There was a fiery old revival preacher named Peter Cartwright ...... who was famous .... for telling it .... like it is.
He was preaching near Washington D.C. ... And the people of the church ....... heard that President Andrew Jackson was coming to visit them.
So, they pulled Cartwright aside and said: .... "Listen Peter, ... the President is going to be here on Sunday ... and we know ... that sometimes ... you can get kind of offensive, ... so would you tone it down.
We don't want to upset ... the President."
So, Peter got up in the pulpit ... the next Sunday ...and his first three sentences ... were these:
"I understand that the President of the United States, Andrew Jackson ...... is with us ... this morning.
I have been asked ... to be guarded ....in my remarks. (Pause)
Andrew Jackson ...... will go to Hell ... if he doesn't repent."
The church was appalled, ... but when worship was over ...... President Jackson ... grabbed Cartwright's hand, ... shook it ... and said, ...... "Sir, ...... if I had an army of men like you ...... I could whip the world." (Long Pause)
John the Baptizer proclaims (Pick up Bible):
BIBLE "11 I baptize you with water ... for 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." End (Matthew 3:11 Mark 1:8)
It has been said, ...... That Change is not merely ... necessary to life, ...... Change .... is Life.
Change will happen weather we want it too or not.
Change is ... Life!
And a consuming Fire ...... truly brings about .... change. (Pause)
Now ...... in the firefighting community, ... there is a phrase that is used ...to express a critical moment ......... in the beginning stage ... of a fire.
It is when the temperature gets to a certain level ... to which everything combustible in a room ... spontaneously bursts into flames, ...... spreading the fire immediately ... and ... in-stan-tan-e-ous-ly.
This event is called ... the "Flash Point".
It is the point ... at which everything that can burn ... will burn. (Pause)
The Scriptures tell us ...that burning is a good thing.
That is ....... when it comes .... to the kingdom of God.
Jesus said, "I came to send fire on the earth, ... and how I wish it were already kindled!" (Luke 12:49).
Jesus came to send fire ... Jesus is a ... consuming fire ... a spiritual ... flamethrower!
The writer of Hebrews proclaims: ...... (Slow) "Our God ...... is a ... consuming fire!" (Hebrews. 12:29).
When a home catches on fire, ... the fire at first is grasping for .... for something ... that it can burn.
Most of the material in the house ... becomes fuel for the fire.
But there comes a point ... when the fire has affected the overall temperature of the entire house ... where the fire has brought it ... to the flash point.
To the point ...where something powerful .... is about to happen. (Long Pause)
Someone asked Jean Cocteau, ... the French writer, artist, and film director, ... what one thing he would take ...if his house ... were on fire.
His reply was absolutely astounding.
He said, ".... I would take the Fire."
Now, ... in one sense, ...... Cocteau's answer seems to be an obvious, ... almost practical ... solution.
If you take the fire from a burning house, ......then the home .... will no longer burn.
But I am convinced ... he meant it .... in another way.
As a writer and an artist, ...... he knew that fire was passion...... and passion ... is an indispensable ingredient ... in our creative process.
And if he could have one thing, ...he would choose fire .... He would choose Passion .... every time.
And ... Passion ....... that fire in the belly ....... Should be the catalyst ... of every believer.
And the level of Passion for God ... can be seen ... through the temperature ... of the fire.
It is the fire of passion .... that changes a life.
And a passionate life ...... can absolutely change and affect .... those ... that we each encounter!
It seems to me ... that Fire, ......that passion ...starts in our individual commitment to Christ...
Which in turn affects the family ... and in turn.... affects all those ... that we encounter.
Your Passion for God .... is what calls you ....to be open to ...... a complete ... and thorough cleansing.
To be a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Beloved ... If you follow your passion for God, ... it will take you to a spiritual flash point, ...... and at that point
And ... you will ... ignite.
Now, ... if you desire a watered-down gospel, ... then you will ... fizzle.
But if you seek the same fire ... that John the Baptist was preaching about, ... then you must be willing to catch on fire.
To catch fire .... and burn. (Pause)
So... When did this fire start?
When did this fire begin?
When did this body called the Church ... ignite?
Was it explosive?
Or was it quiet .... laid back, ... as many of the western churches have become today.
Let me stop and say, ... it is a package deal, ... you cannot have the Holy Spirit inside of you .... and not have fire.
For: "Our God ... is what?
He is ... a consuming fire!"
Are you letting the Holy Spirit consume you ... Are you letting the Holy Spirit ... transform you?
Does the word of God, ... Does Worship ... bring you into his presence?
