Spirit filled souls are ablaze for God. They love with a love that glows. They serve with a faith that kindles. They serve with a devotion that consumes. They hate sin with fierceness that burns. They rejoice with a joy that radiates. Love is perfected in the fire of God.
~Samuel Chadwick~
I have been thinking about the love of God alot lately. We moved to First Baptist Church Sylacauga in September, 2007. When we came this direction we knew that we would need to buy a house here in Sylacauga. We lived in our lake house for a while but it was just too far away to accomodate the busy lifestyle of the pastorate. Therefore, we stepped out on faith and with the help of Alabama Trust Bank, and bought the house in which we are now living. Because our house in Georgia is still for sale (10 months now) we have been under the strain of paying for a house in which we do not live -- the upkeep of the property and recently our insurance was canceled because the house is sitting empty. The situation with the house and some other things we have been going through are difficult situations.
The devil loves difficult situations. He loves to get into our thinking and change the way we think. I have the thought that God does not love me on more than one occasion! Surely if God loves me He will sell the house! Yet, the house has not sold. Satan would have me believe that God would display his love for us by selling the house. Not so. My passion for the call to the ministry is not based on houses and lands. My call is forever.
I am praying for a life described in the Chadwick quote. Ablaze, glowing, showing the UNCONDITIONAL LOVE of God -- to hate sin with a fierceness -- to have a joy that radiates with an understanding that going through trials will only give God an opportunity to 'SHINE.'
1 comment:
Tim,
I just wanted to encourage you about the house. You can't look at circumstances and know what God is doing in your life. I'm sure that Joseph wanted to be set free from slavery and later that he wanted to be set free from prison. But both slavery and prison were part of God's will for Joseph's life. If Joseph had looked around one day in prison, he may have asked: "why doesn't God love me enough to get me out?" But God had a greater plan for Joseph than for any of his brothers who roamed free. God loves you and He knows the day when your house will sell. Don't look at the scenery along the way and try to discern where the road is leading, just enjoy the ride.
Kevin
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