Fresh Mannaby Pastor Tim BurtFew things put a real fire in our hearts, but when something does, it takes over and consumes much of our thoughts and time. This is true whether it's a good passion or a lousy passion. You often see this when two people fall in love. A fire or passion is formed in them that instantly transforms their thinking and behaviors. All they can think about is each other. For a time, they walk around with smiles they can't wipe from their face. The sky is bluer, life seems brighter, hope and dreams come alive, and the passion and drive fuel their new love! It's real, and many people have experienced it.Supernatural fire—an inward fire from and directed by God is like that. It consumes our thought life and helps burn out the evil and ungodly desires that tempt us. How does this fire come to us? It comes when we sincerely seek God. God is always looking for seekers! He meets them every day. He speaks to them through His Word. He speaks and guides their heart when they pray. And for the person who seeks God as their ultimate quest, He gives them a supernatural fire. He opens their eyes to God's power, greatness, and majesty. A reverence and awe of God becomes like a burning fire and soon creates an intolerance for Satan, evil, and the hurt and pain he causes, and a fire to help people know Jesus!In an Old Testament story from 1 Kings, we read about how God's people had been led astray. They had filled their lives with everything evil and false. God used His prophet Elijah to chastise them—purposing to break up their stony hearts and open their eyes. He challenged the false prophets to build an altar and sacrifice that their gods would come down, accept, and burn up. They built the altar, but, of course, nothing happened. All the people watched all day long, but nothing happened. Then Elijah built his altar to God in front of all the people.1 Kings 18:30-39 (NLT) Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel, and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord… Elijah, the prophet, walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”When the fire came, they instantly knew the truth about who the true God was. The fire of God turned their hearts toward Him and immediately strengthened them to set their lives back on the right path toward Him. The fire in Elijah ignited the fire in them! And that is why God is looking for those who sincerely and wholeheartedly seek Him!2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV) "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout theearth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him..." Psalm 148 is all about bringing praises to the Creator and God of the universe. Psalm 147:8 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…" "Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens." Let your praise begin with thanking Jesus for taking the punishment for your sins. Then, thank Him for setting you free from the bondage of sin! Then set your mind on all who He is and the magnitude of the love He has shown you! Setting your mind on this will create a fire within you that will strengthen you.If you will begin to consistently worship the Lord and meditate on all that He is—then this reverential fear will spark the fire of God in you, and you'll experience His power and strength rising up in you! Trust me. You want this kind of reverence for God to grow within you. It will be a fire-fueling hatred for sin and will help burn out everything that is ungodly and unholy. This is how we find the strength to obey God and to reject evil. This is what ignites us and sets us on fire to be an influence for God on this earth! There is nothing greater!Luke 24:32 (TLB) "They began telling each other how their hearts had felt strangely warm as He (Jesus) talked with them and explained the Scriptures during the walk down the road."In His love,Pastor Tim Burt
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