The Lion's Den

 Stepping Out in RED Shoes! 

- Day 90 -

There are days when you just have to know...

Does God deliver? or doesn't He?

Maybe there's only one way to find out?

"The Lion's Den Experience"

Today I find myself meditating on the story of  Daniel and the Lion's Den.  (Daniel, chapter 6)
 I love this story!  It's filled with some of the most powerful scriptures.  Take a look at verse 3 -- it points out something very unique about Daniel...

"Daniel so distinguished himself 

among the administrators and satraps 

by his exceptional qualities that the king 
planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

Some versions note that it was an "excellent spirit"  that set him apart.  

In the everyday course of life, I sometimes wonder...

• Have I distinguished myself above the unsaved?
• Is there something unique about me that reflects an excellent spirit?
• Is God contemplating a promotion for me?

The officials hated Daniel.  They were jealous -- so much so, that went out of their way to find fault with him.  When they couldn't, they resorted to tricking the king.  They went to King Darius and convinced him to establish a royal statute and firm decree that stated:

"Anyone praying to any god or man for thirty days,

other than to King Darius, himself, 

would be thrown into the lion's den."

Of course, once the king signed it, the officials all pointed out that Daniel was in opposition to it.  The king was sick over the whole ordeal.  Daniel 6:14 says...

"When the king heard this, 
he was greatly distressed;  
he was determined to rescue Daniel 
and made every effort until sundown to save him." 

Unfortunately, the decree was unchangeable!   Daniel was thrown into the lion's den.

There may come a time when you, unexpectedly, find yourself in a lion's den of sorts.  You'll wonder, "How did I get here?  Wasn't I  doing everything God asked?"   Join the club!   Daniel sat with the lions.  Joseph with the butler and the baker. Peter, John, Paul and Silas -- they all found themselves there -- some more than once.

You're in good company.  God came through for them and He'll come through for you!

I  love what King Darius boldly proclaimed to Daniel  before the stone was rolled over the opening of the den.  (Daniel 6:16)

"May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"  

The king returned home, fasted and prayed, never sleeping.  When morning broke, He ran to the den and immediately had the stone rolled away.  In utter desperation, he cried out...

"Daniel!  servant of the living God, 

has your God, 
whom you serve continually, 
been able to rescue you 
from the lions?"

Daniel replied...

"O king, live forever!  My God sent His angel and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight.  Nor have I done any wrong before you, O king."

As awesome as this story is, I noticed that no one ever volunteers to be thrown into the lion den just to prove God,  me included -- even though I am a sucker for a good story!  But I would imagine that there's something about sitting in the lion's den that's actually comforting.  It's  the thought... "Finally, I'll know for myself!"   If that be true, you'd never have to rely on someone else's story.

You'd come out with your own lion's den experience --

 a mighty tale of God's deliverance! 

If no one volunteers for such an adventure, I won't speculate on how it is that people find themselves in such a place.  Though it seems like the test of all tests -- doesn't it?  Those who pass are greatly rewarded.  Their story changes the world. -- It distributes hope in the darkest of places. -- It causes people to believe! 

Paul said...

"... the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength so 

that through me the message might be fully proclaimed 

and all the Gentiles might hear it.  And I was delivered 

from the lion's mouth."

2 Timothy 4:16-18a  

I don't wish to step out in RED shoes and into a lion's den, by any means.  But if God deems it necessary, I'll stand on the stories of all those who've been there,  and trust that the God I continually serve will rescue me too!

Gail

"Unique!"

Stepping Out in RED shoes!

 - Day 89 - 

Daddy loves our individuality!

He created us that way.

"I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,  I know that full well." 

Psalm 139:14

Every year, churches have their seasonal "Holiday Kid's Program."  When my kids were little,  I would be sitting, right up front and center.  Yup!   They'd all be wearing their cute little Christmas or Easter outfits -- my son's hair slicked back,  my daughters' hair in beautiful curls.  My son would have on his bow tie -- the girls their black patent leather shoes.   I couldn't wait to see them shine, up there on stage!

