Leviticus 9

"Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, 

they shouted for joy and fell face down."

{Leviticus 9:24}  (NIV1984)

Aaron and his sons did all that the LORD commanded. They obeyed Him to the letter of the Law. God had told them that if they did this properly, that God would accept these animal sacrifices in place, or as a substitute, for them. The issue was and is sin. Sin that separates us from a Holy God; sin that brings death. Sin that must be removed from God’s people. God’s people must be holy for He is Holy. 

This day was the day that the LORD would appear to them, and it must have been nerve-racking. Would God accept these sacrifices in their place? Would God really dwell in their midst? Their joy is recorded, when the fire came out of the manifest presence of the LORD and consumed the sacrifices instead of them.

God has accepted the sacrifice of His Son for us. God has chosen to dwell inside us. The consuming fire that comes from the manifest presence of God does not and will not consume us. But it does consume sin!  

Refiner’s fire, my heart’s one desire; is to be holy, set apart for you Lord, I choose to be holy, set apart for you my Master, ready to do your will.
{Brian Doerksen, 1990}

Exodus 3:1-10

"There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up."

{Exodus 3:2}  (NIV1984)

God had heard Abram’s descendants groan; He had remembered His promise to Abram, so He appeared to Moses to begin the process of leading His people to their land. His appearance was once again fire, in a similar fashion as he appeared to Abram. He appeared then as a smoking fire pot with a blazing torch; God provided the fire and the torch. He appeared here as fire within a bush that didn’t burn up, which means that once again God provided the fire and the fuel. Moses was told that the ground around the bush was holy ground, because God’s manifest presence was there. The fire that does not consume, the fire that burns from a heavenly source. 

O friend, do you have any need of this fire that burns, but does not consume? Do you have any need for the “refiner’s fire” (Mal. 3:2)? Do you have any need for the manifest presence of God in your life? I know I need His presence; I need His fire in my life.  

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me, 

melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. 

Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me.

{Daniel Iverson (1926)}

Genesis 15

  "When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces."

{Genesis 15:17} (NIV1984)

 

All children of God by faith, should read Genesis 15 on a regular basis. Abram was the first of many declared righteous because he believed the Word of God. (Rom. 4:23,24) What Genesis 15 reveals to us is that God is a God who makes promises. 

God promised Abram many descendants and He promised that those descendants would inherit the land. To demonstrate the seriousness that He placed on this promise, God entered into an oath (an ancient version of 'cross my heart and hope to die'). He demonstrated it by His manifest presence before Abram. God’s presence was signified by a smoking firepot and a blazing torch. 

In this age of grace, God demonstrates His seriousness that He places on His promise to us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. He demonstrates it by His presence in our lives, through the Holy Spirit. His Spirit is a deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance. (Eph. 1:13,14)

Thank you oh my father,
For giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit,
'Til the work on Earth is done.

{Written by Melody Green & Keith Green, 1982} 

Colossians 1:1-14

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

{1 Peter 1:8,9} (NIV1984)  

 

There is something about Peter that causes us to identify with him. He was a working man, he had a mother-in-law, he spoke before thinking, he struggled with fear and faith, and was used by God in spite of himself. In the beginning of this letter that he wrote to the early Christians, he identifies with their sufferings and then makes an extraordinary statement about the joy that fills them. How could anyone be joyful as they suffer persecution and death? 

A person who loves Jesus, without seeing him, and who believes in Jesus, is filled with joy because they know they are being saved. They have the Holy Spirit within them that brings joy in their heart. Not just a “Oh yeah - I am saved. Whippy dee doo”. NO! A joy that is inexpressible, a joy that is glorious. A joy that fills a person from the inside out.  

O friend, you have this joy within you. Just think upon the truth that you are being saved by the God you love, and the joy of the Lord will fill your soul. 

Since Jesus came into my heart,

since Jesus came into my heart,

floods of joy o'er my soul

like the sea billows roll,

since Jesus came into my heart.

Words: Ru­fus H. Mc­Dan­i­el, 1914.

Music: Charles H. Gabriel, 1914

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"... So the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid..."

{Nehemiah 2:2} (NIV1984)

Historians tell us, that in the ancient world, anyone who was sad in the presence of the king would be punished. The king was the absolute ruler and no matter what was wrong in your world, you were to be happy in his presence. If you were sad, it reflected on your attitude toward him, that somehow his presence wasn’t sufficient to cheer you. 

Nehemiah was upset over the state of Jerusalem and Artaxerxes noticed his sad face and identified it as sadness not illness, which created fear for Nehemiah. What a difference between the King of Kings and worldly kings! Our King tells us to come into His presence with our burdens and sorrows. He tells us to bring all our anxiousness to Him. All our troubles, all our burdens. 

Have we done that this morning? Have we gone to Him with our troubles, and laid them at His feet? Have we sat and pondered on the beauty of our King and on His Wonderful grace and love in our lives? Then friend do so now. You will leave His presence with joy in your heart, and a peace that is beyond logic. What a King we have! What a Saviour!