The Oil – Part 3 of 3

Practically, the oil was a form of provision. During one particular famine, the Lord told the prophet Elijah to visit a certain widow (1Kings 17:8-16). This widow believed that she and her son would not survive the famine. All they had left was a little bit of oil and flour. In spite of her hopeless situation, Elijah told her to give him something to eat. She calculated that this would be the last of their provision, but still she fulfilled his request. Amazingly, that little bit of oil and flour did not run out until the famine ended. Through her obedience, God miraculously sustained all three of them on those two ingredients alone. We are able to know for certain that the Holy Spirit has been given by God as our provision for life.

The oil represents not only provision, but also abundance. We read about this in the story concerning a prophet’s widow (2Kings 4:1-7). She had debt collectors wanting to sell her sons into slavery to pay off her family debt. This time Elisha was on the scene. Elisha was the prophet that succeeded Elijah. Elisha asked the widow what she had in her house. Her answer was that she had nothing except a jar of oil. That was all she needed for her miracle.

Elisha told her to go and borrow many empty containers. Her sons brought her empty containers until there were none left in the town. Then she was to go into her house, shut the door, and pour her jar of oil into all the empty containers. Every container available was filled, and only then did the oil stop flowing. Elisha told her to sell the oil, pay off the family debt, and they were to live off of the rest. God wants to shower us with His abundance, too, in one way or another.

Both widows in these stories were at their lowest points when God performed His greatest miracles. They had come to the end of all possibility when God arrived on the scene and accomplished the impossible. Faith means confidently hoping in something we do not see (Rom. 8:24 &25 and 1Peter 1:3 & 4). When our circumstances are telling us otherwise, we can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we are still blessed. It’s all a matter of perspective. With confidence we can put our trust in God’s love and faithfulness because He is greater than the circumstances around us. By faith, we can live as blessed people because we have His Holy Spirit, His oil, operating in and through our lives.

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The Oil – Part 2 of 3

As mentioned in the previous series “The Blood,” oil was also used symbolically to represent the Holy Spirit. In the time of the New Testament Church, believers anointed the sick with oil and prayed for them. Many were healed as a result. Many Christians today continue the practice of praying for the sick and anointing them with oil.

With prayer, we can also anoint people with oil for joy and gladness. The oil represents the joy and gladness that the Spirit gives to replace the spirit of heaviness and mourning (Is. 61:1-3). Despite a hurting and messed-up world, we can live free of fear, depression, anxiety, and undue sadness. Part of Jesus’ ministry was to heal the brokenhearted and to bind up their wounds (Ps. 147:3), and He continues this ministry by His Spirit.

In the time of the Old Testament, when prophets, priests, and kings were commissioned, they were anointed with oil. This was to consecrate them and to set them apart. Typically, with the anointing, the Holy Spirit would come upon them. The Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit being poured out on anyone who believes (Joel 2:28 & 29; Acts 2:16-18). He is there to lead us, teach us, and empower us for service.

Olive oil was also commonly used as fuel to light lamps. The Word of God is described as a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (Ps. 119:105). Just as the oil brings life to the lamp, so the Spirit brings life to the Word by making the Scriptures plain to us. Just like the oil, the Spirit illuminates what we cannot see or understand, and guides us on our way.

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The Blood – Part 3 of 3

The blood makes us acceptable to Father God. Every time we take communion, we remember the blood of Jesus and the price He paid. The wine, or juice if you prefer, represents His blood and the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus taught that whenever the believers shared a meal together, they were to partake of this communion. For the early church, it was a regular occurrence presented in a natural way.

I’m concerned that church traditions of today have stifled this privilege by over-spiritualizing and over-restricting when and how we should partake of communion. We must be careful that our sole purpose for keeping church regulations is not to offend those who implement them. God is not so easily offended. What offends God is when we step away from worshiping Him in Spirit and in truth.

I believe that children are also meant to take part. Children born to a believing parent are under that parent’s spiritual covering. A child’s participation can be even more whole-hearted than our own. Jesus said that we should let the little children come to Him. He also said that the only way to receive the kingdom of God was like a child (Mark 10:13-15). We can learn about untainted faith from a child. In light of this, we need to be careful that our church rules don’t limit the children in expressing their faith.