• Unique
• Different
• Individual
• Distinctive
• Unmatched
• Unrepeated
• Note worthy
• Remarkable
• One-of-a-kind
• Extraordinary

Once my kids grew up, I tended to avoid  "The Children's Program."  I didn't have a vested interest anymore.  On occasion, however, I'd accidently end up in attendance.  I'd often find the whole thing quite comical.  No one stood in straight lines.  Some did the hand actions to the songs, and some couldn't quite remember them.  There'd always be one or two, center stage, dressed to the nines.  They'd have every word and action to the song down pat and would perform it with excellence.

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me."

Psalm 139:1

Meanwhile, there'd be one little boy -- off to one side -- not quite connected with the group.  He'd be so excited about the superman t-shirt he was wearing. that he couldn't stop looking at it and touching it.  He may have even had a makeshift cape pinned to the back of his collar.  (That's because he'd throw a tantrum without it.)


While the rest of the group was singing, 
he was standing sideways, 
enamored with the big "S" on his shirt, 
jumping up and down,  
his arms lifted up, 
trying to fly.  

Okay... that wasn't my boy, by the way.

Off on the other side of the platform, there was a little girl in a ballerina dress and sparkly shoes.

She was having a fine time,

twirling, no less.  

I don't know where she was, but I was sure she wasn't with the rest of the group.  She was dancing around to her own little tune -- having a nice time, all the same.


Then, front row, was a little one who was trying so hard to stay focused on the song and the actions, but the band-aid on her ankle was flopping around.

She kept obsessing with it, 
bending over and pressing it down, 
hoping it would stay on.  

She completely forgot the fact that she was on stage.

"All the days ordained for me were written in 

your book before one of them came to be."

Psalm 139:16

Who knew that years later, little superman would become an military chopper pilot, the dancer a pop-star, and the little girl with the band-aid issue, a missionary nurse to third-world countries?  The perfect kids in the middle, weren't very good when it came to risk taking, but they did well with their lives all the same.  They became accountants and business managers.  You get my point.

As observers, we so often look for perfection in others.  As children of God, we think that's what's expected of us, too! -- perfection.

  But that's not how it is at all!

We think it's about looking good, staying in a straight line, singing out the words in unison and remembering the hand actions.

Meanwhile...  Our Heavenly Father just wants us to enjoy being who we are -- His kids!  

Perhaps we ought to look at others this way -- the way The Father looks at us -- Just a thought!

He looks at the boy in the superman costume and thinks...
"That's my little guy!  He'll make a great pilot someday!" 

 He looks at the little dancer and says...
"How cute, she's already showing such promise on the big stage!"

He sees that little one and thinks...
"She's so focussed on healing -- How wonderful!  Do I have a job for her!"

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Psalm 139:17

And then there's me -- sitting in the back row -- wondering what those kids are doing.  "Why aren't they in a straight line?  
Why have they wondered away from the others?  Why aren't they singing the words and doing the actions?"  
Not any more!  As I'm learning to accept my own uniqueness and realizing how much my Daddy loves it, I'm becoming much more appreciative and less judgmental of others.

'"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.'

Isaiah 55:8

Today I'm feeling really good about my RED shoes.  God not only created me to step out into the world, in this unique way each day, but He's excited that I'm looking and listening for Him!

What is it that He's uniquely created you to do?

Gail

"Apprehensive."

Stepping Out in RED Shoes!

- Day 88 -

There's something so assuring about 

learning from Daddy's lap.

It's safe!  I know He's right there.  I can hear His voice.  I can feel His presence.  I'm strapped right to Him.  I know that He's really the one in control -- even though it's my hands on the steering wheel.

Years ago, when my kids were quite small, I remember taking them to the local Go-Kart Racetrack.  They had never seen such a thing.  All three of the kids just stood there by the chain linked fence, watching the cars go around the track.  WOW!  

It didn't take long for them to insist on giving it a go.  All except one... Joey.  He wasn't quite sure about the whole thing.  That was a little odd.  Being the boy in the family, I expected Joey to be the first one in line, begging to jump in and go.  Not so.  He was a little apprehensive about the whole thing.  Oh he loved it!  He thought it was very cool -- but getting in and driving it himself, was another story.

