His Everything

Genesis 2:7, And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

This morning in prayer, as I was meditating on the wind or the breath of God, this scripture came to mind.

When God breathed into man, he did so as a Father.

It’s Father’s breath that filled the lungs of man…the only part of creation that required His breath. No other part of creation would have the relation to Father God that is reserved for us.

It was in this breath that we became a soul.

When the scriptures say, Let everything that has breath praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6), it’s much more intimate than it would first appear. The word breath here is the same breath we find in Genesis 2:7.

At first glance, it could appear that a bird’s song will do or a dog’s animated bark but not so. These will not suffice.

With that in mind… Psalm 150:6 takes on a different meaning. We are everything to God! EVERYTHING.

It’s amazing to think that His breath created this mind, will and emotions part of me. This is the part that I would think that is least pleasing to Him.  Yet, with His Fathering breath, He gave life to it.  With His breath…my personality.  Your personality.   

The word soul also means desire and appetite. His breath makes me hungry and thirsty. As He breathes in, my appetite grows and when I exhale His praise, I am satisfied. When I praise, I am filled.

 

 

Put On The Anointing

2 Samuel 14:1-2, “So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned about Absalom.  And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead.”

For a few days, I’ve been meditating on the anointing and searching the word to discover it afresh.

This morning, I came upon these words, “do not anoint yourself with oil” and it struck me.  Anoint yourself?

We are to anoint ourselves!

The anointing is literally something we are to put on.  I don’t mean “put on” as in pretend or make a production of.  But put on, in the same way we would put on our attire or perfume…only in the Spirit.

You see, the oil that this woman was to refrain from was olive oil that would be applied like a lotion, making the hair and skin shine.  To use this precious oil was a demonstration of celebration and joy!

We see this oil throughout the scriptures.

Psalm 104:15, “….and oil to make his face shine.”

Psalm 133:2, “It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.”

As kings and priests, we are to be anointed just as Aaron was.  He heavily saturated himself! Why shouldn’t he?  He was about to partake of the Lord’s presence!

Psalm 45:7, “Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

Hebrews 1:9 reiterates this.

To love what God loves and hate what God hates is the very act of reverence.  The fear of the Lord is returning to the House of God in this hour and with it, the anointing.  Joy and celebration abounding!

These two passages are a testimony to us.  Yes, Father was anointing Jesus.  However, taking a deeper look… what we are truly witnessing is the interaction between Father God and Son.

As a son and daughter of the Most High God, (he is ours…Matthew 6:9), we partake of this interaction as well.

The oil is kept within the family.  Reserved for us!

The question in my heart now is “How Lord?”  How do I anoint myself?

Song of Solomon 1:3, Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you.

His very Name is ointment poured forth from our mouth.  Every time we speak His name…anointing.  Each time we talk about Him…precious oils.  Just the mention of the name of Jesus…ointments of mercies and grace, healing, deliverance, peace and love….

 

Enduring Sound Doctrine

2 Timothy 4:3, For the time will come when they will not be able to endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.

As I was reading yesterday morning, I came across this passage and it ensnared me.

What is it about sound doctrine that one would even associate the word “endure” with it?

You would think that sound would mean ease and comfort but I beg to differ.

The word sound translates in the Greek, uncorrupted.  A few words that come to mind are unchanged, untouched and holy.   When something is corrupted, it is made evil, defiled, morally degenerate or characterized by improper conduct. 

Looking at the word endure, it means, to hold one’s self up against, repetition, intensity and reversal.

Sound teaching should provoke all of the above in us.

1. Does our moral integrity and character hold up against what we’ve heard?
2. The Word requires that we do what we have heard.   Not just once but repeatedly.
3. Like it or not, the Word should challenge us, instructing us, making us expert in the impossible.

When was the last time you heard extreme teaching that had you reeling, asking, “Is this really true?”

I’m not talking about the kind of moment that sends you off exuberant, singing the high praise of look what the Lord had done for me, me, me. What I’m suggesting is much different.  The higher praise, would come from a heart disturbed at what hasn’t been done.

The Word should compel us to do what Father God does.  Many would read something like this and say it’s blasphemous.  I disagree. This is precisely what Jesus did.

If we are not enduring the Word of God, and that means doing it on a consistent basis, then we don’t know holiness.   This has nothing to do with our praying one hour a day or all the religious things we do to pat ourselves on the back.  Again, corruption is simply improper conduct.  We can pray, read our bible, attend every church service, sing in the choir and teach Sunday school but if nothing is changing, it’s because we’re not changing it.

Certainly, we know enough to know that everyone who asks receives.  Matthew 7:9-12 goes on to say,

Or what man is there among you who if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The same rule applies for us when it comes to what God requires of us.    Yes, you may have missed it but…

           4.  We do not have any problem demanding from God all of His   promises. Does the Word of God not say, to whom much is given, much is required?  This is the last definition of endurance, reversal.

Can we handle it when the Word of God is turned around on us?  What has He asked for lately?  Have I and are you giving Him stones rather than bread; serpents for fish?  What did the man, Christ Jesus, do to me…to us? Have I done it also?  Have we?

Good questions today God.  Good questions. And I know it would sound so poetic at this moment to say that I will ponder them in my heart Lord but I know that’s not going to produce the bread and the fish you need.  I’ve been pondering long enough.  Forgive me.  I know what you have asked of me.  You know I know and I see the stones and serpents I’ve been putting in front of you.  I’m going fishing now Lord.  I’m breaking the bread.  I need your help.  Make me expert in the impossible. Thanks for loving me enough to tell me this.  I see it now.  I love you Lord.