Pour Out Your Oil

           There’s a parable in Matthew 25 about 5 wise virgins and 5 foolish virgins that were going out to meet the bridegroom. Now the wise virgins brought extra oil for their lamps so that they would have enough oil/light to travel to the bridegroom. The foolish virgins had no extra oil. When the cry came that the bridegroom was coming the foolish virgins asked the wise virgins for them to spare some of their oil but they said no go buy some for yourselves lest we not have enough. So the foolish virgins went to buy some and the wise were able to go into the bridegroom. When the foolish virgins tried to get in they were denied entry. Now ultimately this parable is about the Lord coming when we do not know the hour and for us to be ready when he does. I’d like to look at it a little differently. See Matthew 25:1-13 for this biblical account.

So the oil represents God’s word. We hold it until we’re called to speak in essence to pour out the oil. Pour out your word to God and to others. Your light will shine. Shine your light into the lives of others.

Pour out your oil into the chosen vessel. The lantern represents the person you are sent to give a word of God to. The foolish virgins are those who have been given the word of God but don’t take it in. Kind of like the parable of the sower where the word falls on the rocky ground or is choked with thorns. The foolish virgins are those who know God on a surface level but don’t study themselves worthy of their calling. Therefore they can’t pour out the word to others because they themselves are empty. This is much like the call to the bridegroom, the foolish virgins were happy to hear that the bridegroom had come but had no oil to get to their destination. It’s much like someone who hears the word and lets it fall by the wayside. They don’t have enough of the word to last for the journey of life.

            Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Ephesians 4:1 NKJV

The disciples asked Jesus why he spoke in parables. Jesus replied,

“Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. Matthew 13:11-12 NIV

This is much like the wise and foolish virgins. The wise virgins will be given more of God’s word and will take it in and pour it back out. While the foolish virgins even what little they do have will be taken from them.

The wise virgins have the word and use wisdom on who to pour it out on. Where do you find yourself today? Are you the foolish virgin or the wise virgin? I feel as though I’m in between. I’m so close to being that wise virgin but if I take a step back I’m foolish. It is foolish. I keep looking back at my old life and trying to do new things with an old mindset. Lord please transform and renew my mind and the minds of those reading this. It’s time to look forward to the eyes of the bridegroom, my Savior and go into the marriage feast and embrace my new life completely and let go of the old.

I have a new name, beloved, I am cherished by my Lord and I will no longer bear the shame of my old life for the new has come.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

 

I can just embrace it, I can step into it and I am free. You can’t put new wine in old wineskin it would burst, it’s time to let go of the old wineskin and take on the new and let God pour into my life. I used to live a life of scarcity. Abundance has come. There is fruit on the vine. I can feast and be fed, no longer starving for the world’s affection. I am cherished, beloved, precious. It’s not about what I do it’s about who I am. It’s about whose I am. It’s about what Jesus has done. It’s about who he is and who he says I am.

What new beginning can you embrace today?

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Throw Off That Shell

           So I’ve been feeling like a hermit crab lately. They shed their old shells and their exoskeleton when they become too big for their current shell. I’ve become too big for my old life. The old Amy was riddled with anxiety. The new Amy has less and less of it. Yet I’m still trying to use coping mechanisms that no longer serve me. Not even coping mechanisms these things are old defense mechanisms and they are just detrimental to me. So my exoskeleton is the bad habits, the old ways of thinking that I’ve been holding on to. One thing I am wanting to get away from is procrastination. I want to start tackling things as they come. God needs to prune me in this area. I know the Lord will work it out of me for his word says,

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 NLT

So I know God will not leave me this way and I also want to keep in mind,

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me and the life I know live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 ESV

The old shell is where I’ve been hiding. I’ve outgrown my old life. I feel as though I’m coming out of the old shell. Now I’m exposed to the elements and I wonder will God leave me here alone and vulnerable? It is when we are most vulnerable that God can do the most work in our hearts. I feel like I’ve been hiding from God in my shell of complacency. What a joke. You can’t hide from God. No one can. I’m running in the opposite direction of where God wants me to be. Why? I’m scared that I can’t fit the role the Lord has been putting on my heart. I fully believe I’m going to be in full-time ministry one day. I believe that I’ll be on stage ministering to thousands. I believe I’ll be like the hero ladies of faith in our time, Joyce Meyer, Beth Moore, Lysa Terkeurst and Christine Caine who reach out to many with their ministries. This calling that God’s placed on my life is far bigger, far more reaching than I can even imagine. Think of the biggest thing God could do for your life and then dream bigger. The word says that he will do abundantly exceedingly more than we can imagine. I believe it. Yet still I question. Can God really use me in such a big way? Why would he even want to? Why doesn’t he just leave me where he found me? Broken hearted. Having low self-worth. Not believing I served a purpose in this world. Of course God wouldn’t leave me where he found me for his word says he will bind up the broken-hearted. He loves me and he can use me for his kingdom and his glory. I just pray that I believe it. I feel too small for such a huge task. And I am too small if I go in my own strength. But I’m not going in my own strength. I’m going in God’s strength with him before me, behind me and beside me. How about you dear reader? Do you struggle with this? What has God put on your heart? In what way is he trying to use you? Are you running and hiding like me? If you are I just encourage you to give it all to God. He’ll take it all in and minister to your heart. He will be the lamp upon your feet.

