by Barbara Latta
The heat of the
backyard fire surrounded me like a cozy blanket. Gray smoke curled toward the sky
and drifted into the pine trees. Chilled air was pushed aside as logs popped
and crackled creating the scent of burning oak. Give me a marshmallow and a hot
dog, please.
I watched the orange
flames blaze with light and was reminded of the verse in Hebrews that says, For our God is a consuming fire (12:29
NKJV).
What does that
mean?
The logs in front of me burned
down to ash.
I thought about
Jesus on the cross being burned in the fire of God’s wrath.
All the sin of
the world, past, present and future was laid upon His body.
God sent the
fire of judgment to burn up that sin.
God’s fire consumed sin. It turned to ash at the cross.
While we are
still on this earth, we still commit sin, but the punishment for it has been
done. The power of sin is ash.
Our forgiveness
is complete because Jesus endured the fire.
God’s fire consumes us with power when we welcome the Holy Spirit into
our lives.
After Jesus
ascended to heaven, God sent another kind of fire to the earth – the Holy
Spirit. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance,
but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy
to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is
in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor and gather
His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matthew
3:11-12).
Then there appeared to them divided
tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them (Acts 2:3).
God’s fire consumes the motives of all
our works. Each one’s work will become clear; for the
Day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test
each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it
endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer
loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire (1 Corinthians
3: 13-15).
The fire of
judgment day is in the future. All those who did not accept the payment Jesus
made when His body was consumed in the fire of God, will be burned in eternal
fire. That will be a sad day.
The payment has
been made, but many will not accept it.
Our God is a
consuming fire. He burned our sin at the
cross, He burns up our dead works to purify our motives and minds, and He burns
within us with power. And His fire will judge those who reject Him.
Satan will feel
that fire of judgment, too. Eternal damnation for the one who caused all the pain and destruction on earth since the Garden of Eden. He will be consumed with eternal
misery. And I'm glad.
What kind of
fire do you want in your life? God’s love can burn within your heart if you
accept His sacrifice and join His family.
Join the
conversation and share your thoughts.
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