What is Soaking?

To soak or soaking has numerous definitions and connotations, but I will mention a few of my favorites that are relevant to our teaching. Soak is defined as:

• To make or allow (something) to become thoroughly wet by immersing it in liquid.
• To place or keep in liquid in order to saturate thoroughly.
• To wet thoroughly, to saturate or drench.
• To permeate thoroughly, as liquid or moisture does.
• To heat a piece for reworking.
• To permeate, to penetrate or affect the mind or feelings.
• To extract or remove by soaking, or to remove something by immersing it for a period of time.

Other synonyms of soak or soaking are as follows:

Immerse, steep, submerge, submerse, dip, dunk, bathe, douse, marinate, souse.

Let that sink in for a minute!  Ponder the meaning and relevancy of soaking as we consider the context within scripture to gain understanding of this concept in worship.

Let us consider the first example concerning Jesus, recorded in all four Gospels. Many have argued that this is a different woman presented in these four accounts, but I believe they are the same woman, and each eyewitness brings to light different perspectives of the same event. Immerse yourself in this story.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, ⁷ a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

⁸ When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹ “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

¹⁰ Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. ¹² When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Matthew 26: 6-13

In Matthew’s account, she anoints the head of Jesus with her expensive perfume, which points to Jesus as the Head of the Church as well as His Kingly Role. Jesus recognizes that this soaking of perfume was to prepare him for the sacrifice and the death he was about to endure. I believe soaking has to do with the preparation for death, death to self, death to the cross we are commanded to bear, death to our sin nature, and the price and the cost of the destiny and fulfillment or our God Given purpose in the earth. Salvation is free to those who believe, but our destiny will cost us everything! Incidentally, as women were considered property in Jesus’ time, she did not give of someone else’ property, she gave of her own, and her most expensive gift to adorn Jesus! Are we willing to do the same? Let’s visit Mark’s account for additional insight.

³ While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

⁴ Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵ It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

⁶ “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. ⁹ Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14: 3-9

Again Mark records that this woman came with her very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. Interesting that he records the purity of her gift. She anointed his head, but Mark notices that she had to break the jar in order for the purity of the expensive perfume to be poured out. Sometimes the breaking must occur for the purity of our worship and the most expensive gift to be poured out. Jesus also emphasized the beauty of her gift and that she poured out her perfume on him before his death to prepare him for it.

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

³⁶ When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. ³⁸ As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. ³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”  ⁴⁰ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. ⁴¹ “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”  ⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. ⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” ⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7: 36-50

Luke’s account emphasizes that this woman was a sinful woman and she anointed his feet with her tears and with her hair, as she stood behind him. Jesus revealed her great love for him as she was forgiven much, and her sins were forgiven. Do you remember the last definition of soaking, “to extract or remove by soaking, to remove something by immersing it for a period of time?” Jesus forgave her sins, it was not by extreme overcompensation of good works, but this simple act of love and adoration! This act of soaking in the Presence of the Lord, this immersion for a period of time! Maybe instead of running from the Lord and beating ourselves up in shame and condemnation, we could just sit at his feet, and allow him to so beautifully and gently wash us with the Power of His Word?  Do you remember the woman who sat at Jesus feet, immersed and saturated by the words he spoke to her? Mary, the sister of Martha…

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

¹ Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.  ⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”   ⁶ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.  ⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. ⁸ You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”  John 12: 1-8

No wonder Martha was a little put out with her sister Mary, after all Mary was probably the shame of their family, while Martha was always doing the right things and probably lived an exemplary life. The reason why Judas was upset by her expensive gift for Jesus was that he was a thief and used to taking a portion of the proceeds and pocketing them, skimming off a portion for himself. He withheld his gift toward Jesus, will you? Or will you be like Mary and lavish him with your expensive, costly worship that produces such a fragrance that fills the room and the nostrils of He who is worthy to receive it all! Worthy is the Lamb who was slain for us! Jesus would not ask more of us than what he willingly gave us through his death on a cruel cross! And where he was left all alone, he will not leave us nor forsake us in our dying times of sacrifice! What a savior!

Soaking in this instance, relates to the death of our Lord, and relates to our preparation for the death to self, our own agendas, our own will, our own sin and sinful ways, taking up our cross and following as Jesus led the way. It also emphasizes the purity, the breaking in order for the fragrance to be released, and as that fragrant worship is released, it not only honors and lavishes the Lord, but it releases a fragrance that permeates the room,  immersing everyone, as that incense transcends our earthly realm and is received in Heaven! I also love that this woman’s testimony is recorded in all four gospels and stands for all eternity! What is your testimony that crosses over into eternity?

