BURN BABY BURN.

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John the baptizer said, "I baptize you with water, but the One who comes after me, whose shoe I am not worthy to unlatch, He will baptize you with fire and the Holy Spirit."



We need the baptism by fire and by the Holy Spirit, we need to have the fire test our works. Whether they be of precious metals and gem stones or of hay, wood and stubble

I read this blog recently as I was looking for images of the Flint Hills area of Kansas and I found this picture and an article describing the benefits of fire to bring multiplied fruitfulness.

The need to burn, ranchers in central Kansas have learned that burning off the land causes a new crop of grass to quickly spring up (a sort of first fruits) that is very helpful to the cattle, it fattens them up for market.  So burning sections of the hills, may look like destruction, but in fact it increases productivity, with all the superior qualities of the first fruits.

In the first and greatest parable that Jesus taught, in the third soil where the seed landed, there were three things that grow up as thorns and choke out the (seed) word of God, rendering it unfruitful.

1. the cares of this world, 
2. the deceitfulness of riches, 
3. the desires for other things. 

 The high places in our lives are not groves of trees, but are the other things we have affections, desires for, perhaps the burning over of our high places would also provide an explosion of new growth with a 'first fruits' quality in our love for God.

"things that are highly esteemed among men, are an abomination to the Lord." 

Can you name a few of the things that the world esteems highly?

1. ________________________________________
2. ________________________________________
3. ________________________________________

Somebody has said that men and women usually fall for one or more of these temptations,

• GOLD (greed, money, financial gain)
• GIRLS/GUYS (sex, pleasure, self indulgence) 
• GLORY (fame, reputation, social status)

 Whether we start the fires ourselves that burn away the distractions of our lives, or if God is forced to start the fires in our lives, to cause the dross to be removed, either way the burning of our land produces a much greater yield. to the glory of the Lord who bought us and saves us.

IN THESE DAYS - a spontaneous song out of Joel 2

In these days,
Pour out your Spirit
In this place,
Like flames of fire
In our lives,
BURN EVER BRIGHTER

so that...
in these days
in this place
in our lives you'll be glorified.