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Tag: faith aflame

  • Slightly Obsessed #122: Faith Aflame

    Slightly Obsessed #122: Faith Aflame

     

    John responded to them all, saying, ‘As for me, I baptize you with water; but He is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the straps of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.’

    – John 3:16

    Google’s English dictionary and Oxford Languages defines a firebrand as:

          1. a person who is passionate about a particular cause, typically inciting change and taking radical action.

          2. a piece of burning wood.

    Until this summer, I never knew the source of the term “firebrand.”

    I knew it meant someone passionate or radical about a cause. I guessed it meant to be “on fire.” I had never heard “firebrand” defined as a piece of burning wood.

    Then a long spring, summer drought, and dry lightning combined to create a storm of fires that collectively decimated tens of thousands of acres in the Northwest near where I live. The smoke often obliterated the hills around us and choked the air with its acrid oppression.

    We kept an eye on the local broadcasts to stay informed on the progress of firefighting efforts. One morning, a newsman stood near a threatened town with an update. He held up a piece of wood about the size of his hand. Firefighters, he said, were worried the wind would carry away burning pieces of wood to start new fires. He called this piece of burning wood a firebrand.

    When Jesus left heaven, filled with the Shekinah glory, He was the bush burning, but not consumed.

    With His sacrifice and resurrection, Christ redeemed us and set us, the humble wood, on fire. From the first disciples until now, the wind of His Spirit carries His fire from flame to flame, inspiring passion encircling the planet.

    Have you caught the fire? Do you burn for Him? Are you willing to allow the Spirit of God to send you where conditions are right for new flames of faith to ignite dry hearts?

    Are you willing to be His firebrand?

     

  • Slightly Obsessed #108: Living in Laodicea

    Slightly Obsessed #108: Living in Laodicea

     

    The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

    – Revelation 22:17

     

    Facilitating small fellowships in rural areas can be challenging.

    As the only facilitator for the ladies’ Bible study in a small church in a small town, I never knew if anyone would even be there from week to week. One day I arrived breathless and late to open the church for the study, frustrated at my own tardiness.

    As I drove up, I saw no one was there. A rush of relief washed over me as I realized I now had a free evening, followed by an instant pang of guilt. Stricken, I unlocked the door and sat in the cold, empty sanctuary. I played the beautiful old piano in the corner and grieved over my hard heart.

    I’ve missed plenty of Bible studies in my day. And I never worried about it because life is hard and busy. But this was different. A deep sadness welled within me. I knew it was from God. I had been dutifully serving Him, but with a divided, distracted heart.

    Yes, life is busy. I have plenty of great excuses for setting Him aside. They’re just not enough anymore. In the night falling over the world, God is calling out His people. A locked door and a cold sanctuary do not make a fitting throne for a King.

    John’s letter to the churches included this rebuke to the church at Laodicea:

    I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot…So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, so that you may become rich, and white garments that may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

    – Revelation 3:14-20

    When the Laodicea believers read the reproof, they knew exactly what He meant.

    Laodicea was one of three famous cities of the Lycos River valley. Six miles to the north of it lay Hierapolis, a city boasting hot springs and thermal baths. Ten miles to the east lay Colossae, known for its pure, cold springs. Laodicea had to pipe water from a spring five miles away. The water was so heavy with minerals that it slowly clogged the pipes. By the time it reached the city, it was tepid. This foul, lukewarm water was nauseating, explaining Jesus’ threat to spit it out of His mouth.

    Laodicea was such a wealthy city that when it was destroyed by an earthquake in 60 A.D., the citizens turned down Roman aid and rebuilt it themselves. It was famous for the black cloth woven from the beautiful wool from its sheep. The citizens were proud of their black clothing, but Jesus saw them as naked and advised them to be clothed in the white clothes of His righteousness.

    The city sat near a quarry from which came a powder used to make eye salve. Jesus saw their blindness and told them to anoint their eyes with the salve He offered to restore their sight.

    The letter to Laodicea wasn’t written to non-believers. He was talking to His church.

    His own people were blind, naked, poor, and lukewarm.

    I am Laodicea, too full of the world’s cares to see my emptiness. I have been too blind with duty to notice my spiritual nakedness, too busy with the temporal to live in eternity.

    Thank God, He loves me enough to reprove me. Today, Jesus stands at the door of our hearts. He knocks. He waits.

    How did it get closed, anyway?

    Come, Lord Jesus, come.

     

  • Slightly Obsessed #073: First Love

    Slightly Obsessed #073: First Love

     

    I know your deeds and you toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary.

    But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

    – Revelation 2:2-4

    Ephesus was a thriving harbor city in first century Asia.

    It served as a center both for trade and for the pagan worship of the Greek goddess Artemis, the equivalent of the Roman goddess Diana. The splendid Temple of Artemis was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

    The early Christians there endured much opposition to the gospel. Acts 19:21-41 relates the account of a silversmith named Demetrius, who made a good living crafting silver shrines of Artemis until the gospel pulled people away from pagan worship and hurt his business. He was nearly successful in creating a riot that threatened Christians and the work of God in the city.

    The Ephesian church had this and other challenges to its existence. Besides the attacks from the outside, the church suffered from false teachers propagating their own brand of theology. The Epistle to the Ephesians addresses their struggles, correcting their doctrine and offering encouragement to this beleaguered Body of Christ.

    Paul personally warned the Ephesian church:

    After my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

    – Acts 20:29-30

    Some thirty years later, in His revelation of the last days to John, Jesus acknowledged the Ephesians’ tenacious fight for the faith but chastised them for leaving behind their first love. He told them:

    Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.

    – Revelation 2:5

    Today the area of Turkey where the Ephesus once stood is nearly devoid of Christian influence. A city that once fought for the faith and shone for Christ now sits in darkness.

    This is a sobering reminder for us. Christ’s words were directed to Ephesus, but they were meant for us, as well. We must remember our faith is not about what we are fighting against, but what we are living for. Our love for Jesus ignites the oil of the Spirit in our lives. Our passion for the Savior alone is the flame that drives away the night and illuminates our world.

    It’s good to contend for the faith. It’s wise to test those who want to exert authority over us. It pleases God when we endure through hardship and persecution for Him.

    But it’s not His goal.

    He wants us to be in love with Him. If we do that, the rest will follow. And our faith will set the world aflame.