When we see verses stated more than one time in the Scriptures, it should make us stop and reflect.
In Deuteronomy 4:24, we see God is called a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29 echoes the same words as Deuteronomy 4:24. In Deuteronomy 4:24, the word “consuming” comes from the transliteration of the Hebrew word “akal.” The word “consuming” means to devour, burn up, devastate, ravage. In Hebrews 12:29, the transliteration of the Greek word is “katanaliskō” which means to be consumed, to burn up. Sin, wickedness, evil, and all those who are defiant against God will be burned up. He will show forth His glory like a consuming fire. These verses cannot be ignored as they are somber warnings against idolatry and the judgment soon to come.
What God showed me is not an image I can easily forget. When God had revealed to me Himself as a consuming fire, He showed me He is purging evil and wickedness and cleansing everything with His fire. He showed me destruction awaits those who oppose and rebel against Him.
It is a horrifying thought to be ravaged by fire or burned up. Yet, while the words of these verses are comforting to those who are believers, these words are downright terrifying to those who are practicing a life of sin. There is no comfort or peace for those who are not living a life surrendered to God.
“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” Yes, God is jealous for us, and He burns with passion and zeal for His children. He desires to communicate and have a relationship with us. He is the consuming fire who loves His children far more than we could ever imagine. The problem is when we are not serving Him, we are serving and living for self. Serving and living for self is pushing God out of His rightful place in our lives. When we push God out of His rightful place in our lives, we break the first commandment. “You must not have any other God but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any king or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods…” Exodus 20:3-5.
The nature and character of God is HOLINESS. The God we see in the Old Testament is the same God we see in the New Testament. God has not changed. His commands have not changed. We are commanded to be holy, and “…He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:15-16. We are called to holiness. Therefore, as His children, we follow God’s instructions on how to be holy. We cannot be holy and take on the beliefs and philosophies of the world. Being holy and being worldly do not mix. We are either holy or worldly; we cannot be both.
God is the fire that refines. He is the One who is able to cleanse the stains of sin and shame. He is able to make a person complete. Because He is holy, He calls for repentance. If we do not have a holy fear of God and who He is, no act of worship will be acceptable to Him. If we do not have reverence for God, then we will not treat God with honor.
“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men,I will also confess him before My Father in heaven.But whoever denies Me before men,I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth;I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Matthew 10:32-34
No matter who we are or what we do, what we believe about who Christ is and what He has done on Calvary matters. At some point, we are each faced with either choosing Christ and continuing on with Him OR we will choose someone or something else over Christ. Christ has done for us what no one else can do. There is nothing that will ever be able to fill the place in our heart and lives that He alone can fill.
No one wants to believe that a family member hates them or will go against them, but it does happen. Our stance in Christ may be the very thing that causes them to go against us. Our position in Christ may be the very thing that causes them to oppose us at any given opportunity. They can mock us and scoff at us. They can even work at trying to get us to change our beliefs about God and what God calls good and what He calls evil. Can family bring us to the point where we will have to choose between them or Christ? Yes. Not everyone will accept Christ. Not everyone is interested in following the ways of God. Not everyone will accept Christ as being Lord and Savior. Not everyone will believe all He did for us at Calvary. Not everyone in our families will be interested in hearing about Christ or about hearing what the Word of God says about living a life sold out to God. Unfortunately, this is altogether sad, but true.
For those who choose to stand for truth, even if it means losing beloved family members, there is hope. Our hope is found in Christ alone, and this is our assurance: Christ is with us until the very end. If we are not ashamed of Him before men, He will not be ashamed of us before our Heavenly Father. For those who choose Christ, even if it means we will be standing alone, the Lord is upholding us in His righteous right hand, and He has not forsaken us. For those who do not deny Christ and love Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength: to them, they have eternal life because Christ, their Savior and Lord, lives within them, and they will be living life with an abundance of blessings from the Lord.
Will you take a stand even if it means you are standing alone? Will you stand for what is right and holy even in the midst of family members who oppose and betray you? Each of us must ask ourselves these questions.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and mercy. Thank You for choosing me to live for You that I might produce lasting fruit for Your Kingdom. Lord, help me to always walk upright before You, keeping my eyes fixed on the prize before me. Help me to keep my eyes focused on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my Faith. Strengthen me. Guide me and teach me all of Your ways. Thank You for saving and rescuing me. Father, help me to remain strong even though family members may come against me, though they may oppose me. Your approval of me, Abba, is the only thing that matters, not the applause of men. Instruct me as I walk along this narrow path and help me not to slip to the wayside. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When our minds are fixated on those who oppose us, who are the children of GOD, we are only adding fuel to the fire of our anger and our confusion. Those who oppose us are not ours to worry about. GOD will take care of the opposition. Unless we truly let go, we will never have peace of mind. When we are fixated upon those who oppose us, those who speak ill of us, those who are trying to harm us, then we are not trusting in GOD.