So what are some of these new habits that can usher me into a new shell with the Lord as my protector and shield? Well for one I have to spend time with God and be immersed in his word. I have only been reading my bible sleepily in the morning before I start my day. I want to meditate on his word and think on it. Another thing I have to do is fellowship with fellow believers. This is so key to ushering in God’s encouragement in our lives. Having women of faith who can encourage us and face the storms with us. I also need to sit still and allow God to speak to me. Lastly, I need to let go of the last of these anxious thoughts and lean into him. My sphere of influence is growing. God needs me to shed my old ways and lean on him.

There’s not just a physical battle going on with my new beginning. It’s a spiritual battle as well. I am no longer a baby Christian. Paul called it spiritual milk versus spiritual meat. I can no longer just drink the word in, I need to chew on it and meditate on the word. I can no longer just read the bible as if it’s something to be read leisurely. I need to be an active participant. Don’t get me wrong I have read the bible as an active participant, but I’m just not getting enough time with God. I also need a new prayer life, selfless prayers as opposed to selfish prayers. For example, Lord what do you want me to learn out of this situation? How do you want me to grow? I need accountability partners that set me straight when I go awry. I’ll leave you with this,

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:21-24

What old ways do you need to shed today?

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

The Masks We Leave Behind

           So I got to thinking when the Covid Pandemic is over we will finally be able to leave the face masks behind. It got me thinking what other masks can we leave behind? Maybe just maybe we could leave behind our pretenses, our hidden agenda, our ulterior motives. Maybe we could leave behind our false smiles, our hidden pain. Maybe we could leave behind our neediness to be perfect. Maybe we can be a new creation in Christ and leave our old baggage behind. Maybe we can leave the past behind and face the dawning of the day. Maybe, just maybe, we can shed our masks like old skins and just be who we are flawed and perfectly wonderful just as we are.  

So this week I had a challenge that I had to face. God shined a light on some old hurt that I didn’t even know I was holding on to and I was able to let it go. It got me thinking about how God reveals the darkness in our hearts not to hurt us but to heal us. Much like the masks we have to leave behind so too do we have to leave the darkness behind. I had a situation where something I perceived as initially negative I can look at it as positive because it revealed some darkness in my heart. I’m able to see it through the lens of correction. Through the lens of pruning. Through the lens of growth.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

Jesus lives within in us. Therefore we should have no fellowship with darkness. But sometimes we do. I have prayed for God to send me to the deepest darkest places and he showed me that the deepest darkest places are in the heart. So when I go to minister God’s word I need to allow Jesus to shine his light into that person’s darkest places in their heart. Don’t get me wrong. I know my heart has some places that I haven’t allowed the Lord to show up in. I’m a work in progress. We all are. Will you allow God to shed his light into the darkest places of your heart and be healed? Do you have the faith to believe that God will do it?

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Ephesians 5:8

Can you allow that light to move in your heart? Can you allow old baggage to be removed? Can you walk in light and let the light of Christ shine out of your heart? Why does he move upon our hearts and remove the darkness? So we can be fully activated for God’s kingdom.

                I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Acts 26:17-18

It is to turn us from Satan and toward God. Wow. Let that sink in. When we are in darkness we are under the power of Satan. God has brought us out of the darkness of death into the light of eternal life.

To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:79

What does being in the light bring us? Peace.

For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. Psalm 18:28

Where does the light come from? The Lord.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Romans 13:12

Who puts on the armor of light? We do.

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned. Matthew 4:16

God has shined his light into our lives. Can we let that light shine out of our hearts and bring an encouraging word to someone?

How can you be the light of Christ in someone’s life this week?

Share it with me.

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Wait For David

                 So Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation church had a sermon this week called What You Call Small. He used this phrase, wait for David. This stood out to me and dropped in my spirit. So I feel like I’m in a waiting period. Last week I wrote about waiting for the battle cry and I’m still waiting to hear the Lord activate me. Now I’m waiting for David to show me when to shift out of my current position. This term wait for David got me thinking, why can’t I just wait on the next thing that is coming in my life? Samuel didn’t know he would have to go through 7 of Jesse’s sons before he discovered the youngest wasn’t among them. The youngest was David. He was the one who didn’t seem like king material in his father’s eyes but he was king material in his Heavenly Father’s eyes.  Samuel is not the only one who had to wait for David to come. Jesse and his 7 other sons had to wait as well. Did they know they were waiting for the next king of Israel to be anointed? The bible doesn’t tell us but I imagine they had no idea that they were waiting for the next king of their people. I imagine that some questioned why not me?

