KEEP THE FIRE BURNING

"The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it shall not [be allowed to] go out. The priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and he shall arrange the burnt offering on it and offer the fat portions of the peace offerings up in smoke on it. The fire shall be burning continually on the altar; it shall not [be allowed to] go out". Leviticus 6:12-13 (Amplified)

While meditating on the above scripture recently, I remembered this very pathetic story below:

"This is what they taught me in their minister's conference that made me lose my fire for a long time before God showed me mercy again. The first speaker came up and told us to stop sitting idle at home, in the name of studying bible, praying and fasting. That we should start looking for businesses to enter, to raise money to help God's work in our hands. The second speaker came up and spoke on the need for young ministers to start having international exposure early. Therefore, that we should start looking for visa to go abroad. If not, people will not respect us. I got home after the meeting and stopped looking for God and started looking for money. I began to get involved in every business that comes. All to help the vision God gave me. I started looking for visa and international connections. Everyday, I will be online, looking for who will invite me abroad. The money started coming. I began to dress better and more expensively .The international contacts started coming. People began to say that I was doing well. Some began to envy me because of how I used to wield money. They said the Lord was too good to me. But they did not know that the FIRE HAD GONE. I was no more a problem in hell. Apprentice witches and wizards began to play with people around me. Before then, when I carry the microphone, within few minutes, the heavens will open and the Presence of God will cover everywhere. But when I abandoned God in search of money, more nice shoes and suits, I will have to struggle for long before the heaven will open a bit. With all my big phones and nice perfumes and costly shoes, I began to struggle to win someone to Christ. There was money. There were international open doors. But the FIRE HAD GONE OUT."

Beloved, is your fire still burning or has it gone out like the fellow in the above story? Yes, people may still be singing your praise but are you really sure there is still fire on the altar of your soul? What happened to the aura of divine presence you used to carry? Are there still fire on the coals of your hearts? I hope sin and worldly pursuits has not quenched the fire on your altar? I hope "THE GARGET"  has not taken away "THE GOSPEL". I hope "THE FAME" has not quench "The FLAME". If it has, then I urge you to please go back to the feet of the cross this morning and cry to God for mercy. If you do, God in His infinite mercy will restore you and kindle a fresh fire upon the coals of your hearts so that you will never grow cold again till you see Him on the resurrection morning.

The lyrics of one of my favourite song titled "Set Me Ablaze" which was composed by Bryan & Katie Torwalt in 2016 should be our heart cry as we trust God to set the coals of our hearts ablaze for Him again. May God restore every backsliding heart and set them ablaze for His glory. May the fire on the altar of our hearts and souls keep burning brighter and brighter till the end of age. And may we never grow cold or lose our fire again until we see our Lord and Master in His glory and splendour.

SET ME ABLAZE

[Verse 1]
Set me ablaze, set me ablaze
'Til it's all that I know
Set me ablaze, set me ablaze
So I'll never grow cold

[Chorus]
Breathe
Come and breathe on the coals of my heart
Let Your fire start in me
Come and breathe on the coals of my heart
Keep me burning

[Verse 2]
Set me ablaze, set me ablaze
With a single obsession
Set me ablaze, set me ablaze
With an endless passion

[Bridge]
Wild fire, burn brighter
Here inside my heart
Consume me, rage through me
I want all You are

Good morning and God bless you.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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