The Flash Point

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