Give Me Oil in My Lamp

 

GodTracker 956
The e-devotional to help keep you on track with God’s plans for your life.
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“It’s only by the steady infilling of the Holy Spirit that you and I will maintain a good oil supply for our lamps.”

Matthew 25:3
Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them

The cabin had no electricity so Joe lit an oil lamp and placed it on a wooden table. The glow of its warm
light filled the room. Joe sat back in a cushioned chair and enjoyed its comfort. However, what Joe did not realise was how quickly the oil would burn. Soon the glow of the lamp dwindled and dark shadows crept in from every corner. Oblivious to the dwindling oil supply, Joe allowed the lamp to continue burning. Soon the room was enveloped in darkness. Striking a match, Joe examined his lamp only to find that, not only had the oil been consumed, but the wick had also burned out. With no fuel supply, the flame had consumed the wick.  

How is your fuel supply? Is your fuel tank full or running dry? Beware burnout! The world we live in is relentless. Demands coming from every side and labour intensifying will soon burn you out. Burnout is a serious and overwhelming issue in this pacy twenty-first-century world, within the church and outside its confines. There are two major forms of burnout: physical burnout and emotional burnout. Both will strip you bear. Unless you maintain a steady oil supply for your lamp, your wick will soon burn out.

There is an old gospel chorus that goes, “Give me oil in my lamp, keeping burning, burning, burning.” The Holy Spirit is likened to oil in Scripture. It’s only by the steady infilling of the Holy Spirit that you and I will maintain a good oil supply for our lamps. So come to Jesus when the burdens of life overwhelm you. Yoke up with him under that heavy load. Cast your cares on him because he cares for you. If you rely on your power and might you will burn out.

God-tracking is avoiding burnout.

It’s All In The Bible. Read All About It. (NKJV)
Get into the word of God and get the word of God into you!
Exodus 27:20
1 Samuel 16:13
Ephesians 5:18
Matthew 11:28-30
1 Peter 5:7
Zechariah 4:6

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So, don’t give up, look up & pray!

“Thank you that you are by my side, helping me stay burning.”

“Dear Lord, I’ve allowed my wick to burn without fuel. Forgive me for not drawing on your source of power and might. Holy Spirit, fill me again; fuel my wick with your oil. I pray for healing of burnout in soul and mind. I cast my cares upon you, O Lord, in the name of Jesus. I come to you now and take up your yoke because your yoke is easy and your burden is light. Thank you that you are by my side, helping me stay burning. Amen.”

If you prayed that prayer today email me now at  dudley@godtracker.co.uk

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What is GodTracker?
GodTracker is a weekly e-mail Christian motivational thought, written by Dudley Anderson, based on the premise that God has a plan for our lives. His Word calls us to seek his plan by acknowledging him in all our ways and by tracking his purposes, in faith. Most of what you’ll read is based upon the author’s personal experience of tracking the plans of God.

Listen to GodTracker podcasts by Dudley Anderson at, https://www.surereality.net/podcasts/

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

GOD-TRACKING IS GOING FOR IT BY THE ZEAL OF THE LORD

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The e-devotional helping to keep you on track with God’s plans for your life. GodTracker is published at godtracker.co.uk.
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“The zeal – fervour, passion, enthusiasm – of the Lord comes by God’s oil in your lamp. God’s oil is the Holy Spirit. Submit to his power and presence now and rest in the strength, the passion, the enthusiasm that only he can endow. The zeal of the Lord to do it!”

Isaiah 37:32
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

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Way back when I was in my church youth group, we loved to sing an old popular song around a campfire. It went, “Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning, burning, burning.” It was one of great those old songs you could add your own verses to. I remember singing, “Give me wheels on my Ford keep me driving for the Lord,” and  “Give me wax on my board keep me surfing for the Lord,” (not that I was a surfer, you understand). But the verse we added that I loved the most went, “Give me unction in my gumption keep me functioning, functioning, functioning… keep me functioning till the break of day! Sing hosanna!”

There are days when I wake up with a lack of unction. There are days that I wake up with less than my fair measure of gumption. You know what I’m talking about, those days when you lack any motivation to simply get up and get going, for whatever reason. It’s on days like this that I need some of the Holy Spirit’s oil in my lamp to keep me burning.

Isaiah prophesied the destruction of Israel and Judah. He said, because of their rebellion, the enemies of God’s people would overwhelm Zion. However, a remnant true to God would remain in Zion. Then he said, “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” It was only by God’s fervour and the oil of the Holy Spirit that the remnant would have the unction in their gumption to keep functioning.