"apprehensive" means...

- worried

- anxious

- uneasy

- tense

- afraid

His two sisters -- one older and one younger -- didn't wait for him.  As soon as it was time for a new race, off they went.  Gracie -- the youngest -- was too small to go alone, so she sat in her Dad's lap.  Around and around the track they went --  Joe watching from the fence.  I tried to encourage him to give it a try, but he wouldn't hear it.  He was afraid.  

Oh how I wanted him out there!  I knew he'd absolutely love it!  Just looking at him, I could see that half of him was desperate to try it out, while the other half wouldn't budge!  Then his Dad offered to sit in the go-kart with him.  That was a happy medium.  He jumped at the opportunity! 

 Round and round the track he went, 

each time a little faster, each time 

gaining assurance.  It only took one race.  

The next time, he wanted to go solo. 

That's how it is sometimes when it comes to the things of God.  Many times I've stayed a few rows back -- behind the fence, per say, where it's safe -- and just observed.  Though many encouraged me,  I held back.  But I'm not standing behind the fence anymore.  The Holy Spirit --  "The Friend that sticks closer than a brother"  -- He worked with me.  He held my hand, talked me through it, and stayed with me until I was comfortable with the whole thing.  Now I'm out there with everyone else having a blast!  That is until the next new thing comes along.  LOL.  What can I say?  For some of us, it's a process!

Everyone needs a little space sometime before stepping out in RED shoes!

Gail

"He showed!"

Stepping Out in RED Shoes!

- Day 87 -

I never doubted it for moment.

He said He would and He did.

Twenty-five of us turned out at the Marino's home tonight for our monthly Bible fellowship group!  Wow!  We've never had so many show up at one time.   Someone remarked,  "It's almost a church!"  How awesome is that?  That so many hungry people would come out for a healing touch from the LORD.

Five days ago, God woke me up and told me that there would be an anointing for prayer and healing at this meeting.  (See Day 83 - Nana's Lesson).  The next day,  He gave me some additional instruction.  I was to ask  Brother Bill to pray for my shoulder and I would be healed!  (See Day 84 - The Team).  The Marinos and I took our first steps of faith and invited people who needed healing to come.

All day, I fasted, prayed and prepared the night's agenda with God.  My dear friends, Carolyn and Jim, came and picked me up for the meeting.  I was glad to have my prayer warrior friends with me.  God used them both, powerfully!  

Laying on of Hands

and 

Anointing with Oil

That was the topic of tonight's study. 

We prayed and invited the Holy Spirit to join us.  We looked up and discussed scriptures on healing.  We shared testimonies.  And then, when we exhausted all of that... We did it!  We gathered around,  and one by one, those needing healing stepped into the center.  We laid our hands on them, anointed them with oil and prayed.  It was powerful!   Many of the people there had never quite experienced that.  Everyone stayed engaged and in unity -- praying and being prayed for.

How did I know that He showed?  I couldn't actually see Him physically, but I know He was there.  His handiwork was all over the place.  It was in people's tears.  It was in people's prayers.  The atmosphere was charged!  People were expecting!  One after another, people stepped out by faith and entered into the center spot for prayer -- hoping and believing that God would touch them -- and He did!  You could see it in their countenance.

When everyone was prayed for, Brother Bill reached around me and gave me a BIG bear hug.  I could feel the love of God released.  As he spoke the first word of his prayer over me -- WOOOSH! -- I felt the Spirit of God rush through my upper body going from my right shoulder across to the left one.  

Healed!  in Jesus' Name.

It's so funny, because I remember thinking to myself,  "He's wondering how to word his prayer, and God's already healed me with his first word."    Isn't that great how God operates?  I love it!

After a little dessert and coffee -- and a lot of smiles and hugs --  my friends and I drove home, talking the whole way about what a great night that was.   Oh my gosh!  Is that the right time?  It was a quarter to twelve.  Where did the time go?  We were lost in God's company.