Through Jesus’ blood, we become part of God’s family. Jesus is the firstborn, which makes Him our big brother. We might not look the same and we might not talk the same, but our redemption through Christ’s blood is the same. We are, therefore, all of the same stock. God has sealed us and set us apart by His Spirit.

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The Blood – Part 1 of 3

The previous posts introduced the topic of spiritual warfare. This series introduces the spiritual protection and promises that are wrapped up in the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for us. His blood is crucial to a Christian’s life.

God teaches us that blood is the life-source of every living creature and human being. For example, God gave women the potential to carry life. A necessary component to making that possible is our monthly menstrual cycle. Once an egg has been fertilized and travels to the uterus, this monthly flow ceases. The stored-up blood is now busy supporting life in the womb. In a similar way, Jesus gave His blood in order to support life. We had no life before we believed in Jesus. In fact, the Bible says that we were all dead in our sins. Now through His blood and by His Spirit we who believe in Him have received new life.

Also, when a baby is born it comes out of the womb covered in blood. The blood is not the baby’s, but its mother’s, “shed” on its behalf. This is a picture of how Jesus shed His blood voluntarily on our behalf so we wouldn’t have to pay the penalty for our sins. Who would have thought that something as natural as pregnancy and birth could remind us of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice?

Those who put their trust in Jesus not only have forgiveness and life because of Jesus’ blood, but also protection. There is an illustration in the Old Testament of how blood was used as a covering. When Moses and the Israelites were still in Egypt, they had to cover their doorposts with lamb’s blood. God instructed them to do this in order to protect their firstborn sons from the destroying angel. The blood from the lamb would protect them against God’s judgment on the Egyptians. Any family that chose to obey this command would be spared, including Egyptian families. This required their faith and obedience.

Today we don’t need to paint blood on our doorposts, because Jesus’ blood was shed once and that was enough. However, if we are led to, we can apply oil to anoint people, homes, doorposts, etc. for protection, healing, commissioning, and blessing. We do this as an outward sign of God’s presence and of our faith in Jesus’ finished work at the cross.

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Prayer is Powerful – Part 2 of 5

The best thing about prayer is that you can do it any time of the day. It’s like having a conversation with God. The moment you feel prompted to pray for someone or something, share it with God. Sometimes, when I’m driving and I see someone who looks like someone else I know, I think, “Hey, I wonder how so-and-so is doing?” Then I pray for that person. Even a quick prayer can be powerful.

At other times, I might be having a conversation with a friend and the conversation leads to the friend having a need. Perhaps she hasn’t asked for prayer specifically, but I recognize that if I offer to pray, she’d probably appreciate it. Depending on the situation, I might even offer to pray for her right there.

Your prayers don’t have to be done in “the closet.” The less you worry about having the right place and the right atmosphere, the more spontaneous and natural your prayer life will be. As long as you are praying to be heard by God and not by man, then pray without holding back. Don’t allow inhibitions to keep you from being utilized by God.

Of course, you don’t want to draw unnecessary attention to yourself, so decide when it’s more beneficial to pray silently rather than vocally. Things to take into consideration are: the purpose of your prayer, the situation, and the suitability of your environment. Even though it’s good to be aware of your environment, this should not primarily govern how you pray. As you flow with His Spirit and with His love, you’ll know how to respond appropriately in every situation.

One place where people pray out loud is when they are together in a group or with a prayer partner. It could be at a large prayer meeting or with just a few moms. God promises that where two or three gather together in His name, He hears and will answer (Matt. 18:19&20). This means that if people are genuinely gathered for Christ’s purposes then His Spirit will lead them to unity of thought and they can confidently pray, knowing what they have agreed on will be answered.

A safe place to practice praying out loud is when you’re alone at home. You could try walking through the house praying from room to room. As you reach your kids’ rooms, you could pray for their safety. You could pray that their spiritual, mental, and physical development will be healthy and balanced so they can reach their full potential. You could also pray for their unknown future spouses.

