Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire?

Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?

He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly.

Isaiah 33:14-15

It is not the wicked, but the righteous who burn forever.

Our God is a consuming fire – Hebrews 12:29

God is love – 1 John 4:8

Your love is as strong as death. It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame – Song of Solomon 8:6

The reason why God uses fire is not because He’s mad, but because He Is Love. God would not allow them into heaven, because heaven would be hell for them. God with those great big arms of love, stretches out and embraces the wicked one last time and in that embrace, the wicked feel the love that they have rejected and they say, “Just and true are thy ways, O God” and there is a unanimous decision to destroy the wicked. – Ivor Myers

To sin, wherever found, “our God is a consuming fire.” In all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin. But if men cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them. -DA

The glory of His countenance, which to the righteous is life, will be to the wicked a consuming fire. – DA

Could those whose hearts are filled with hatred of God, of truth and holiness, mingle with the heavenly throng and join their songs of praise? Could they endure the glory of God and the Lamb? No, no; years of probation were granted them, that they might form characters for heaven; but they have never trained the mind to love purity; they have never learned the language of heaven, and now it is too late. A life of rebellion against God has unfitted them for heaven. Its purity, holiness, and peace would be torture to them; the glory of God would be a consuming fire. They would long to flee from that holy place. They would welcome destruction, that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them. The destiny of the wicked is fixed by their own choice. Their exclusion from heaven is voluntary with themselves, and just and merciful on the part of God. – GC

In his sinless state, man held joyful communion with Him “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  But after his sin, he could no longer find joy in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God. Such is still the condition of the unrenewed heart. It is not in harmony with God, and finds no joy in communion with Him. The sinner could not be happy in God’s presence; he would shrink from the companionship of holy beings. Could he be permitted to enter heaven, it would have no joy for him. The spirit of unselfish love that reigns there – ever heart responding to the heart of Infinite Love – would touch no answering chord in his soul. his thoughts, his interests, his motives, would be alien to those that actuate the sinless dwellers there. He would be a discordant note in the melody of heaven. Heaven would be to him a place of torture; he would long to be hidden from Him who is its light, and the center of its joy. It is no arbitrary decree on the part of God that excludes the wicked from heaven; they are shut out by their own unfitness for its companionship. The glory of God would be to them a consuming fire. They would welcome destruction, that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them – Steps to Christ (Sinners need of Christ)

James referred me to this. I don’t usually read Utmost, but this is fantastic, I must say.

- Also, I went back and read old posts. I am quite embarrassed of them… I sound ridiculous and incoherent. I wonder if I’ll look back at this time and say the same thing. I went back and looked at Andrews first posts. Very intriguing and interesting and encouraging and affirming. Andrew, go look at them. I think you’ll chuckle. It’s crazy to see how God has worked in your life. I’m gonna go creep on everyone else’s now too.

Take no thought for your life. — Matthew 6:25

My soul is thrilled. It never gets old.

YEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20197014/Morris%20Venden%20-%20The%20devils%20favorite%20text.mp3

Thanks Christine for posting this.

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

2 Timothy 2:13

I like to be especially honest around Tatiana. On the rare occasion that we find time to talk, I find it especially easy to talk about what’s really going on inside. As I was struggling with God today, I realized why.

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Prayer begins with an appreciation of who God is, just like the general Christian experience.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray, and the first words in the prayer were, “Our Father who is in Heaven.”

I’ve preached this a couple times and it’s a favorite message of mine. But it wasn’t till today that I truly am internalizing and putting to practical use that message.

When we pray, we begin with “Our Father.”

Here is the announcement of that wonderful truth, so full of encouragement and comfort, that God loves us as He loves His Son… The very first step in prayer is to know and believe the love that He has to us; for it is through the drawing of His love that we are led to come to Him…

The infinite God, said Jesus, makes it your privilege to approach Him by the name of Father. Understand all that this implies. No earthly parent ever pleaded so earnestly with an erring child as He who made you pleads with the transgressor. No human, loving interest ever followed the impenitent with such tender invitations. God dwells in every abode; He hears every word that is spoken, listens to every prayer offered, tastes the sorrow and disappointment of every soul, regards the treatment that is given to the father, mother, sister, friend, and neighbor. He cares for our necessities, and His mercy and love are continually flowing to satisfy our need.

MOB – Beautiful words

We have unrestricted access to God the Father. We have an audience chamber with the Almighty God who listens to every word.

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Now I have struggled to pray in my short Christian experience. Today I tried again, and I realized why. It’s because I’ve never internalized this message.

It is easy for me to talk to Tatiana and be open and this is why.

I know and believe that she listens. I know others listen too, but Tati is especially gifted in this. I think perhaps a spiritual gift. When I speak, I speak because I know she is striving to really understand and empathize rather than just hear. I know she’s really listening. I know you guys know what I’m talking about because you know her as well.

I do not pray, or rather I find it difficult to pray when I don’t believe that someone is on the other side listening. Who likes to talk to a wall? Who likes to talk to someone who’s not really listening.

But when you know the receiving end is listening intently. How easy then is it to speak. To tell of what burdens your heart.

When hard times come, I immediately go to James and Andrew rather than pray. I just thought, maybe I’m not the praying type. But rather it was because I believed that they listened more than God listened. Perhaps because of my upbringing, a Father who never showed up, who couldn’t care less about what I had to say, or perhaps just simply the deceit of a deceiver. I felt my thoughts shoot upwards and hit the ceiling and bounce right back down. At least Andrew grunts in sympathy and James attempts words of affirmation. (For which I am very grateful for both)

Prayer becomes powerful; natural; when we believe that He listens. The words are beautiful. “He hears every word.”

Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend.