Tonight, I stepped out in RED shoes,  by faith, believing that God would do what He said he would.  No one was disappointed.  It was a good night of ministry.  It was a good night of fellowship.  It was a good night of healing.  Now we're just waiting for the praise reports to come in.  God only knows what took place tonight.  I sensed that there was so much more going on than just our prayers and healing.  God was revealing Himself in a new and powerful way to a lot of people.  I don't think anyone there will ever be quite the same!

Thank you Jesus for showing up -- For joining our group tonight -- For teaching us by your Spirit -- For moving upon us with love and healing -- For radically changing our lives -- For expanding our horizons!  Amen.

In RED shoes,

Gail

  

"Learner's Permit"

Stepping Out in RED Shoes!

 - Day 86 -

I'll never forget turning 16, 

getting my learner's permit and 

my Dad teaching me how to drive!
That's such a special time in any teenager's life.

As a kid, I couldn't wait to learn how to ride a bicycle.  Once I mastered that, I could go off my street and just about anywhere in the neighborhood.  The world was ready to be explored!  Turning 16 was much the same thing, only at a higher level -- Four wheels this time, and I could go a lot more places -- day or night!  Getting the keys from Dad on a Friday evening to go somewhere on my own, was a sign of maturity.  I was taking on more responsibility.  I was growing up.

The challenge of it all, was learning to drive my Dad's LTD Ford.  It was a BIG car.  They didn't have those little Smart Cars, let alone "compacts"  in those days.  They had big, heavy duty cars.  To this day, I can still remember the feeling of driving on the highway for the first time and my Dad telling me to accelerate.

The power of it all was intimidating!  

I don't know about you, but practice was essential -- especially in that LTD.  As a teenager, I needed to get the hang of operating that powerful vehicle.  I needed to be comfortable and not fearful of handling that massive piece of steel.  In those days, everything was closed on Sundays.  That made the local shopping mall parking lot a  good place to practice.  

It gave me the opportunity to mess up 

without creating any major destruction.  

My dad would tell me where to go and when to turn.  I'd stop at the stop signs and practice parallel parking within the lines.  If I hit the gas too quickly or didn't step on the break fast enough, I didn't crash the car.  I practiced turning the corners without the fear of sideswiping a another vehicle.  It was the perfect outdoor classroom.  Once I mastered that, I was ready for lessons on the open road!

One of the things I love about The Bonfire is that it's a classroom of sorts.  It offers opportunity for people to practice the spiritual gifts God has given them.  Just like my Dad would give me instruction, correct me as needed, and provide support and encouragement, the leadership at The Bonfire does the same.  My church is like that too!

That's so important, because without it, many people 

would just be afraid and refrain from doing  anything.  

They'd never operate in the gifts of the Spirit. 

They'd never speak a prophetic word.  They'd never offer up a prayer of healing.  They'd never testify or preach a sermon.  I'd much rather see someone try,  make a mistake, receive correction and try again, than never try at all.  When no one makes an attempt to use the gift God's given them,  you end up with nothing but dormant gifts.  They're hidden, under cover, unrealized.  They're there, but they are not utilized.  Pity.  You could be sitting on a gold mine and not even know it.

A lot of places are like that -- Hidden gold mines.

The reason why many churches don't do this is because things can get a little messy.  Sometimes people  make mistakes.  You can count on it!   The other day there was a public display of the gift of tongues with NO interpretation.  My sister just needs to be praying for the gift of interpretation to go with that gift of tongues God has given her.  When I was young in the Lord, I had the gift of tongues two years before I got the gift of interpretation.  But it's not just that... One of the gals who was in attendance when the tongue was given, confided in me that she thought that she might have had the interpretation.  I exhorted her to speak it out next time!  You see... people are learning.

Last night, the evangelist spoke on stirring up the gift within you -- specifically the gift of tongues.  He had everybody practice.  One of my students asked me about that.  He was a little confused.  After explaining some things to him, he commented to me that his newly discovered gift of tongues is a whisper.  I smiled.