In whatever mood you woke up today; whatever has demotivated you or stripped you of your enthusiasm to get out there and go for it, I say to you, only the zeal of the Lord will give you the motivation to do it. The zeal – fervour, passion, enthusiasm – of the Lord comes by God’s oil in your lamp. God’s oil is the Holy Spirit. Submit to his power and presence now and rest in the fervour, the passion, the enthusiasm that only he can endow. The zeal of the Lord to do it!

God-tracking is going for it by the zeal of the Lord

READ ALL ABOUT IT
Mark 11:9
Isaiah 9:6-7
Isaiah 37:30-32

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DON’T GIVE UP, LOOK UP & PRAY

I acknowledge you in all my ways and rest in the zeal of the Holy Spirit

“Dear Lord. I often feel unmotivated and uninspired to get out there and go for it. Forgive me for wallowing in my self-pity. I choose now to not give up but look up – to lift my head and look up into the face of Jesus. I trust you to inspire me to serve you. I acknowledge you in all my ways and rest in the zeal of the Holy Spirit to be my fervour, passion, enthusiasm. Amen.”

If you prayed that prayer I would love to hear from you.
Please email me dudley@godtracker.co.uk

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What is GodTracker?
GodTracker is a weekly e-mail devotional, written by Dudley Anderson, based on the premise that God has a plan for our lives. His Word calls us to seek his plan by acknowledging him in all our ways and by tracking his purposes, in faith.

Listen to GodTracker podcasts by Dudley Anderson at, godtracker.co.uk/godtracker-podcasts

GOD-TRACKING IS WALKING YOUR PATH, STEP BY STEP, BY HIS LIGHT

GodTracker 699The e-devotional helping to keep you on-track with God’s plans for your life
GodTracker is published by Sure Reality Media at surereality.net

“Be encouraged. He will show you the way to go, step by step, as he illuminates just enough of the path ahead to keep you walking by faith and not be sight.”

Psalm 119:105Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

I have never been down an active mineshaft, but growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa, which is renowned for its gold mines, I know how dark it can be down a deep mineshaft if the lights go out. Some of these shafts are kilometres below the surface. It is impossible for any trace of sunlight to penetrate so deeply underground. The darkness here is thick and almost tangible. Therefore, miners have headlamps on their helmets. These headlamps are very powerful. Even so, due to the length of the mineshaft, when a miner turns his light on, the beam may only reach a few metres ahead of him. Even with his headlamp burning, the miner is unable to see far into the distance. However, he is able to see sufficiently far enough down the path ahead of him to navigate safely along the shaft, one step at a time.

Tracking the dark pathways of life requires that we see where we are going. However, as a Christian, I believe God does not always reveal the end of our path to us before we arrive there. His word is a headlamp to our feet, not a laser beam to our future. I’ve discovered that, as I trek my life’s path, God sufficiently illuminates my walk, one step at a time. It can, indeed, be most frustrating not knowing what will happen beyond the next bend, but that’s where faith comes in. Faith is confidence in things hoped for and being certain of life not yet seen. And faith pleases God – he rewards those who seek him by faith.

The word to you today is, God is in your future. He is there already, meeting your needs and preparing your pathway. You may not be able to see into tomorrow but, with his word is your headlamp, he will guide you along the way, step by step. Father loves you so much that, in his wisdom, he has chosen to reveal to you only what you need to see today, as you make your way along your life’s track. So, don’t worry about tomorrow. Jesus said that tomorrow has enough worries for itself. First seek his plans and his goodness, then everything you will ever need to reach the end of the road, will be given to you as well. Be encouraged. God will show you the way to go, step by step, as he illuminates just enough of the path ahead, to keep you walking by faith and not be sight.

God-tracking is walking your path, step by step, by his light

READ ALL ABOUT ITPsalm 73:23-24
Psalm 23:1-4
Hebrews 11:1
Hebrews 11:6
Matthew 6:33-34
2 Corinthians 5:7

DON’T GIVE UP, LOOK UP & PRAY

I trust your word to be my headlamp into the darkness

“Dear Father, thank you that you know my beginning from my end. Thank you that you are there already, in my tomorrow, making the way straight for me. Today I put my confidence in your plans and purposes for my life. I acknowledge you in all my ways and trust that you will make straight my paths. I commit my future to you and choose to walk by faith that you will illuminate my path one step at a time. Thank you for your word. I trust your word to be my headlamp into the darkness. Amen.”

