A few years ago my Pastor did an awesome series of sermons on "The Anointing".

"Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take thou also unto thee principal spices . . . of cassia five hundred shekels . . . and thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil." (Exodus 30:22-25)

Many things stood out to me in that series that have caused me to do further study. The "cassia" as one of the ingredients in the holy anointing oil prescribed by the Lord through Moses is something that has just kept stirring in my heart. In order to walk in God's anointing, we need to understand that each ingredient divinely prescribed by the Lord has a purpose that still speaks to us today. Here is a brief overview of this one spice that obviously had great importance to the Lord.

The word "cassia" is translated from the Hebrew word "qiddah" and comes from the root word "qadad" meaning to bow down the head. A brief study of "cassia" will lead you to discover that cassia has a delicate yellow flower that "bows down". It comes from a tropical evergreen tree having aromatic bark. The spice was harvested from the bark of these tropical trees and it is a source of "senna", a natural purgative or laxative. Keeping that in mind, let's think about the "anointing" and what it means to be "anointed" according to what we find in the study of the "cassia".

"Cassia" tells us that first we must be humble (bowed down) and our humility is beautiful to the Lord. "Beauty bowed low!" What could be more beautiful to the Lord than worship? Psalm 95:6 says, "O come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker." "Cassia" is a picture of reverence, worship, and humility!

The bark of the tropical tree is the source of senna, a purgative or laxative agent. Our lives are to be purged of all that is contrary to the Word of God! Psalm 79:9 says, "Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake." Purging speaks of cleansing and cleansing is the basis for everyone's relationship with Christ . . . by His blood we are cleansed and made whole!

Finally, "Cassia" was extracted from the bark of the trees – the bark is stripped from the trees much like we must be "stripped" of all that is at enmity with God, i.e., our flesh. But even more than that, we must come "naked and unashamed" unto our God, hiding nothing, without pretense, and without shame – stripped of the veil of our flesh that stands in the way of the glory of God being seen in us and through us!

As you can see, the "cassia" tells a story in itself of worship in humility and beauty, being purged of sin and cleansed by the Blood of the Spotless Lamb, and being "naked and unashamed" in front of our God, hiding nothing, without pretense, allowing the glory of God to be seen in us and through us!

The beauty of the anointing, the power of the anointing, the cleansing of the anointing, and the cost of the anointing can be found in this one ingredient of the original anointing oil. Let's walk in the fullness of the "cassia" as revealed to us in the Word of God. As kings and priests were anointed as they were appointed, so too have we been anointed "as kings and priests unto our God" (Revelation 1:5-6). He which established us is Christ and He who has anointed us is God who also has sealed us and given us as a deposit of what is to come, His Holy Spirit in our hearts (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

Father, help me to understand all that You have to say to me through the "cassia". Teach me to be "beauty bowed low" as I am ever learning humility in my bowing down before You. Father, purge me of all that is not of You; help me to walk worthy of the calling You have on my life. Take away all excess and burn out the dross, Lord, as Your all-consuming fire purges me and purifies me! Lord, help me to come before You without pretense, hiding nothing, naked and unashamed, so that nothing in me will hide the brightness of Your glory shining in me and through me! In Jesus' name, by His blood, and for His glory, amen and amen!

"As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit-just as it has taught you, remain in him." (1 John 2:27-28)

© Jan Ross
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Paul a prisoner, under the most adverse conditions, found opportunity to serve the Lord. And, even though he was about to be put on trial for his life, he never forgot to remember a Christian brother who was far away in distance from him, and to cover him in prayer.

"I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints". (Philemon 4-5)

Read today's scripture again ... I love this! It shows such compassion for others, something that is much lacking in the Body of Christ today. Everywhere we go, the focus is on "us"! Lord, bless ME. Lord, supply MY needs. Lord, save MY kids. Lord, heal MY body. Me, My, and Mine. It's everywhere! Yet in Paul's prayer we see an exhortation that focuses on others. How would you like to have been the first-hand recipient of such a letter from someone who has been imprisoned for his faith and who suffered persecution beyond our ability to comprehend because of his love of the Lord? What an honor Paul pays to Philemon, a co-laborer and brother in the Lord!