SHIFT THE FOCUS: In Isaiah 26:3-4 (Berean Study Bible), it states, “3You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You. 4Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.” Rather than focus on the opposition, which is as fleeting as the grass that eventually withers away, focus on what is eternal such as reflecting on the laws and the commands of GOD and concerning yourself with obeying Him, not caring about the approval or the applause of people. When you begin to think and speak about the goodness of GOD, you will find yourself experiencing the peace that comes from GOD alone. Your soul cannot remain in a downcast state when you are letting the fruit of your lips be thanksgiving and praise to GOD, and you will experience true joy rising up within you. Your mind will not stay overwhelmed and weighed down when you are thinking about what is noble, honorable, trustworthy, and of good report. Trust in GOD, and let it go.
“6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
“Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.”
Isaiah 51:7-8 ESV
God’s Word is so awesome. It is in the Word that we can find the truth of God. His truth is not dependent on how man feels or think. His truth speaks of His nature, His character, His warnings, His commands, and His promises. His Word clearly defines who we are. His Word tells us who we are in light of who God says we are, not a man says we are.
You, Child of the Most High God, have not been given the spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind. His laws are written in your heart, and His unfailing love banishes all fear. Those who are persecuting and mocking you are mocking the God you serve, and they cannot prevail against you. They cannot prevail against you because God’s truth always prevails.
Let God deal with those who oppose you. In the end, remember God’s Word never fades away, and God is your defense. The wicked do not prosper, and in the end, they will reap the wages of iniquity they have sown for hating God and for hating what is holy.
You need not fear anything when you are walking in obedience to God and when you are doing what He wants you to do. So keep focused on serving and loving God and let Him fight your battles for you. After all, the battle belongs to the Lord. Keep your mind fixed on Him, and He will fill you with perfect peace because you trust in Him.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You alone are My Defense. You are my Strength, and You are my Shield. Lord, help me to always remain steadfast in following You and Your ways. You are the One who has ordered my steps. Thank You for being the Shepherd of my Heart. Thank You, Father, that I am able to sit before a table You set before me in the presence of my enemies. Thank You for Your truth that always prevails. Your Word says that if I fear You, I need not fear anything else. I do not fear anyone because You have not given me the spirit of fear, but You have given me the spirit of love and of power and of a sound mind. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Those who leave God and His ways have abandoned the very God who created them. King David spoke of meditating on the law of the Lord, that the commands of God were his delight. He pondered on the law of God all day long. We are to be careful to keep from making a practice of any sin, whatever sin it may be which would easily entangle us. When we keep ourselves pure and holy before God and walking uprightly before God, and obeying His commands, that is evidence of our love for God. If we love God, we’ll obey Him.
He turns our darkness into light.
When we are putting our faith in God, we are trusting in Him, and we can stand on the promises of God. God is faithful, and He proves Himself to be true. God is who He says He is, and God does what He says He will do. His words are certain, and when His Word goes out, His Word does not come back void. His Word goes out and accomplishes the purposes it was sent forth to do. We can depend on His Word, and we can delight in His Word. Anyone in direct opposition to God will find that God is contrary to them.
“If even then you remain hostile toward me and refuse to obey me, I will inflict disaster on you seven times over for your sins. I will send wild animals that will rob you of your children and destroy your livestock. Your numbers will dwindle, and your roads will be deserted. And if you fail to learn the lesson and continue your hostility toward me, then I myself will be hostile toward you. I will personally strike you with calamity seven times over for your sins. I will send armies against you to carry out the curse of the covenant you have broken. When you run to your towns for safety, I will send a plague to destroy you there, and you will be handed over to your enemies,” (Leviticus 26:21-25NLT).
God opposes those who are proud and haughty, but He gives grace to the humble and those who truly delight in Him and His ways.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You are my Light and my Salvation. You have turned my darkness to light. Just as You are a light for me, be the Light for those who are discouraged and fill them with the strength and boldness they need that only comes from You. I ask that You be my Guide and instruct me in in the way I should go that I might not fall into any trap set by the enemy of my soul. Grant me the opportunity to be a light for You in this dark world and give me opportunities to serve You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Linda A. Knowles
“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” -Psalm 37:4NLT
“But when the assembly gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared. Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, and the Lord said to Moses, ‘Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.’ And they fell facedown.” -Numbers 16:42-45(NLT)
Let’s begin with this: There is absolutely nothing wrong with being ambitious. The problem is in the motive and intention of that ambition especially when mixed with greed. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram had seen for themselves the benefits of the Egyptian priesthood -Wealth, position, leadership, prestige, influence in politics, and the like.
Rather than understanding that God Himself chose the Levites, they decided to go against Moses as shown in the account in Numbers 16:1-3(NLT), “One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. They united against Moses and Aaron and said, ‘You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord’s people?'”