"The evangelist is trying to get your whisper 

to become a confident roar!"   

Don't get me wrong, one can always whisper, but when you're whispering because you're unsure of what you're doing -- because you're intimidated by the power of it all --  because you're not quite sure you're doing it right -- that's a different story.

One of the greatest lessons I ever learned was this:

Eat the meat 

and spit out the bones. 

That means that you should glean everything you can from something that's good, and toss aside the stuff that's not good.  Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.  Just because a part of something isn't quite right,  you don't necessarily discount it all.

This lesson is important because it teaches us to 

look for what God is doing or saying in everything

 -- grab a hold of that -- 

and let go of all the nonsense that may surround it!

When people are practicing, they're going to make mistakes.  That's okay.  They'll learn.  I can handle that and so can you.  

Expecting continual perfection is not fair.  It shuts 

down learning and robs people of the opportunity of discovering, developing and displaying their divine gifts!  

There may be times when I step out in these RED shoes of mine and stumble.  If and when that happens, I'll get up, brush myself off, take a deep breath, and try again.  I hope you're there to help me to my feet.

Gail

"Doused!"

Stepping Out in RED Shoes

- Day 85 -

Yikes!  My newly saved friends got 
doused in the Holy Ghost tonight! 

I brought them to hear the preacher that speaks into my life.  Before the service started, I warned them,  

"Fasten your seat belts, you're in for a ride!"  

That was good advice.

The service was amazing.  The visiting, Holy Ghost preaching, Spirit filled, evangelist started his 4 week series on The Charges of Paul,  the Apostle.   Tonight's message was taken from 2 Timothy 4  where Paul declares, 

"I have fought the good fight.

I have finished the race.

I have kept the faith."

His message to the Body of Christ was about fighting the good fight and finishing the race -- no matter what comes your way or what mistakes you make.  It was powerful!  He sited example after example of great men and women of God and all the obstacles that came their way -- yet they pushed through to the end for God!  Even the Apostle Paul came face to face, time and time again, with many hardships -- but he kept going until he finished what God had called him to do.   Needless to say, we all -- my friends included -- left charged and determined to live differently -- to not sit around passively waiting for Christ to take us home, but instead to live on fire for God and change the world! 

But that wasn't all!  Like a good evangelist, the preacher stirred up the crowd.  He pushed them beyond their comfort zone.  He shook them up a bit and provoked them in the Holy Ghost.  Between the pastor relentlessly calling to the crowd to "Praise Jesus More!"  to the evangelist boldly exhorting those in attendance  to speak out in other tongues -- Yeah, I'd say the atmosphere got stirred.  It may have been uncomfortable for some, but by the end of the night, many who's spiritual motors hadn't been revved up in ages, were once again roaring loudly.  

One time, years ago, I went with a friend to purchase a vintage car from a widow.  Her husband had kept his prize possession in the garage, covered up, where it sat dormant for years.  Now she wanted to sell it.  What a beauty it was!  Only thing...  when he put the key in the ignition, nothing happened.  He knew, from experience, exactly what needed to be done.  Over and over again, he pumped the accelerator and turned the key -- staying with it until finally it turned over.  After letting it run a while, he took it out for a ride.  Before we knew it, it was it's old self again -- a functioning masterpiece on the road.  SOLD!

In the same way, there was a full house of born again believers tonight, who had come out, hungry to receive what the LORD had for them.  Many had been baptized in the Holy Spirit years ago, but for whatever reason, their spiritual tongue had been sitting in the garage of their mouths, unused for ages.  Does it still work?  It does now!  Hallelujah!

So the challenge now is to let the Holy Ghost have His way in my friends' lives.   The temptation is always to worry that they don't quite get it, or that they get freaked out, or that they turn and walk away.  I remember a friend telling me years ago...

"Don't get in the way of what the Holy Spirit is doing.  Keep your mouth shut.  Don't get into apologizing.  Leave it alone!  Let the Holy Spirit do His work.  This is between Him and them.  It has nothing to do with you.  Stay out of it, lest you rob them of the greatest blessing of their life!"

