On Sunday, during worship at church, the Lord showed me a picture.
He was holding a wooden bowl filled with oil. He was holding it out for His people. The people had been reaching up and dipping their fingers in the oil, but He wanted to pour it out on them instead. He was ready to pour it out . . . but were the people ready? He said that the oil would never run out – it would never stop flowing as long as His people allowed Him to pour it out on them.
At one point I was praying over my children (frustrated because they were fighting with each other) – and I saw myself reach up and push on the back of the bottom of the bowl – to tip it forward and spill it out onto my children . . . onto my family. I WANT that oil Lord! Pour it out on me! Pour it out on my children! Don’t stop! Let that oil be used to light a fire in our lives . . . a fire that never ceases or is able to be quenched! Pour that oil Lord! We want your anointing oil upon our lives – to do great and might things in your name – to give you glory and to make you famous!
As I went to the word of God today to look up more about oil – I came across verse after verse that talked about oil, grain, and wine . . . all used in offerings onto the Lord. The Israelites did this to consecrate themselves and the “Tent of Meeting” unto the Lord so that God would meet with the Israelites and talk with them and consecrate the place with His glory. It reminded me of the vision yesterday about the wine and grain room. Was there more to the meaning of that room? What is God trying to say with these 2 visions – the oil and then the wine and grain?
Lord, help me to offer up my "oil and grain" as a “grain offering” and my "wine" as a “drink offering” unto you every day. I want to be consecrated for your glory and I want my household and house to be as well. Come meet with us and talk with us. I give you all I have. It’s yours. Come be with us and show your glory!
Exodus 29:40-42
"With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering. Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning—a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire.
"For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD. There I will meet you and speak to you;"
Leviticus 2 – The Grain offering
Notes in my Bible – It was the only bloodless offering, but it was to accompany the burnt offering, sin offering and fellowship offering. . . . The Hebrew word for grain offering can mean “present” or “gift” and is often used in that way (see Gen. 43:11 – notes say: “a gift” – a customary practice when approaching one’s superior, whether political, military or religious.). The sacred gifts expressed devotion to God. . . . . Olive oil is often mentioned in connection with grain and new wine as fresh products of the harvest (Dt 7:13 – “He will love you and bless you and increase your number. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land – your grain, new wine and oil – the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.”) Used extensively in cooking, it was a suitable part of the worshiper’s gift.
God has not only poured out his new wine into us, and is not only wanting to pour His anointing oil on us, but He is wanting us to return our wine and grain offerings (which includes the oil in it) to Him as part of our worship - as a gift to Him - as a sign of our devotion and love to Him. Have I been giving those firstfruits back to Him? Not just my money/tithe (though I know that is included), but my talents, giftings, blessings, everything? Have you? What do you have to give back to Him as grain and drink offerings?
God was sad that his wine and grain room was empty. He loves to pour out His blessings . . . and He loves to receive your gifts . . . so that He can continue to bless you – to meet with you – to walk and talk with you . . . and to give you that wine of Elijah! Let us offer up an “aroma pleasing to the Lord”!
Go Deep!
L J
"When someone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering is to be of fine flour. He is to pour oil on it, put incense on it and take it to Aaron's sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the fine flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings made to the LORD by fire.”
Leviticus 2:1-3
There’s a well nearby. You’ve probably seen it. It’s in a dusty abandoned town. You wonder who used to live here and why they all left.
Many people have traveled by this well on their journeys through life, but either didn’t notice it, decided not to check it out, or tried it but left for some reason. It doesn’t appear that the well has been used in a long time. You are not even sure if the water is good. The top of the water looks unappetizing . . . . disgusting actually – covered in dust, dirt, germs, bugs and grime. Who would even want to use this well or drink its water? You dip your finger in to just taste it anyways as you realize how thirsty you are, but you only taste the stuff on top. Yuck. You’re not drinking that! But your thirst remains.
You decide to move on. . . . to find something more appealing . . . more appetizing . . . more eye-catching and tasty. You heard there was something better down the road. So you turn your back to the well and head off.
I urge you to come back.
Things are not always what they seem.
There is more to this well than the casual observer and wanderer will ever know.
Let me help you draw up the DEEP water from the well. That is where the best water resides – where the cooler, refreshing, life-giving water is. It is not tainted by the dirt, dust, germs or bugs on top of the water. Nothing has touched this deep water except the bucket and cisterns that are allowed to draw deep into it.
Are you that kind of cistern or vessel?
Are you ready to go deep?
Many people have traveled by this well on their journeys through life, but either didn’t notice it, decided not to check it out, or tried it but left for some reason. It doesn’t appear that the well has been used in a long time. You are not even sure if the water is good. The top of the water looks unappetizing . . . . disgusting actually – covered in dust, dirt, germs, bugs and grime. Who would even want to use this well or drink its water? You dip your finger in to just taste it anyways as you realize how thirsty you are, but you only taste the stuff on top. Yuck. You’re not drinking that! But your thirst remains.
You decide to move on. . . . to find something more appealing . . . more appetizing . . . more eye-catching and tasty. You heard there was something better down the road. So you turn your back to the well and head off.
I urge you to come back.
Things are not always what they seem.
There is more to this well than the casual observer and wanderer will ever know.
Let me help you draw up the DEEP water from the well. That is where the best water resides – where the cooler, refreshing, life-giving water is. It is not tainted by the dirt, dust, germs or bugs on top of the water. Nothing has touched this deep water except the bucket and cisterns that are allowed to draw deep into it.
Are you that kind of cistern or vessel?
Are you ready to go deep?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
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