Give Me Oil in My Lamp

 

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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 CONTINUALLY FUELLING THE FIRE OF FAITH

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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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“As the fireman on the plate of a steam engine looks out for the cooler dark patches in the fire so he can refuel it with fresh coal, so you and I need to examine our lives to identify the dark areas that are growing cold and pour in the fuel of God’s Word and Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 4:16

So, we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

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The aroma of oil and coal smoke swamped Matt’s senses as he hauled spadesful of raw coal into the fire. He had been invited by his friend, Keith to ride in the cab of a steam engine. The fire roared and the engine steamed forward a great pace along the track. “How do you know the best place to throw the coal,” asked Matt as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “Look for the dark patches in the fire,” said Keith. “The dark patches are where the fire is dwindling and needs to be stoked.”

Jesus taught a parable about ten young girls who, according to the culture of the day, were responsible for watching for the coming of the bridegroom at a Jewish wedding. They each held an oil lamp as they watched and waited. Sadly, five of them did not bring sufficient fuel for their lamps and ran out. Referring to his return, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Faith is a fire in your heart. Jesus said, “Nevertheless when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Jesus is physically returning to earth, soon! Are we ready and waiting? Are our lamps trimmed and fuelled? As the fireman on the plate of a steam engine looks out for the cooler dark patches in the fire so he can refuel it with fresh coal, so you and I need to examine our lives to identify the dark areas that are growing cold and pour in the fuel of God’s Word and Spirit. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day as we stoke the fire of faith.

God-tracking is continually fuelling the fire of faith

READ ALL ABOUT IT
Matthew 25:1-13
Luke 18:8
Hebrews 11:6




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SO, DON’T GIVE UP, LOOK UP & PRAY

I throw coal into those dark patches in Jesus’ name. Help me to burn brightly as I wait for your return.

“Dear God, I think there are some dark patches in my fire; parts of my life where my faith has grown cold. Forgive me for this, O Lord. Today I choose to stoke the fire of my faith with the fuel of your Word and Spirit. I throw coal into those dark patches in Jesus’ name. Help me to burn brightly as I wait for your return. Amen.”

If you require more prayer, I’d love to pray with you. Please email 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 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 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/

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