March 26, 2017
There’s truly nothing like the atmosphere of a campfire with people who are gathered together for an occasion. As the wood crackles under the authority of the glowing fire and the cool summer breeze washes over your face; each participant seems temporarily immune towards life’s difficulties. There’s something so seductive about the flames that tango dance to and from. Becoming lost in the moment, the world seems to fade away and your heart feels safe. The collaborative twirl of the orange and yellow flames puts you in a trance-like ease. For the rare moment in which your gaze abandons the fire and meets the eyes of another; the unspoken agreement that this moment is nearly spiritual is agreed-upon.
and then comes the memories…
They begin to permeate throughout your mind, simultaneously making impressions upon your heart as the fire dances to and from. Joyful and sorrowful memories both make their opening remarks in this moment. Competing for your affections, memories claw over each other like crabs avoiding the boiling water of a cooking pot. Irrespective of rather the joyful or sorrowful memory advances to first place, the security and tranquility of the moment doesn’t lose its footing. What cannot be argued – what the fire eloquently symbolizes – what nature all around declares, is that you’re alive. In that moment, we feel SO ALIVE.
remembering our fire…
Remember when your fire (or affections) first vivaciously glowed with the knowledge, belief, decision, and relationship with the God of the Bible? Was there not something so peculiar yet noticeably radiant about your new life in the Lord? Just as campfires create unique spaces for memories of both joy and sorrow to surface without relinquishing the atmosphere of great peace…rooted in the crackling sounds of the fire and surrounding wilderness, your new relationship with the Lord similarly illuminated what was both good and bad within your life without relinquishing the atmosphere of great peace. And this peace was rooted in hope. Hope for the circumstances of your life. Hope that came from this new salvation-enriched fire that produced new salvation-enriched affections for Christ that whispered to your heart,
“everything is going to be OK and you are finally ALIVE.”
Somehow, the Lord allowed this new relationship you had with Him to swell in – through– and beyond your present circumstances. The results were so gratifying… so completely satisfying it was almost inconceivable. Our spiritual flames burned so vibrantly as we began our trek through the arduous journey of a life submitted to Jesus. Do you remember? As we became awakened to the depths of our incalculable degrees of personal sins… The reality of just how broken we actually were; The truth of God’s blood bought sacrifice of his son overwhelmed our hearts with joy. But the keyword was began. We began this way. Why is that? What made our flames so radiant?
Can’t you see? So much of what fueled our initial flame was our desperate need to be healed and validated by our empathetic, creatively gracious Lord, Jesus. As the Holy Spirit carefully performed emotional, spiritual, and sometimes physical surgery upon our lives, we were driven and fueled by how merciful He had been to us… in such a personal way. We considered our lives apart from Jesus; shuttering at the mere thought, we were fueled into flame by the knowledge that Jesus was specifically and especially interceding on our personal behalf. Therefore, our affections were growing. Our affections were growing towards Jesus as we realized just how blessed we truly had become. As new Bible Believing Christians, our senses became temporarily heightened at what life could also be like apart from God. We noticed old friends or relatives who continued to walk counter-directionally from Jesus. Watching their lives crumble into shambles; we were reminded that the anchor we had was invaluable; thus we were further fanned into flamed. As we watched our own goals, desires, and affections transform; we were increasingly fanned into flame. The fuel of God’s personal Lordship over our lives was having its effect.
Do you remember? Remember when you made so many new friendships with like-minded individuals? Didn’t it seem as though these friends were able to finish your sentences while in mid-conversation? There was a deep connection… an otherworldly connection with this newly found family in Christ and somehow your flames increased into greater degrees of brilliance. Was this not a season filled with high expectations and hopeful dreams? After all, you were being personally loved and cared for through intimate means that had not been known to you prior to your Decision in Christ. “If God did this for me already, surely the future ahead looks bright,” we enthusiastically told ourselves.
You see, this is why we love campfires so deeply and desire them to never-ever terminate. They bring life, peace, warmth, community, and a silent presence of both power and security. Similarly, the fire of our purpose-driven life in Christ provides holy living, Christian-peace, heavenly-warmth, like-minded community, and the silent confidence that God is with us. And like the campfire, we want our first flames in Christ to self-sustain forever. But there is no fire that glows forever without being replenished. Even the largest campfires come to their end. Without proper refueling, all flaming-wood eventually turns into embers.
