IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING?
EXODUS 3:2/ "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto
him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was NOT CONSUMED." PRAYER
I. I’m sure that most of you will remember this setting of story from which my text scripture is taken.This is the account of "Moses and the burning bush"; a story that most of us remember learning as a child in Sunday School......
Among many points of interest that can be seen in the story of Moses and the burning bush as read in Exodus chapter 3, it is interesting to note that many popular songs and sermons have been have been sung and preached using the theme from this setting of story...so I would like to ask you this question which is the title of my message:
"IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING?" Do you believe the fire is still burning?
Wednesday, May 25th, 2005; Crosby, Texas...the news media broadcasts a historical event in our day...It appears that the ground itself is burning and it will NOT STOP! In reality, it is a gas well that is burn- ing out of control! The natural gas from beneath the earth has caught on fire and it seems impossible to be able to put out the fire!...I ask again:......
"IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING?"
I heard on the news that the local residents around the area of the burning well in the Crosby area had been warned about the possible dangers of gas fumes or burning gases backing up into pipelines toward their homes, and that they should vacate and find lodging elsewhere until the well fire was put out and the well was capped. They were told of the dangers of even "flipping" on a light switch, or using electrical appliances that could cause a spark and ignite any natural gas or vapors that might surround their homes....even underground!
My friends, with all of the modern conveniences that we enjoy today, it is astounding the amount of dangers that we surround ourselves with just to be able to enjoy what we think of as simpler lives that come from the technological advances of mankind! Ah, the GOOD OLD DAYS!...We have heard these words...But really, how many of us would like to go back to the "good ol’ days?’....Farming with horses or mules, instead of tractors?...Better yet, farming at all?...
Walking to school or work, or riding a bicycle, instead of hopping into the automobile and getting there in a fraction of the "old days" time?...How about going to the ’spring’ to ’fetch water’ to cook or bath with, or ’drawing’ it out of a well that may someday go dry instead of turning on the faucet to get a cool refreshing glass of water!...or sitting on the front porch in the evening and opening all the windows in the house at night to try to ’beat the Texas summer heat’?...instead of the air conditioning that we have become so dependant on!...Better yet, were you the ’lucky’ one that was chosen to get up early in the morning to ’stir’ the coals in the old wood-burning stove or fireplace to RE-BUILD the fire that had kept you warm the night before?...that is, IF,... you were fortunate enough to be close enough to get a good spot around the fireplace!.....
I tell you my friends, it is tough enough to face the elements of this Texas weather without these modern conveniences that we sometimes take for granted!...The gasoline prices have soared, but we STILL PAY the price for it because of the inconveniences that are placed on our lives without it!But I ask you again:"IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING?"
The fire of the refinery’s are still burning, in spite of the 23 people that lost their lives at the Philips plant several years ago!...and the 15 people that lost their lives at the B.P. refinery March 23, 2005!...In spite of the hundreds, even thousands that are injured or killed every year to bring us this "BETTER LIFE" that we enjoy and even sometimes take for granted!
But let me let you in on a little secret my friends, it is not JUST to allow for you a better life that the FIRES OF INDUSTRY are still burning!....it is because of the mighty DOLLAR BILL that these fires are still burning! Oh if we as people, and we as Christians could just grasp the reality of the ultimate cost of the ever burning fire of materialism and modernism...I believe that we would look to Almighty GOD for better answers than these that we adhere to today to better our lives and to further help mankind in times of need! Hallelujah!
II. Moses, in verse 3 of Exodus the third chapter said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt"...and there, God talked to Moses, and Moses said, "Here Am I"...and this brings back to my memory a point of interest...I remember my grandmother and my mother singing that old song..."Here Am I" as we drove down the road on the side of the mountain close to old my home town in my grandfather’s old pickup truck...oh that wonderful sound as if it were angels singing!...and I am reminded of another man of God that said those words.."Here Am I"...but he also said.."LORD SEND ME!"
It was Isaiah, (Isaiah 6:8)...when Isaiah acknowledged that he was unclean, and dwelt among people of unclean lips...and the seraphim took the hot coal and placed it on his lips...announcing his cleansing, and purging from sin. Ironically, Moses tried to excuse himself from the task of leading God’s people ISRAEL out of Egyptian bondage, saying that he was not worthy, nor of good speech, and that "who would he say sent him to lead the people out of Egypt?"...."IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING?" in Moses’ heart at that point in his life? And that brings me to another point that I’d like to share with you ....
When Moses asked God, "Who shall I say has sent me unto you?", God said unto Moses, "I AM THAT I AM"....
tell them the "I AM" hath sent me unto you....(He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End);
"The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations"; this is what God told Moses.
