The Church on Fire

I remember when the phrase "on fire" was used quite often. "He is on fire for Jesus!" "That church is on fire." I'm not sure if this terminology is as popular today, but it should be. It is a good description of normal Christianity. If someone where to ask me if Little Flock was on fire I would sadly confess that it wasn't, but it should be. It is supposed to be. I would also admit that the Church in America is not where it should be. It is not on fire with the fires of Revival.

Recently I was thinking about those mysterious angels called Seraphim. We see them in Isaiah 6:2-3 and again in Revelation 4:8. I pondered these majestic beings always found near the Throne of God. The thing I found most interesting about these unique angels was their name. The Hebrew word seraph means "to burn" or "burning". The Hebrew ending "im" makes it plural. The six winged angels of Scripture are called "the burning ones". I thought this name very telling when I noticed their occupation. These "burning ones" are consumed with one thing, the Holiness of God. Listen to Isaiah 6:2-3

Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with

two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet,

and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said,

Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,

The whole earth is full of His glory.

When I thought about the Saraphim, "the burning ones," I understood why the Church in America is not on fire. I knew why our own church was not on fire with the fires of Revival. Our church, as well as the Church in America, is not on fire because it is not consumed with the holiness of God! We will not see Revival fires burning again until we call our people back to Isaiah's dreadful repentance. When Isaiah saw the Holy God sitting on His Throne he cried out, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5)

In our weak new world of delicate sensibilities and political correctness we no longer speak of the Holiness of God. People don't want to dread God in fear; they want to add him as a friend on their Facebook wall. We wink at our sin and tip our hats to God in that order. Isaiah saw God's holiness and pronounced curses on himself and his sin, his people and their sin. Brothers and sisters in Christ, the church will not be set on fire until it is consumed with the holiness of God!

We Have Not Sought the Favor of Our Lord

We have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to [His] truth.

No truer words could be spoken on behalf of our own beloved Nation. I love this Country, but I fear for it because I fear God. He is Holy and we are not interested. He is Creator God, and we mass produce our own gods. He is Wise and we demonstrate our foolishness when we do not seek His favor.

“We have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to His truth.” Daniel first voiced this brutal confession an old man praying in exile. His country had been desolated, and he had lived in deportation for nearly seventy years. Daniel remembered the dreadful days of his youth when God did not turn back His Holy wrath, but utterly destroyed Jerusalem, sparing only a scattered remnant like himself and his three friends. Daniel’s prayer is recorded in Daniel 9:1-19. Please read it prayerfully and make it your own.

Daniel’s confession contains both a warning and a way out. Seek after God’s favor America! Like Daniel, cry out for compassion lest we too taste the bitter cup of God’s Righteous judgment. "O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion.”

Even in our sin God shows us His compassion. In the great warnings of Scripture we also find the way out. How can we seek the favor of God? He tells us, “by turning from [our] iniquity and giving attention to [God’s] truth.” Little Flock, this Sunday, July 5th, in honor of the Birthday of our Nation, we will give our “attention to the Lord God to seek {Him by} prayer and supplications…” Our focus will not be One Nation, but One Nation under God with [God honoring] liberty and [God honoring] justice for all. Come prepared to pray diligently for our Country. Pray after Daniel, "O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name."