SO TRUE! I heard a preacher last night say "one of the saddest things that I have seen all over the country is a nice church building and facility with a Century21 sign in front of it . . . and don't think that it can't happen right here . . ."
When I was younger, I thought that "dry tradition" was limited to extreme robotic formalism. I have lived to see such stones of dry tradition take on many forms. Often when God moves in a certain way . . . whether it is with handclapping and shouting, or silence and tears . . . we remember the way that God moved when our lives were touched, and we exclude all others who don't have the same manifestation as we do. Our hearts can get lifted up in pride because "once upon a time", God REALLY touched our lives in a certain way, and we can lose all contact with the rest of the body of Christ, and wither up and die. As the song says they are carved in fear and laid in pride, and they truly become a dismal prison to those withering inside.
I remember so very well an illustration that my pastor of many years ago gave of an older pastor who went to visit an elderly member of his church who had been missing many services. He walked in by his fireplace where the elderly member was sitting. He went over to the fire and simply pulled out a live burning coal, and seperated it from the rest of the fire. Soon it lost its flame, and all of its heat. The older member got the message quickly without any words being spoken.
May God help us to blaze together in deep-down hunger for more of God, and never let the ashes of yesterday's fire smother out the possibility of heaven-sent revival TODAY!
Send the Fire!
William Booth
(1829-1912)
Founder of the Salvation Army
Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire, send the fire!
Thy blood bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire, send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost;
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire, send the fire!
God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire, send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire, send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin,
Send the fire, send the fire!
Tis fire we want, for fire we plead,
Send the fire, send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need,
Send the fire, send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight,
For power to walk the world in white,
Send the fire, send the fire!
To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire, send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire, send the fire!
O see us on Thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day;
To crown the offering now we pray,
Send the fire, send the fire!
_________________
Michael Strickland
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