Woe is me”, is not the talk of the believer in Jesus Christ. Part of our problem is the fight against self. Even after we are redeemed there is still the selfish attitudes that continue to come our way. We need the fire of the Holy Spirit to get rid of all the sin and selfishness, and then turn around and burn brightly inside so that we shine for Christ.
“O fire of God begin in me,
Burn out the dross of self and sin,
Burn off my fetters, set me free,
And make my heart a heav’n within.”
–A.B. Simpson
Preachers use to preach hellfire and brimstone messages, but they also preached about a baptism of fire from above. The Holy Spirit came upon believers and they were changed completely. Old things passed away. Is there then something wrong with the church today? Hmmm, not many changes from the old life are seen.
“Baptize with fire this soul of mine,
Endue me with Thy Spirit’s might,
And make me by Thy pow’r divine
A burning and a shining light.”
We must seek to be rid of the old self, and have the image of Christ burned deep within. I read an article the other day about 10 things that should be gotten rid of in the church. I could only partly agree with one. Almost everything they called for had to do with community, fellowship, harmony, and feeling good. Number ten was to get rid of the sermon; sit around tables and talk out your problems and the pastor would be a monitor. What ever happened to letting the Holy Spirit set His flame working in our souls?
“Burn in, O fire of God, burn in,
Till all my soul Christ’s image bears,
And ev’ry pow’r and pulse within
His holy, heav’nly nature wears.”
There is coming a day when the judgment of God will burn away all those things we did for self. They will be but ashes. However, today is the day of salvation and the believer should begin to allow the fire of God to burn away the things now. Where is the cry in the church of “burn on, burn on!”?
“Burn on, O fire of God, burn on,
Till all my dross is burn’d away,
Till earth and sin and self are gone,
And I can stand the testing day.
Burn on! O fire of God, burn on,
Till all my dross is burned away,
Burn on! burn on!
Prepare me for the testing day.”