1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (NIV) Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire...Above we see God's recipe for a life of passion for God. Choosing a joyful attitude, praying at every chance, and being thankful no matter what. This is what keeps the fire burning for God. Choosing to have a bad attitude (and my attitude is a choice) quenches fire as quickly as anything.
Any fire has to have oxygen to burn. No oxygen-no fire. Prayer is oxygen for the follower of Christ. If you want to fan the flame, pray. Devote yourself to prayer and passion returns. God's Spirit will fill you as you pray and ignite your spirit.
A lack of gratitude will also douse the flames in your life as well. Unthankful people are a drag and they drag others down as well. Limit your exposure to them or they will be like a wet blanket on your spirit. Thank God for everything-everything! Thanksgiving brings passion and renewed perspective. Try it and see if you don't get fired up.
Don't forget to join us for Wednesday Night Live every Wednesday @ 6:30 pm for prayer & fasting. Start fasting on Tuesday Evening and we will share a meal Wednesday night.
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All I know is, if I fix my eyes (focus) on Jesus, He renews me and keeps the flame burning. As soon as I take my eyes (focus) off of Jesus and onto anything else, the church, people, circumstances, etc. the fire tends to go out quite rapidly. I don't know how or why it works this way, but if I want to keep burning for Jesus, I keep Him first in my life.
I am not very good at choosing joy, praying or being thankful unless I have looked into the mirror of His Word (the perfect law) and have been washed and cleansed by it. That's why I love His Word--Through it, He shows me where I have gotten off track. It confronts me with reality and with the things that I haven't even noticed (like an attitude problem). Then with the help of the Holy Spirit I can confess(and repent)and choose to make my life match what I see in the Word. Joy, Prayer and Thankfulness. With that I keep falling in love with Him and the flame within me keeps burning!
I think I put my own fire out, or better phrased I let others put my flame out. I allow the critics in my life measure my significance. WRONG! My prayer for today is that the church as a whole would find their significance and worth in who God has made us to be and who Jesus lets us be through his sacrafice.
Also, I really enjoyed that visual with the iron in the fire. In the beginning the iron is in the fire and by continuous exposure to the fire the fire is in the iron. I want this consuming fire (Holy Spirit) to be in me.
I just came home and read today's devotion about being thankful. Ironically I just came back from giving away a blessing to bless someone else. I have been blessed with a wonderful and healthy family. So, I went today and cut off a foot of my hair to bless a sick child. Blessing someone else is an intense accelerant for the Holy Spirit's fire!
My hair was in need of a good trim so I chose to take it a little further so that I can bring a smile to a family. Every single day I cannot thank God enough for everything that I have. Even on days when our house is tense and were all moody; I thank God for having my family to fight with and not being alone.
When I am not wanting to clean my messy house; I thank God for having a house to clean.
When I don't feel like cooking another meal for my troop; I thank God for having food to prepare.
When I have to pick up another broken item; I thank God my kids are healthy enough to run WILD.
Needless to say I do my best to focus on the positive and not the negative. It takes a little extra effort now and then but I end my days with a thankful, happy heart and a smile on my face. Mahalo God!!
With Aloha, Lani Hinkes
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