Korah and his followers felt they should be upheld like the Levites. They wanted the power. They were greedy and wanted to appoint themselves. Moses had done nothing wrong. The Levites had done nothing wrong. Moses and the Levites were doing the task God had called them to do. They were doing what God had anointed them to do. The Levites were responsible for the spiritual leadership and the teaching of God’s laws. It wasn’t that the Levites and Moses were held above everyone else. They simply were set apart from the rest of the people and were consecrated to God for His service. God raised them up to positions of leadership for the great nation of Israel. Korah and his followers did not recognize that. What they saw was what was in it for them. They wanted what the Levites had. They wanted the position Moses had. They were greedy and failed to realize that God is the One who appoints people to leadership. Korah and his followers’ greedy ambition was not godly; it was downright evil.
Moses’ ambition was to do what God wanted. Moses’ ambition was to serve God. Moses did not have the ambition to control people or lord his leadership over others. Moses simply was a servant of God, that God called out in order to lead the children of Israel. He was devoted to God. Moses’ ambition was a good ambition.
There is no room for greed when you are a servant of the Most High God.
In this passage (Numbers 16:8-11NLT), Korah’s motives are exposed, “Then Moses spoke again to Korah: ‘Now listen, you Levites! Does it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the community of Israel to be near him so you can serve in the Lord’s Tabernacle and stand before the people to minister to them? Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? The Lord is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?'”
God doesn’t play games, and His desire is that the Body of Christ understand that all parts are necessary. We are called to use our gifts and talents. God has anointed each of us for a particular position or place within the body. It’s not about us. It’s about God and where He has put us at this place in time. We are not to be like Korah and his followers, trying to overthrow others out of their position because we are greedy for power or envy another’s position as leaders. Leadership is ultimately about servanthood. Each of God’s children are servants of the Most High God, and we are to conduct ourselves in accordance with the Word of God.
What are your motives for desiring a position of leadership? THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE YOU ARE MODELING FOR WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT. That point cannot be emphasized enough. What example are you setting for others around you? You do not have to have the position of pastor or teacher, parent, or some other authoritative position. There is someone always watching what you say and how you conduct yourself. This is why it is so important to make sure we are right with God so that those we model for do not stumble because of us. We must be living what we preach and teach. We cannot live our lives in a state of rebellion.
Don’t be like Korah and those who followed his example of rebellion. It didn’t end well for Korah and his followers as recorded in Numbers 16:28-35(NLT), “And Moses said, ‘This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things that I have done—for I have not done them on my own. If these men die a natural death, or if nothing unusual happens, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord does something entirely new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all their belongings, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have shown contempt for the Lord.’ He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. All the people around them fled when they heard their screams. ‘The earth will swallow us, too!’ they cried. Then fire blazed forth from the Lord and burned up the 250 men who were offering incense.”
The line has been drawn in the sand. Will you choose to serve God or will you choose to live in opposition to God? Might I suggest you choose to serve God and to do so wholeheartedly? Complacency and indifference toward God is not acceptable nor pleasing in the sight of God.
Live your life to influence others for God. Don’t let the world influence you.
For those who choose to serve God and continue to live for Him, they will live a life of blessing and enjoy true joy and peace that comes from God alone.
Rebellion will only cause you problems, and rebellion will only bring about the consequences of sin which is destruction. Remember it is not a title or position that elevates you. When you walk in a spirit of humility before God, God is the One Who will lift you up. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time,” (1 Peter 5:6).
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, there is no one like You for You are the Eternal God who reigns in majesty. My desire is to please You in all that I do and say so that I might be able to influence others for You. Help me to always remember that there is nothing worth losing my soul for, and help me to stand firm that I don’t let the world influence me. May I constantly be reminded that You require me to walk humbly before You, to love mercy, and to act justly because that is good. Father, let me be a beacon of light for You in this dark world. Teach me Your ways so I might not rebel like Korah and his followers, and let me be able to lead others to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When you stand up, the nations flee!” –Isaiah 33:3 (NLT)
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No words have given me greater comfort in recent months than this verse because it reminds me of the greatness of our God and His goodness, that all He has to do is speak, and His voice will send the enemy running. It doesn’t matter how many enemies surround you, all God has to do is speak. That is how awesome our God is. He speaks, and His voice, just the sound of His voice, sends the enemy running.
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In Revelation 14:2(NLT), the Word of God tells us, “And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together.”
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That is the God we serve. He is Omnipotent and He is everywhere. He knows all your comings and goings. You never need to fear what comes your way because the God you serve never slumbers or sleeps. He is never weary or tired. He does not faint, and He does not stumble or fall.
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REFLECTION: When you find yourself surrounded by enemies, remember the Captain of the Heavenly Hosts has commanded His angels to encamp about you (Psalm 34:7, 91:11). He will not let your enemies triumph over You. Second Kings 6:17(NLT) tells us, “Then Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!’ The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” Your God prepares a feast for you in the presence of your enemies (Psalm 23:5). Do not fear because greater is He that is in you than He who is in the world.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Your perfect love expels all fear, and You have not given me the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Thank You for being my Protector and the One Who Gives His Angels Charge Over Me. Lord, open my eyes to see You have surrounded me with Heaven’s Armies. Fill me with courage and with strength. Remind me always my hope is found in You alone. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Linda A. Knowles
“And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.” -Ezekiel 43:2(KJV)
Stained Glass Confessions 