March 2025 | God of Possibilities | Youth Sunday
Ministering: Deaconess Lara Kotun.
Text: Hebrews 12:29.
“29 For our God is a consuming fire.” KJV.
Fire can be defined as a combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke. Fire is used to melt metals; it is used also to generate power (electricity).
In the bible, fire represents something deeper, like God’s presence, God’s purification, God’s passion and God’s judgment. These are the four ways God’s fireworks in our lives.
1. The Fire of God’s Presence: In Exodus 3, God told Moses to take off his sandals in the burning bush experience because the ground where he was standing was Holy ground. encountering God’s presence brings an awareness of unworthiness within us. His Holiness exposes the wretchedness of our Human nature. Even our righteousness is like filthy rags before Him. The presence of God is overwhelming. Isaiah saw God’s Holiness and cried “woe is me; I am ruined” – Isaiah 6:5. Peter fell before Jesus and said depart from me for I am a sinful man. John as well in Rev. 1:17 collapsed like a dead man before the ascended and glorified Jesus. Daily we need to purge ourselves of things and habits that rob us of the presence of God.
2. The Fire of Purification: Gold is unattractive and valueless in its raw state, this why it goes through the refiner’s fire to remove the impurities. Malachi 3 tells us God is in the business of making Gold. He purifies His children so as to express His beauty through them. Gold is valuable because it does not rust or depreciate in value. After the impurities have been removed, it is easy to shape gold into what you want it to become – bracelet, necklace, ring, etc. Wealthy people see Gold as a way to store and preserve their wealthy. Gold is beautiful when you put it on. God uses trials and challenges to purify our hearts.
Nobody likes trials, but they unveil hidden things in our heart. God uses our daily experiences to shape and calibrate our hearts to conform to the image of Christ. Trials produce endurance and character in us (like great Marathon runners). God helps us to be more patient by testing our patience with impatient people and circumstances. In life we will all go through Seasons of purification targeted at building Christ’s character in us. Trials help deliver us from materials things that have become idols in our heart. Trials deepen our faith and dependence in God.
3. The Fire of Passion: We all have passions in life, the question is “are our passions centered on God or worldly things?” In Jeremiah 20:9, Jeremiah likened God’s word in His heart as a burning fire. David was a man after God’s heart, He danced unashamedly because of his passion for God. Elijah also was a man of passion; he was bold and called the fire of God’s Judgment against Baal worshippers. Paul is also a classic example of a man of passion – he endured persecutions and couldn’t stop preaching about Jesus. You can measure your passion for God by assessing whether your fire for God and His Kingdom is on the increase or dwindling.
4. The Fire of Judgment: God’s fire is not just about His presence, His purification and His passion, it is also a fire of judgement. The fire of judgement is because God is holy and righteous. He cannot ignore sin. Just as fire consumes what is impure, God’s fire of judgment purifies and separates righteousness from wickedness. His fire of judgment serves both as a warning and a consequence. God is a Judge who upholds the law.
Sin refers to the corrupted nature of Adam which every human inherited. Sins on the other hand refer our individual misdoings that stem from the inherited sinful nature of the old man. Psalm 51:5. It is impossible for any mortal man to live righteously because we all inherited the sinful nature of Adam. If the software is corrupt, the hardware will misbehave. This is why the Father sent the Son not only to forgive us but to also break the power of sin. Those who reject God’s gift of salvation in Christ will face God’s final Judgment in the lake of fire – Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 20:15.
In closing, realize life is short – are you prepared for Eternity? Are you living your life with Eternity in view?
God Bless You!
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