Luke 3:16 John answered them all, "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.
Acts 2:3-4 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit
This statement of John has been interpreted several ways, two of which are a portrayal of God’s judgment on those who do not believe and the zeal in those who truly come into a close relationship with Him. It would appear from the Acts account of the Holy Spirit’s arrival upon the Apostles that the later is more like what John was referring to. Makes one wonder with the vast number of lethargic Christians, where is the fire? “I am too busy; my schedule won’t allow anything else” and on and on go the lame excuses. Isaiah told us, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” (Isa 29:13) IS THAT THE CASE TODAY? Do people claim salvation only in word and attend church when convenient in an attempt, a very weak one at that, to somehow appease God and present an appearance of Christianity? If that is true and more so if that is true of you, where is the fire? One has to wonder if the performer of Christian ritualism who has no fire passion to serve this Holy God will be one of those who will hear, “I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!” (Luke 13:27) When you stop and think about it and consider the love that compelled Jesus to suffer for us as He did, He most certainly has the right to demand fire from us. We work hard for money or prestige, but expect God to forgive our lazy Christianity. “After all, He will forgive me because He knows how busy I am.” Maybe we’d better reread that verse in red. Where are you? Where is your fire? Is it in gaining worldly stuff or in gaining more of God?
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