The Fire And Passion of the Gospel Udskriv
Skrevet af Jørn Nielsen   
Lørdag, 20. juni 2020 11:24

Would to God that these “dry” email letters convey a little bit of God´s tender heart for you.  His loving heart.  His forgiving heart.  His restoring and reviving heart. And His burning heart. I´m warmed by it myself.

One morning some years ago I had a beautiful, sunny morning walk, in Lompoch, CA, just rejoicing.  I talked to a few, and on my way back I met one I´d already talked to.  I said to him, “Show me your hand!”  I caught hold on it and said, “I´m tempted to put it on my chest, but if I do you´ll burn your fingers!”  It was just, as it were, a “holy” joke of course.

I remember Billy Graham saying at a conference, “I wish we would all now go home burning!  In 1 Thess. 5:19 it says in the NIV version, “Do not put out the Spirit´ fire!”  In other words, the burning fire is an ongoing thing.  It can be put out, sad to say, and the church has by and large put it out.

It has often been said, “Fire cannot be taught, it must be caught!” Our Lord Jesus said, “I came to cast fire on earth and would that it were already kindled!”  (Luke 12:49).  I may have a friendly discussion with theologians.  They may say good things, but usually without fire!

A joyless religion without fire and passion is not my religion. My religion, i.e my  trust in Jesus Christ, does include tears and sorrows, but the joy is also there, for “as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Cor.  6:10).

Let me ask you, do you experience this yourself?  Or are you just religious and respectable and rather “good” in your own eyes and in the eyes of other people? But not in eyes of God.  The crucified and risen Savior wants you to come to Him right now as a helpless sinner.  He loves you and died for you.  Don´t miss the experience of being converted, “born again”, saved, nay call it what you may, but see to it that you get it!

Get the real thing, not unreal substitutes!  Amen!

April 17, 2020 - jn