Maybe David questioned, why not now? David did not sit on the throne right away. He had to wait for 22 years before he became king. During that 22 years the previous king Saul was trying to kill him. Do you think David got bitter waiting for the throne? I don’t. If you read the psalms you get a good glimpse of what David did in the waiting. He worshipped, he praised, he turned to God. He not only did that but sometimes he did question God and felt God had turned away from him. One huge thing he did was killed Goliath. Another big thing he did was something he didn’t do and that was he didn’t kill Saul even though he had the opportunity twice to end Saul’s life. If he had killed Saul his running for his life would have ended. Saul was God’s first anointed king and David honored that. He said who am I to touch the Lord’s anointed?

We can learn a lesson from David. When we see those in authority over us don’t speak against them even if they mistreat you. Why? Because God has placed that person in authority over you so when you speak out against them you speak out against God.  When Saul died in battle David mourned his death.

Wait for David. Samuel had to go through 7 sons, none of them had the potential to be king. None of them had the right heart to be king. What does David represent? A shepherd, one who had the right heart, warrior, strong, deliverer. He didn’t become king right away so he had to wait humbly even though Saul was trying to kill him. God didn’t tell Samuel who the next king was. All Samuel knew was that he was to go to Jesse. Are you waiting for God to tell you what the next phase of your life is going to be? Can you just sit still and wait for God to show you exactly where he wants you? Samuel had to wait before David came. He went through each son expectantly and he even had to ask Jesse if these were all his sons. The youngest wasn’t even considered to be in the presence of the prophet. They didn’t even tell David! He was overlooked by his father but he was not overlooked by God. The years David spent running from Saul strengthened and built his character. What did David learn? Sometimes we have to be still and wait on God. What does that mean for us? Sometimes we need to be still and let God bring David into our lives. Sometimes God doesn’t tell us what new thing he’s bringing into our lives.

What did bringing David bring to Israel. Strength. A man after God’s own heart. God wants your heart to strive after him. The word says to love the lord your God with all your heart. If we do that we can’t go wrong.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matthew 22:37 KJV

What 7 sons do you have go through before your David comes? Can you wait and know that the one who does come, the job that does come, the house that does come, the husband that does come will be the one with the right heart. It will be the one that was specially made just for you and for that time as well.

David already had a heart for God before he was ever anointed king. You too have a heart for God. David saw how mighty God was to deliver. David was a shepherd, and a lion and a bear tried to take away his sheep and David, a young boy, defeated that lion and bear and his sheep were spared. Just as he defeated Goliath for he knew that God was with him and that God would deliver Israel.

What is it that you need deliverance from?

Do you know that God wants to deliver you from that addiction?

From that pain?

From that abusive relationship?

Can you turn to God and wait for David?

 David was the beginning of Israel’s deliverance, which would later come from Jesus through David’s lineage.

Your deliverance is on the way.

Wait for David.

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Waiting for the Battle Cry

             So there has been a shift in my perspective and I am willing to be moved from my current position into the position the Lord had for me all along. I fully believe I’m going to be in ministry at some point in my life. I fully believe I’m going to be writing full-time. I just don’t know when. So I wait. So far I’m waiting patiently for the Lord to speak, but I haven’t been waiting long. What are you waiting for? Are you ready for the Lord to move? I know that the Lord has to prepare my heart for what is to come. He has challenges that are uniquely made for me and he brings those challenges because he knows they will strengthen my faith. They will strengthen my reliance on him.

I’m not the only one who has waited on the Lord to activate his people. In the book of Acts Jesus tells them,

Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4-5 NLT

So Jesus followers did as he commanded and waited. So too should we wait on God for his timing is perfect.

So I feel like I’m waiting for a battle for the Lord’s kingdom. I’m waiting for the souls I’m going to reach. They are not here yet and while I wait I meditate on the goodness of God. He took me from being suicidal, thinking I was possessed by demons, so very broken and set my feet upon the rock (Jesus) and put a new song in my mouth (Psalm 40:1-3). He has set me free to be a warrior for his kingdom.

I’m waiting for the battle cry to activate me to go in with my sword ready into the battlefield. The sword is the truth of God and the battlefield is souls waiting to come to know Christ. You too will be activated for battle dear readers, if you let the Lord do a great work in you. I can feel that waiting period. Waiting patiently for the Lord to activate you, me, us, just waiting until the Lord says go this is where I’m sending you. I can’t wait to be used by God fully. Right now I’m not reaching out to people as much as I should. So therefore in the waiting I should speak of Christ everywhere I go. If I want to be a mouthpiece of the Lord I need to speak now and not later. I don’t need to wait for God to give me his Holy Spirit to give me the right words for the Holy Spirit already lives inside of me. So too does he live inside of you dear reader.

