Fire in the oven
The other morning, as I was making toast in our little toaster oven, I noticed a warning on the door: "If contents ignite, close door and unplug oven."
My first thought was that this might be a warning found on some churches, or on some Christians. Many times when a person becomes a Christian, he or she will be so excited about what has happened to them, they will want to tell everyone they meet. Then the fire will go out and they will become "silent witnesses". It's as if someone closed their door and unplugged their power supply in order to "put out the fire."
I've heard of church congregations that have experienced a revival and the Lord beginning to do exciting things and someone who is resistant to any "fire" starting in the body of believers will see to it that the door is closed and the fire extinguished. Because "we've never done it that way before.
It might be that a young pastor comes with new ideas and methods that are reaching the people for Jesus and the congregation is growing. Suddenly the status quo is threatened or people are being challenged to move out of their comfort zone, then it's "close the door and unplug the oven!"
I doubt this has ever happened in any of your churches, or in any of your lives, but it might be something to think about. The apostle Paul, in his first letter to the church at Thessalonica, wrote this: "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire..." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19).
Is there a fire burning within you or your church? Don't be the one to close the door and put out the fire.
Just thinking,
Pastor Jerry
My first thought was that this might be a warning found on some churches, or on some Christians. Many times when a person becomes a Christian, he or she will be so excited about what has happened to them, they will want to tell everyone they meet. Then the fire will go out and they will become "silent witnesses". It's as if someone closed their door and unplugged their power supply in order to "put out the fire."
I've heard of church congregations that have experienced a revival and the Lord beginning to do exciting things and someone who is resistant to any "fire" starting in the body of believers will see to it that the door is closed and the fire extinguished. Because "we've never done it that way before.
It might be that a young pastor comes with new ideas and methods that are reaching the people for Jesus and the congregation is growing. Suddenly the status quo is threatened or people are being challenged to move out of their comfort zone, then it's "close the door and unplug the oven!"
I doubt this has ever happened in any of your churches, or in any of your lives, but it might be something to think about. The apostle Paul, in his first letter to the church at Thessalonica, wrote this: "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire..." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19).
Is there a fire burning within you or your church? Don't be the one to close the door and put out the fire.
Just thinking,
Pastor Jerry
posted by Pastor Jerry | 7:55 AM
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