Paul's example to us is one of a man of much prayer. And, the prayer wasn't selfish in nature in the least. Throughout the epistles, we find many instances where Paul is praying for others while imprisoned or off in some remote place. Today's society lives by the adage: "Out of sight, out of mind!" Not Paul!

Here's another example: "[I] cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers" (Ephesians 1:16) And, another: "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy" (Phil 1:3-4).

Let's follow Paul's example and make a habit of blessing others through prayer, not just occasionally, but regularly, passionately, and fervently. Then, let those for whom you are praying know that you are praying for them. Lift them up, call them up, and build them up using Paul's pattern ... he prayed for them, he contacted them, and he built them up with encouraging words, acknowledging their faith, their fervor, and their zeal. Can you imagine what the Body of Christ would be like if we followed this example daily?

"But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:13)

Father, I fall so short with so many of my prayers focusing on me, mine, and all that pertains to us while You have plainly given us the example through Paul to lift up our brothers and sisters, to exhort them and to encourage them. Father, forgive me for my selfish ways; put me in remembrance of others daily who need Your touch, who need to hear that they are prayed for, and whose lives are important to me as well as to You. Father, teach us Your ways and help us turn from our self-awareness and give us the gift of Kingdom awareness. In Jesus' precious name we pray, amen and amen!

© Jan Ross
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Many years ago I had a precious friend. She didn't have much in this life but several small children and a husband who believed it was more important for him to be everywhere else other than home. She struggled with daily routines yet she was so sweet. I determined in my heart to help her as much as I could since we didn't have any children at that time. I can easily remember going to her apartment and finding dishes several days old in the sink, children running around in soiled clothes, beds unmade, bathrooms needing scrubbed – in other words, the house needed a LOT of help. My friend loved the Lord, but she couldn't rise above her lack of daily disciplines to care for her family in a way that would be pleasing to Him. I spoke with her often about it, loving her through it all, but she had a difficult time making any change last. As awful as it sounds, I know of times she would take dirty clothes out of the laundry pile and put them on to go to the store or to church. Obviously, it was no secret to those around her that daily disciplines were an issue for her. I lost touch with her after we moved away and often wonder if things ever changed for her.

It does us no good to take a bath and wear yesterday's soiled clothes. We have to adorn ourselves DAILY with the garment of salvation as we work out our salvation with trembling and fear (ref. Philippians 2:12). A daily cleansing is necessary, inside and out. Perhaps it isn't the entire reason for my unusual friendship, but the Holy Spirit taught me a valuable lesson through it.

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation…" (Isaiah 61:10a)

"He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation"! There's no doubt that a great change comes over us when we're saved. Our most difficult task, however, is the change we must determine to work through with daily disciplines that help us grow in Christlikeness.

Look at Ephesians 4:24 ~ "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Here's another verse in Colossians 3:10 ~ "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." The "Garment of Salvation" in Isaiah is speaking of putting on the "new man."

We can't wear yesterday's clothes – yesterday's clothes stink. Our Bridegoom is coming after a Bride whose garments are spotless and unwrinkled. He didn't just say "without wrinkle" else we could have just ironed out yesterday's soiled clothes. No! He said, "spotless and without wrinkle" – cleansed by the blood of the Pure and Spotless Lamb.

The garment of salvation . . . a daily dressing and a daily following. Don't let this priceless garment hang in your closet; prefer it over the robe of carnality and flesh. Let's separate ourselves from our soiled clothing of sin and carnality, and wear the garment of salvation and glorify our Father in heaven who purchased this precious garment for us with the highest price possible – the blood of His Beloved Son!

Father, I never realized how often I try to iron out yesterday's soiled clothing in an attempt to "appear" clean. Help me to daily put on afresh the Garment of Salvation as a Bride making herself ready for her Husband. Help me to walk worthy of the Garment of Salvation wherewith You have clothed me, for Your glory and Your pleasure. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.

"So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows." (Psalm 61:8)

© Jan Ross
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