I am sure that you remember many of the major miracles, and the highlights of the miraculous journey to the promised land as we have learned in the Bible, and how that God did indeed use Moses to lead his people out of the bondage of Egypt...He led them by a pillar of a CLOUD by day, and He led them by a pillar of FIRE by night! "IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING?"...Exodus 13:22 states this fact; "He took not the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people"..."IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING?"...is it still burning for the children of Israel today?...is the fire of the love of God and serving Him still burning in at least some of their descendants hearts today?
It took 40 years or so for the children of Israel to reach the ’promised land’, when they could have entered in and possessed the promise of God far sooner if they would have obeyed the Lord and not constantly murmured and complained ... It appears by examining their journey that on several occasions they allowed the ’Fire of God’ in their hearts to burn out!..."IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING?"
You may say that the fire had gone out of their faith in God, when He yet provided for them miraculously...
or the love of their walk with God had burned out because of their "burning lust" for the pleasurable foods and provisions they had enjoyed even while captive in the land of Egypt!...even though God had provided manna, water, and even meat to sustain them on their journey! Even their clothes did not wear out during their trek!...and I know that this would be a problem with many people today that just have to have the latest fads and fashions to wear!...Oh but how the Lord God does provide! Is your FIRE STILL BURNING?
III. "IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING" in Crosby, Texas?...
Is it burning in (YOUR CHURCH/YOUR COMMUNITY)...Is it a fire that the people want to keep burning in your community?...
I think that we would all agree that the fire in Crosby is an unwanted fire!...one that is not safe for the future of mankind!, or at least the residents at or near the natural gas well that is on fire there!
At the last account that I had of the natural gas fire there in Crosby, the FIRE WAS STILL BURNING!
Yet, there is a fire that should be desired in our lives! Acts chapter 2: 1-4 teach us of type of fire from God that we His people should desire! We say that we want revival, but when we have revival, and our hearts are stirred, and yet just mere minutes or hours after the speaker has finished, we go back to the "use to be", or to our comfortable lives of complacency! We soon forget about the promises of God or do not have the will to get up off of our seats of "do nothing" and do His works with zeal in our hearts... we forget that to have revival from God, there has to be preparations on OUR part...and that we should pray, and fast if need be, and seek the face and will of God in our lives!!...Hallelujah!!
In the cross country Olympic marathon a ’torch’ is lit at the beginning of the race, and it is carried on from runner to runner until the race is finished! IT IS NOT PUT OUT! And if by chance it blows out, the race is stopped until it is lit again, and then the race is carried on! Oh how we ought to think of our walk with God in like manner and KEEP THE FIRE OF GOD BURNING IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES! We ought to liken the fire of God within us as the fire in Crosby that JUST CAN NOT BE PUT OUT! Ironically, the fire of God within us will be likened to many in the world as an UNWANTED FIRE in their communities or lives....but we as Christians ought to welcome the fire of God to ALWAYS BE BURNING IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS...a fire that will LIFT OUR SPIRITS and will be ever present to sustain us in our times of need!...and that will LEAD US TO THE PROMISED LAND!... as well as GUIDING US TO HELP OTHERS COME TO CHRIST and receive God’s blessing and promise of eternal life in our Lord!
I am remembering another fire that may not be welcomed in the hearts of many...and that event happened so very many years ago, and it is recorded in the Book of Genesis, chapter 3, verse 24; where God Himself placed a "flaming sword" to keep the way of the tree of life when Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden of Eden after having yielded to the sin of disobeying God and eating the forbidden fruit!...
OH IF ONLY WE COULD GUARD OUR HEARTS WITH A FLAMING SWORD THAT WOULD KEEP THE FIRE OF EXITEMENT IN SERVING GOD A REALITY IN OUR LIVES! A flaming sword that would DEFEND our hearts and minds from the temptations and the sin that does sometimes so easily beset us!....
Is the "fire" of the Holy Sprit still burning in your heart? Is the "fire’ of your last revival meeting
still burning fresh in your hearts and minds? Were you "moved" or "stirred" to the point of deciding that you were going to do whatever it takes to keep the "FIRE OF THE LORD" burning in your spirit?
Have you decided that you were going to pray more and more regularly?...and for others rather than just your own needs?...Would you dedicate more time to reading and studying your Bible?...Would you come to church more faithfully and on time?...Would you participate in the services when asked, or get involved with the church functions or programs that are there and implemented to help "keep the fire burning?"...Would you even be willing to come to church on the ’work days’ to help your church be all that it can be and to be presentable to the public and acceptable to God?......so I ask again.....
"IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING?.....
Are you "ON FIRE" for God?...and a fire that the world CAN NOT PUT OUT? Is the love of God abounding in your heart today? If you are not experiencing a move of God in your own heart and life at this point in time, let me encourage you to "re-kindle the flame" of the love of God and His works in your life! He is our ever-present help in time of need!......
And I can assure you that He will meet your needs today!..."IS THE FIRE STILL BURNING?. Let us pray.
