Oil of Gladness

.... the oil of gladness instead of mourning (Isaiah 61:13 ESV)

In spite of the emotions and sadness of my cousins going home ... there was a lot of joy.  I am leaving Florida full and ready for the next season of my life.   Why? Because at the burial site ... I watched as my aunt praised the Lord along with a choir made up of our family.  She declared God's sovereignty and majesty... she worshipped Him and praised Him for the victory the Lord gave her.  See ... she was a regular mom like you and me ... who had breathtaking moments of victory and mind blowing moments of despair ... yet she never lost faith and prayed tenaciously for her children.  The result... my cousin Joey, her beloved son is now seated at the right hand of the Father ... what more could a mother ask for?

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 1 Timothy 1:1-2

Oil for the Lamps

Oil for the lamps ... Exodus 25:6

Beheadings, assaults, autism/vaccine crisis, riots ... all of this in just one week.

Does it make you want to crawl under a rock and hide with your children? Does it make you want to scream and shout? Does it make you want to fight?

I went to bed saddened by the fact that I felt like I had neither the resources, intelligence nor true gumption to do anything more then just veg out on social media reading about all of this.

Weeping may tarry for the night but joy comes with the morning (Psalm 103:11 ESV)

Then this morning, I woke up and sensed The Lord drawing me into His presence.  I began to have my devotion.  This is an excerpt of what I read:

"It was not every oil that might be used in The Lord's service...one oil only was selected, and that the best olive oil....The oil of gospel grace is pure and free ...Our churches are the Savior's golden candelabra, and if they are to be lights in the dark world, they must have much holy oil." (Spurgeon, Charles.  Morning by Morning, Nielson Royal Classics, pg. 223.)

My mind swiftly raced to John 3:16 ...

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

The light bulb went on ... this is what The Lord wants me to do ... to be filled with His oil that I might be a light in this dark world.  How that will look in a practical sense ... honestly I don't know ... but I know that my first step is to dwell in His presence that I might be filled with His fresh oil ... because...

"A man can receive nothing unless it is given him from heaven."  John 3:27.  

You might be asking how can I be filled by His oil ... I want to be a light in this dark world.  It's simple, first believe in Jesus Christ ... then spend time getting to know Him.  Talk to Him (prayer) then listen to Him (read the Bible).  Simply enjoying being with Him .  Then get up and live it out!  We are the Savior's candelabra ... we are His light of hope to a dark and fallen world.

A Jar of Oil

A Jar of Oil

“Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.”  2 Kings 4:2b

Here is an email sent to a friend seeking God's heart as she endeavors to begin a new business with nothing "except a jar of oil"  ....

In the midst of having my devotion after a very long night.  Here are some thoughts I would like to share with you, you may have done this already and if you have perhaps this could simply serve as a confirmation:

If God has given you this task - then He will give you a vision for it.

Ask Him for the vision for it - write it out - Get His "Word" on it and write that down too.

This will enable you to withstand the distractions and discouragement that comes your way.

If this is just a passing fleeting great "idea" the Lord will also reveal that to You and pray that He does not give you a vision for it ... instead it would be distasteful and you would shut it down.  

I wish I had learned earlier on to catch the vision that God was giving me and stick with it through the difficult times.  I have learned that when I have a Word from God despite the storms that come I am able to stand.  

Here are some excerpts from Mathew Henry's Commentary that have greatly encouraged me this weekend.

• ... the best method of charity, and the greatest kindness one can do to poor people, which is, if possible, to help them into a way of improving what little they have by their own industry and ingenuity.
• but the God of the holy prophets is able to supply all her need; and, if she has a little committed to her management, her need must be supplied by his blessing and increasing that little.
• Elisha therefore enquired what she had to make money of, and found she had nothing to sell but one pot of oil,
• If she had not had this pot of oil, the divine power could have supplied her; but, having this, it will work upon this, and so teach us to make the best of what we have. 
• She must shut the door, to prevent interruptions from the creditors, and others while it was in the doing, that they might not seem proudly to boast of this miraculous supply, and that they might have opportunity for prayer and praise to God upon this extraordinary occasion. 
• The oil was to be multiplied in the pouring, as the other widow's meal in the spending. The way to increase what we have is to use it; to him that so hath so shall be given
• It is not hoarding the talents, but trading with them, that doubles them.
• it is in connexion with our own careful and diligent endeavours that we may expect the blessing of God to enrich us both for this world and the other. What we have will increase best in our own hand.
• She did it accordingly. She did not tell the prophet he designed to make a fool of her; but firmly believing the divine power and goodness, and in pure obedience to the prophet, she borrowed vessels large and many of her neighbours, and poured out her oil into them.
• they were all amazed to find their pot, like a fountain of living water, always flowing, and yet always full.
• Her first care, now that she has wherewithal to do so, must be to discharge that, even before she makes any provision for her children. It is one of the fundamental laws of our religion that we render to all their due, pay every just debt, give every one his own, though we leave ever so little for ourselves; and this, not of constraint but willingly and without grudging; not only for wrath, to avoid being sued, but also for conscience' sake. Those that possess an honest mind cannot with pleasure eat their daily bread, unless it be their own bread.
• The rest must not be laid up, but she and her children must live upon it, not upon the oil, but upon the money received from it, with which they must put themselves into a capacity of getting an honest livelihood. No doubt she did as the man of God directed; and hence, [1.] Let those that are poor and in distress be encouraged to trust God for supply in the way of duty. Verily thou shalt be fed, though not feasted. It is true we cannot now expect miracles, yet we may expect mercies, if we wait on God and seek to him. 
• Let those whom God has blessed with plenty use it for the glory of God and under the direction of his word: let them do justly with it, as this widow did, and serve God cheerfully in the use of it, and as Elisha, be ready to do good to those that need them, be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.

*Excerpts taken from Mathew Henry's Commentary on 2 Kings 4:1-7