This morning the analogy of a cooling ember was used by Pastor Rob. I love this analogy because I love heat and I love fires. Growing in the Bahamas, there was not much need to build a fire unless it was for a grill or something like that. But, nothing compares to building a fire in the winter to get warm.
I remember my first time building a fire in our fireplace at home; it was one of the coolest things ever and my husband, and child made it a competition as to who could build the biggest and quickest fire. We won't say who the winner was... The other fire that brings back memories is a campfire. Our friends Charles and Mary would invite every one over right around October/November and we would have hayrides and the biggest bonfire you could imagine. We would all have have sticks with hot dogs, marshmallows, you name it.
Our sticks got so hot; but the ones actually sitting in the fire were red hot; they burned with an intensity that was truly evident. This is just like a new christian or one living close to the source. They burn with an intensity that is truly evident.
The sticks that we pull away from the fire, of course cooled and some burned out or other just had a flicker of the preexisting fire. This is just how it is when we have experience the source, Christ and the power of His word in our lives. But, we stop! We stop reading our Bible, we stop praying, we stop seeking his face, we stop going to church and being with other believers.
Have we lost our salvation? No!...but we have no power. There is a sphere of influence around you; that God has allowed and those people need the saving grace that you know, but have moved away from. You are the God that they need. Don't let them tell you, "why should I be saved, it has not done anything for you"
Tomorrow is not promised to any of us...nor the people around us. You, I have a responsibility to burn with an intensity that they desire to know Christ. Today's challenge is to, "Look how far you have fallen from your first love! Turn back to me again and work as you did at first." —Revelation 2:5
Return to the things that bring life to you and to others.
God Bless!
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