Can’t you see? So much of what fueled our initial flame was our desperate need to be healed and validated by our empathetic, creatively gracious Lord, Jesus. As the Holy Spirit carefully performed emotional, spiritual, and sometimes physical surgery upon our lives, we were driven and fueled by how merciful He had been to us… in such a personal way. We considered our lives apart from Jesus; shuttering at the mere thought, we were fueled into flame by the knowledge that Jesus was specifically and especially interceding on our personal behalf. Therefore, our affections were growing. Our affections were growing towards Jesus as we realized just how blessed we truly had become. As new Bible Believing Christians, our senses became temporarily heightened at what life could also be like apart from God. We noticed old friends or relatives who continued to walk counter-directionally from Jesus. Watching their lives crumble into shambles; we were reminded that the anchor we had was invaluable; thus we were further fanned into flamed. As we watched our own goals, desires, and affections transform; we were increasingly fanned into flame. The fuel of God’s personal Lordship over our lives was having its effect.
Do you remember? Remember when you made so many new friendships with like-minded individuals? Didn’t it seem as though these friends were able to finish your sentences while in mid-conversation? There was a deep connection… an otherworldly connection with this newly found family in Christ and somehow your flames increased into greater degrees of brilliance. Was this not a season filled with high expectations and hopeful dreams? After all, you were being personally loved and cared for through intimate means that had not been known to you prior to your Decision in Christ. “If God did this for me already, surely the future ahead looks bright,” we enthusiastically told ourselves.
You see, this is why we love campfires so deeply and desire them to never-ever terminate. They bring life, peace, warmth, community, and a silent presence of both power and security. Similarly, the fire of our purpose-driven life in Christ provides holy living, Christian-peace, heavenly-warmth, like-minded community, and the silent confidence that God is with us. And like the campfire, we want our first flames in Christ to self-sustain forever. But there is no fire that glows forever without being replenished. Even the largest campfires come to their end. Without proper refueling, all flaming-wood eventually turns into embers.
Flames Into Embers
There is no wood left to cast into the fire. The allotment taken for the campfire has been depleted, and the fire begins to diminish moment by moment. Before realizing it, you are left with a sizable pile of embers rather than the inferno like flames you began with.
Embers are the small pieces of wood left in a dying fire. They are extremely hot and glow within the night. They’re usually small and fade quickly. The leftover embers reflect what the campfire once was but now isn’t. When a campfire is left with embers, it symbolizes the end of the flame, thus the fire loses its power.
Sure, the embers provide some warmth and light in the darkness; but they are a far cry from the heat filled blaze you began with. What once delivered life, peace, warmth, community, and a silent presence of both power and security; now reminds you of how dark, cold, and small you truly are within the enormity of the surrounding environment. The smell of the smoke rising from the embers hints toward the fellowship you began with. But as the final embers lose their glow, one person followed by the next, walk away from the circle. Thus the moment you wish would never end has effectually terminated. What once was a dancing flame that sang I’m alive; has diminished into embers that mourn aloud I’m dying. It seems we too face seasons in our spiritual lives where our hearts… and our affections are relegated to leftover embers that stand in the place where vibrant flames once existed.
Yet this process is deceptively slow and almost imperceivable as our lives ensue in “real time.” Like the slow burn of fire upon the wood, our spiritual flames deplete slowly but surely. You know this is true. You see, our “first wood” was composed primarily of God’s decisive action TO SAVE our lives. The initial physical, emotional, and spiritual healing served as lighter fluid unleashed upon the flame of our heart. But lighter fluid was never created to sustain a fire; but rather to provide a charged stimulant to it’s beginning. Likewise, we must not mourn the loss of our proverbial lighter fluid boost that came by way of realizing the truth of our rescue. Don’t do that. Don’t yearn after a feeling that both was not intended to sustain us nor is representative of God’s best for us through Christ. Instead, we must mature with deeper-rooted understanding of how God intends for our fires to be sustained.
And that begins with acknowledging that what God did for us was never meant to terminate on us.
Embers are the small pieces of wood left in a dying fire. They are extremely hot and glow within the night. They’re usually small and fade quickly. The leftover embers reflect what the campfire once was but now isn’t. When a campfire is left with embers, it symbolizes the end of the flame, thus the fire loses its power.
Sure, the embers provide some warmth and light in the darkness; but they are a far cry from the heat filled blaze you began with. What once delivered life, peace, warmth, community, and a silent presence of both power and security; now reminds you of how dark, cold, and small you truly are within the enormity of the surrounding environment. The smell of the smoke rising from the embers hints toward the fellowship you began with. But as the final embers lose their glow, one person followed by the next, walk away from the circle. Thus the moment you wish would never end has effectually terminated. What once was a dancing flame that sang I’m alive; has diminished into embers that mourn aloud I’m dying. It seems we too face seasons in our spiritual lives where our hearts… and our affections are relegated to leftover embers that stand in the place where vibrant flames once existed.