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Prayer is Powerful – Part 1 of 5

Prayer is an integral part of a vibrant Christian life. Fortunately, God does not grant us everything that we pray for, especially when those prayers are misguided. Usually, we start out praying the best we know how without properly tapping into the Holy Spirit’s leading. These self-led prayers are not all bad. God will listen to anyone who reaches out to Him; He’d rather we try than not pray at all. He also desires that we grow in our ability to pray as His Spirit leads. The more we pray God’s way, the greater the results will be.

God had to deal with me regarding my prayer life. There was a time when my prayers mostly revolved around me and what seemed missing in my life. My prayers were the kind that flowed from a discontented heart. The discontentment stemmed from the many sacrifices I was making to try to create a happy family, and it culminated in self-pity.

This self-pity became the driving force behind my prayers, which seemed to be going nowhere. Finally, I realized that I had to make a shift from selfish prayers to outward-focused prayers. The more I took the focus off myself and tapped into what was on God’s heart, the more my prayers took a positive outlook. No longer were they weak, directionless, and powerless. They were now taking a turn toward being dynamic, effective, and power-filled.

It’s difficult to look outside of yourself when you don’t know who or what to pray for. You might even need to ask God to give you a compassionate heart. Next, become aware of those around you. Once you notice the need around you, recognize that God has blessed you so that you can be a blessing. Then, ask God to lead you so that you can pray pinpointed prayers. Specific prayers bring about definite results. Pray that God will lead you according to His desires and have faith that God will answer. It’s all about “God’s will be done” and not “my will be done.”

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Thankful in Light of Our New Covenant – Part 3 of 3

We need to remind ourselves regularly that the moment we received His Spirit we also received a new nature. We should not live out of our old nature any longer. This requires the renewing of our minds: the process of changing our thought-life by developing a new perspective. He wants us to realize that He is there to enable us to accomplish His will in all areas of our lives.

The Holy Spirit has been given to us who believe not only as a seal guaranteeing our salvation, but also as our teacher and our comforter. He is there every step of the way. It’s up to us to acknowledge His presence and His divine guidance. He offers us to come and be active members on His team. The only way we are able to be followers of Jesus is by learning to listen and obey His Spirit.

We can be thankful that we have Christ’s Spirit living inside of us. Even if we embarrass ourselves in a moment of weakness, He has promised to stay. He is more interested with the condition of our hearts than He is with our outward achievements. We can confidently surrender our lives with all our weaknesses to Him because He will empower us for successful living. Jesus paid such a heavy price for you and me because He thought we were worth it.

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Thankful in Light of Our New Covenant – Part 2 of 3

The moment we believed in Him He took our unrighteousness and gave us His righteousness. The more we understand this, the more victorious we’ll be in receiving true freedom. It’s crucial that we get this truth. It’s what makes true Christianity different from all other religions. Every other religion has rules and regulations to follow in order to reach Paradise, Karma, Reincarnation, or whatever their goal may be. However, no one can achieve God’s standards on his or her own merits, and with Christianity that’s just the point: we all fall short of God’s standards and need a Savior.

Christ’s blood makes us right with God and transports us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. This New Covenant is better than the Old because God guarantees it no matter how we feel about ourselves or to what degree we’re able to keep His commandments. Even though we’re imperfect, we receive Jesus' one-time sacrifice to pay for all our past, present, and future sins. Righteousness no longer has anything to do with us, because it has everything to do with Him.

One simple prayer of faith makes us right with God and forever allows us access into His presence. With that prayer, He gives us new life by His Spirit. However, we still make mistakes. That’s because our old nature is at war with the new. The old nature wants to do everything its own way, contrary to God’s way.

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Thankful in Light of Our New Covenant – Part 1 of 3

The Israelites didn't have the Holy Spirit available to them in the same way that He is available to us today. In the Old Testament days, the Holy Spirit visited specially appointed individuals. Usually those individuals had to fulfill a special role or convey a prophetic message. To have this kind of personal relationship with God was highly unusual.