Just in case you were wondering why I share so much scripture when I teach, the Lord spoke to my heart when I was writing my first book, “Leave my Word alone! There is much Glory within it!”   May you bask in the Glory of  his Word!

A Living Sacrifice

¹ 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. ² 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. Romans 12:1-2

Soaking prepares us for our offering of ourselves as a living sacrifice unto the Lord, but it also allows our minds to be saturated in His Presence, allowing the Word of God to transform our minds, our thoughts, our soulish ideas, so that we know what His Perfect will is for us! As a musician, I understand most musicians, worship leaders, and singers spend most of our time learning how to sing properly, to memorize the words and inflections of phrases, and how to be technically proficient with our instrument. As is my experience and many others, we don’t necessarily spend enough time in His Word! I encourage you to delve into His Word more, eat of it, and savor its changing properties within you!

One more aspect of soaking as relating to worship and why we should consider soaking as part of our worship experience is revealed in the story of Esther. I will not recount her entire story but just relevant scripture here.

⁸ When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susaand put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. ⁹ She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.

¹⁰ Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. ¹¹ Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

¹² Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. ¹³ And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. ¹⁴ In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.

¹⁵ When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. ¹⁶ She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

¹⁷ Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸ And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality. Esther 2: 8-18

Esther was already gifted by beauty, but she obeyed and submitted to her authorities’ instructions, thereby gaining additional favor. In her prescribed 12 months of beauty treatments, Esther was soaked, bathed, immersed in the oils of myrrh (relating to the oils of the Holy Spirit) and then six months of perfumes and as the King James Version records, these were days of purification. Esther humbled herself and won the favor of everyone including the King. These months of soaking prepared her for her entrance with the King! If we would dress in our absolute best to be presented to an earthly king or queen, how much more should we be prepared to be presented to the King of Heaven, the King of Kings?   Just a thought for you to consider….

We have hosted monthly soaking worship nights since 2006, where anyone regardless of their church denomination or affiliation, race, position, etc. can come and be immersed in the Living Waters of fragrant worship. Please join us at one of these, you may come one way, but you will leave changed, refreshed, saturated, and immersed by His Fragrance! Check our calendar on Facebook/Bride Song Ministries, page or group, or at our ministry website at www.bridesongministries.org

See you in the Throne Room,

Dr. Raelynn S. Parkin

Bride Song Ministries / Worship Houston

Bridesong.wordpress.com

What is Third Day Worship?

Many people wonder what is third day worship and how does it correlate to the modern church. In the pattern of the tabernacle, the entrance to the courtyard, known as the outer court, then progressed to the Holy Place, the inner court, then to the Most Holy
Place otherwise known as the Holy of Holies. All the people were permitted to enter into the tabernacle courtyard or the outer court, and many of the sacrifices and rituals were performed in the Holy place or the inner court, by the priesthood. The Most Holy Place or the Holy of Holies was only visited once a year by the High Priest with the threat of
death if not deemed worthy by a pure and repentant life. So we see the masses in the outer courts, and the select priesthood in the inner courts with only one allowed in the Holy of Holies where the tangible Presence of God resided.

Another way to look at this is in our physical body, the Tabernacle or Temple of God. If we are the Tabernacle of God, the outer level would be the flesh, the inner level would be the soul (the mind, will, intellect, and emotions) and the third level would be the spirit. Consider this next verse.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

We also might think of the first day in context of the Church as the joy of our salvation, the second day as the workings and giftings of the Holy Spirit and the third day as entering His Presence and into the realm where His Glory manifests. Many first day worship songs are about the salvation experience and the Cross of Jesus. I believe the second day worship enlists the workings, giftings, and leading of the Holy Spirit, including the prophetic song of the Lord.

1 “Come, let us return to the LORD.
He has torn us to pieces
but he will heal us;
he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.
2 After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will restore us,
that we may live in his presence.
3 Let us acknowledge the LORD;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:1-3

According to this scripture, the second day he will revive us. And the third day is about restoration that we may live in His Presence. I believe third day worship is about the very Presence of God upon the worship and Worshippers as well as entering the realm where His Glory is tangible, fresh, and fully manifesting. This is where I believe the people come into true, deep worship and personal encounter with the Lord. Third day worship is about the Holy of Holies, where few dare to enter, and it is about the Throne Room of Heaven where He resides, in essence, worship on earth as it is in Heaven.

