Where There is Smoke -- There is Fire!

I have been reading some of the complete works of E. M. Bounds on prayer. Consider the following quote I found:

No erudition, no purity of diction, no width of mental outlook, no flowers of eloquence, no grace of person can atone for lack of fire. Prayer ascends by fire. Flame gives prayer access as well as wings, acceptance as well as energy. There is no incense without fire; no prayer without flame.

Did you catch the last part of that quote. "No prayer without flame." I have noticed that the times I pray with the greatest "earnest" is when I am going through the flames about something. You know -- a spiritual wilderness, a hard time, a struggle or something of that nature. It is during those times that I believe God loves our prayers the most. The reason: we are realizing that we are totally dependant on God and we are calling out to THE source. He is our supply -- in every aspect of our lives. Our prayers are an incense to the Lord.

There is an old saying, "where there is smoke, there is fire." I guess what I am trying to say is that where there is sincere, heart wrenching, earnest prayer -- there must be the flame of the Holy Spirit driving us to the point of surrender......and God says, "Ummmmmm -- that smells good!

God loves it when we pray! Sometimes He allows the flames to get pretty hot. The hotter the flame the hotter the passion for finding God's will in any situation. God allows the flame but always remember -- He is the refiiner sitting by the fire always controling the heat. Even though the fire is hot -- it does not consume us! (Malachi 3:3)