Since Jesus, it is possible for everyone to have an ongoing and intimate relationship with the Father. By accepting His gift of salvation, we automatically receive His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our seal guaranteeing that we are God’s people (Eph. 1:13), like the seal made by a king’s signet ring. Once the seal is made, it can’t be broken.

Moses brought the Old Covenant (the Ten Commandments), which was written on stone, to the people of Israel. This Old Covenant was imperfect because it couldn’t make them righteous. It only pointed out the problem of sin in their lives. Jesus brought us the New Covenant, where the law is written on our hearts instead of on stone. This New Covenant also makes us right with God in that He paid the penalty for our sin with His blood.

The New Covenant, which is made through faith in Christ, is not a two-way covenant. It’s not a little bit of us and a lot of God. It’s all God. The Old Covenant, on the other hand, was a two-way covenant. It was all about keeping the law. It was up to the people to keep the covenant, and if they didn’t, curses would follow. In Old Testament days, the priests had to make daily and yearly sacrifices to keep covering not only the sins of the people, but also their own sins. No one was perfect, and no one was without guilt.

In contrast, God Himself takes on completely the requirements and fulfillment of the New Covenant through His Son. Jesus Christ became our one-time perfect sacrifice. He took all that guilt upon Himself and paid the penalty for our sins. When we do something wrong, we don’t have to beat ourselves up about it. He took that punishment for us. The focus is not on our ability to try to do things right all the time, but on Him having made us right.

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Poem - There Once Was a Girl

There once was a girl on a sunny day
She was having fun in a carefree way
In a field of flowers with the honey bee
This is how life should always be

But growing up brought many hardships
As she jumped in and out of relationships
The flowers were exchanged for stolen kisses
Followed by the sting and shame she now nurses

She let life bounce like a ball at its own will
Each bounce a piece of heart would kill
Looking for love, but in the end she found none
Life without rules brought pain instead of fun

This is not how life should be
She was created with purpose and a destiny
Not to be left without direction or only to fate
For her to turn around now is not too late

Her heart may be torn into tiny shreds
And hope hanging merely by threads
But as she opens her heart to God’s ways
He’ll bring her back to sunshiny days

He is the Great Creator and Master Restorer
He can put anyone’s life back in order
Each person must follow His leading and call
And by Christ’s Spirit He’ll not let us fall

By Christina Morley

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Thankful in Times of Sacrifice – Part 2 of 5

The Israelites, at first, had only manna to eat while in the desert. They were put on a forced fast by God from earthly food. This was God’s way of cleansing them, not only physically, but also spiritually. Sometimes fasting is necessary to get breakthroughs. The Israelites didn’t realize that God was busy freeing them, not only from the visible chains of slavery, but also from invisible ones. They had been corrupted by lusts of the flesh. God cared about every aspect of their lives. He cared about their physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being.

God wants only what’s best for His children. That sometimes includes asking us to sacrifice things that we like. Sometimes we hold on to things that aren’t beneficial to us. Maybe they blessed us for a time, but now that time has come and gone. We have to let go and keep in step with the seasons of our lives if we want to continue to grow. It may mean fasting, or giving something away, or letting go of a bad habit.

If you give up something that you’ve been depending on, it might be necessary that you consciously replace it with something else. A very basic example would be if you give up bad thoughts to replace them with good thoughts. This is especially important in the area of addictions. Otherwise, you might create a void. This can cause more heartache as the devil will tempt you to soothe that emptiness with other destructive desires.

The most important question you can ask yourself regularly is, “What is driving me?” Nothing should have power over you except the Holy Spirit. Anything that takes the place of His authority in your life and masters you is a god to you.

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Discovering Your Potential - Part 5 of 5

Most people will not champion you beyond their idea of what is possible. Therefore, you have to be willing to go where others refuse to follow. Many people are trapped in boxes of their own making. They feel either threatened by or jealous of anyone who ventures beyond their limited understanding. They take comfort in surrounding themselves with others who are doing the same.

Christians are not exempt from this kind of thinking. We are all tempted to hold on to what is familiar and to build our walls around that. When we ask the Holy Spirit into our lives, we aren’t immediately set free from the temptation to think like this. We still need to renew our minds by studying the Word of God, and we must develop our spiritual eyes, which are eyes of faith.