Tonight, I find myself reminiscing about my own youthful experiences with the Holy Ghost.   As cautious as I sometimes want to be with others, being on the other side was an entirely different experience.  The word,  "ADVENTURE"  comes to mind.  The Holy Spirit is an adventure.  He's wonderfully exciting and daring. 

 Hanging with Him is like 

skydiving,  parasailing and storm chasing 

-- a little scary and a lot of fun!  

All that said, I've been walking with Him for 31 years now.  He's my best friend and I wouldn't have it any other way!  Oh my... what if someone had robbed me of that priceless blessing?  Needless to say, the last 31 years would have been boring, unexciting and uneventful.  It is the Holy Spirit who brings abundance to the Christian's life -- to the maximum degree, no less!  

More!  I want more!  More of Him!

So tonight, I'm backing off -- in my RED shoes -- 
and letting the Holy Spirit have His way in my friends' lives.

Gail

"The Team"

Stepping Out in RED Shoes!

- Day 84 --

Everyone needs a good team!

I've been thinking lately how blessed I am to be a part of such an awesome team.  We've never sat for a professional photo or anything.  In fact, we've never all been in one place at one time.  I bet if you could pull us all together for a picture though, we'd look a lot like "The Sandlot" -- only all grown up! LOL.

When I think about my team -- the people and the positions they play -- I'm blown away at the opportunity to serve with some of the greatest Christians around.  There's my pastor and his wife;  some key leaders and teachers that inspire me, speak into my life and pray for me;  my mentor who works with me on an almost daily basis;  my peers who encourage and support me in ministry;  and then there's my small family group of believers.  Some of them are further along in their faith than others.  Some have discovered their own gifts and callings, some have not.

We're in the trenches -- doing the work 

of the Lord together -- learning,  growing, 

and loving one another as we go.

I love my team!  They are my family and I can't say enough good things about them!  Though I feel that God, Himself, has predestined us all to work together,  I can't help remembering what it was like picking teams as a kid.  Do you remember that?

I only had the privilege of being a team captain on a few occasions in grade school -- and that was quite some time ago -- but what I remember most was the challenge of picking the team.  As much as I wanted to win, I wanted my friends on my team as well.  Of course, being 8, 9, 10 years of age,  I never thought about the implications of who I didn't choose.  Instead I chose the popular kids first -- the ones that could kick the ball the farthest or run the bases the fastest.

Have you ever wished that you could go back in time and relive a specific situation, only this time, having the adult knowledge you have today?  I'd love to think that I'd go back and my first pick for my team would be the one who always gets picked last.  I'd love to shout... "I choose YOU for my #1 pick."  With that I'd throw my arms around them, smile and say... "Thanks for being on my team!"

Yeah, yeah... If only.  Funny thing is,  I'm not sure that's what I'd really end up doing.  The reason I say that is because the Lord spoke very clearly to me the other day about a team choice.  

"When you do that particular ministry,

 on such and such a night, I choose him 

for this specific position." 

"Really LORD?"  I asked.  "You want him to do that?"

"Oh yes!"  He responded.  "He's the one!"

"Okay then.  I'll pick him."  I agreed.

I'm not the captain of my team.  He is...  JESUS.   He doesn't always give such clear specifications, but when He does -- when He says "I choose that one!"  I follow through accordingly.  I know God's got a plan, and when He does things like that, I get excited.  The Spirit inside me jumps!  I can't wait to see what's going to happen next.

That's one of the things I love about Divine Partnership.  God never follows man's way of thinking.  Picking the one that can kick the ball the farthest or the one who can run the fastest, only brings glory to specific people.

God loves  "The Sandlot" 

"The Little Rascals"

"The Underdogs"

 and 

"The Isle of Misfit Kids,"

  because with them... 

He gets ALL the glory!

My team knows we can't do it on our own!   We all have our idiosyncrasies, our strengths and our weaknesses.  Not one of us is perfect by any means.  We just love one another and keep our focus on Him.  If something awesome is going to happen, it's because God's in our midst.  It's nothing short of a miracle!