The first step in prayer is an appreciation of the character of God. That He is Your Father as He was to Jesus and He listens to every word.

We can speak, knowing that He’s listening.

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This message is one that I preached at Camp meeting and even a devotional at KASA. Twice now I’ve said it. I really believe that God gave it to me during CM this summer to share with others. I don’t know why, but it flowed out so naturally at the time. But it took me this long to apply it in my personal experience. From this point forward, I resolve to apply personally the truths which I learn. I am so easily fascinated and excited and impassioned by truth, but often it ends there. But it is useless if it ends there. I must place the truths practically and realistically into my life. The danger of idealism is that I wallow in ever moving forward to know more, but the ones that I find I fail to assimilate.

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Read it again. It’s powerful.

Here is the announcement of that wonderful truth, so full of encouragement and comfort, that God loves us as He loves His Son… The very first step in prayer is to know and believe the love that He has to us; for it is through the drawing of His love that we are led to come to Him…

The infinite God, said Jesus, makes it your privilege to approach Him by the name of Father. Understand all that this implies. No earthly parent ever pleaded so earnestly with an erring child as He who made you pleads with the transgressor. No human, loving interest ever followed the impenitent with such tender invitations. God dwells in every abode; He hears every word that is spoken, listens to every prayer offered, tastes the sorrow and disappointment of every soul, regards the treatment that is given to the father, mother, sister, friend, and neighbor. He cares for our necessities, and His mercy and love are continually flowing to satisfy our need.

MOB

 

Not because we first loved Him did Christ love us; but “while we were still yet sinners” He died for us. He does not treat us according to our desert. Although our sins have merited condemnation, He does not condemn us. Year after year He has borne with our weakness and ignorance, with our ingratitude and waywardness. Notwithstanding our wanderings, our hardness of heart, our neglect of His Holy Word, His hand is stretched out still.

Grace is an attribute of God exercised toward undeserving human beings. We did not seek for it, but it was sent in search of us. God rejoices to bestow His grace upon us, not because we are worthy, but because we are so utterly unworthy. Our only claim to His mercy is our great need.

MH

Forgiveness by the worlds standard is forgiving someone who has wronged you when they ask for it.

There is no such condition required by the Bible.

I am to forgive, regardless of whether they want it or not. As a matter of  fact, how many people do you know who have the humility to ask for forgiveness over an issue. Usually they are too proud.

We are to take the initiative, even when we are the one who was wronged. We are to forgive. This is genuine love.

Because He did it for us. Gave us forgiveness though we did not ask. He does not hold it against us.

I do not naturally possess such love. I find no such radical forgiveness in my heart. Perhaps because I don’t believe in His radical forgiveness enough.

Throughout the parable of the sower, Christ represents the different results of the sowing as depending upon the soil. In every case the sower and the seed are the same. Thus He teaches that if the word of God fails of accomplishing its work in our hearts and lives, the reason is to be found in ourselves. But the result is not beyond our control. True, we cannot change ourselves; but the power of choice is ours, and it rests with us to determine what we will become. The wayside, the stony-ground, the thorny ground hearers need not remain such. 

COL

There are very many who claim to serve God, but who have no experimental knowledge of Him. Their desire to do His will is based upon their own inclination, not upon the deep conviction of the Holy Spirit. Their conduct is not brought into harmony with the law of God. They profess to accept Christ as their Saviour, but they do not believe that He will give them power to overcome their sins. They have not a personal relation with a living Saviour, and their characters reveal defects both hereditary and cultivated.

It is one thing to assent in a general way to the agency of the Holy Spirit, and another thing to accept His work as a reprover calling to repentance. Many feel a sense of estrangement from God, a realization of their bondage to self and sin; they make efforts to reform; but they do not crucify self. They do not give themselves entirely into the hands of Christ, seeking for divine power to do His will. They are not willing to be molded after the divine similitude. In a general way they acknowledge their imperfections, but they do not give up their particular sins. With each wrong act the old selfish nature is gaining strength.

The only hope for these souls is to realize in themselves the truth of Christ’s words to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again. Except a man be born from above, he can not see the kingdom of God.

True holiness is wholeness in the service of God. This is the condition of true Christian living. Christ asks for an unreserved consecration, for undivided service. He demands the heart, the mind, the soul, the strength. Self is not to be cherished. He who lives to himself is not a Christian.

Love must be the principle of action. Love is the underlying principle of God’s government in heaven and earth, and it must be the foundation of the Christian’s character. This alone can make and keep him steadfast. This alone can enable him to withstand trial and temptation.

And love will be revealed in sacrifice. The plan of redemption was laid in sacrifice – a sacrifice so broad and deep and high that it is immeasurable. Christ gave all for us, and those who receive Christ will be ready to sacrifice all for the sake of their Redeemer. The thought of His honor and glory will come before anything else.

IF we love Jesus, we shall love to live for Him, to present our thank offerings to Him, to labor for Him. The very labor will be light. For His sake we shall covet pain and toil and sacrifice. We shall sympathize with his longing for the salvation of men. We shall feel the same tender craving for souls that He has felt.

This is the religion of Christ. Anything short of it is a deception. No mere theory of truth or profession of discipleship will save any soul. We do not belong to Christ unless we are His wholly. It is by halfheartedness in the Christian life that men become feeble in purpose and changeable in desire. The effort to serve both self and Christ makes one a stony-ground hearer, and he will not endure when the test comes upon him.

This is me. Hands down through and through. Lord have mercy. What is this foreign experience in which one would covet pain, toil and sacrifice? Because for me now, it is a drudgery at times. The second paragraph just speaks like a dagger into my soul.

“We love because He first loved us.”

Love is awakened by love. Awaken my love. Show me Yours.

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the one true God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”