Sadly, sometimes it’s the Christians that will fight the hardest to prevent us from being who God intended us to be. However, our fight is not with people, but with evil forces (Eph. 6:12). We must look past our hurts and forgive those who try to stand in the way.

The right path to take is sometimes less visible and less traveled, but the trials we face along the way can only make us stronger. At the right time, God will open doors for each of us as we remain on course and in step with Him.

That doesn’t mean that life is always going to be exciting. The task, whether great or small, should be done with excellence. When we have the right attitude even toward the mundane we’ll experience more release in our lives. If we are faithful in the smallest things, God will bless us with bigger things (Luke 19:17).

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Discovering Your Potential - Part 3 of 5

When I was a teenager, I asked God to give me the ability to play the piano by ear. I was taking piano lessons at the time and found trying to read music slow going. Around that time I also asked God to give me the ability to write poetry. Well, I never developed into a pianist, but I did begin writing poetry. My first request may not have been granted, but my second one was. Because I was willing to try something new, I became richer for it.

The good news is that we don’t have to stay where we’re at. There’s much more up ahead for us if we’re willing to seek it with all our hearts. In 1Corinthians 12 and 14, the Apostle Paul taught that we can ask God for supernatural gifts of the Spirit, as I mentioned above. It could be a word of knowledge, which is information supernaturally gained about someone or something. Or it could be that someone you pray for is healed. These gifts are there for all believers to equip us for supernatural service.

Maybe you’re not sure what you should be seeking. God says that as you delight yourself in Him, He promises to give you the desires of your heart. As you stay sensitive to His Spirit, He will reveal to you bit by bit what His desires are for you.

I believe that we can operate in any one of these gifts when it’s needed, but we are all given at least one gift that we can operate in on a regular basis. I say this because there will be some who have a healing ministry, but that doesn’t exempt the rest of us from praying for people’s healing. We must be available and obedient. God will do the rest.

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Discovering Your Potential – Part 1 of 5

The devil doesn’t like it when Christians are in a healthy relationship with God. He knows that if he can keep us from really connecting with our Maker, then he can keep us from reaching our full potential. That potential is wrapped up in a God-given calling. Part of knowing our calling is knowing who we are as individuals.

God made each of us differently for His good pleasure. He has given us both natural and supernatural potential. The natural potential God puts in us and we discover it. He does this like a computer programmer. He wires each of us a certain way and He carefully writes out our DNA. Only God can do that. However, we were not born fully grown. We had to develop into who we are now. The supernatural potential we discover in Christ.

When we become believers, we are able to become more like Him. The more He becomes a part of our lives, the more His Spirit will operate through us. In those areas of our lives where we feel inadequate, Jesus by His Spirit makes us adequate as we call on Him. This includes enabling us to operate in the fruit of the Spirit, as found in Galatians 5:22, such as in faithfulness and kindness. Furthermore, we can ask for supernatural gifts of the Spirit, which include knowledge and healing.

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Poem - Still Small Voice

Listen, do you hear
The still small voice
The One so near
To your heart and soul

He speaks with authority
And yet with patience
He, of the Trinity
Knocking at your door

He is your Helper
Who has everything to give
He is also your Keeper
So have faith in Him

You must learn to obey
If you want to receive
Put selfish desires away
And seek His counsel

He knows all
And wants to reveal it you
So hear His call
And be ready to respond

Therefore, learn to listen
To the Holy Spirit
Who dwells within
For He speaks of the Father

And it is the Father and Son
Who bless the Spirit
With their power in One
To prepare you for service

by Christina A. Morley

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Hearing God’s Voice – Part 2

Besides helping us to interpret the written Word (as mentioned in my previous post), the Holy Spirit also speaks to us in other ways. Learning to hear His voice takes practice. Not only do we need to know how to obey Him, but we also need to know when we haven’t.

