Return To The Fire
“Familiarity breeds contempt.” It’s a well-known idiom used to say that those with whom we become well-acquainted gradually lose our respect. The same could be said of the things we use daily. After a while, a new car tends to lose its shine because we drive that car routinely to work each day. After a few years, a new home loses its charm as it’s well-worn and in need of repair.
I can vividly recall the first feeling of being “on fire for God” that stirred my soul when I was in college. I can also clearly recall the year and season I noticed I’d lost that fire and passion. Regardless of the season of life we are in, I believe these words will always ring true: “We must guard ourselves against a familiarity with Jesus that extinguishes our fire for Jesus.”
Obviously, we want to know Jesus as much as we can, just like the Apostle Paul talks about in Philippians 3:10: “My aim is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death. But daily, we should endeavor to know Him beyond the casual routine of worship services. We should press beyond the common acknowledgment of Jesus to make space for a present welcoming of His presence into our day. As members of the body Christ, our goal should be that we remain well-acquainted with our Savior, knowing we can approach Him in boldness and authenticity while also maintaining our reverential fear for Him.
Psalm 25:14 "The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant" tells us that the Lord reveals to us secret things about His covenant with us that is only obtained through the Fear of the Lord. The Fear of the Lord is a healthy honor and is esteeming of who He is and always has been, holy and merciful, with us and also before us.
I believe Conference is an optimal place to be intentional about fanning into flame our passion for His presence. It’s a purposeful return to Him as our first love mentioned by the Apostle John in Revelation 2:4. What would the church look like engaged in a corporate mission to commune with our Lord? What would our children value as priority in their personal lives on the way to adulthood? Who would we become as people, not only in His presence but of His presence? What would the culture be a witness to?
A people with a deep knowing and an unyielding fire for His presence.
Journal: Write down 1-2 major contributors to the beginning of your faith.
Activation: Each week, take one of these sparks that ignited the flames of your faith and put it into practice.
Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you take steps to return to the fire of your faith!
I can vividly recall the first feeling of being “on fire for God” that stirred my soul when I was in college. I can also clearly recall the year and season I noticed I’d lost that fire and passion. Regardless of the season of life we are in, I believe these words will always ring true: “We must guard ourselves against a familiarity with Jesus that extinguishes our fire for Jesus.”
Obviously, we want to know Jesus as much as we can, just like the Apostle Paul talks about in Philippians 3:10: “My aim is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death. But daily, we should endeavor to know Him beyond the casual routine of worship services. We should press beyond the common acknowledgment of Jesus to make space for a present welcoming of His presence into our day. As members of the body Christ, our goal should be that we remain well-acquainted with our Savior, knowing we can approach Him in boldness and authenticity while also maintaining our reverential fear for Him.
Psalm 25:14 "The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant" tells us that the Lord reveals to us secret things about His covenant with us that is only obtained through the Fear of the Lord. The Fear of the Lord is a healthy honor and is esteeming of who He is and always has been, holy and merciful, with us and also before us.
I believe Conference is an optimal place to be intentional about fanning into flame our passion for His presence. It’s a purposeful return to Him as our first love mentioned by the Apostle John in Revelation 2:4. What would the church look like engaged in a corporate mission to commune with our Lord? What would our children value as priority in their personal lives on the way to adulthood? Who would we become as people, not only in His presence but of His presence? What would the culture be a witness to?
A people with a deep knowing and an unyielding fire for His presence.
Journal: Write down 1-2 major contributors to the beginning of your faith.
Activation: Each week, take one of these sparks that ignited the flames of your faith and put it into practice.
Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you take steps to return to the fire of your faith!
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