He Poured in the Oil and the Wine!

In Luke 10:30 we read about the Good Samaritan who took care of the man who was traveling and fell into the hands of robbers. "When he saw him, he was moved with pity.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.'" The Good Samaritan is a symbol to us of how Jesus loves us, as well as a model for what our behavior is to be towards our neighbors. 

There was a praise chorus in the 80's that went:

"He poured in the oil and the wine
the kind that restoreth my soul
He found me bleeding and dying
on the Jericho road
And He poured in the oil an the wine."

When I heard the broadcast referred to yesterday from Haven of Rest I distinctly heard that the Samaritan did NOT pour grapes and olives on the wounds.

Here is a simple home video of the song. I find it kind of sweet! At least the guy in plaid looks like he is having fun!

"Olives, of themselves"

Oswald Chambers wrote My Utmost for His Highest  around 1935 and it continues to bless readers today!
Here is the Selection for September 2nd.

John 7:38 "He that believeth in Me ...out of him shall flow..."
Jesus did not say 'he that believeth in Me shall realize the blessing of the fulness of God," but - "he that believeth in Me out of him shall escape everything he receives." Our Lord's teaching is always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a man; His purpose is to make a man exactly like Himself, and the characteristic of the Son of God is self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain, but what he pours through us that counts. It is not that God makes us beautifully rounded grapes, but that He squeezes the sweetness out of us. Spiritually, we cannot measure our life by success, but only by what God pours through us, and we cannot measure that at all."

Years ago (1985) on the radio show "Haven of Rest," I was so struck by what the narrator said I had to request a transcript of the show. "Olives, of themselves, have their greatest value in the press."

You see the greatest value of the olive tree is the rich, abundant oil which is expressed from its berry. One book says the best oil is made from the fruit gathered about November or December. Pressed oil is considered the best. And now, in Ohio in 2013, there are local stores for "oil snobs" that feature specialty olive oils that some chefs swear by.

So if you feel as if the Lord is squeezing you until you can barely stand any more, perhaps He is extracting that special essence from you that is like the oil from an olive. Olive oil is mentioned 200 times in the Bible. Unger's Bible Dictionary says: "It is a fitting symbol of the Spirit by virtue of its power to sustain and fortify the vital energy."

There were different kinds of olive oil in ancient Palestine, just as today. The "pure" oil is now known as virgin oil, extracted by pressure, without heat. There are times of pressure when I get heated up, but you get the meaning, I'm certain.

Not Overwork, Overflow

Streams in the Desert September 3

"And He saw them toiling in rowing." MK 6: 48

 

Straining, driving effort does not accomplish the work God gives man to do. Only God Himself, who always works without strain, and who never overworks, can do the work that He assigns to His children. When they restfully trust Him to do it, it will be well done and completely done. The way to let Him do His work through us is to partake of Christ so fully, by faith, that He more than fills our life.

 

A man who had learned this secret once said: "I came to Jesus and I drank, and I do not think that I shall ever be thirsty again. I have taken for my motto, ‘Not overwork, but overflow’; and already it has made all the difference in my life."

 

 

 

There is no effort in overflow. It is quietly irresistible. It is the normal life of omnipotent and ceaseless accomplishment into which Christ invites us today and always. --- Sunday School Times.

 

I am now beginning to experience how meditative prayer can lead to overflow. As I wait in silence for The Lord, even when I do not sense it, He fills me to overflowing and does His work in me. From this time with Him, my life overflows.

 

Come, Lord, overflow my life with Your presence, grace and power. Amen.

 

 

 

Radical acceptance requires Total Surrender to the Holy Spirit.

August 8

I sit down to meditate with my breath word "Surrender"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and suddenly there is a cardboard box on my head

 

 

 

 

filled with clacking plastic teeth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there where the term 'chatterbox' came from?

 

Radical acceptance requires Total Surrender to the Holy Spirit.

Persons and Pets

They say pet lovers look like their pets. Here are a few examples!

 

 

 

and my favorite ....

 

 

 

 

Radical acceptance requires Total Surrender to the Holy Spirit.

Living H2O

Ever flowing, ever flowing, ever flowing, ever flowing.

'Til we flow into a Sacred Stream

'Til we flow into that Eternal Drink which is You.

Then pour us back into the world and let the flowing begin again,

And again, and again, and again.

EVER FLOWING (M. Wiederkehr, V. Frye)

Lord, help us yield. Dissolve us with Your love. Let Your perfect will and way be done in us.

Radical acceptance requires Total Surrender to the Holy Spirit.

Congealing and Rust

Macrina Wiederkehr wrote a great prayer song with Velma Frye.

EVER FLOWING (M. Wiederkehr, V. Frye)
"O, ever-changing God, protect us from congealing,
Ever flowing, ever flowing, ever flowing, ever flowing.
‘Til we flow into a Sacred Stream,
‘Til we flow into that Eternal Drink which is You.
Then pour us back into the world and let the flowing begin again,
And again, and again, and again."

Think gelatin:

It would be hard to follow in the paths of our God Who created and loves Living Water if we are congealed in a mold!

For many years the Tin Man has been a good symbol of what it is like to live with fibromyalgia. Now with arthritis expanding it's influence in my life, the Tin Man is still a good symbol for me. Yet, though my outer body may be wasting away, my inner self is learning to flow with God day by day.

For me, Healing Touch prayer is like the Tin Man's friends using the oil can upon his frozen places. Recently during Healing Prayer I knew The Lord wanted to use 3 in 1 oil and a wire brush to remove some things on me that were hindering my growth towards Him.

You remember, this multi purpose oil lubricates, cleanses and prevents rust.

So I yielded to Him in trust and faith and the Holy Spirit went to work.

Choose whatever size brush you think was needed.

I just rested in God's love and peace as the Almighty God performed Romans 12:1-2 with me.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. "

Wow! What a tremendous experience. If The Lord asks to use 3 in 1 oil upon you, I highly recommend that you Yield to Him.

Radical acceptance requires Total Surrender to the Holy Spirit.