God’s Fire

“God's fire only falls on sacrifice. An empty altar receives no fire!"

- Frank Bartleman

I’ve heard this quote in my head, over and over, recently! 

This morning I read this:

“And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.”

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭9:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then I’m reminded of:

“And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.”  ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭18:29-30‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And - 

“Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭18:37-39‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Ken Carpenter posted this week:

“A lady told me, I am searching for a church, been to several with powerful preaching and wonderful worship, but found no place to put my sins. Time to put the Altar back in the Church!”

We are not the first generation to have broken, empty, or even nonexistent altars! But we could be the last! We know we are living in the last days just by hearing the news! So, what will it take for us to seek God with our whole hearts? What will it take for us to take seriously the Word of God? When will we fall on our faces in repentance of our sins? How much longer will He put up with our rebellion? 

My reading this morning ended with:

“And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.” ‭Leviticus‬ ‭10:1-2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law;”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭94:1-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Even so - MARANATHA!