Sometimes we need to "linger" where God has placed us.
Sometimes we are "on duty" because it is our turn for whatever.
Sometimes we are the "pillar" in a situation for our Lord and Savior.
Sometimes we are in a "rebuilding" period with God.
Sometimes we just have to "stand the strain" with God by our sides.
Sometimes we are just "surviving" by waiting on the LORD.
Still just pondering the difference between "being still" and "standing still".
Have a wonderful day pondering along with the Holy Spirit.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Cause to be still - A Choice
Zechariah 2:13 - Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from His holy dwelling.
Nehemiah 8:11 - The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve."
Just a note - When you read a verse, please make sure you stop long enough to read the verses before and after the verse you are targeting. If you don't, you just wind up taking the verse out of context and then you will miss what the Holy Spirit is trying to teach you. My lesson for the day with a particular passage of scripture may not be your lesson. Read passages allowing the Holy Spirit to direct your thinking/pondering.
The Hebrew word in the two verses above is "has" (2187) which leads to "hasa" (2188).
The meanings - Silence! Quiet! Hush! be silent, be still, hush, quiet, silence; to silence, cause to be still: - silenced.
I noticed that the first three definitions were capitalized and had an exclamation point following them. I have a friend who teaches high school English. Whenever she is at Sunday School I hit her up for grammar lessons. Those first three words are not just telling someone to do something, they are COMMANDS.
I think if Zechariah was standing beside me and told me to be still because the LORD had roused himself from His holy dwelling I would BE STILL. I mean, HELLO, the LORD is moving and His man tells me to BE STILL. I'm going to BE STILL. I wonder how many times I miss hearing God telling me, "be still child, hush child, quiet now child". And because I miss those words I get to hear, "Silence! Quiet! Hush!".
I said this would ramble and this is my study so the next verse just really touches my heart. Ezra had opened the book - the word of the LORD - and then the Levites had been instructing the people in the LAW, "making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read". The people had been weeping as they listened to the Word. Isnt' that just like us, sometimes when we read the Word of God we just weep. Sometimes because we are rejoicing and sometimes because we are grieving because of sin. But here all of their leaders are telling them, stop that crying, be still, and they went on to tell them to celebrate. In the midst of their grief they were to be happy.
My family lost a precious man last September. My father passed away. Yep I still grieve, I still cry, I truly miss him. I miss him answering the telephone and saying, "Hello daughter" or "Hello middle girl" or "Hi Rebecca". The last one was fun because my name is NOT Rebecca. He named me "Beckie" with an "ie" or so my momma tells me.
Anyway, I can still my grief when I remember that my father is with THE FATHER, my father is whole, my father may just be fishing or gardening or sewing a beautiful cross stitch piece, or he may just be singing with the heavenly choir praising our Lord. I can smile when I think of that.
So I will cause myself to hush my grief for a moment and be still and thank my LORD for His mercies being new every morning. And I will go forward this day with my eyes wide open to see where HE is working since He has roused himself from His Holy Dwelling.
Nehemiah 8:11 - The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve."
Just a note - When you read a verse, please make sure you stop long enough to read the verses before and after the verse you are targeting. If you don't, you just wind up taking the verse out of context and then you will miss what the Holy Spirit is trying to teach you. My lesson for the day with a particular passage of scripture may not be your lesson. Read passages allowing the Holy Spirit to direct your thinking/pondering.
The Hebrew word in the two verses above is "has" (2187) which leads to "hasa" (2188).
The meanings - Silence! Quiet! Hush! be silent, be still, hush, quiet, silence; to silence, cause to be still: - silenced.
I noticed that the first three definitions were capitalized and had an exclamation point following them. I have a friend who teaches high school English. Whenever she is at Sunday School I hit her up for grammar lessons. Those first three words are not just telling someone to do something, they are COMMANDS.
I think if Zechariah was standing beside me and told me to be still because the LORD had roused himself from His holy dwelling I would BE STILL. I mean, HELLO, the LORD is moving and His man tells me to BE STILL. I'm going to BE STILL. I wonder how many times I miss hearing God telling me, "be still child, hush child, quiet now child". And because I miss those words I get to hear, "Silence! Quiet! Hush!".
I said this would ramble and this is my study so the next verse just really touches my heart. Ezra had opened the book - the word of the LORD - and then the Levites had been instructing the people in the LAW, "making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read". The people had been weeping as they listened to the Word. Isnt' that just like us, sometimes when we read the Word of God we just weep. Sometimes because we are rejoicing and sometimes because we are grieving because of sin. But here all of their leaders are telling them, stop that crying, be still, and they went on to tell them to celebrate. In the midst of their grief they were to be happy.
My family lost a precious man last September. My father passed away. Yep I still grieve, I still cry, I truly miss him. I miss him answering the telephone and saying, "Hello daughter" or "Hello middle girl" or "Hi Rebecca". The last one was fun because my name is NOT Rebecca. He named me "Beckie" with an "ie" or so my momma tells me.
