The Pressure's On

It's been so long since I've written here that I actually have forgotten what my blog looks like. I write this from work, trying to remember what color font to use so that it'll be readable against the background. Just so everyone knows, I don't want to write anything here that doesn't bear fruit unto righteousness, which is part of the reason for my silence. So now that's made clear...

If you've ever listened to Leonard Ravenhill for any period of time you'll know that he quotes old hymns like no one else I've ever heard. He can't sing at all - I swear he sounds just like a goat - but he's memorized so many hymns and quotes them constantly. I really like this one that he quoted in prayer:

"Kindle a flame of sacred love on the mean altar of my heart and there, for Thy glory, let it burn with inextinguishable blaze and trembling to its' source returning constant prayer and fervent praise."

That's the cry of my heart right now. I can't help but ask myself "What on earth are you getting yourself into??" Another hymn says this of the fire; "When Gods' fire upon the altar of my heart was set aflame, my ambitions, plans, and wishes at my feet in ashes lay." Am I prepared to lay down everything? No. I never will be prepared. But it's going to happen - because He is faithful and will do what I've asked Him to do - Consume me. He has given me the will, and to do His good purpose. I have everything I need to be a partaker of His divine nature. And He's going to take me through the fire to get me there.

Fire: destructive burning of something.

The beginning of the Old Testament makes it very clear that the fire is used to make offerings. In fact, that's the only way God would accept the offering - if it was made by fire. He didn't take just any old thing either. He wanted the purest, the best, the first fruits. We can look to the story of Cain and Abel to see what the Lord thinks of an offering that is not made out of the best that we have - out of obedience to His word. If we don't obey Him in every thing, there are grave consequences. In Psalm 51 David is pleading that his heart and hands be made clean. He says that the burnt offerings and sacrifices aren't what please Him but the sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite spirit. It says in verse 19 that He shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness. And we see in the New Testament that God's desires in sacrifice don't change. Romans 12:1 says "I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, Holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." The standard of God has not changed. He will only accept us Holy. It was made very clear in the old testament that the priest who went to bring the offering to the mercy seat had to be pure or else he would be struck dead. That's really serious!

Jeremiah 23:29 says "Is not my word like a fire? And a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" If we listened and obeyed His word it truly would be a fire to us, refining and breaking us, bringing to light the things that do not glorify Him and causing a desperation in us to remove sin and make us more like Him that we may stand before Him in holiness, and cleanliness of heart. Isaiah 66:16 "For by fire and by sword the Lord will judge all flesh. And the slain of the Lord will be many." The fire of the Lord is what judges us. He uses it to chastise and discipline, to make us aware of who He is. I didn't write the scripture down, but it says in the OT that His glory is revealed by fire. When the fire comes to burn us up it will reveal His glory in our lives. My fervent prayer is that when I am consumed by Him that my flesh would be slain! That glory of the Lord would be revealed in my life!

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 "Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each ones work will become clear; for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each ones work of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." I love how over and over, God shows us that walking after Him, taking up His yoke, while it is easier than attempting to achieve holiness of ourselves, it still requires work - discipline to our flesh. And the fire of God will come and make it apparent to everyone whether or not I've been building unto Him or unto myself. That's a scary thing. Ravenhill made the point that the fire will go out if we don't take out the ashes and soot - clean it out. You have to fuel the fire, add to it, to keep it going. God will always be showing us things in ourselves that need to be burned up. But I pray that even as things in myself are removed that they are replaced with things of Him. That His glory is continually being revealed.. it spurs me on.. To prayer.

Another thing that God has been pounding into me is how essential prayer is. I think I get so caught up in enjoying fellowship that I've neglected to pray. Fellowship is worthless unless I've first spent time communing with God, pouring out my heart to Him through prayer and allowing Him to speak back to me and share His heart. Ravenhill made the point "Prayer is the most demanding thing this side of eternity - that's why we do so little of it." It demands our time, that we put aside everything else, get alone, and seek His face with all our hearts. If we do He promises that we will find Him! There is such a burning in me to pray right now..

"And that's all I got." as Bob would say.. At least on this subject. There's so much more than He's opening up to us - it's amazing how the revelation that God is giving to other parts of the body tie in perfectly with the things God is showing me. We do all have the same Holy Spirit though.. So now, the pressure is on you guys! Get your stuff posted (you know who you are!)!