This worship is not prepared in the limelight of the people, but in the secret hidden place to the Audience of One. Instead of the art and the act of worshipping the Lord, it is more about being in the Presence of the Lord, being not doing. And in this place, He will appear…he will come to us… This is about personal encounter and visitation.
One last thought…

8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.   11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.   Exodus 33:8-11

When Moses went into the Tent and the glory filled the entrance of the tent, the people stood in the entrance of their tents and worshipped the Lord. Moses met face to face with the Lord as a friend. Maybe the people are not worshipping because the leaders are not going into the Glory of the Lord and meeting face to face in personal encounter with the Lord? I believe as this revelation of third day worship goes forth to not just leaders but the Church, there will be another atmosphere filling the Church, that of Heaven on earth! This lesson is not exhaustive but begs further study and pursuit for the hungry worshipper who knows there is more!

See you in the Throne Room!
Dr. Raelynn S. Parkin, Bride Song Ministries
BridesongMinistries.org
Worship Houston Project

What is the Bride Song?

The Bride Song is just a serenade to the King! I remember 20 years ago, when I married the Love of my life, Paul Parkin, during our reception, there was a beautiful grand piano, and my husband sat on a stool, and I serenaded him on the piano! All who were there celebrated and applauded the serenade from the Bride to her King! And of course they passed around the boot and we collected enough to cover our honeymoon dinner that night! As I recount that serenade, I am reminded that I exuded the Bride Song even then, and that was a natural depiction of how our Love Song moves the King of Kings, Jesus Christ!

Who is the Bride?

The Bride is the Church of Jesus Christ! In fact, it is very clearly spelled out in the scriptures as in reference to the marriage and relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church!

21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy,cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.                     Ephesians 5:21-32

I love the tenderness and great care the Lord takes concerning His Church, beginning with His own sacrificial Love preparing a way for her, His cleansing her, washing her with the water of His Word in order to present the most Beautiful and radiant Bride unto Himself! How beautiful the Bride would be with such sacrificial, tender, loving care of the Bride! Her beauty radiates from that tenderness, the loving washing words that flow over her, making her clean, spotless without blemish, and glorious! That is better than any miracle cream the world has to offer!

This profound mystery is being unveiled before our eyes like never before! If the marriage is the mystery of Jesus Christ and His Church, then it is not surprising the unprecedented attacks upon marriage in America today! Where it all seems to be about flesh, specifically about sex and perversion apart from the sanctity of marriage, it is not! Listen to what Paul said in the 1st century…

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

Here is another description of the Bride, showing her in her many facets in this picturesque display in John’s Revelation.

1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb

9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God,and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. 18 The wall was made of jasper,and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.      Revelation 21:1-7, 9-27

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.                     Psalm 127:1

You see, the Lord Jesus Himself came to tabernacle with us. He came to dwell with us and to live in us, fully revealing His Glory given Him by the Father to the rest of the world! He was a master carpenter by trade, He came to build a House of Prayer for His Father, the Temple of God which is Holy! And as a master Builder of His House, he is preparing a city built upon the Rock, whose foundation is the Cornerstone, Jesus, with carefully placed gorgeous living stones, us, and precious jewels, and the gates to gain entrance are the twelve tribes of Israel! There is no need for light, for the Lamb is the Light, the Glory radiating to everyone and everywhere! This is the Glorious Bride, The Temple, The Tabernacle where Jesus Shines in all of His Brilliance, without ceasing and without measure!

What does the Bridegroom look like?

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.                  Revelation 1:12-20

This is the eternal picture of our Bridegroom! The more we look at Him, the more we are changed from Glory to Glory into the Image of the Son! We exchange the dying and corruptible for the eternal incorruptible image of Jesus Christ, the Hope of Glory fully manifested in us!

18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.                                                                                                                                                     2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.     2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV

Our job is to Behold Him, His job is to change and transform us into His Image from Glory to Glory! Bride of Christ, return to your first love, prepare yourself to be presented to your King! Wise virgin, be ever watchful, praying with your lamp full of the oil of the Holy Spirit! There is more to come in a later teaching. Bride Song Ministries’ purpose is to prepare the Heart of the Bride for her Returning King Jesus, stirring the passion and the Love song within her for Him! Sing your Love to Him today…

Out of the Secret Place,

Dr. Raelynn S. Parkin

Bridesongministries.org

Raelynnparkin.com