BURNING FIRE OF GOD ON THE ALTAR

Leviticus 6:12-13, “And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.” God expects the Old Testament priest to keep the fire burning on God’s altar continually. In the same vein, this divine instruction is still very relevant to us today as Christians and very useful to sustain God’s fire in our souls. Every born-again Christian is a priest unto God today. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).

Believer’s growth and development begins after he/she is born into God’s kingdom into a new life. This new life in the kingdom is with the new thoughts, new walk, new behavior, and new language of God's grace with divine nature to live a holy life. This experience didn’t end there. Our body now belongs to God’s temple, which the holy fire should be burning therewith continually. There’s need for such believer in Christ to continue in the faith to the end in spite of all challenges (odds), as we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). Final salvation is when we shall see Jesus face to face. Salvation in Christ Jesus is an open door to God’s love and mercy to receive the fire of Holy Ghost that burns continually in our souls.

It’s our sole responsibilities and coupled with the measure of grace given to us to keep the fire of God’s love burning and glowing both in our hearts and in the souls (mind, will, and emotions) and the fire of Holy Ghost should continually be burning in us. “It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it…Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Leviticus 6:9; Romans 6:13). These verses of the scripture revealed to us our responsibilities to continue in submission to God’s word so that the Holy Spirit could keep His fire burning perpetually in your soul. It is wisdom for us to take heed to this admonition today. “That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us” (2 Timothy 1:14).

It takes walking in the Spirit to sustain, keeps safe, or guard the fire of God’s love in your heart and soul! In Leviticus 6:10-11, “And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar. And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place”. The ashes in Leviticus 6 are an indication that fire has thoroughly burnt through sacrifice on the altar.

Hence, God instructed the priests to carefully handle them and properly dispose of them outside the camp in other to allow the fire to keep burning continually. Self-glory, self-centeredness, self-focused, and praise of men after God has used us to accomplish His purpose is nothing to us anymore as servants. Not only that, we should humble ourselves continually in God’s presence and return all glory to His Holy name in anything He has used us to do. “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake” (Psalms 115:1). God bless.

BIBLE AND YOU

The Holy Bible (also called the Scriptures, the book of the law, the book of the Lord) is the most inspiring book in all of human history. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).It is living and active book that inform,counsel, educate and impact knowledge above all the series of books that have been in human history. All scripture is written through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and about forty writers were used to do its composition and compilation for over a thousand years.

God’s word is free from any mixture of error, from all falsehood. The Holy Bible, which is also called the book of the LORD in Isaiah 34:16, it’s the heavenly treasure and constitution given to mankind, to guide us in our pilgrim’s journey on earth to eternity (life eternal). We are admonished to “seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them”. Every promise is pure, and every doctrine is pure; every commandment is pure, and every promise prophecy is pure; every one of them free from the mixtures and interventions of men.No doubt, it’s the greatest book in the world and in the history of man.

It’s about God’s revelations to man covering the past, present and the future events. No man can know God except by the Holy Scriptures. As life of man cannot be sustained and nourished without the physical food even so a Christian cannot live victoriously except he/she daily feeds on the Holy Scriptures to nourish their spiritual lives. Who then is the author of the Bible? The Almighty God Himself in His infinite mercy inspired the writers, as the Holy Spirit moved the saints of old: the Prophets and Apostles (to mention but few) to write about God’s creation, His love, plan and purpose of salvation (2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Bible revealed God’s will to us (Psalm 119:9, 11,105). It also reveals the way of salvation by pointing us to the vicarious death of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, who paid the price of the sins of humanity (Hebrews 13:12; Acts 4:12).

The importance of reading and studying the scriptures cannot be over emphasized thus; it shows us the way of salvation and righteous living (John 3:16, 36;6:63; 8:32). It also gives us power over sin and weapons against temptation (Psalm 1119:11; Matthew 4:3-4). Studying and obeying the book of the LORD lead you to prosperity and success in life (Please read Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3).More benefits you can derive from the Holy Bible as you study and practice it is growth and maturity (1 Peter 2:2); nourishment and health (Proverbs 4:20-22). As physical food is to the body so is the word of God to the soul of men.Unfortunately,a lot of people hate the Bible and a greater number of them hardly read God’s word. Reading the Bible day and night is profitable in this last day as it will impacts your life than any other books you can ever come across.Devotional attention must be given to the Bible – read it, study it, meditate on it, pray on it and obey it.

No any other guidebook that can lead one to heaven (life eternal) except the Holy Bibles. Truly, the Christian journey is impossible without studying the Bible. Hence, it’s imperative for all Bible-believing Christians to read God’s inspired book every day. “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God,and keep it “(Luke 11:28). Commitment to the Bible means that we read it prayerfully, meditate on it patiently, pray on it perseveringly, and obey it in totality. We must not only rejoice in the promises but we should also tremble under the judgements and hasten to obey the commandments. Remember that as you are keeping to this word, your life shall never remain the same.