Anyway, I can still my grief when I remember that my father is with THE FATHER, my father is whole, my father may just be fishing or gardening or sewing a beautiful cross stitch piece, or he may just be singing with the heavenly choir praising our Lord. I can smile when I think of that.
So I will cause myself to hush my grief for a moment and be still and thank my LORD for His mercies being new every morning. And I will go forward this day with my eyes wide open to see where HE is working since He has roused himself from His Holy Dwelling.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Rambling about BEing STILL
For quite awhile I have been doing a word study on "still". I pulled out my "Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance" and chose 23 verses to study. Out of the 23 verses I found 1 Greek word and 12 Hebrew words for "still". Twenty-seven definitions struck a cord with me and one verse just stuck with me.
I am just following the lead of the Holy Spirit completely on this one and just needed some place besides my notebook to jot down/write down what I am learning. I will do it here. I would love to hear what anyone thinks of what I write down. I need to hear if I am going off on a wrong path, I want to know if you hear the Holy Spirit saying something new to you about being "still", and I just want to learn how to be truly "still" and know He is God.
Mark 4:39
He (Jesus) got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
The word rebuked (epitimao) means to warn, gave orders, said sternly, strictly warned.
That word jumped out at me. Jesus rebuked the wind. Jesus said to the waves. I saw a difference here.
I don't know what words Jesus used to rebuke the waves but he warned, he gave orders, he said sternly, he strictly warned.
Jesus said (I didn't look up this word - might need to do that) to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!". STILL here is the Greek word phimoo (5821). It means to muzzle; to silence; to be quiet: -quiet; muzzle; silence talk, silenced, speechless,still.
As I studied my thoughts turned to Cause and Effect. The wind being the cause and the waves being the effect. It was the first time I thought about having to think about the cause of needing to be still. Hope that makes sense. What is causing me to be in a situation that the Holy Spirit needs to tell me to BE STILL? It made the word, STILL, active to me. Being still has always been a stopping, a ceasing of something. I know it is that but to "Be Still" I have to make a choice.
CAUSE AND EFFECT.
The two words that jumped out at me from the definition of phimoo were: muzzle and silence talk. Silence talk has played in my head over the past month or two. Last week I read in Psalm 39:2-3
But when I was silent and still,
not even saying anything good,
my anguish increased.
My heart grew hot within me,
and as I meditated, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
What spoke to me was that David did not SILENCE TALK. He didn't speak out loud but he did continue to speak in his heart. He meditated on whatever was going on in his life at that time and when meditated long enough he spoke with HIS tongue. He didn't speak God's word at that time, he spoke HIS word.
How many times do I silence my actual speech but I do not silence my heart? I've been chewing on that. When I start meditating on a situation and getting all hot and bothered I have been trying to turn to God recalling Psalm 46:10 and Psalm 39:2-3.
That's all the time I have. Hope to hear from someone.
I am just following the lead of the Holy Spirit completely on this one and just needed some place besides my notebook to jot down/write down what I am learning. I will do it here. I would love to hear what anyone thinks of what I write down. I need to hear if I am going off on a wrong path, I want to know if you hear the Holy Spirit saying something new to you about being "still", and I just want to learn how to be truly "still" and know He is God.
Mark 4:39
He (Jesus) got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
The word rebuked (epitimao) means to warn, gave orders, said sternly, strictly warned.
That word jumped out at me. Jesus rebuked the wind. Jesus said to the waves. I saw a difference here.
I don't know what words Jesus used to rebuke the waves but he warned, he gave orders, he said sternly, he strictly warned.
Jesus said (I didn't look up this word - might need to do that) to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!". STILL here is the Greek word phimoo (5821). It means to muzzle; to silence; to be quiet: -quiet; muzzle; silence talk, silenced, speechless,still.
As I studied my thoughts turned to Cause and Effect. The wind being the cause and the waves being the effect. It was the first time I thought about having to think about the cause of needing to be still. Hope that makes sense. What is causing me to be in a situation that the Holy Spirit needs to tell me to BE STILL? It made the word, STILL, active to me. Being still has always been a stopping, a ceasing of something. I know it is that but to "Be Still" I have to make a choice.
CAUSE AND EFFECT.
The two words that jumped out at me from the definition of phimoo were: muzzle and silence talk. Silence talk has played in my head over the past month or two. Last week I read in Psalm 39:2-3
But when I was silent and still,
not even saying anything good,
my anguish increased.
My heart grew hot within me,
and as I meditated, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
What spoke to me was that David did not SILENCE TALK. He didn't speak out loud but he did continue to speak in his heart. He meditated on whatever was going on in his life at that time and when meditated long enough he spoke with HIS tongue. He didn't speak God's word at that time, he spoke HIS word.
How many times do I silence my actual speech but I do not silence my heart? I've been chewing on that. When I start meditating on a situation and getting all hot and bothered I have been trying to turn to God recalling Psalm 46:10 and Psalm 39:2-3.
That's all the time I have. Hope to hear from someone.
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