What about Christian churches today? What about me? What are my blind spots? My areas of hardened heart? What lies do I believe? What excuses do I make for behaviors which God’s word teaches are clearly against his will? What sins of omission do I commit? Do I love my neighbor as I should? Whom do I consider to be my neighbor? Whom do I exclude from my “neighbors” list? …
Isaiah Journal 22: The Cleansing Fire
The tongues of cleansing fire which settled upon the disciples gathered in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost correspond to the burning coal with which the angel touched Isaiah’s lips. The fire accomplishes two purposes: 1) it cleanses, or purifies, both the lips and the message, and 2) it gives power, the power of the Holy Spirit of God to preach the Word with boldness and truth. The cleansing fire both sanctifies and commissions. …