If you desire more prayer, please email me - dudley@godtracker.co.uk

SUBSCRIBE to the FREE weekly e-devotional GodTracker at…  http://eepurl.com/dxTLAf

----------------------------
What is GodTracker? GodTracker is a weekly e-mail devotional based on the premise that God has a plan for our lives. His Word calls us to seek his plan by acknowledging him in all our ways and by tracking his purposes, in faith.

Listen to podcasts by Dudley Anderson at…
https://www.surereality.net/listen/

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GodTracker is proudly produced by Sure Reality Media.SRM produces Christian radio programmes that reach millions with the message of God’s love.Partner with us and help us reach many people with the reality of Christ.https://www.surereality.net/become-a-ministry-partner/---------------------------------------------------------------

GOD-TRACKING IS KEEPING YOUR LAMP FILLED WITH THE OIL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

GodTracker 695The e-devotional helping to keep you on-track with God’s plans for your life
GodTracker is published by Sure Reality Media at surereality.net

“His anointing will break that yoke of depression and burnout, if you will only keep your lamp filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Isaiah 40:31but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Imagine an old hurricane oil lamp. It’s comprised of a small tank to contain the oil and a glass cylinder, encompassing a cotton wick. The wick is placed in the holder and extends down into the oil. The wick then soaks up the oil, which is the fuel that burns, producing the light the lamp provides. If the oil runs out, the wick begins to burn. Provided there is oil in the tank, the wick will not burn out.

One of the greatest threats we face in the 21^st century Westernised world involves burnout. Burnout is a psychological term referring to long-term exhaustion and reduced interest in work. It is defined as a state of extreme physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion, characterized by a decrease in motivation and performance. Burnout has been assumed to result from continual occupational stress. However, there is growing evidence that burnout is caused by many factors. A recent study showed that about 90% of burned out workers meet diagnostic criteria for depression. Thus, burnout is related to depression.

There is an old song we used to sing back in the mid-1970s: Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning, burning, burning. That lovely old chorus was talking about charging our lives with the Holy Spirit to keep us burning. In the Old Testament, fragrant oils were used to anoint men for service. When Samuel anointed David to be king of Israel, we read that the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. Therefore, the anointing of oil has become synonymous with the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

If you’re feeling depressed today and burned out due to emotional or physical stress, may I encourage you to seek the anointing of the Holy Spirit. You do not need to be in church ministry to enjoy the anointing; the Spirit can anoint you for service in every-day life and work. The scriptures tell us that it is the anointing that will break the yoke of bondage. The Holy Spirit is your Counsellor and your Comforter. He is also called your Helper. Holy Spirit is God – God with you. His anointing will break that yoke of depression and burnout, if you will only keep your lamp filled with the Holy Spirit.
So, if you wait on the Lord and seek the anointing of the Holy Spirit on all you do, you will run and not be weary; walk and not faint. Keep your lamp filled with holy oil, that your wick will not burn out.

God-tracking is keeping your lamp filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit

READ ALL ABOUT IT1 Samuel 16:13Isaiah 10:27 (KJV)John 14:15-17,26Isaiah 40:28-31

DON’T GIVE UP, LOOK UP & PRAY

I rest in you, Lord, and wait on you to renew my strength

“Dear Lord, I feel so weary. Work has taken its toll on me over the past few months and years. I feel completely unmotivated and defeated. However, I realise that it’s not by power or might that I will get my zeal back; it’s only by your Holy Spirit. So, dear Holy Spirit, I ask you to fill me up again. I pray for a baptism in your power and presence. I seek the oil of joy and ask for your anointing on my work, my rest and my relationships. I choose to put my faith in your plans and purposes and acknowledge you in all my ways. I rest in you, Lord, and wait on you, Lord, to renew my strength. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

If you desire more prayer, please email me at dudley@godtracker.co.uk
SUBSCRIBE to the FREE weekly e-devotional GodTracker at…  http://eepurl.com/dxTLAf

----------------------------
What is GodTracker? GodTracker is a weekly e-mail devotional based on the premise that God has a plan for our lives. His Word calls us to seek his plan by acknowledging him in all our ways and by tracking his purposes, in faith.

Listen to podcasts by Dudley Anderson at…
https://www.surereality.net/listen/

---------------------------------------------------------------
GodTracker is produced by Sure Reality Media.

PARTNER with us and help us reach many people with the reality of Christ

https://www.surereality.net/become-a-ministry-partner/---------------------------------------------------------------