| As I began to build a fire last week, I was struck by the meaning that lies within it. There are a few things that must be done to have a fire and things to be concluded spiritually from each:
1. The wood cannot be wet; as even a touch of dampness makes it incredibly difficult to set ablaze. If we see the wood as a symbol of man, then building a campfire is about how man comes to God. Is he free of the dampness coming from the cares and pleasures of the world (water on the wood) which quench his hunger for God and subvert his yieldedness to God (as wood that is wet cannot be yielded to the flame, but is yielded to the water)? Wood cannot be both dry and wet at the same time; and so the love for the world cannot exist with love for God. One must inevitably conquer the other. Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Job 18:5, "Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine." 1 Thessalonians 5:19, "Quench not the Spirit." 2. There must be a source of heat and fire outside of the wood to set it ablaze. Taking a match and sticking it on the end of a log will never set it on fire by itself; so it is with our own attempts to become Christians or to live holy lives by our own power. Wood cannot set itself ablaze without a strong and sustained outside source of fire and heat. In short: Fire begets fire. It is God who must set us ablaze (as He is the outside responsible 'Source' of the fire) unto salvation, purging us by the flame, cleansing us from sin. Isaiah 6:5-7, "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and i dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." Zechariah 13:8-9, "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God." 3. This source of heat and fire has to be close enough to the wood to kindle it, but not so close that it is smothered and isn't allowed space to blaze up itself. Heat and flames from the 'source' must be set at an optimum range to kindle the logs (leaving some air space for the flames to grow). So the proper focus on the Scripture is needed. Time must be taken to mull over the verses being read, if one is to truly understand what God is saying. Reading speedily may accomplish a goal to read an entire chapter or book of the Bible, but little will be gained without actual thought about what the verses mean. The word of God is to be cherished, as they really are the words to the beloved (true believers) from the Lover. "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16 1 Timothy 4:13,15: "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine... Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all." Proverbs 1:5-6, "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings." 4. Air must be blown upon the source and the wood to whip up its heat and flames, in order that the logs should catch fire. Without this stream of air, the source is not quite hot enough, the flames are not fed, and the log will only be blackened on its surface. So it is with us: God must blow His Spirit upon us for His word to effectually kindle our hearts of stone, to stir up His word to be a mighty fire within us. Without His Spirit upon us, we will only languish in our sins, the 'firelessness' that comes where there is no holiness. John 15:5, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." 1. Breath on me, breath of God* 2. Breath on me, breath of God. 3. Breath on me, Breath of God, Fill me with life anew, Until my heart is pure, Blend all my soul with Thine, That I may love what Thou dost love, Until with Thee I will one will, Until this earthly part of me, And do what Thou wouldst do. To do and to endure. Glows with Thy fire devine... |
| FOR OUR GOD IS A COMSUMING FIRE (Hebrews 12:29) - by Jonathan Baker |