What will you do with your waiting period?

I want to get to know the word of God more. I want to let God use me to pray for people and encourage people. I want to feel the love of the Lord and give the love of the Lord. I want to get rid of my selfish ways and stop thinking about myself so much and consider how to love others. God has me in a holding pattern, so I’m waiting to hear from the Lord on where to go next. Here I am Lord send me!

How about you dear reader?

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Unsheath Your Weapon

               Dear reader I believe this blog is a call for you to begin to be activated in the Lord’s army. I see you ready to pull the sword from its sheath. The blade is about to be in your hand. Let’s pause for a minute and consider the strongest weapon you have that is most affective for God’s kingdom.

                For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12 NLT

The word of God pierces the darkness. I see you beginning to pierce the darkness by bringing your light to others. There’s no one like you in the world. You, yes you, are able to speak to others and encourage them by the words that you speak. Can you be a little kinder today and reach out to that person you haven’t talked to in a while? You are a light for God’s kingdom and you will pierce the darkness, the deadness inside. You will speak life and you will bring life into dead situations.

We do not come into the darkness empty handed. We have the word of the Lord on our lips and the Holy Spirit in our hearts and a heart thirsty for the Lord. You will set people free from their bondage. I see chains of oppression coming off people by the word of God pouring from your lips.

When we put on the full armor of God every piece is necessary, but none so necessary as the word of God and the helmet of salvation.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17 KJV

You carry the word and the Holy Spirit. Salvation is what happens in our hearts and we activate that with our lips. What we say is so powerful. With our words we can’t help but profess of what God has done for us. What has God done for us? He has saved us from a life riddled by sin and death and put our feet on the rock of Jesus. His blood has set us free from the power of sin and death. He has brought us eternal life.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth and with my song will I praise him. Psalm 28:7 KJV

You may question who am I to bring forth the word of the Lord. So too did Moses question who was he to go before Pharaoh. God responded with I will be with you. He didn’t tell Moses who Moses was he told Moses who he was and that he’d be with him. So maybe we don’t need to know who we are. Maybe we just need to know whose we are to go forth. Maybe we just need to know who God is.

But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.” Exodus 3:11-12 NLT

You need not fear for God’s word accomplishes that which he wants it to. It does not come back void.

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11 NKJV

Go with a heart ready to speak life and God will make it come to pass.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

So I encourage you to speak life today. No longer look at a situation as too far gone for God to intervene and speak life into that spouse, that child, that friend, that coworker. It will bless them and will also bless you because when you speak life you can’t help but live it.

What situation can you speak life into today?

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Deliverance: Out of the Fire

           Dear reader just recently I was in a refining fire. I had to do contact tracing at work and it was a great source of anxiety for me. I found out on Wednesday that I am no longer doing contact tracing. I am so grateful that it’s over. However, I’m glad that I went through it. God showed me for one how to live in the moment. I could not predict one call from the next so I had to face the details of the call right then and there. He taught me to trust him. I came to the realization through God that he allows everything that comes to me, but it has to go through him first. So if God is bringing a certain situation your way just know that God approved of that trial before you ever faced it. Why does God approve of these trials? Because he knows that we are going to come out of it more refined for his kingdom. He knows our faith will grow stronger in the face of adversity. God gave me these words:

       You need not fear, face the fire for you shall not be burned. It is to refine you. I am with you be of good couraqe. My child I’m here. I am refining you. You shall fear no more for I am with you. Turn to me with every concern, every care I am doing it for your good. You will be healed. You are healed.

      It’s like the 3 Hebrew boys who were thrown in the fire. They refused to bow down to the statue of  Nebuchadnezzar II. This made the king very angry. They did not fear because they knew God would deliver them. They knew God was with them. They did not even smell like smoke. Not a hair on their head was singed. So too shall it be for you dear reader. So I can take heart. I can be joyful for God is with me. Praise God.

        If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O King. Daniel 3:17

       They were so confident of their God and unwavering in their faith and obedience. So faithful. Jesus himself brought them up out of the fire. I am refined. The contact tracing was a refining fire. I have come away with a renewed confidence in God.

          So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:6-7

       So don’t fear the trials that come your way. Expect them. They will come. God will refine you and make you a purer form of gold for his kingdom and his glory.

       What refining fire are you facing?

        You can be confident and bold. God will deliver you from the fiery trial and you won’t even smell like smoke.

        I’m here.

         I’m listening.

         Genuinely Yours,

               Amy Z