Finding Your Fire for God

Introduction:

I love building fires. No I am not an arsonist, but there is something fun about taking old debris and trash and watching it burn. When the boys were younger we done Royal Rangers. We go out into the wilderness pitch a tent and make a camp. Then we build the fire the fire was a place of friendship, you ate, you fellowship, told stories and talked about the things of God. After settling down for the evening it eventuallly went out. Why? We went to sleep, we didn’t add anything to it, and eventually it would go out. I remember one particular trip where it was extremely cold when I got up I went to the fire pit and realized there were still some embers burning, so I got some kindling and restarted it.

This reminds me of the modern church. Many churches have watered down their messages. Members come and go. There is no desire for a deeper, more meaningful relationship sometimes it done because of past experience

Luke 24:32 NIV

32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Jeremiah 20:9 NIV

9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.

Flame Retardants

Definition: Flame retardants are activated by the presence of an ignition source and prevent or slow the further development of flames by a variety of different physical and chemical mechanisms.

Jeremiah was born during the reign of Manasseh – Judah’s worst king. Little is known about his early life, but in the 13th year of Josiah’s reign {627 BC}, Jeremiah got THE CALL

He was reluctant. In fact he didn.t volunteer for the Job God called him:

Jeremiah 1:6 “6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.””

Listen to some of his protest

Jeremiah 15:15–21 “15 Lord, you understand; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering—do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake. 16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. 17 I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation. 18 Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails. 19 Therefore this is what the Lord says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. 20 I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you,” declares the Lord. 21 “I will…”

Jeremiah 20:7–18 “7 You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. 8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. 9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. 10 I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.” 11 But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten. 12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have…”

Jeremiah 20:7–18 “7 You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. 8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. 9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. 10 I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.” 11 But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten. 12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have…”

Being a prophet cost him a lot

He wasn’t allowed to marry or have a family Jeremiah 16:2 “2 “You must not marry and have sons or daughters in this place.””

He was given crazy illustrations to prophesy

 Buy a new belt – go bury it behind a rock – go retrieve the belt – ruined and completely useless - Jeremiah 13:1-10

Go buy a clay pot – take some elders and priests with you to the Valley of Hinnom – break the jar - Jeremiah 19:1-11

He was commanded to make a yoke – put it on and carry it around Jerusalem - Jeremiah 27:2-12

His life was threatened by the leaders who opposed his message, including his own family:

Court “prophets” challenged him at every turn:

He was placed in prison Jeremiah 37:12-16

He was thrown in a well Jeremiah 38:3-6

The final siege of Jerusalem began in 588 BC and as Jeremiah looked out over the once proud and beautiful city, he wept and out of the depths of his sorrow came his Lamentations:

Lamentations 1:1 “1 How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave.”

Lamentations 2:13

Lamentations 3:46-48

Lamentations 4:1-10

Lamentations 5:5-16

Jeremiah 52:12-27

Jeremiah struggled with the mission God gave him. He is known as the “weeping prophet” because he mourned the sins of his people. He wanted to see hearts changed and grieved his lack of success in turning the people back to God, yet he faithfully carried out God’s instructions in the face of unrelenting opposition. He simply would not quit. Jeremiah chose to completely identify himself with the cause of God. His messages were never very popular, but for over 40 years, he persistently and courageously delivered them anyway.

How do we keep that type of passion in the midst of our personal problems

Realize the flames are gone

Revelation 3:17 “17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”

Faith has become mechanical

Malachi 1:13 “13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty. “When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord.”

Your love of God has faded

Revelation 2:4 “4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”

Find the embers of faith

Turn to the Word of God

Jeremiah 23:29 “29 “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

Is there any unforgiveness in your heart

Start praying earnestly

Psalm 63:1 “1 You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”

Acts 1:14 “14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”

Luke 24:32 “32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?””

Stoke the fire through Spiritual Discipline

Develop a consistent devotional Life

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “17 pray continually,”

Isaiah 58:6 “6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”

Fellowship with each other (Church)

Hebrews 10:25 “25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

When you feel the fire it will be hard to contain.

Ms. Linda Ms. Rhonda shared of a group of boys coming up to eat lunch yesterday and one of them stating “praise the Lord” and kept wanting to praise the Lord. How many of you is faith burning that brightly.

1 Corinthians 9:16 “16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”