Holy Fire

Scriptures: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” (I Peter 2:24)

Last Saturday, my wife was supposed to go and teach in Chinese school. But we were waken up early in the morning and were informed that there was no Chinese school that day due to wildfire. So, we turned on the TV to find that not only was there wildfires burning, but also freeways were closed.

As we watched the news on TV, with pictures after pictures of the rampant fires burning across hills and planes, residential and commercial areas, we saw the destructive power of these wildfires changing the appearance of the landscape and the lives of those residents.

In the Bible, fire has often been used as an analogy of the coming judgment of God. John the Baptist, in his warnings to the people of Israel of his days, said, “…I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Luke 3:16)

D. L. Moody once told a story. He said, in his days, people who travelled in the west sometimes ran into wildfires. These wildfires burned wide and fast. So fast, he said, that people often found themselves incapable of running away from it. In such time, seeing the wildfires approaching, experienced travelers would lit up a fire and burned the area near themselves first. Once an area was burned and all fuels to fire was gone, they would move into this area and stood there. That burned area became their refuge and the wildfires would not come close to harm them.

Moody concluded that, in the same way, God’s fire of judgment had come upon our Lord Jesus on Calvary. On that cross on Calvary, Jesus has become that area that has been burned by the fire of God’s judgment. Anyone who chose to enter into it will be saved from the fire of God’s judgment on our sins and inequities.

How true! Apostle Peter said, in his teaching on the saving grace of our Lord Jesus, that “He Himself bore our sins in His body on that tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.” (I Peter 2:24) Our Lord bore our sins and was judged accordingly so we will not have to be judged again. But, more than this, He gave us an opportunity to be freed from the grip of sin and be subjects to the righteousness of God.

That holy fire of God will act as His instrument of grace that offers us a hiding place from the bondage of sins and from the wrath of God. More than a hiding place, it will be a place where we will be refined and purified so we may meet Him.

In the face of these devastating wildfires, we know as Christians that we need to reach out to those who suffered great loss materially, physically, and mentally to help restore them. Likewise, as children of God in this dark and wicked generation, we need to pray for the power of God to cleanse and purify us so we may be His instruments in taking down all barriers and obstacles that keep the lost souls outside of the grace of God.

REFINER’S FIRE

Purify my heart,
Let me be as gold and precious silver.
Purify my heart,
Let me be as gold, pure god.

(chorus)
Refiner’s fire,
My heart’s one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for you, Lord.
I choose to be holy,
Set apart for you, my Master,
Ready to do your will.

Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy.
Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from my sin, deep within.

-- By Brian Doerksen

Prayer Request:
For victims of these recent wildfires

Prayers:
Abba Father, cleanse us from all unrighteousness and make us instruments after Your heart to bring comfort to the victims of the wildfires rampant in our community and to bring hope and salvation to the lost in our generation as we pray in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, A-men!