It can be and it should be a fire ... a passion that consumes you.
If not .... then you need to let God rekindled your first Love for him .... and allow that fire in your belly ... to begin to ... consume you.
Or maybe, ... you are right where the apostles were on that great feast day ... the day of Pentecost.
There were 120 gathered together that day ...... in the Home of the Mother ... of the Gospel writer... John Mark.
There were many differences between those 120 on that day, ......but there was one thing ... that they all had in common.
They had an ... Expectancy
And the wonderful thing is .... they did not even know ... what to expect.
And Personally, ... I think waiting expectantly without knowing what to expect ... is the best way.
It is such a blessing ... to see the Holy Spirit at work ...... touching someone ...... un-expectedly.
To know that the Spirit is moving ... and being expectant that something will happen.
Yet not knowing what will happen next.
In fact, The Spirit is moving in this room at this very moment.
That is what happens when we gather together in worship.
If you will let God's Word ......be the Fuel ... to your passionate Fire, ....... (Slow) ... You will ignite.
It is not the preacher preaching his or her best ... that will set this house of the Lord ... on fire,
It is not the even the music ... or the musicians doing their best ... that will set this house of the Lord... on Fire.
It is when the people of God ... let it begin to happen ... and expect it to happen.
And when you expect something, ...... you will have a passion ... until it arrives. REPEAT
Beloved ... Have an expectancy in your heart ....... have your spiritual eyes ready ... for the all-consuming fire ... of God.
Create an atmosphere in your study, ...... Create an atmosphere in your prayer ... in your worship ... and in your praise ...... that will make you combustible.
It is about the substance of Your heart. REPEAT
Do not water down your heart.... Do not water down Your life ...... prepare your heart ... for the fire.
A Blaze that cannot be quenched.
A blaze that is absolutely .... un-quench-able.
Be prepared; be ready for the Holy Spirit to lead you.
Let the Lord of the Universe ... fill you with his presence ... Fill you to overflowing.
Be prepared to experience ... a Flash Point ... in your life.
(Slow) As long as you are you, ...... as long as you hold back ...... as long as you demand to be in charge of your life.
You will never be combustible ... and will never experience a spiritual flash point. (Long Pause)
In a little town ... there was a small church.
One-night ... smoke and flames ... consumed this little church.
People from all over town ... stood in the streets .... and watched the church .... as it burned.
The local preacher drove up ... and noticed several people ... that he had not seen ...... in some time.
Walking up to one man ... he asked... "Where have you been, I haven't seen you around here ... in a while".
The man responded, "That's because I've never seen this church on fire!" (Long Pause)
God ignites individuals, ... which in turn ... ignite the Church.
The disciples were set on fire individually, ... and then there was ... a church on fire!
What happened on that day?
The Scriptures tell us that the disciples, .... were waiting ... for the Spirit to come.
They had an expectancy ... yet did not know what to exactly expect.
They knew that something ...... was going to happen.
They were creating an atmosphere ...... for spontaneous Combustion.
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come; .... they were all ... with one accord ... And in one place.
And Suddenly .... There came a sound ... as of a rushing mighty wind ...... and it filled the whole house ...... where they were meeting. (Pause)
Don't you yearn ... to hear that same sound!
There was no quenching the Spirit ... on that day.
They were ready to burn.
(Slow) And they were not disappointed.
There appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, ... and we are told the fire sat ... upon each of them,
People were literally burning ... with so much passion, that their souls caught on fire; ...... Holy Spirit Fire!
Beloved .... I know that you love Jesus.
I know that you want to follow him.
And Maybe the scriptures speak to your life ... with these words BIBLE "I have this against you, that you have left your first love." END (Revelation 2:4)
Perhaps your passion for God ... and for your neighbor has been suppressed ....by things .... of the world.
If you have left your first love... if you have lost your passion for God, ... Turn Back ... Come Back!
Recover your early love ... that first love .... That you had for Jesus.
God knows your heart ... God knows that you desire that passion .......... to be ignited ... in your life.
Be of Good Cheer ... for God shares ... this promise, "Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)
The Anglican Priest John Wesley ... and The founder of Methodism ... was once asked the secret ... of his ministry.
He said, "I ask God to set me on fire ... and let people watch me burn."
My prayer for your life ... and for mine... is to be filled with Gods Holy fire.
To Let it burn ...... to let it ignite us ... with a passionate fire ... for his kingdom.
And let that passionate fire ... permeate your very being.
O' Beloved, may his all-consuming fire ignite within you so that you burn brightly,
So brightly ... that the whole world ... may see.
Amen!
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