Yet this process is deceptively slow and almost imperceivable as our lives ensue in “real time.” Like the slow burn of fire upon the wood, our spiritual flames deplete slowly but surely. You know this is true. You see, our “first wood” was composed primarily of God’s decisive action TO SAVE our lives. The initial physical, emotional, and spiritual healing served as lighter fluid unleashed upon the flame of our heart. But lighter fluid was never created to sustain a fire; but rather to provide a charged stimulant to it’s beginning. Likewise, we must not mourn the loss of our proverbial lighter fluid boost that came by way of realizing the truth of our rescue. Don’t do that. Don’t yearn after a feeling that both was not intended to sustain us nor is representative of God’s best for us through Christ. Instead, we must mature with deeper-rooted understanding of how God intends for our fires to be sustained.
And that begins with acknowledging that what God did for us was never meant to terminate on us.
Embers Back Into Flames
There’s only one way for a dying fire to glow radiantly once again. In order for the pile of embers to mature into sustainable flames, fresh wood must be reinforced into the fire. Attempting to reuse burnt wood will provide less than desirable results. And if you release lighter fluid on dying embers without fresh wood, you will witness a deceptive demonstration of a vibrant burst of flames; only to quickly fade. Is not this similar to what we feel? We either attend concerts and conferences yearning for cheap “lighter fluid” moments or we continue preaching to ourselves SOLELY about what God has done for us. Let me be clear. My aim is not to diminish the cross so as to presuppose that the blood-bought gift of salvation that leads to eternity is an incorrect fuel source; but rather, my aim IS to demonstrate that what salvation means to us personally… and solely, is a fragmented understanding of God’s plan for our lives in light of His purposes. It’s no wonder why you feel so exhausted as your heart only houses embers and smoke where a flaming fire and fresh wood should be!
Fresh and Sustainable Wood
All wood is not created equal. The quality of the wood and how it is placed together have huge implications regarding the quality of the fire. People who are familiar with camping know this to be true. This is why we don’t reuse burnt wood, for it has already served its purpose and does not burn well. Instead we must incorporate fresh and sustainable wood into the fire. This does not devalue the original wood, for it was the flame igniter that allowed the amazing campfire to exist. Be sure that you and I would do well to view our spiritual faculties in such a manner. You see, as we mature in our salvation-enriched lives; God intends for us to be invigorated by a new heart… overflowing with new affections… compelled by re-framed convictions. What God did for us personally does not relinquish its value; for it provides the necessary ignition to our Christian lives. But now it’s time to progress our personal gratitude, awestruck posture, and matured faith outwardly towards a new path trekked previously by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s time for fresh sustainable wood.
Pour Out and Flame Onward
You didn’t reach Jesus as a complete solo act. Whether you realize it or not, somewhere along your path to Christ, someone invited you… someone modeled before you… sacrificed for you… and demonstrated a peculiar type of love towards you that left a profound impact upon your life. Even if that someone wasn’t talking to you directly (perhaps they were speaking to a large crowd); it felt personal did it not? In fact, if you sit still enough … for long enough… distinct memories probably come to remembrance concerning how you came to Christ. And there was a “someone” involved in that story. Through God’s providence, someone poured out in order for you to be filled up which were the means by which Jesus ignited your fire to flame onward. But how have you “carried this torch” now as a mature disciple of Christ? Are you pouring out so another can be filled up? We…You must move beyond the very real temptation to marinate within a solely inward focused life in Christ. This always smothers fire and wood; resulting in a pile of leftover spiritual embers. Please know that Satan is very real and desires your life circumstances and daily troubles to completely engulf your earthly existence. His reward is seen within passionless Christians who are overwhelmed by worldly troubles. Instead, challenge yourself to pour out your life with reckless abandon. Allow this to be your fresh and sustainable spiritual wood to fan your spiritual embers back into flames. For when you pour your life out for others God will re-supply you with more fresh and sustainable wood than you could ever imagine.
If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.
Isaiah 58:10
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visit the website: MAKING MUCH OF CHRIST MINISTRIES
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visit the website: MAKING MUCH OF CHRIST MINISTRIES
To learn more about The God who’s ready to walk with you click HERE
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!
