"For our God is a consuming fire."

The "tower of the furnaces" must be repaired so we may have the fire of God's Presence, God's judgment, in our midst. In many instances there is little or no consciousness of sin on the part of the members of the Body of Christ. Yet, sin and rebellion against God are prevailing in the churches. The behaviors that are sin are described by the writers of the New Testament.

The works of the flesh are practiced by the church people of today. Of all the needs that the Church of Christ has in our time, one of the greatest by far is for the Christian people and all their works to be baptized with fire. Otherwise, adultery, fornication, spiritism, hatred, violence, gossiping, backbiting, envy, greed, jealousy, will remain unjudged among us.

There is more than a baptism with the Holy Spirit. There is a baptism with fire. It is time now for the Church to be baptized with fire.

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:11,12)

When we draw near to God we are drawing near to the fires of judgment. If we would see the Lord, we must become holy. Let us run to the fires of judgment, praying for the Lord's judgment on ourselves and our works.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalms 139:23,24)

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (I Corinthians 11:32)

God will help us judge ourselves so He will not have to chasten us. The judgment of God on us and our conduct is greatly to be desired at this time. The wise saint seeks out the attitude of the Lord in order to insure that he actually is pleasing to the Lord. He runs to the light that his deeds may be shown to be of God.

The foolish believer is hiding from the Face of God, as did Adam, because he is afraid of facing the consequences of his actions. Such a person is only delaying the day of reckoning and is increasing the possibility that he will be dealt with severely in the Day of Christ. For it is certain Christ shall judge each of us according to our works (Revelation 2:23).

Let us therefore run to the Lord so He may reveal to us how well we are pleasing Him. If we are not pleasing Him we need to know it so we can repent and begin to please Him. This was King David's attitude!

To be judged by the Lord does not mean we necessarily will be punished by the Lord. To be judged means the Lord will show us what is good and what is evil in our personality and conduct. Then, by the help of the Holy Spirit, we are to embrace what is good and refuse and resist the evil.

The wise saint confesses his sins to the Lord, repenting of them and asking God for strength to overcome them. The foolish saint is not confessing and repenting of his sins but is putting off his judgment until the Day of Christ.

To be continued.