As for me?  I'm the misfit wearing the RED shoes!

Gail

"Nana's Lesson"

Stepping Out in RED Shoes!

- Day 83 -

"Instead of letting the water run continuously,"  

she said,  

"Turn it on when you need it, then turn it off."

I'll never forget that first lesson my mother-in-law taught me as a young bride.   I know it might sound silly to some of you.  At 25 years of age, I didn't quite get it myself, but because she was older and wiser, I followed her instruction.  I washed the dish in the sink -- turned the water on and rinsed it -- turned the water off -- and put the dish in the drying rack.  Then I washed another dish and repeated the process again and again.  Of course, her goal was to be efficient -- to not waste money letting unused water run down the drain. 

Efficiency is  achieving maximum productivity

 with minimum waste.

Though she taught me that over 25 years ago, the Holy Spirit brought it to mind with such clarity, before I even got out of bed this morning.   That wasn't all He said. 

"In 5 days there will be a release of 

the anointing to pray for people."

He said.

"We're going from spilling 

on people to...

 turning on and off the flow 

of anointing as needed."

Really?  I wondered what was on my calendar five days from now.  Ahhhh!  I'll be facilitating a Home Fellowship Group,  looking at scriptures on prayer and healing...  How apropos!  Several days ago I was asking God what He wanted to do at that meeting, and I had sensed it was to be a time of ministry with the practical application of laying on of hands and prayer.  Surely, we will be seeing divine results that night!  Thank you LORD, in advance!

Counting down, in RED shoes.

Gail

"Anointing Oil"

Stepping Out in RED Shoes!

- Day 82 -

Saturate me LORD with Your Spirit!

Today was a total day of rest!  I went to church in my RED shoes, but when I came home afterwards, off they came.  I lounged and slept most of the day, talking to God in between.

I was looking at some wonderful scriptures today regarding anointing oil as well as God's recipe for it.  I thought that I might share those with you.  Perhaps as your look them over, God will speak to your heart about consecration.  There's nothing better than a personal conversation directly with Him about such things.

consecration = dedication to God

You know... between yesterday's message and looking at these scriptures, don't think for a moment that the thought didn't cross my mind... "Really Gail?  You think God's pouring oil upon you?  That practice was for God's chosen vessels --  kings and priests."   Perhaps you are wondering the same regarding yourself?

I have listed a few of the scriptures that I found regarding anointing with oil.  When I came upon Isaiah 61:1,   I remembered that God had spoken that exact scripture to me personally decades ago.  Perhaps He has spoken that Word to you as well.

I think  "The Great Commission,"  found in Matthew 28,  puts us all into the category of kings and priests, don't you?  Don't you feel compelled to win your family and friends to Christ?  Not everyone does that like Billy Graham.  Some pray in souls.  Other's love in souls.  God works in mysterious ways.  He's given all of us unique gifts to reach the lost.  Maybe yours is to share your testimony?

Know that one isn't more important than another.  All are significant.  We're winning the world together.  Regardless of how it's done, there's an anointing for it!  I know that because it requires Divine Partnership.    I encourage you to talk to God about that.

Scriptures:

Exodus 29:7  -- "Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head."











1 Samuel 16: 12-13  --  "Then the LORD said, "Rise and anoint him;  he is the one."  So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power."









Psalm 23: 5b -- "You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows."

Psalm 92:10  --  "You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox;

fine oils have been poured upon me."

Isaiah 61:1 --  "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."

God's Sacred Anointing Oil
According to:  Exodus 30:22-33

"The the LORD said to Moses, 'Take the following fine spices:

500  shekels of liquid myrrh
250  shekels of fragrant cinnamon
250  shekels of fragrant cane
500  shekels of cassia
        a hin of olive oil

Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer.
It will be the sacred anointing oil.

Important Note:
Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.
Say to the Israelites, "This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come.
Do not pour it on men's bodies and do not make any oil with the same formula.
It is sacred and you are to consider it sacred.  Whoever makes perfume like it and 
whoever puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from his people.'"


Have a blessed day!
Gail