Where’s the Fire?
Where’s the fire? This is a term commonly understood to mean, “What’s the hurry?” or “Why the rush?”. That is not the meaning here. Here I ask, “Where’s the Urgency?”.
Leading up to Bethany Rae’s event at CBC Hastings, we were privileged to have several conversations with Pastor Ken and others about God, the world today, and “When We Are.” Among other things, we talked about the things revealed in Forgotten Hope on that very issue. Since those discussions, evidence has been everywhere shouting “When We Are.”
Where are the Christians saying, “we worship what we do know…a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.” (John 4:23)? When the Holy Spirit told Paul and Paul told Timothy “…the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3,4) Do we Christians not believe him? In verse 5 Paul says, “endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” Paul did not say, “flee or hide,” he said “Endure.”
“Endure: To bear; to sustain; to support without breaking or yielding to force or pressure. To bear with patience; to bear without opposition or sinking under the pressure.” (Websters 1828).
Paul exclaimed to Timothy, “I was delivered from the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. (v17,18)
Is it possible that we who claim the Name, Christian, do not know “When We Are”? “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.” Again, do we not believe the Holy Spirit as represented through Peter (2 Peter 3:10)? Peter followed this Truth with, since all this is true, since the world of man and the Adversary will soon be obliterated, “what kind of people ought you to be?” (v11). Of course, this is rhetorical. Peter answers the Spirit’s question with, “anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God” and “conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness.” Then he reminds them of “the wisdom God gave Paul” on this issue. (v15)
So I ask, Where IS the fire? Where IS the Urgency? As we approach another year, set aside how poorly the churches, the pastors, and the individual members of the Christian community represented God’s Character, His Name, in 2020. How have we done lately? Are we still closing the church doors? Are we limiting the number of sheep we can witness to in our folds? How many excuses do we find to cancel Bible study, Prayer meeting, Sunday school…Church? Did a member of the congregation test positive so we closed God’s house down? People like to spend time with their families on the holidays, so do we make God’s family wait for 2022? How many lions of this world do we fear? Do we sit quietly while “myths” are taught to our children in school? Or, worse yet, do we say, “Well, that’s the denomination…not my little church” providing ourselves an excuse to also sit quietly as these same “myths” are adopted into church doctrines, practice, and teaching?
Does the world around you not create an overwhelming sense of Urgency? If your answer is yes… then the question is, where’s the evidence? John, Paul, Peter, countless others, and Christ Himself define what a Christian’s Character and Practice are to look like “When We Are!” So, the answer is both simple and obvious… The Fire is Everywhere!
The reason for this post? Who, surrounded by Fire, doesn’t both Feel and ACT in Urgency? This answer is also obvious. If you who claim the Name Believe the Holy Spirit’s Predictions and Instruction on “When We Are,” then Where Are You?
© 12/8/2021 Scott A Caughel