How to Know When You've Disobeyed God Maybe you’re not sure how to work out if you’ve disobeyed God. You’ll know by the conviction the Holy Spirit brings to your heart and mind. When He brings conviction, it’s not condemnation. Conviction leads to repentance and repentance brings full restitution, which is free of guilt. Condemnation, on the other hand, leads only to the bondage of guilt with no way out. It’s not from the Holy Spirit, but from the devil. Jesus is our advocate. Satan is our accuser.

Hearing the "Inner Voice" God wants to have a relationship with us throughout the day. It doesn’t happen only when we have a quiet time or when we go to church. The idea of hearing God’s voice may sound abstract, but it’s similar to learning to listen to our conscience and instinct. When we are born again, His Spirit speaks to us as an "inner voice."

Hearing His voice is not always restricted to “Christian” things either. During Jesus’ ministry, He often used every day events to explain godly principles. That’s why it doesn’t require us to be reading our Bibles to get a revelation from God. He can speak to us even while we’re washing the dishes.

God Speaks in Diverse Ways God doesn’t speak to every believer in exactly the same way. By looking at the world around us, we can see that He loves variety. Likewise, He speaks to us in diverse ways, such as through music, books, nature, TV, radio, or through someone else’s testimony. He keeps the relationship personal, because He loves the unique way that He made each one of us. We just have to learn to listen with our hearts as He prompts, guides, and convicts us.
What an awesome God we serve, taking the time to love us individually!

By fashioning each relationship with such care and precision, He makes it clear that He doesn’t want us to live according to formulas or rituals, but by His leading and guiding instead.

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Giving God Control

When God is controlling our day, we won’t have any regrets. He helps us have the right perspective on ourselves, our families, and our work. He leads us through our day so that when we’re being pulled in five different directions, we can figure out what comes first and what can wait. The supernatural dictates the natural because our ability to stay close to God will determine the quality of our lives and our work.

Outside pressures only bring confusion and rob us of our peace. When the Holy Spirit from the inside is controlling us, then we’ll experience true peace of mind. He is our Prince of Peace. He is able to keep our minds from all worry and strain. We can’t look to our husbands or anyone else to give us this because they, too, can let us down. God, on the other hand, is always faithful and true.

Jesus never promised His followers an easy life, but He did promise that He would never leave them or forsake them. It’s from His Spirit that we draw that much-needed strength, that inner guidance, and that supernatural protection for ourselves and our families. With His life flowing through us, we can bear much fruit.

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The "Perfect" Mom

When you’re not managing it all and feel below standard, it’s okay. Perhaps you’re tempted to think that other mothers are perfect all the time and you’re one of those that just can’t get it right. God never intended making us all the same, just as He made every snowflake unique. We each have our own personal weaknesses and our own special strengths, so don’t measure yourself by others.

We may be human, but once we become born again, God puts His Spirit inside us. His Spirit is perfect, and yet He’s willing to live through imperfect believers like you and me. At the same time, He doesn’t intend us to be trapped by our weaknesses.

Just as we wouldn’t like to keep a messy house, so the Lord doesn’t want His children’s lives to be cluttered by burdens or shortcomings. He will gladly carry our burdens. As far as our shortcomings are concerned, the Holy Spirit is careful not to overwhelm us by pointing out everything at once. He knows how much we can handle.

Sometimes we might be tempted to try to perfect ourselves without His leading, or we might be tempted to point out other people’s faults. However, that is His job and not ours. We must remember that God is the Father and we are the children, not the other way around. He just wants us to be willing to take time to listen to His promptings.

He has called us to be holy as He is holy, but He hasn’t called us to be perfectionists. Perfectionism is a form of pride as it places the focus on our own performance instead of on His grace. When trying to do everything right becomes the goal, we are operating in our own strength. This puts us in a difficult situation because if we are attempting to keep up our impossibly high standards, we’ll eventually burn out.

On the other hand, when holiness comes by His grace then the glory is His, not ours. It’s about exchanging our lives for His. It’s the difference between self-righteous living and God’s life that He wants to give us. We have success only when we allow God to live His life through us by the working of His Holy Spirit.

Whether you are a perfectionist or not, I have good news for you: you are already acceptable in God’s eyes because of the blood that Jesus shed for you. You don’t have to prove yourself to Him. He loves you just for being you.

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