Lord, create in me... a holy hunger for You and fan it each day like a fire, Till I'm totally dissatisfied with the things of this earth and Your glory is my utmost desire.

Let me seek Your face, Your honor and wisdom till my soul is consumed by your flame. Let me inhale your Presence... wanting more every breath so I'll exhale the truth of your name.

May I wake every day with a renewing of passion and not be content with what You did in the past. For Your glory is more than a trophy to hold in the hope that its memory will last.

Lord, fill me with joy... inexpressible joy from the depths of Your heart's flowing treasures. For I've found true happiness isn't held in my hands but in the spiritual I cannot measure.

Pour yourself out to me... like only You can and I will grow wanting more of Your glory, Manifested to me through the Word in my life and written into my life story.

Let me die to myself and my selfish desires so that righteousness overflows from within. Till You're the last thought I have at the close of each day and the first thought as each new day begins. Amen  

© 2004 Sheila Gosney

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  Galatians 2:20 NKJV

Let The Fire Fall

          In the Bible, fire is used a number of times to de- scribe the power of Almighty God. It is used too, in the old testament in offering sacrifices to God. Noah built an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings to the Lord when they were finally able to come out of the ark and when God smelled the sweet savor of the sacrifice He said in His heart that He would not again curse the ground for man's sake and He made a covenant with Noah that He would never again destroy the earth with floods. Gen. Chapters 8-9.

          Fire was also used to show forth the mighty power of God. When Moses was trying to get Pharoah to release the Israelites and let them leave the land of Egypt and Pharoah refused, God sent plagues upon Egypt. When Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven, God sent thunder and hail and fire. Exo. 9:23

         Fire from God also showed His approval. In Lev. 9:24 And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat....

          Fire was also used figuratively to show God's protec- tion as well as to show His vegeance. Zech. 2:5 and in Heb. 12:29.

          Fire was used to describe the time of Christ's coming. Mal.3:2  But who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like Fullers' soap.

          Then on the day of Pentecost, Acts. 2:3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. Verse 4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Fire was also used to signify purification. Isa.6: 6-7. In Isaiah's vision.

          Again in Mat. 25:41  Then shall He say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlast- ing fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. He is refering to the fires of hell where those who have refused to believe on Him will be cast into along with satan.

          We who are God's children need to pray and seek for the fire of His Holy Ghost to fall upon us if we are to be strong and stand firm in our belief in Him. And if we want to see our unsaved loved ones and those who are lost come to Him then we need to pray continually for the fire of revival to fall all across this land and also throughout the whole earth.

           Praise God for the fire of His righteousness! Pray God, let it fall on us! Amen?........

                               A Heart for God                                (c) Helen Johnson  

Let The Fires Burn

Lord let your fires of revival   sweep all across this land; Bringing in the lost and dying   that your Kingdom will expand.   May your Spirit move within us   that we'll obey your command; That's when we'll see the fire fall   sent by your own hand!   Let your light shine through us   and light the path to you; That men will give their hearts to   you and be made whole and new!   Let your love and compassion be   felt within our heart and soul, That we'll help them to be ready   on that day you call your roll!          

A Heart for God (c) Helen Johnson

C. H. Spurgeon ~ Nearness to Christ

C. H. Spurgeon

 "The branch cannot bear fruit of itself."
--John 15:4

How did you begin to bear fruit?

It was when you came to Jesus and cast yourselves on His great atonement, and rested on His finished righteousness.

Ah! what fruit you had then!

Do you remember those early days?

Then indeed the vine flourished, the tender grape appeared, the pomegranates budded forth, and the beds of spices gave forth their smell.

Have you declined since then?

If you have, we charge you to remember that time of love, and repent, and do thy first works.

Be most in those engagements which you have experimentally proved to draw you nearest to Christ, because it is from Him that all your fruits proceed.

Any holy exercise which will bring you to Him will help you to bear fruit.

The sun is, no doubt, a great worker in fruit-creating among the trees of the orchard: and Jesus is still more so among the trees of His garden of grace.

When have you been the most fruitless?

Has not it been when you have lived farthest from the Lord Jesus Christ, when you have slackened in prayer, when you have departed from the simplicity of your faith, when your graces have engrossed your attention instead of your Lord, when you have said, "My mountain standeth firm, I shall never be moved"; and have forgotten where your strength dwells--has not it been then that your fruit has ceased?

Some of us have been taught that we have nothing out of Christ, by terrible abasements of heart before the Lord; and when we have seen the utter barrenness and death of all creature power, we have cried in anguish, "From Him all my fruit must be found, for no fruit can ever come from me."

We are taught, by past experience, that the more simply we depend upon the grace of God in Christ, and wait upon the Holy Spirit, the more we shall bring forth fruit unto God.

Oh! to trust Jesus for fruit as well as for life.

HOLINESS AND HUMILITY  

Someone asked a minister if he had received a second blessing since he was converted.  "What do you mean"  "I have received ten thousand since the first".    Many think because they have been Holy once, they are going to be Holy for all time thereafter.  But, O my friends, we are leaky vessels and have to be kept full.  If we are going to be used by God, we must be very humble.  Humility and Holiness go together.  A man that lives close to God will be the humblest of men.  Let us keep near Him and humble ourselves to Him DWIGHT L MOODY   HOLY LIVING   You called me to be a Christian.  I know you want me to reflect You in all I say and do.  You remind me to live a Holy life, pure and pleasing to You.  It is so easy to be pulled into "little sins" of the world.  You give me strength to run from even the slightest appearance of evil.    Lord I am nailing my natural sinful nature to the Cross.  When my faults, bad habits, and/or temptations creep in I take them back to You, where they are destroyed by Your power and might.  I give You the glory for all.  I want to live even a Holier life for You.  I give you my total self and life to You...my all.   Your presence is cleansing to my spirit and soul.    Thank you Lord for helping me along my way here on this earth.   (c) Shirley Updike April 28, 2004

Light The Fire Again