Listening Session

8/04/2024

 

 

His Grace Is Being Given To Us.      We Are To Share Our Testimony Of What God Has Done And Is Doing In Our Lives.

 

Put On The Full Armor:

10Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. 11Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. 12For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.     (Eph. 6:  10-12)

 

*   I long to be with you intimately.     Receive Me.

 

An Understanding Of Fire In The Kingdom Of God:   

I recently attended a conference where the theme was how we are to be on fire for God and how we are to set the world on fire for Jesus.    It was brought out in the Gospel of Luke where Jesus told his apostles,   49  I have come to set the world on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!    (Luke 12:   49)  

 

We often read in scripture where there is fire in the presence of God.     In one situation it may be a fiery throne he is seated on or at other times the areas around him or even his visual presence may have areas of flaming fire coming from him.     Even on Pentecost we read where the Holy Spirit descended upon those in the upper room as tongues of fire and then indwelled in each of them.   

 

I have often been led to believe the fire in these incidences of God’s presence represents a fire of love for us.     Where this explanation certainly seems to be appropriate I have been confused with what fire also represents in many other places in scripture.     The Fires Of Hell are also mentioned as a severe punishment for those who turn away from God and especially for those who cause others to turn away.      Jesus himself was quoted in the Gospel of Mathew,  41 The son of man will send his angles, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. 42They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.    (Mathew 13:  41-42)

 

Obviously these two ways the use of fire is used in God’s kingdom seem to contradict each other.     Where the use of fire as a form of severe and eternal punishment is an easy thing to understand, I was strongly questioning why in scripture we read where fire is seen around God or even sometimes coming from him.      I was contemplating what fire in the kingdom of God is supposed to represent and asking the Holy Spirit for understanding of what appeared to me to be a strong contradiction.      After several days while periodically reflecting on this situation, suddenly the word “Justice” came into my mind.     I immediately went to my dictionary and looked up the meaning for the word Justice.      I found there were several different meanings for this word.     Four of the meanings I read for the word Justice are,   1). Righteous.   2). Complete fairness.    3). Sound reasoning.     4). A reward or penalty as deserved.

 

It Appears The Holy Spirit Did It Again:      This word “Justice, given to me, seems to explain everything about what scripture says about the different uses of fire in the kingdom of God.

 

 

How Great Is Our God:  -  (A Song Of Praise.)

The splendor of a king.

Clothed in majesty,

Let all the earth rejoice,

Let all the earth rejoice.

 

Jesus wraps himself in light

and darkness tries to hide

And trembles at his voice

And trembles at his voice.

 

How great is our God.

Sing with me.

How great is our God.

And all will see,

How great, how great is our God.

 

 

When We Know Our Identity In Christ:

16To proclaim: the Lord is Just; my rock, in whom there is no wrong.     (Psalm 92:  16)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Note To Everyone Reading This Page:

Anyone needing to be prayed over for physical, emotional or spiritual needs are welcome to come to our prayer meetings each Sunday at 3:15 pm in the Clunan Center, at St. Louis Parish, to request healing prayer for themselves, a family member, or a friend.