“Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord and like a hammer that breaks rocks to pieces.” — Jeremiah 23:29
“I will make my words in your mouth a fire” — Jeremiah 5:14
“His word is in my heart like a fire” — Jeremiah20:9
“As I meditated (think hagah) the fire burned” — Psalm 39:3
A common question that is asked when we see someone who is passionate about their faith is, ”How do I get that same fire in my soul? How are they able to have such passion and such fervor for the things of God?” Most of us struggle to maintain our passion and to discipline ourselves in our Christian walk. We want to know how to get that fire and to keep that fire burning inside us for the long haul.
The answer is always in the Text (see above verses). The fire is in the book! As we study and wrestle with the words in the book and commit them to memory, we begin to develop that fire in our chest. There is no substitute for the hard work it takes to become a disciple that has passion for the Text. The fire is there in the Book; it has always been there. As you seriously read the Text, you begin to develop the hunger that eventually becomes a consuming fire.
There is no shortcut to developing the fire. You can’t go to a weekend seminar and learn the three steps to obtaining it. The disciple has to do the hard work of taking the Word in and then walking it out and being obedient to it. It will be the hardest thing you have ever done, but think of the reward!
About the author:
Bob is the creator of this site and a disciple of Ray Vander Laan. Along with his wife of 50 years, he teaches a Bible study at Christ’s Church in Roswell, NM. He is also an avid hunter and fisher.
Fire is also a source of light and warmth, as is the Word.
Thank you for the faith lesson. Maybe it is time for a memory verse.