3.15.2012

Purging Fire, Burning Pyre

The reason and purpose for this baptism (fire) is to give the power of this pursuit from the zeal and passion of G-d for His house to purge continuously, purify eternally, and be expectant perpetually. It will surely divide rightly with clarity with what fire we are of, for the day will manifest it.  
[[The baptism into fire enables (gives power to) this pursuit (power traded from God’s stock of Zeal and Passion) for us to Purge Continually, Purify Eternally, and Expect Perpetually. It divides rightly and clearly what fire we are of, because the light manifests it]]

We do burn, but with what fire

Ischus is the wind for the flame, dunamis is the the ignition. I've received this baptism [to whelm, to cover wholly with fluid] unto fire - the purifying flame; strengthening, powerful, inducing.
Losing myself to the fire doesn't make me any less holy or without God - it makes plain where the Lord is winnowing my flesh. The smoking furnace and burning lamp are a testimony of His faithful pursuit. My temple's been a mess, but he erects a pyre and burns up the junk so there won't be any more money changers in this temple.  
Burn up my idols! 
I was convinced today that I couldn't be faithful - that I must put off those I've known as 'faithful' and be off, lose myself or die. Quick, that. Rather than leave it at this, I look at the rationale that led me to this conclusion: What so moved me that this sovereign King, Son of God, would abdicate his throne and take his own life? 
It was all how I saw; how I did the job, how I relate to those I'm with, how I can earn my place in God. I was lied to, quiet while a snake whispered in my ear. Be active, Man! Zakar! Remember who you are! Stand on the Word, Jesus, and be affirmed. It's never a matter of circumstance; it's a matter of position in relation to the light: are you looking to the light or gazing on your shadow?

I
m just 
here
to watch the fireworks.

I watched my shadow today, when, immediately and without my knowledge, I was talking to God about it.  I was crying out to him that I couldn't complete what I was trying to do - it was brought on by the works of my hands, painting, but the issue was tied to my heart. I saw the pain of my association in an entirely different light, and praised God for being faithful. I moved from the outer court to the inner, and back again, smoothly. A first, I think. 

And all of this, the thoughts, emotions, ties, perceptions, reactions, rejections, false images, all the stuff that makes me a man and a sinner are nothing to God in light of Christ. Because I receive him and the measuring of the depth of my redemption, my heart is turned, uprooted, washed, planted and tended, harvested, separated, burned, made clean. The pure was always there, is always here, but it's the fire that destroys the stuff that can't stand up to the Word. There is more to me than there used to be because I bear witness to active display of God's recreation in me. Ha! He's re-created me, and recreates here too. He likes fireworks, so increasingly, I let his fire work. He's always known his work was Love for me, I just couldn't see it. 

A vessel of light
of honor dishonor
of pain patience and practice
of glory and fruition
judgment and fluidity
of friction and purification
an open demonstration of 
power. 
I am measured and 
not found wanting. 


little lies grab my attention
I give it (to) a-way,
a different way,
my choice.
Until I step into 
the Great Fire of the Lord
where everything around me burns
and I cry out to the Strong One
who reminds me he's with me
and that what I've been hoping in
was dead and dry-
perfect fuel for fire.
His water rushes over me
reviving my lips and eyes
and I see him and speak him
and he's everywhere
and everyone
and I move through the garden again



Thank God for pressure and high heat that shows us what burns and what we're made of.

1 comment:

  1. Yes! Thank Him for the covering He gives us in our times if need and desperation. Thank Him for His will and sovereignty. Thank Him for His presence, the chills that are somehow warm to our bodies, that run through our vains and all our skin, that reassure us of His physical presence. How I long to be in the days where He walked among us and I could follow Him. How I thank Him that our faith allows us to follow Him now as we would have then, and that He is ever present now as He was then. I will never stop thanking Him.

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