Since we have a Kingdom nothing can destroy, let us please God
by serving him with thankful hearts and with holy fear and awe. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29
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| Emily's Jonathon and Morgan |
The drink table, with its wassail, cocoa, and coffee, got a lot of traffic. One thing I noticed as darkness closed in, was that the hay bales and chairs inched closer and closer to the fire. Soon I saw feet propped on the wall of the pit. We were warmed ourselves, but were not willing to be consumed by the fire.
I've witnessed that same scenario in the spiritual realm. People get excited about the fire of God. They talk about God, thankful that He is working in their churches, homes or life, but they never put their toes in the fire. They aren't consumed by Him.
Am I being judgmental? I don't mean to be, and I don't think I am. Didn't Jesus give us the measure, "By their fruit you will know them?" A person bathed in the fire of the Holy Spirit will grow fruit.
- Love: Giving without expecting anything in return
- Joy: Not dependent on outward circumstances
- Peace: A quiet heart in the midst of turmoil
- Forbearance: A Godly perspective when we're deliberately hurt
- Kindness: The absence of malice in words spoken or written
- Goodness: Reflects the character of God in our actions
- Faithfulness: Integrity regardless of what others are doing
- Gentleness: The power in us that shows in defferance to others
- Self-control: Allowing the Spirit to control us in our habits, our response to others and our inward thoughts
In my own life, I want God to shine through me. To change my thoughts and actions. To forget what others do and focus on what God is doing in me. To cease to talk about wanting the fire of God, and to allow Him to consume me, fill me, and change me.
I want others to know me by my fruit.
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Grandma Sankey's Wassail
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| Pointing the way: Bonfire, Hot drinks, Food |
This is a favorite hot drink for fall. Melanie is the "keeper of the recipe" and makes it for us throughout the season.
1 quart cranberry juice
1 quart apple juice
1 quart tea (3bags)
2 cups orange juice
2 cups sugar
2-3 cinnamon sticks
3/4 cup lemon juice
12 whole cloves
Mix it up. Warm it up. Drink it up!
11 comments:
Pamela,
We spent time in Hebrews 11 and the first part of 12, so we didn't quite get there to the "...our God is a consuming fire" part. I do want the consuming fire of the Holy Spirit, but when one is just hanging on to the hand of Jesus for all its worth, I'm afraid to ask for more refining...that's the truth of it for me. We are under a spiritual warfare now as we put together our state's homeschool convention to glorify the Lord. It is about this time that we felt the crush of it last year. And Haha! today we had a newer toilet leak a LOT around the base. The second time in 10 months. It stopped so, now we wait to see if it is going to continue! However, we are going to advance the message of Christ at our convention and just trust that the Lord will carry us when we can't keep going ourselves :) We know He is faithful :)
I truly enjoyed this post and the recipe makes me drool! Yikes, I just ate!
May the Lord bless your precious family. Have a wonderful and peaceful week, Pamela.
Hi Pamela! I love the comparison between the feet to the fire in the cookout and in the spiritual life. That was nice! And as we get closer to The Lord, that's when the fun starts, right? All the challenges waiting to refine us. It's hard, but worth it.
I agree that wanting to be known by our fruit is a good goal. Here you are, encouraging so many through your writing...I think I see some good fruit here :)
Monday Blessings,
Ceil
My husband was actually at an event last night where they built a bonfire. At first not many gathered around, but as it got darker and colder, they drew closer. And got warmer. Love that about physical fire and the fire of God.
But yes, God's fire in us is meant to produce fruit. Without fruit, we only smell like smoke.
Oh My! Thank you for this post! How we belittle God's love for us to allow us to be refined by the fire. I needed the reminder today.
This is a beautiful post Pamela. Thank you! Thank you for the recipe too. I always wondered how wassail was made.
Pamela, I love how you presented the fruits of the spirit. Both practical and challenging. Excellent! (And your time around the fire looked like fun!)
Even though I feel like I am being consumed by the refining fire of God, I don't want Him to stop. There's a lot of dross to be burned off...
But yes, I want to yield fruit - I want to reflect the Son.
May He burn out any *lukewarm* in my heart.
GOD BLESS!
Your post is not updating in my feeds. I am happy to find you here in "hear it on sunday, share it on monday.
Thanks for the encouragememt to really go for God and for the precious God's given words. My entry: are you carrying a heavy load: is from willyouhearfromme.blogspot.com
Thank you Pamela for this heartwarming blog with inspiring biblical lesson. I want to try the recipe here in Netherlands. If I have done it, I'll show you the hot drink on Facebook :-)
Sounds like a beautiful (cold) night with your family.
Fondly,
Glenda
I say amen to these lines: "In my own life, I want God to shine through me. To change my thoughts and actions. To forget what others do and focus on what God is doing in me. To cease to talk about wanting the fire of God, and to allow Him to consume me, fill me, and change me."
I've been meditating on some of Jesus' last words before his death -- "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35)
Think of all the things he could have put in there (Your _____________ will prove to the world that you are my disciples.) ...He said "LOVE."
I'm with you when you say: "I want others to know me by my fruit!"
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